TwiPeople Guest Issue: Buried Amongst the Begonias

~xOx~

Hi all!! I've missed blogging so much, especially highlighting some really great fanfic stories! Now a long, long time ago, we ran a contest for someone who would get to choose the next TwiPeople cover, and the winner was the loverly TwiWeasel. She chose a story and then I left it up to her and the graphics dept (17ForeverLisa) to sort it out without me. Boy was that a mistake! These two together are highly distracted by their favorite Twi-boys....Jasper, Edward, Masen, Anthony, the list goes on and on...And then there's Draco and Merlin. Really? 

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So today is going to be a 3-part worth-the-wait post because in addition to TwiWeasel's rec details and our TwiPeople cover, we have an interview with the author!!

Please enjoy and, as always, leave the FF author some love and encouraging words in the comments! ~kiTT

~x~

First, a progress report from our Graphics Dept.

"When the bosslady told me she was bringing in an intern for this special Guest Issue of TwiPeople, I had my concerns. You see, I know TwiWeasel. We don't get along. More importantly, we don't have the same taste in ff stories. At all. *nose grows and shatters computer screen*

All kiTTing aside, it was great to have an opportunity to work on a project with someone I already considered a true friend and confidante. (Note from bosslady: Didn't realize we had Rose and Blanche on the case!**breaks out into Golden Girls theme song**) When kiTT told TW that she could pick any ff story to be high-lighted for this issue, she was like a kid in a candy store. She wanted it all. But her eye kept going back to that one piece of candy that wasn't sugary and sweet. It was dark. Sinful. Delicious.

I love candy. I think I'm going to love BAtB too. TW certainly has me intrigued to check it out. I hope you are too."

~Lisa

~xOx~

From TwiWeasel

When I won the (dubious) honor of getting to choose a story for the Twi-People, the first one that popped into my mind was Buried Amongst the Begonias, by DurtyNelly. This fic has preyed upon my mind for years...literally years...because it is still a work in progress, and well, I lost track of it.

But I thought, "Nah, it's too dark for the TwiPeople thingamajig," and went about looking through my favorites. I had it narrowed down to a happy, funny, smexy story...but in an innocent move on my part, I mentioned Buried to kiTT. And she completely and utterly blew my mind by knowing what I was talking about. And that's not all...she hit me back with a link to the author's blog, and I quote, "Some things I just have on speed dial." (A quote from the story.)

That did it...if kiTT liked it, then that was that...we were using Buried Amongst the Begonias.

Let's see...how did BAtB even end up as one of my favorites? Well, I'm the kind of girl who loves a challenge. If I see the words "Read at your own risk" in the author's note, you can bet your ass I'm gonna read it! I mean, come on, really? This is the author's note for the first freaking chapter:

Author's Note: This story is not for the faint of heart. It contains graphic scenes of violence, torture, rape, murder and S&M. It is a Psychological Horror, with a gooy Splatterpunk center.

  

Splatterpunk: A sub-genre if horror characterized by the explicit description of horrifically graphic, often gory, depiction of violence and pornographic scenes.

  

Read at your own risk.

Holy crap...if that's not a challenge, I don't know what is!! At the time, I'd never read a fic that wasn't a sweet little love story, but I love authors like Dean Koontz and Stephen King, so I went for it. And I have not, for one second, regretted my choice. DurtyNelly has a way of grabbing the reader right away. The first sentence of the fic is Alice apologizing to Bella because they have to stop at Alice's house. Right away I'm curious. A couple of paragraphs later has Alice making Bella promise to stay in the car and not go into the house. Kinda makes you go "Hmmm..." Of course, in a classic Bella move, she doesn't do what she's told, and enters the house only to run into Alice's twin brother...Edward (da da duuuunnn!). Wait, that doesn't sound so bad...so why does Alice freak out!?!? What is it about Edward that makes Bella stammer and gawk (besides the obvious fact that he's fuckhawt, that is.) Whatever it is, it's the same thing that makes Alice's breath hitch and her face flash to horror in an instant?

