II. Who Am I?
Here's the place for the boring background information. So, let's get started. I became involved in online fandom back in 1999. The first fandoms I was at least semi-active in were Anne McCaffrey's Pern and The Tower & the Hive, Melanie Rawn and Tad Williams. Then, somehow, someway, I stumbled upon a bit of fanfiction. I can't even remember what site or what pairing (if there was one at all) or what story, but it was Harry Potter, and I was hooked. I think I started at Fiction Alley, but I found it difficult to navigate. I couldn't search by pairing and it just seemed limited somehow. I figured out why I felt limited by FA when I discovered the wonders of SLASH. I started with a bit of gen, then moved onto such pairings as Draco/Ginny and Snape/Hermione.
Then, on a whim, I read a slash fic. Now there really was no turning back. Early on, I latched onto Draco/Harry and Snape/Harry, but now I've branched out to read just about any slash pairing as long as I find the summary interesting. It really all comes down to the plot for me.
While I started with HP and then LotR, I've since branched out to include other novels, films, television shows and comics. In fact, I haven't read much HP or LotR fic lately. Rather, I've latched onto House M.D., NCIS, CSI (all three versions), Numb3rs, Stargate: Atlantis & SG-1, RENT, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Magnificent Seven, Firefly, Without a Trace, Batman, BtVS/AtS, and a touch of X-Men, X:WP/HtLJ (Joxer/Ares!), Phantom of the Opera, Hellsing, OUaTiM, Discworld, InuYasha, Master & Commander, Labyrinth, L.A. Confidential, The Matrix, and Smallville (preferably CLex futurefics with happy endings ;-)). This is by no means an exhaustive list, however. That would take up the entire page. I also love stumbling upon fics in any fandom I'm remotely familiar with and even those I only have vague details for. I don't mind doing a bit of research; I just want good fic!
Amazingly enough, I do have a few squicks, and these are personal preferences. I'd rather not read fics where a character is paired with more than one other person in the same fic or series. If Harry is paired with Voldemort in a given fic, I don't want them to break up and Harry ends up with Snape, or somesuch thing. I also cannot abide infidelity/partner betrayal, in real life or in fiction. D/s, rapefic, and fics that include cutting, smoking or excessive drinking or swearing are also of little to no interest to me. I can see someone like Harry falling in love with just about anyone under given circumstances, but I can't see him using a lot of profanity in everyday conversation.
Another thing that really throws me out of the moment in fics is when, during intimate moments, a given character thinks or mentions other people they've been with or how experienced they are. I want to savor the here and now, not wallow or revel in the past. It does a disservice to the poor fictional character you happen to be with.
Poor grammar and spelling are other reasons for me to click the back button and fast. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing 'then' utilized instead of 'than.' Feedback blackmail is another. You want 20 reviews before you update again? Well, that's one review you won't be getting from me.
I'm sure I'll flesh this little blurb out someday, but until and beyond that day I will continue to hope for people to write more Maximus/Commodus, White/Exley and Ezra/Nathan. Thank you for your time, and enjoy your stay at Casa de Deliverance. Su Casa, Mi Casa...strike that, reverse it...or...not.