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This month's featured author is Kelly. Kelly writes VOY fanfiction and five of her stories are featured on this page.

If you're a fanfic writer and would like to be featured on this page, please drop us a note at [email protected] We'll also gladly take recommendations for writers whom you think deserve to be "in the spotlight."

Name: Kelly Chambliss

Website: Kelly's Janeway Fiction

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been a writer?

I suppose I could say I've been a writer since I was about eight, when I tried to create my own Nancy Drew mystery. But I didn't begin writing fiction as an adult until about 1998. I've written quite a bit of nonfiction, though, including a doctoral dissertation and various professional articles. Since first grade, I've been an avid reader; there still aren't many more things I'd rather do than read (on weekends, I've been known to remain book-bound on the sofa for eight-ten hours at a time.) Luckily, I teach English at the college level, so my job gives me ample opportunity to read and think about literature. This background has given me a good sense of literary structure and style, which I hope informs my own writing.

How long have you been a Trek fan?

I watched TOS reruns in the 1970s, but I didn't think much of them -- or more specifically, I didn't think much of Kirk; he bugged me so much that eventually I couldn't watch. But in 1980, when the first Trek movie came out, I got talked in to going to see it. I found that it was possible to ignore Kirk and concentrate on the more interesting aspects of Trek. When TNG started, I gave it a try and got hooked, and I've been a Trekkie ever since. (Kirk still annoys the hell out of me, though.)

What is your favorite series to watch?

Well, my favorite *character* to watch is Kathryn Janeway (except when she is forced to debase herself in such tripe as "Fair Haven" and "Spirit Folk.") During its first 3-4 seasons, I'd have said that VOY was my favorite series to watch. But Paramount's decision to concentrate on plot and effects to the exclusion of character ultimately ruined VOY. In terms of overall intelligence, complexity of theme, and depth of character, I'd have to say that DS9 is the best Trek viewing experience.

To write for?

The very things that limit VOY's success as a television show -- inconsistent, shallow characters; illogical plots; an emphasis on action over sense -- make VOY the most interesting series to write about. By leaving all sorts of plot holes and giving us such sketchy, flat characters, the canon screenwriters created a fertile ground for fanfic authors. There's so much potential still there, so many interesting aspects left to explore.

What type of fanfic do you like to write?

My goal is to write stories that are adult. I don't mean "adult" in the sense of "sexually explicit," although many of my stories are. I mean "adult" in the sense of "grown up." In attempting to appeal to its ideal demographic of teenaged boys, the canon Trek writers too often produce characters and situations that are adolescent, facile, simplistic, even downright stupid. The worst sort of fanfic can be the same -- some stories read like Trek versions of Harlequin romances or mindless macho-action flicks.

It's not that I mind escapist fiction or movies, but I find them ultimately unsatisfying as a steady diet. I prefer stories and films that challenge me, make me think, even disturb me a bit. Those effects are the ones I'd like my own fiction to have. I like to explore the darker sides of characters (and of institutions such as Star Fleet) that canon Trek usually leaves untouched. Thus most of my stories range from slightly to very angsty. I don't mean that I'm opposed to happy endings or a little touch of sappiness now and then (although you can't always tell it from my stories <g>). But even in my more light-hearted works such as "Swing Time," I try to write about grown-ups.

Have you done any other type of writing?

I write essays of literary and cultural criticism. I've done some feature articles for local newspapers and magazines as well, and for two years I wrote a biweekly newspaper column. In terms of fiction, I am primarily a short-story writer. In addition to fanfic, I've written some original stories, usually featuring lesbian protagonists and/or erotica.

What does your "writing space" look like?

At the moment, I'm stretched out on my couch with my laptop resting on top of me and a cup of tea at my side. But I can't usually write anything complicated in this position. When I'm really immersed in writing, I prefer to sit at a desk, either at home or in my office. I like to have a lot of light and some music -- among my favorite "music to write to" is Scott Joplin, Laura Nyro, the blues artist Keb Mo, Eric Clapton, Big Band albums, country singer Mandy Barnett, Carole King, the Beatles. In both places (home and office), my desk is surrounded by reference books, coffee cups, papers, etc. Every now and then I have a cleaning fit and tidy it all up. But usually, it's pretty cluttered. In the office, my filing cabinet is covered with Janeway pictures; at home, I look out an upstairs window into the branches of a huge old tree.