So, if that didn't make you want to rush out and read it, I hope this will: Not only do we get to see Edward in Buried...but there's also Masen. What?!? Edward and Masen? Oh yes, it's double the pleasure, girls! That part of your brain that pitures Rob as Edward gets to work overtime in this one! And let me tell you, while you will fall in love with sweet, romantic Edward, Mason will scare the crap out of you and make you sigh with longing...at the same time.

Go. Read.

Seriously.

Like, now.
Well, at the end of this post.
~TwiWeasel

~xOx~

(@17ForeverLisa)

Story Link: Buried Amongst the Begonias

You can also find an update on the story progress at the author's blog:
www.durtynellyfiction.com

And as an added bonus, we bring you an author interview! And say thank you to her for taking the time to pen some answers for us! The interview was done months ago, so if there are any updates to your answers, durtynelly, or if you want to weigh in on that birth scene in BD, let us know in the comments!

~xOx~

Fun Interview with DurtyNelly

1. First thing is first, are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? Well, I have an idea it's not team Jacob, so maybe I should ask are you Team Edward or Team Masen?

You're totally right. I'm definitely a team Edward girl. Jacob really annoyed me in the books.  As for if I'm team Edward or team Masen, I guess I'd have to go with both. Or rather, team Masen Edward Anthony Cullen. The original gangster. lol. I have a sneaking suspicion that once my readers have a look at  Chapter 23, they'll agree with me. 

2. Any writing background before fanfiction?

Actually, not really. Only a few short stories when I was younger, but nothing  of significance. Though, I was (and still am) a very avid reader. 

 3. Did you plan out the whole story before you wrote it or have you developed  the story as you've gone? What is your writing process?

When I first started Buried, I really had no clue what the hell I was doing.  lol. I had a bit of it planned out, but it mostly just came to me as I wrote.  Now that I'm a bit wiser and more experienced, I plan an entire story out  beforehand, or at least try to. Sometimes my characters have other ideas and run off on their own. It can be a good thing, or at times bad. If they go off in a direction I really don't like, sometimes I have to pull them back.    I see each scene I write like a movie in my head, and I pretty much just write  what I see. Once you've spent enough time with your characters, and gotten to  know them a bit, then it becomes easy to just let them go. Things can get  fairly interesting, quick. And, it's not only an exciting way to write, but it  tends to create depth within the story. Which, is something you always want,  because reading about flat, robotic characters is not very much fun. 

 4. Any background to the personality / basis of the characters you want to share?

Every single character I create is a little piece of me. I think it's like  that for most writers. We have to find these crazy people somewhere, right? So, there's a little of Edward, a bit of Mary Alice and a touch of Bella  wiggling around up in my brain. 

The only character that I have that's actually (kinda) based on a real, live  person is Masen. But, over time, he's become something more than just an  exaggerated literary version of my husband. lol. He's almost grown into a full  fledged personality. Taking on a near alter-ego type quality. Which, can be  pretty damn disturbing for me at times ... and the hubby. HA!  

 5. Which character has been your favorite to write? Why?

I like them all. Each one of them have things that's really fun to write. But,  I had a blast writing Edward. It was always entertaining listening to him and Masen go at it like an old married couple.

 6. After Bella and Edward, who is your favorite character in the original book series?

That's easy. Jasper. He was kinda dark and unpredictable. I also love the back  story on him. Eclipse was my favorite book in the series, because of him and his back story.

 7. What part of the upcoming Breaking Dawn movie are you most excited to see?  What part of the book do you hope makes it into the movie?

 You're probably going to kill me for this, but I'm not a fan of the movies, so  I probably won't even watch it. And, Breaking Dawn was my least favorite of  the books. I'd say, if I had to pic a scene, the birth with all the gore included. Haha. But, I know they'll glaze right over that bit.   

