Like a lot of American fans, I started on "Battle of the Planets" in the late '70s. I was about seven when I first saw it. I was not familiar with anime at the time, but I fell in love with the look of the show, and with the characters. Up until that point, I was not a fan of action cartoons or the "super hero" genre, although I was a Star Wars fan. I got thoroughly addicted, and in the years between the time it went off the air and when I finally rediscovered it I can clearly remember pining for it. I just couldn't imagine living my life without ever seeing it again. That sounds dramatic, but it really did get under my skin.

I'm a Condor-holic. My favorite Condor is Joe Asakura, followed by Jason, since he was the one who got me hooked. I have a soft spot for Joe Thax from Eagle Riders for some reason. My least favorite is Dirk Daring, although I wouldn't turn the channel if G-Force was on. :)

My least favorite? Does 7-Zark-7 count? OK, that may be a cop-out... I would have to say that my least favorite character is probably Keyop. I just like the Swallow better when he speaks like a regular kid.

Ever? This is a little embarrassing, but the first fanfic I ever wrote was an "Outsiders," fanfic - you know, based on the S.E. Hinton story. I didn't know what fanfiction was at the time, but a friend and I invented our own characters and moved them in with the Curtis brothers. It was tremendously fun, but I think either of us would have died at the thought of posting it publicly. My first "real" fanfic that went public was my first Gatch fic, "Legacy Blue." I was inspired to write it after I joined the GML and started reading Gatch fanfic. I was writing for a living, for a music magazine, and the freedom of writing without boundaries or deadlines was invigorating.

Yes - feedback from other fans. And I've come to learn that beta readers are indispensable.

Oh, man... making me pick and choose. I think my favorite fanfic is Wendy Dinsmore's "Out of the Shadows." Aside from the fact that it was very well-written, I truly learned a lot about the series reading it. It clarified some things from the first few episodes of Gatch II, before Joe's return. I also like that it captures the "feel" of the series so well -- I was never left second guessing the characters' actions or feeling that she had taken a lot of unnecessary liberties with the story. It's fanfiction that is truly *for* fans, as opposed to fanfiction that is mainly for the indulgence of the writer. At least that's how it comes across.

Hmm... I'm not sure I have a definite favorite, but I do have a LEAST favorite: the permanently unfinished "New Blood," a "next generation" story centering on Joe's son, Johnny. It's basically a story I had no business writing. I'm horrible at action, and that's what this story required. There were some OK flashbacks and character interaction scenes, but ultimately, it just floundered. I also think that about 80% of the 12-part(!) "Ordinary Life" was unnecessary. That one is permanently unfinished, too, because I just can't bring myself to fill in those final blanks regarding Joe and his future widow Kira. I realized that I really do prefer leaving a good amount up to the reader. After those two stories were abandoned, I started writing very short stories and vignettes, which I think work better.

"New Blood," because I had such a hard time coming up with a reason for a new team to form and concepts for missions. And, as I mentioned above, I am not an action writer.

Probably the "Session Assignment" series. They would just sort of hit me and come out in a matter of minutes. I don't know if I'd say "easy," though, since they don't hit me as frequently as I'd like. :)

Absolutely... I definitely want to rewrite "Legacy Blue," maybe inserting some of the more successful parts from "New Blood" and "Ordinary Life." I plan to do more with the "Fortunate Ones" storyline, which will probably include tweaking what I've got so far.

Loaded question. First, what I love: I love to see the characters interact in a way that is believable. I love reading fics, especially BotP fics, that actually improve upon the series, going deeper and being more "real" than the kid's show could be. I love humor, although it's not a requirement and I don't write it as a genre. I love fics that play out like an actual episode and do it well, although, again, this is not something I do myself. I love a good "what if" and stories that invent backstory or fill in holes the show(s) leave open. Of course, I love to see good writing in fanfiction.