How did you get started writing fanfic?

A few summers ago, in an attempt to avoid some work I had to do, I did a search for "Captain Janeway" on the Internet. I'm not sure what I was looking for -- just some information about Kate Mulgrew, I suppose. At the time, I had vaguely heard of Kirk/Spock fic, but I'd never read any, and it never occurred to me that there would be any Voyager fiction. I'd never heard terms such as J/C or slash or PWP, etc. I didn't even know what newsgroups were.

But my web search took me to something called "The J/C Index," and I read my first piece of fanfic. I had no idea what I was in for. I don't remember the first story I read, but I vividly remember reading my first NC-17 fic. My initial reaction was, "I can't read *this*!" It was like spying on my best friends in bed or something. Of course, that feeling didn't last long, and soon I was reading all the J/C I could find. First-time stories, sappy Talent-Night stories, stuck-in-the-turbolift fics -- I read them all. Then one lucky day, I found some J/P and J/7 stories, too, which I liked better than J/C.

After about a month of solid reading, I just felt driven to try my hand at a fanfic of my own. I had no website then, and I still hadn't found the newsgroups. So, with some nervousness, I wrote a J/P story and submitted it to the JuPiter Station. It's very much a practice piece, sort of a literary apprenticeship, so I haven't put it on my website. But I had such fun writing it that I wanted to continue.

Yet I found the conventions of J/C fic to be too constraining, and I wasn't very comfortable writing smut. So I wasn't sure what direction to take. Then, one historic night, in a fanfic chatroom, someone recommended a site that contained Janeway/Kashyk fiction. I'd loved the Kashyk TV episode, "Counterpoint," so I tried the site. To say that I was impressed is an understatement: I was left breathless by the power of some of the stories. I felt compelled to write a J/Ka of my own, and the first two parts of my story "Needs" practically wrote themselves.

Other stories followed, and I've been a committed fanfic writer ever since. (Oh, and I've also become quite comfortable writing sex scenes. It's like murder [or so I've heard <g>] -- once you do the first one, the rest come much more easily. And no, that's not a pun.)

Your stories focus a lot on Janeway. What draws you to this character?

I've always been attracted to powerful women, and the character of Kathryn Janeway is one of the few on television that was well-created (at least initially). I like that she is not a conventional Hollywood beauty, that she's not 20-something, that she can be strong without being hard or cold, that she seems comfortable with her power, that she can use it without apology. Too often, television portrays strong, professionally-successful women as unnatural or unhappy or unsexed, but in the case of Janeway (at least the early Janeway), we finally had an older female character who was presented as sexy and desirable, not *despite* her power and strength, but *because* of them.

Your stories frequently have a sensual and dark element to them - ones that involved "hidden" aspects of Janeway's character, such as "Stimulation."

That's another element that draws me to Janeway -- the adult complexity that I sense beneath the often adolescent way she's presented in canon. She's portrayed initially as an ethical, idealistic, fiercely intelligent woman. There's no way that such a person could fail to be changed and darkened by the personal and moral compromises someone in her position would be forced to make. The canon stories mostly ignored this aspect, or treated it foolishly. But it's these "hidden depths," these changes that are both damaging and strengthening, that make Janeway so interesting to write about.

In addition, you manage to write your smut in a way that is both provocative and erotic. What are some of your secrets to writing quality sensual and dark stories?

I have two basic smut-writing "rules" --

1. Less is more. Sex scenes are hotter and more compelling when the writing is spare, when the details and diction are kept to a well-chosen minimum. It often takes me longer to write a one-paragraph sex scene that it does to write whole pages of initial exposition. But every word, every image, has to count, and anything not absolutely necessary has to be pared away.

2. Sex scenes should serve character. No sex just for the smutty fun of it. No erotic elements just for the purpose of arousing a reader. If a sex scene doesn't build upon and further a story's characters and themes, then it doesn't belong.

