Author's Archive, Spotlight No. 6: endemictoearth

 Author: endemictoearth

First Published: March 6, 2013

Written for: My Mad Fat Diary (50+ published stories)

1.) What inspired you to write your first story?

“Well, my FIRST first story was actually a fic for Miranda, called Self-Imposed Exile. That is still the only fic I’ve written outside of My Mad Fat Diary, but if you’ve seen the Series 3 cliffhanger, you understand it was needed!

“The first story I wrote for MMFD was Tries to Understand, filling in gaps around Episode 2 of Series 1 (“Touched”). It was me working out how Finn could think that the second meeting between Archie and Rae wasn’t a date, when they talked about them having a date before. I’d read some fics at that point, but none had explained that to my satisfaction. Then, I kept thinking of things I wanted to see these characters do or say, or questions I wanted answered, what-ifs I wanted satisfied, and it’s been pretty much non-stop ever since.”

2.) A number of your story were inspired by prompts you received from your readers. Is there a particular prompt that you would deem your favorite?

“Oh, yes. My favorite was an open prompt from howlinchickhowl about Finn trying to ask Rae out on a date, but Rae doesn’t understand that’s what it is. It turned into a three-parter (Not the Girl You Think You Are, Beautiful Freaks, These Days) that is still one of the stories I’m happiest with how it turned out. However, I’ve started a multi-chapter from a prompt about Rae traveling to Tunisia with Karim and meeting Finn there that is super satisfying so far. 

“My only “problem” with prompts is that I almost always want to go too in-depth, so it’s hard for me to do a lot of them, because they sometimes end up being these behemoths that take up a lot of time. I so admire writers who are concise. I know most people want more more more, but it’s good to left wanting more, I think. Even in fic, which IS the “more.” “

3.) Of all the stories you’ve written, which do you feel the deepest connection with?

“I relate to Rae on so many levels, it’s hard to choose just one. I’d never seen a show about someone who looked like I did (still do), featuring a character who has been through similar issues (and many more), and whose story is told with such sensitivity. I’ve used some of my own feelings and experiences with body image/bullying in a few fics, especially in some parts of I’m with the Band, my first multi-part fic. 

"This isn’t as deep, but I love the winter holiday season, and am a little bitter we didn’t get a Christmas episode of the show, soChristmas Time Is Here and Procrastination are stories that I’ve written to fix that, and I think of them fondly.” 

4.) You are currently working on an AU story set in the 1930’s. What’s the key to writing a story with a setting so far removed canon while still keeping everyone so true to character?

“Oh, wow! I don’t know that I have any “keys”, or even that I’m always successful at keeping everyone in character. I must acknowledge that I started this fic as a joint venture with nicrememirallegro, though she’s now moved on to other fandoms. We plotted the story together (though I’ve strayed a little from our outline) and she did a lot to develop Finn’s character in those first few chapters, which was great.

“Research helps. Understanding what was going on at the time you’re writing about, in a larger historical context, can help ground the characters’ world views. I’ve probably done a little too much research about how to set up a home darkroom, the policies of the BritishMuseum, and train time tables.

“From the beginning, I didn’t want to rely on the plot of the series or hit any “beats” from the show with this AU. There have been parallels, but they came about fairly naturally with the writing, and I want the story to be fresh. The only plot point I intentionally carried over was the fight that Finn has with some bullies, and that’s something that I still wonder if I got right. I’m very mindful about how their relative social status affects the characters and their actions. I think it has to do with understanding the core of the characters. Once you have a good sense of a character’s values and self-image, you can put them in an entirely new environment, and tell another story. 

 “Personally, I think the character that I’ve strayed the most from is Linda (who is Lillian in the 1930 AU). Things will be revealed in future chapters that explain why she is the way she is, but Rae and Lillian do not have the same relationship that Rae and Linda have on the show. And it pains me a little that the gang cannot exist in this world, since the characters are scattered across the social spectrum. But, as in the series, Rae is the key, the glue that keeps them all connected.”

5.) Is there a story that you’ve read by another fanfic author that made you say, “Wow! I wish I wrote that”? (Or, is there a story that you just really, really appreciate?)

“So many! It’s really, really hard to pick just one. One of the most ambitious fics I’ve had the pleasure of reading is blobwithagob’s retelling of all of Series 1 from Finn’s perspective, Inside the Eye of Your Mind. There were so many insights into Finn’s personality and character, and even though I knew what was going to happen, I was still so wrapped up in it. And I really want her to write Series 2 from Finn’s perspective, but that’s probably a pipe dream. 

