First off, welcome to my site. To steal from a not-so-famous musician, what a long, strange trip it's been...
So, now that you're in the silly FAQ page, you're probably asking who is this chick. She's got this strange little fascination with the X-Men--particularly with Ororo and Logan. How odd! Yep. It's odd. But trust me, it works! Now, if only Marvel got the hang of it...
Why Logan and Ororo?
The simple answer is "Why Not?" but I think you want more than that, eh?
I've been a long-time reader of the X-Men. I have about a 10-year+ gap (I left a little bit before Chris Claremont stopped writing Uncanny in the 1990s), but before I left, I swore I saw some chemistry between those two. Sure, they had common ground--Jean--but I couldn't help thinking that there was more that they could explore with each other. They seemed "made" for each other to me...the Beauty who could calm the Beast, and the Beast who evoked the best from Beauty. They fit. They can be themselves around each other without fear. Wolverine can go feral, Storm can lose her temper...and yet they always come back to "center" for the other. Wolverine trusts her with his back. Storm will actually listen to his advice and "be real." Wolvie can deal it straight with her, and she'll take it. She'll listen to him like no other. And she does the same for him.
Shoot, they've kissed in the comics, they've been married and had kids in the cartoon and in the AU "What If" comic...what bigger hint does Marvel need?
Where'd the Name "Ninamonkey" Come From?
Ninamonkey...strange name, isn't it? Are you asking if the woman behind the name's equally strange? Answer? Yes, and no. Well, maybe more "yes" than no...
There's a reason behind the name. I've written for more than one fan fiction universe, and I made up a character named "Nina" for one of my stories. Although I was the first "nina" on Fanfiction.net, I soon changed my name when a whole slew of "nina's" suddenly popped up there. I decided to be distinctly original from the others. I merged the "nina" name with the name of the TV show (Tales of the Gold Monkey) and voila: Ninamonkey was born.
How Old Are You/What Do You Look Like/What's Your Real Name/What Do You Do In Real Life/etc.?
I'll answer that question with my favorite word: Nunya. What's "nunya" you ask? Nunya. Often coupled with Nunya Business...Say it out loud--you'll get it eventually.
Lol. Seriously, In real life I've worked as a technical editor and as a writing/editing consultant--but I don't like giving out personal info. Nina's not even my real name. Still curious? We-ell...Let's just say that the very first X-Men comic I picked up had Jean dying as the Phoenix for the first time. Dangit, I should've bought that puppy. First issue, man! I would've been one rich woman by now. I was about 9 or 10 when I read that comic, and *no,* it wasn't a reprint, and *yes,* it was brand-new. Yes, that makes me over 30 and I'm still reading comics...So what's yer point?
How Do You Come Up With Your Ideas?
It's amazing what kind of life changes can happen in a few short years...
Although I'm a lot less "goddessy" and a lot more "weirdy," Ororo and I have a lot in common with the way we emote and relate to people. The me in her/her in me is a strong, capable, dark-skinned woman who loves deeply, but often can't express it as well as she'd like. I can be skeptical and cautious, and fiercely protective of my friends. And bad tempered, when I'm not looking. So when I write 'Ro, she's often acting out my inner character flaws. She's not me by any means, and I'm not writing myself into my stories, but sometimes I write out my feelings and transfer my frustrations. My love stories hit extremely close to home in that regard. I go into it a little more in the "Healing Heart Author's Notes."
Sometimes, though, I write because I see a missing piece of a character. I wonder what motivates particular characters, and what *really* makes them tick. I mull over their typical "core" makeup and I start playing the "What If..." game, and I turn them upside down to see a new aspect of them tilted on their side. I sort of like Morrison (the New X-Men writer) because he tilted the core characters on their sides and saw new aspects of them. In my opinion he's succeeded more often than he's failed, and I'm often pleased with what he sees. In the same way, I'm trying to do my own "tilting." More often than not Ororo speaks to me, so I usually write her. I see so many different facets of her that I feel other writers miss (like her humor, or her playful moods...or her ruthlessness) and I like to play with those aspect of her personality. I don't always have to use Ororo, though--or even Logan, for that matter. Sometimes I play with Scott, or Gambit. I like to challenge myself, and I hope I succeed more often than not, anyway.
Honestly, I just like playing around with "difficult" characters--characters that are deeper than skin, deeper than "WYSIWYG." Those characters often yell in their hearts, but we aren't listening to them. I like to listen for those yells, and I try to translate what they're screaming (to me, anyway).
Will You Write Sequels to Healing Heart, Zero Hour, etc.?
Possibly. I've actually tried writing sequels for a few of 'em, but the mood just didn't strike me to finish it. Either that, or I felt the story said what needed to be said, and I didn't want to add anything to it. I might tinker, but whether or not I publish my tinkerings is another story. If I *do* update a story, you'll only find the updates on my site--no one else will have them. This site's my own personal testing ground.
Eeeew--! Why'd You Write That Story??
Lol! See "How Do You Come up With Your Ideas." Categorically, It's 30% personal experiences, 40% inspiration, and 20% "It needed to be said." The other 10% goes into the "I have no earthly idea" box.
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I know I haven't answered every question you've got, and I can't promise that I *will* answer every question. But if something's burning in your mind or heart that you're dying to know, g'head and email me: [email protected].
Happy Writing!
--"nina."