As for darkness, external events can shape the mindset of a character, but in general, the darkness should come from *inside* -- it should be character-driven, not event-driven. Otherwise, you have to rely on sensationalistic plots to justify a character's mental state. So you end up with stories about Janeway being insane, raped, maimed, imprisoned, tortured, beaten, captured, burned at the stake, suffering the death of Chakotay, of Seven, of her own children, and on and on. Now, good stories can be (and have been) written using all these plots -- but the plots should be in service of the character, not the other way around.

Out of all the stories you've written, which is your favorite and why?

I'm finding this question difficult! The best I can do is a tie between "Equation" and "Baby Demon."

"Equation" was one of my first fanfics, and I can still read it over without wanting to rewrite much. I'm very fond of my original character, Margaret. Also, I've always wanted to express my feelings about mathematics, and I think I managed to do so in this story. Math isn't something that I understand on any but the most basic level, yet sometimes when I read histories of science, etc., I get a flash of insight, a sense of what it might be like *really* to comprehend the infinite, abstract mathematical universe. I tried to communicate those flashes in "Equation."

"Baby Demon" was written in conjunction with Boadicea. She wrote the beginning, setting the tone and the situation. I wrote the middle and the end. I'm very satisfied with the seamless way the collaboration worked. As I was writing, I could see the settings and hear the characters so clearly, an experience that for me is the equivalent of an athlete's being "in the zone." Everything just clicked. Plus, I really like the way Janeway and Seven come across in this story.

Do you have a section of that story you'd like to share with us?

From "Equation" (in which an original character watches Janeway as they ride in a space shuttle) --

"I wonder if she minds the contrast, that she's just a passenger on a cramped shuttle when she once commanded the stars. Now that I can see her face clearly, I recognize how much time has passed since I first saw the vid of her taking charge of Voyager. Her hair is grayer than it appeared when we were outside. She's only in her fifties, and she's got good bones, but her skin shows creases now, with lines linking her nose and mouth and crinkles near her eyes.

"It's a face that has really lived, and I don't think I've ever seen her look more compelling. The tackier news services used to call her 'the beautiful Captain Janeway,' trying to make some sort of glamour symbol out of her. Of course, I've always found her really attractive, but I never considered her beautiful.

"I'm changing my mind."

From "Baby Demon" (Janeway and Seven, who has lost her memory, are stuck in Earth's past. This passage shows Janeway observed from Seven's point of view) --

"There are days when she seems happy, hopeful. I can feel her energy. She will smile and lay her hand on my arm. On those days, she will often be gone for hours; I don't know if she sleeps or where. Or we go out together, walking in the sunshine along streets full of shops and people. We talk. Sometimes we have a drink at one of the sidewalk cafes. Sometimes we buy ice cream or fruit from a vendor's cart and eat while we listen to the musicians who stand in the shade and play sad, comforting songs. If we can spare it, she drops money into the instrument case they leave open on the pavement before them.

"I do not think she will leave me, but I wonder what she would do if I said I wanted to leave her? Would she say, 'I can't make decisions for you?' Would she turn away as she does when I touch her? Or would she say, as I would say to her, 'Don't go?'

I do not ask."

When you're reading fanfic, what are you looking for?

First of all, I want the author to demonstrate a good grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. These may sound like trivial things -- I mean, why worry about commas if the story is good, right? Wrong. A writer who doesn't have complete control of hir literary tools is like a color-blind painter or a sculptor who knows how to use only one type of chisel -- handicapped from the start. No, I'm not going to dismiss an otherwise good story because of a misplaced comma or two. But too many fanfic writers seem to think that because they are only writing for "entertainment" or "for the fun of it," they don't have to be careful about their craft. Well, they're wrong.

I'm also looking for stories with "adult" characters or with young characters who aren't terminally precious. I want to enjoy what I read, but I also want to be made to think, to be encouraged to see the world and its people from a perspective I hadn't considered before.

And I need a LOT of Janeway in my fanfic.

Every author has a "must read" fanfic list. What does your list look like?

One of the joys of fanfic is that there is so much really, really good stuff out there; some fanfic authors are terrifically talented. It's going to be a challenge to pick only a few.

Several of the people listed below have stopped writing or have moved on to other fandoms. It's a great pity.

