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 is a devoted fan of Superman since early childhood. She has seen all the Christopher Reeves's Superman movies as well as watched the original George Reeve's Superman TV series. Still it wasn't until she began watching Lois and Clark that she started to write her own stories. This talented lady has added her own charm and personality to her fanfics much to the joy of her devoted readers.

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

Personal Information

Author name
Margaret Brignell

E-mail addresses
brignell@capitalnet.com

Homepage
http//www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/

Residence
Ottawa, Canada

List, AOL, or web affiliations
"Lois and Clark The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU

Lois and Clark or Superman Status

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

How long have you been a fan of Superman?
Since my teens. I read the comics, watched the George Reeves TV series, and saw all of the Christopher Reeve movies.

How long have you been writing?
Before L&C I had only written for school assignments and business reports.

How long have you been writing L&C fanfic?
Since the summer of 1995.

What types of Fanfic have you written?
Mostly background pieces. I have done alternate interpretations of a couple of episodes.

Most recent story posted? Where?
"Only You Recall" (Part 3 of the "Only You" series of stories) at my website.

Favorite story you have written? Why?
This is really hard for me to say. I usually never want to see my stories again by the time they're fit to be seen by the public <g>

On thinking it over, I'd have to say "The Rules" because it was the first, and its success started me on the road to writing more fanfic.

Current project/projects?
"Only You Reality" (Part 4 of the series) and an as-yet unnamed Part 5. I also have a partly written fanfic I dropped to write the Only You series.

Personal picks of other Fanfics you have read?
"Meet me in Kansas City" by Chris Mulder (actually anything by Chris Mulder)
"Degeneration" by Jeff Brogden
"May the Best (Super) Man Win" by Kendra Prince

Interview Questions

What attracted you to writing Fanfic and what about it do you enjoy?
I started because I wanted to explain, to myself, if to no-one else, why Clark was the way he was when he arrived in Metropolis. I think this need to explain "why" is still my motivation. I love making up the stories in my head. The putting them down on paper--now that's a whole other ball of wax.<g>

What about the L&C and the characters do you like the most?
I like the developing relationship. I like the spit and fire of Lois and the calmness of Clark.

How do you interpret them in your work?
I try to stay as true to the presented characters as I can.

How did you begin writing in general?
I think fanfic writing came out of the daydreaming I did between the airing of each episode. Eventually I just *had* to describe the pictures in my head.

What are you working on now and where do you see it going?
I'm working on the "Only You" series on alternate Clark. I'm hoping to get all the loose ends I've created tied up into a nice neat bow. *How* I'll do that, I have absolutely no idea at the momentWhat is your opinion about the following types of L&C fanfic's?
Action?
It has its place. After all, one third of this triangle *is* a superhero called Superman. I like some action stories, usually the ones that have something else going for them besides the action.

Drama?

Humor?
I like both Drama and Humour, preferably in the same fanfic. I don't like fanfic to be all serious or all funny. I like a mix.

Round Robin?
I think of round robins as more of a writing technique than a type of fanfic. I like some of the results from this technique, but not many.

Nfic?
I plead the Fifth. <g> Some people like the taste of chocolate ice cream, some people don't. I don't. The same goes for nfic.

Has *everything* been done in your opinion, and if not, what is left?
"No, I don't think everything has been done. As Lois and Clark said "There are no new stories, just new angles." Fanfic writers have to find the "new angles" and present them."

What do you think makes the best story?
A combination of drama, mystery, humour and pathos, well-mixed--resulting in an ending that suits the circumstances created by the author.

Would you like to add a link or URL to your favorite fanfic for the readers to sample your writing?
Sure. http//www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/

Where is the best place for a reader to locate your work?
Either at my website http//www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ or at the archive http//lcfanfic.com/

Open Forum For Author Comments
I think what I like about writing fanfic is the creative process. I find revising tedious, and will do almost anything to avoid making the required revisions. However, I also realize that my first stab at the story is often not the best, so I know I *have* to revise. I want my story to be the best it can be when I release it to the unsuspecting fanfic reader.

On rereading some of my stories I can see ways I could have made the story better, or worded something differently that would have made it clearer, but I won't change it now. When I wrote the story, it was the best I could do at that time (thanks to the help of my proofers). I try to use the "mistakes" as a lesson to help improve my next story. Hopefully, I am getting better as a writer in the process.

Margaret