“I also love adaftmyriad’s writing style. Anything she’s written is something I go back to again and again to reread for inspiration. Her headcanon that Rae and Finn share clothes is basically gospel, as far as I’m concerned.

“Among the current crop of writers, there are so many good ones in the fandom. First thing that comes to mind is a lovely heart-wrenching/uplifting piece about body image that lametwentysomething wrote called Skin to Skin that I’m still thinking about. But one of the things I love about this fandom is all the different perspectives and ways of interpreting the show and telling stories about these characters we love. We’re lucky to have so much talent!

“That’s what I think is so fantastic about fanfiction. You get an idea for a story, or maybe it’s just an image imprinted on your brain. You write a hundred words, or maybe a thousand. Or maybe you write twenty chapters. You can agonize over every detail, or just type it out and press Post to exorcise it. You don’t have to match any preconceived ideas of what a story should be, which is kind of amazing!”

This was such a fantastic gateway to MMFD fanficiton. If you want to take a look at some of endemictoearth’s exemplary work, Phunky Recommends:

Christmas Time Is Here

A perfect, sexy example of how the holidays always have a way of bringing people back together. Finn and Rae drift apart, but find their way to each other again.

I’m with the Band

What if The Gang was actually The Band? Find out here!

Whether You’re Sober

A far more satisfying version of the night that Rae went to Finn’s place for a sleepover and got him drunk. FAR more satisfying.

Is there a fanfiction author whom you feel deserves a little spotlight (and would be willing to do a short interview via e-mail/messaging)? Are there questions that you’ve always wanted to ask some of your favorite writers? Let me know! You can nominate authors to spotlight and suggest questions in my inbox, ortweet me @Phunky_Brewsterwith the hashtag #FFAuthorsArchive!You can also e-mail me at phunkybrewsterreach@gmail.com. This is a multi-fandom segment.

This is brilliant!! Such thoughtful, unique to subject questions and such brilliant answers. MMFD fanfic is serious bizzniss, y’all. 

my mad fat diary meme [4/5] relationships: Finn x Chloe

Fair dos, lovely. And youre a very busy lass now you’re practically running their fandom! (Tho lets be real you were doing that before they even made you admin) What about an au where Finn meets Rae dressed up as a giant creme egg doing a bit of promo for Cadburys? I mean I’m just throwing that out there because it’s a pretty hard prompt to ignore ;)

(P.s. I love moustache diary.)

Just for you, because you’re lovely…

"Creme Eggs are back, Mr Nelson!" Mr Gupta chimed in his broken english as Finn slouched his way into the shop. It’d been a heavy night for him and he wasn’t exactly feeling like sunshine and rainbows on this dreary Saturday morning. He hoped his silence would make Mr Gupta stop speaking so loudly - that perhaps his dishevelled appearance and bloodshot eyes would be a tell tale sign that Finn could do without the fan fair. No such luck. 

"Did you hear me, boy? Creme Eggs! Only two weeks until Easters." 

With his second sentence of greeting, he picked up two Creme Eggs from a display box in front of the till and shook them in his pudgy hands to illustrate his point. As Finn made his way further into the shop, a sight emerged to him so horrifying that he had the overwhelming urge to run right straight back out again. For the millionth time since he began working part time in that ratty little corner shop, the shiny blue Suzuki Bandit 1200 danced alluringly in his vision…his dream since he saw it in a copy of Bike when he was 15 and what he began saving for from the second he landed his first odd job. 

This sight in question gave him an uneasy feeling that, should his cynical prediction be correct, he wasn’t sure even his dream bike would be worth the humiliation he could have in store for him. 

"Now, I have a very important job for you today…" Mr Gupta continued, wagging his finger with a serious expression before pacing to the ghastly purple and yellow eye sore propped against the back store cupboard door. As Finn surveyed it wearily, his stomach sinking fast, he remembered being asked the week before what his measurements were. He’d answered without thinking, in the middle of stock take and eager to get rid of the inconvenient distraction…little did he know, as he clocked the arm and neck holes on the papier maché disaster, what the information was in aid of. 

