Dear Readers,

Welcome, I am glad you have chosen to drop by and read this week's interview. I hope you enjoy it and you will come back week after week. Also, you will find links to past featured writers at the end of this interview. Just click on the writer's name and you will be taken to their interview.

This week's Featured Writer has worked hard in bringing to the light of day the TUFS as one of its co-executive producers. He, also, has been involved with the writing of the some of the episodes of TUFS as a writer and co-writer. For those of you who belong to his Krypton Fan Club he will be know stranger.

Now without further ado, I am proud and honored to present this week's Writer in the Writer's Showcase ...

Personal Information

Author name
Craig Byrne

E-mail addresses
CraigByrne@aol.com

Homepage
http//members.aol.com/thenando/tufs.htm

Residence
Annapolis, Maryland

List, AOL, or web affiliations
The Lois & Clark Krypton Club,
President of the Lois & Clark Krypton Club and
Co-"Executive Producer" of "The Unaired Fifth Season"

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

How long have you been watching L&C?
Since the first episode.

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Well, as long as I can remember, but I only really got into the character around 1990 when Lois and Clark got engaged.

How long have you been writing?
Well I wrote silly stuff in 5th or 6th grade, then I wrote and became editor-in-chief of my high school paper... after that I did the Krypton Club Newsletter...

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
My first (really bad) fanfic was "The Power of Shazam," based on the comic, in Summer 1995. Unless you count the infamous "Banana Story."

What types of Fanfic have you written?
I try to do stuff as much like the real show as possible -- with an A-plot AND a B-plot.

Most recent story posted? Where?
I wrote part of the TUFS finale "Full Circle" in June 1998; I also co-wrote the 2-parter preceding it ("Avenging Angel" and "Behind Every Woman," both of which can be seen at the TUFS website)

Favorite story you have written? Why?
I'm probably proudest of the 2-parter I co-wrote with Allison Word, "The Odd Couple" and "Past and Present Danger," which had Tempus traveling back in time to before the Pilot episode of the series. So that is probably my favorite, although every story has its moments I have enjoyed (such as several scenes in "World's Finest"). I also greatly enjoyed co-writing stories with Kat Picson -- our minds work together well; we have similar humor.

Current project/projects?
Well, we were going to do "The Lost Episodes" after TUFS but I think most of us got burnout... maybe we still will do it someday but right now it is on the back burner.

I'm thinking of doing some writing for fun; maybe turning something into a real spec script.

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
I loved the TUFS story "The Ex-Files" by Julie Mack; it was probably my favorite of the bunch.

Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
Well, especially with the fourth season of L&C which I really did not enjoy, it almost became that I had more fun coming up with ideas for the show and noticing missed opportunities even more than I enjoyed watching. I love the characters of Lois and Clark, and I wanted to be able to have a chance to share my ideas and interpretations with others.

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
Early on, I think it was the fact that inside Clark there was someone else, another side to him that he rarely let out unless he had to... that he was so selfless not to say "Lois, I'm Superman!" but kept it a secret so his loved ones would not be in danger... later on, it just became that I had become attached to the characters so much that "episodes" often played in my head.

How do you interpret them in your work?
To me, I think Clark was the most difficult to write, and don't ask me why. I liked writing Lois, but I made her a little more sassy than she became in the later years. Just because she fell in love with Clark didn't mean to me that she should let her guard down with other people. I had a lot of trouble with Jimmy at first but by season's end it became a lot easier, once we had given the character more depth. And I love writing Tempus, and I try to keep him at his sarcastic best. Lex Luthor I try to interpret as very sneaky and sinister; however I have noticed (even in my own work) that if Lex isn't done right, he's better off not done at all.

How did you begin writing in general?
I really don't remember to be honest.

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
Well like I said, the Lost Episodes, but I don't know that it's happening. But if I ever get down to actually working on a real script, not for L&C.. it could be fun.

What is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
I like these, but they are so rare. As long as it's more like the show than the comic book action is great.

Drama?
Eh, I'm split on this one. Depends on which characters are involved.

Humor?
I love humor.

Round Robin?
Round Robin can be fun but usually it doesn't make any sense. We were lucky "Full Circle" turned out, as really it was a really involved "Round Robin" excellently organized by Genevieve Clemens.

Nfic?
I think nfic is for people with too much time on their hands. (Sorry) I think there are better things to do than write about fictional characters having sex.

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left
Three's something, but I don't want to give it away as I've had "good ideas" used by others before before I got a chance.

What do you think makes the best story?
Good plot and strong use of the characters.

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?
"The Odd Couple," at http//members.aol.com/thenando/eps.htm you can get to it.

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
http//members.aol.com/thenando/tufs.htm

Open Forum For Author Comments
Check out the Unaired Fifth Season website and be sure to tell the authors (and myself) what you think. I'd love to hear!