My top favorite stories, of course, focus on Janeway. Among the best are the "islands" at August's Archipelago of Angst (http://appelsini.tripod.com). You can't go wrong with any of them, but here are some of my favorite works:

august: "Angst," she says, and she ain't kidding. My favorites: "Like the Northern Lights" (J/Ka), "I Do Not Think of Her Often" (J/Ka), "In the End" (J/P)

Boadicea: To my mind, the best fanfic writer out there. The best. Read everything. Now. I particularly love "The Middle of the Night" (J/Ka), "Open Water" (J/Owen Paris), "Name," "Watching" (J/7), and "Farr Haven" (J/Tu) -- the *real* story behind the farce that was the episode "Fair Haven."

Christine CGB-- "Prisons," "Accidental Suicide" (J/f)

Jen Ferris: "A Fine Line" (J/C) -- a really fun action story; it works because it's clever and character-driven

Michele Masterson: "Knocked Up" (virtually the only J/C pregnancy story I've ever liked); "Contrition" (J/C)

nanda: "So Much Beyond" (J/C); "Only Air" (J/C)

Lots of good stories exist outside the Archipelago, too. Just a few Janeway must-reads:

Bridget Cochran -- "Life's Challenges" and its sequel, "More Challenges." (J/P) One of the most interesting a/u conceptions of Janeway I've read.

the Emu -- Her J/P story "Absumption," based on the episode "Timeless," may be my favorite J/P ever. A wonderful example of how you can combine gripping action with complex characters.

Fanfic Chick -- "The Ultimate Mary Sue" (a.k.a. "TUMS") -- the funniest, sharpest parody of bad fanfic you'll ever read.

Jane St. Clair -- "A Kiss on the Body Electric" (J/7)

Jenn -- "In the Space of Seven Days" is mostly P/T, but it's a superb action story and a good example of skilled narrative technique. And don't miss Jenn's fine J/P, "Dusk at Sandrine's" (version 2)

Julie Russo -- "Winner Take All" (J/7) -- Janeway, Seven, chess, sex, bdsm. What, you need more?

Liz Barr -- Liz is a lyrical, compelling writer. Try "Book of the Dead" and "Cold Hands, Cold Heart" (J/Sue Nicolletti)

m.c.moose -- m.c. writes a cleaner, less edgy Janeway than I envision, but she writes her very well indeed.

monkee -- Everything on her page is worth reading. I particularly love "The Woman in Black" (J/Ka), "No Strings" (J/P), and "Surrounded by Idiots" (Janeway has finally HAD IT.)

Penny Proctor -- Start with the amazing "Revisionist History" and then read everything else.

ragpants -- "Ennui" (J/C, sort of). Wonderfully bizarre and biting. Real sci-fi.

Rocky -- Rocky writes intelligent, grown-up stories. I particularly like her Janeway/Tuvok friendship story, "Ties That Bind"

the stylus -- Her "Reaction Shots," showing several characters' reactions to Janeway, is a masterpiece. As is just about every other Janeway story she's written. I love every word.

Ventura33 -- I really like "The Nature of Reality" -- a TNG/VOY crossover featuring Janeway, Seven, . . .and Guinan. No, not a threesome. Something much more interesting.

Do you have any advice to share with other fanfic writers?

Just keep writing!

Exchange - One hundred years after Voyager's return, an historian searches for answers to some of the mysteries of Janeway's life. 1st Place, Best VOY Janeway/Female Story, 2001 ASCEM Golden O Awards
1st Place, Best TNG F/F Slash Story, 2001 ASCEM Golden O Awards, 1st Place, Best TNG Slash Story
2001 ASCEM Golden O Awards, 1st Place, Best Janeway Pairing, 2001 ASC Awards

Asylum - When Captain Janeway's shuttle goes missing, her sister asks B'Elanna Torres some questions. 2nd Place, Best VOY Single Person Story, 2001 ASCEM Golden O Awards

Needs - Inspector Kashyk from "Counterpoint" returns to commandeer Voyager and the crew. And Kathryn. 1st Place, Best Kashyk Story, 2000 ASC Awards, 1st Place, Best Janeway/Kashyk Story, 2000 ASCEM Golden O Awards

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