  8. What are your top 3 favorite fanfictions that you have read?

  Ugh … another 'you're going to kill me' question. Truth is, I really don't  read fan fiction. I read anywhere from 2 – 4 published hardcore horror or  bizarro books a week and I'm a full-time University student, so I really don't  have time. If someone recs a story to me-which does happen-I'll give it a go,  but I don't look for them. Also, I don't read Romance, or Hurt/Comfort, or anything like that, which is what Twilight fan fiction is mostly comprised of.  There's nothing wrong with liking Romance! I just don't. Someone has to die bloody, or be chained to something for me to crook an eyebrow and read on.  

 9. When "BAtB" is finished are you planning on doing another fanfiction  story? Any clues to what it would be about?

 Well, I have my Demonkind Series that I need to finish, and I have a few short stories planned. But, after Buried is finished, I'll probably focus more on my  original fiction. I'm working on a bizzaro horror novel right now, and really want to get the first draft hammered out. I also have a bizarro novella called

 Agnes in Chunderland that will be going up on FictionPress some time in early  2012. But, I don't think I'll ever stop writing fan fiction, it's just too fun. lol.

10. What is your favorite scene in BAtB? (without giving too much away)

My favourite scene in Buried is in Chapter Twenty, so I can't really say anything. Haha. But, it involves Masen and a handheld cattle prod.

11. Favorite line from the whole SAGA series?

 Probably, 'The red coats are coming, the red coats are coming'. It made me  laugh. I really liked Garrett.

 12. You have some awesome quotes in BAtB...do you have a favorite line?

 There are heaps that I like. Masen always comes up with really good ones. But,  my favourite has to be a Mary Alice quote, "You're all bloody ... Has Masen been mean to you, Jacob?"

  *****13.Rob calls you up and says he really likes your story and wants to a) meet  you for coffee to discuss it, b) meet you at a pub to chat over beer, or c) come to your house to re-enact a scene with you. If option C, which scene? ;)

 Wow … Have to go with, A. Coffee, cigarettes ... and me asking him what the hell a little Princess like him is doing reading kinky, horror fan fiction.  lol.  

 14. It seems to me, that a while back you'd decided to pull BAtB and were going to rework it as an original fic...are you still planning on doing that?

 No. I was pretty back-and-forth about that decision, but decided that Buried  is fan fiction. I just couldn't picture anyone else as Masen, or Bella, or  Mary Alice. Took me ages, and about 70,000 words, to figure that out. Live and learn, I guess.

  15. Do you have any plans to publish BAtB or any of your other (many) works?

  No. I have some pretty strong views about converting fan fiction into originals for the purpose of publishing. I won't get into all that, though. However, I do have a couple of original short stories setting somewhere in a pile on the editor of Wicked East Press's desk. lol. And, like I said before,   I'm working on a manuscript which will go to Eraserhead Press when I'm finished.

~xOx~

DurtyNelly also hosted a one shot horror contest, Ruthless, back in the fall, and our esteemed Rob-enthusiast and friend, ItsJustMe (Robmusement) won the Judge's choice for her submission, "Deep Thoughts," which was *shivers* insanely creepy, so I wanted to link that up too!

Story Link to Deep Thoughts by itsjustme1217

~oXo~

@17ForeverLisa, Awesome Manip of Preppie Rob! If only he walked the quad of my college campus! Thank you as always for your hard work on the cover! One more cover and then your contract will end with the firm.

@TwiWeasel, Thank you for going with the dark story...such a fantastic choice! I always wanted the winner to share a story that they loved or had particular meaning to them and not try to appeal to the masses. Exposure to various genres is an added bonus!

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@DurtyNelly, Thank you again for taking the time to answer questions for us! Love your easy-breezy personality that comes through! I know your desire to continue this story has often been hindered by your time constraints (we know what that is like!) I hope this post sheds a little light on the part of the fandom that is undestanding, supportive of each other and rooting for success. Good luck to you!

So readers, tell us in the comments...have you read this story? Are you afraid to expand to a darker place? Have you read other stories in this genre? Do you have any other questions for the author? Leave them in the comments, and I bet she will stop by and answer!