Now, what I don't love: More than anything else, I feel that any piece of writing being presented should be at a most minimal level. I'm not talking about talent or great plot or terrific dialogue here; I mean if the average Middle School English teacher would find it unacceptable, the rest of us shouldn't be expected to read it. There are exceptions to this, and if it's done on purpose as a stylistic technique, there's a good chance I'll love it. But if a person clearly has no grasp of the most basic grade-school elements of putting words to a page (for example, if it's one big paragraph, dialogue and all), I'm not going to waste my time trying to decipher it [Aside: I used to be the listowner of a Hinton ML, long after I stopped writing "Outsiders" fanfic. The average listmember was about thirteen. Their writing wasn't always the best, but the structure was always impeccable, so I'm convinced that people are, in fact, learning the basics; some apparently just abandon them once they're out of school]. I tend to be more lenient when it comes to typos and misspellings, unless they're overwhelming, although I do feel that the simple act of using spell check shows a lot of respect for the reader. I dislike disrespect for the reader, and disrespect for the characters. I don't like a fanfic to be too alternate - if I'm reading Gatch fanfic, I want to be able to tell fairly easily. I also have a personal pet peeve about mixing the elements of the different series together, although this can and does work well in certain fics.

Joe and Ken. But I would hope they could speak English! ;-) Just because they're favorites.

Hmm... if it weren't for the shipwreck, I might pick Dr. Pandora, actually. But I'm going to have to go with the painfully obvious choice (for a female) and go with Jun.

I don't know... I didn't go into any particular field because of the show. But Gatchaman *is* one of my main hobbies, so without it there would be that void.

My favorite TV show is "Smallville." I'm completely addicted... I'm into the so-called "teen angst" genre, and it's really that element, more than the sci-fi or action elements, that draws me to it, and continues to draw me to Gatch. I'm a devoted "Simpsons" follower. I could roll out a list a mile long on favorite movies, but I'll keep it simple by saying that my a few of my favorite movies are "X-Men," "Pitch Black," "Welcome to the Dollhouse," "Stand By Me," and "Smoke Signals." The X-Men in general attract me for similar reasons Gatch does (human characters with issues and problems who nevertheless manage to protect humanity. X-Men has the added feature of dealing with discrimination, an issue quite important to me.)

My favorite book is "Catch 22." Joseph Heller's writing just blows my mind. I'll read anything by Sherman Alexie ("The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight in Heaven"). Stephen King is a dialogue master, and I love that. Lynda Barry's "Cruddy" continues to stick with me -- I'm a big fan of both her writing and artwork. She's a huge influence on me. And I still love S.E. Hinton. She captured true teen angst as few have.

Being a Gatch fan is a big hobby, like I said, including fanfic writing. I also collect music - records, CDs, mp3s. I came out of the East Coast punk scene in the '80s and 90s, and I still try to follow what's going on Underground. My tastes, though, have grown exponentially over the years. I like music from nearly any style - classical, hip hop, country, traditional (tribal), metal, pop, R&B, industrial, dance, whatever. I'm a godawful musician, though. I can appreciate it, but I can't play it (that's my husband's area). I'm better at writing, painting, and photography - the latter for which I hold a degree in Fine Art.

Right now I work in the seedy underbelly of television - local cable. I co-produce a couple of shows, a late-night style talk show featuring local personalities, bands, artists, comics, chefs, etc.; and an "on the town" show that covers things that are going on here in Delaware, including "Club Scene" segments, antique appraisers, and "fashion emergencies." I write ad copy (we produce the commercials as well as the shows) and do invoicing. It sounds like a lot, but it only takes up an hour or two most days. I also work as a part-time assistant to a Personal Fashion Consultant, mostly setting appointments and making flyers and such. I do both jobs from home, thanks to The Modem, save for weekly meetings. Which is great, because I'm also an at-home mom.

Don't you know enough already? ;-) Seriously, though, I can't think of anything else... I'm devoted to my hubby, John, and my 2 1/2 year old old son, Shane. That's about it.

My FanFiction

Legacy Blue
New Blood (inc)
Ordinary Life (inc)
The Search
Fated
Session Assignment (1-4)
Fortunate Ones
Life's a Drag

I've got a couple I'm working on... I think this is all of it so far!
Gatch Fanfic Archive