Before he had a chance to protest, Mr Gupta rubbed the costume proudly. “My daughters were up half the night making this. It’ll do very nicely. Now, I want you to stand outside the shop for a few hours wearing this - and try and look inviting, won’t you? It’ll be good for you to get some fresh air today. I can handle the shop.”

"Look, Mr Gupta…I don’t think-"

"Now come here. I’ll help you put it on."

Finn sighed. He heard the rev of a delicious engine purr somewhere in his mind as the creme egg costume opened up like a giant locket, waiting for his reluctant frame to fill it. He begged for it to rain…it was overcast that morning. Maybe he’d be lucky. Just as he thought it, the clouds broke and the glow of the hiding sun filled the shop, no doubt and occurrence conjured by Satan himself. 

"Right, off you go, there’s a good lad." Mr Gupta smiled, patting the cardboard with a hollow thud. 

Fucking kill me. 

The sun proved a handy spotlight for his humiliation - his status spared him the ridicule of people who knew him or knew of his reputation, but it didn’t spare him from the jeers and cat calls of the kids who didn’t. He stood on the pavement and took it, hoping in vain that this was in fact a nightmare and he was still at home, comatose under his tangled bed sheets. 

At least his friends weren’t around to see him like this-

"Finn?"

Ok, so technically this wasn’t a friend - but this was much, much worse. 

He turned to face his doom, the snarky girl who Chloe brought to the pub the week before pacing towards him. He felt his chest sear despite himself, his skin prickling pleasantly amidst his raised defences. She’d been on his mind recently, this ‘Rae’ - ever since she got pissed on snake bite and blacks and had the gang crying with laughter with her slightly slurred quips, Finn only receiving drunken lectures over “quality music” and what record shops in the area sold the best stuff - the girl telling him what he’d already knew, to be sure, infuriating and intriguing him all at once.  Just as it had been then, he was both happy and annoyed at her presence, wondering if she’d be cruel.

He half nodded at her in greeting, trying to look cool despite his get up. There was a smirk pulling at her lips, Finn’s gaze lingering there for a beat too long before he put his guard back up. The pleasant prickle was replaced with default tension, his sarcastic nature making itself known once again, the 17 year old automatically at loggerheads with this creature he was still trying to figure out. 

"If you’ve come to take the piss, now’s your chance." Finn drawled, raising his arms to better expose his ridiculous outfit. 

All too soon the would be smirk disappeared, replaced with a withering look an irked glint in her eyes. 

"And why would I take the piss out of ya?"

Finn shrugged, rough painted papier maché touching his ear lobes as he did so. 

Rae rolled her eyes, entering the shop without another word. He half glanced at her retreating form, consciously reminding himself not to look at her for too long - finding the urge to resist harder to fight every time he encountered her. She emerged a few minutes later, a grocery filled plastic bag hanging from her hand. 

"Will I be seeing you at the pub tonight, then?" she asked him in forced politeness, her voice quivering slightly. 

"S’pose." came his brief and sullen answer, a sigh blowing through Rae’s nose before she made her way back the way she came. 

"See you later then." she concluded flatly, the regret pulling at Finn’s chest something he didn’t fully understand. 

Her name left his lips before he even realised, and Rae turned, one eyebrow raised. The sun beamed from behind her, shining through the whipped up strands of her dark hair, the effect the sight had on Finn something he again tried to ignore and suppress. 

She continued to look at him, her brow furrowing inquisitively. 

"You won’t-" He stopped himself, looking around him before returning his attention to the newcomer. 

"You won’t tell anyone about this, will ya?"

He waited for the hard time part of him knew he deserved, the “What’s in it for me?” or “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t…”

Instead, her face softened kindly. She shook her head. 

"No. I know more than anyone what it’s like to be taken the piss out of in public. Not nice."

Finn nodded. 

"Thanks."

Rae nodded once again in return, Finn too hungover to think any more into her words, his musings on the subject only due to appear in the sleepless nights he’d spend thinking about her in future - silent ponderings in the dark.  

"She bought three creme eggs don’t you know. You’re doing great, m’lad." Mr Gupta praised from the doorway behind him, making Finn jump slightly before forcing a smile. 

He turned his attention back to Rae and found himself watching her as she walked down the entire length of the street, not willing to consciously admit how it entertained him - how the sway of her hips made his throat feel a bit tight, how the way her hair waved out behind her made his ears feel hot. 

It was probably the sun frying his already mushy brain, he thought. He also made a mental note to never buy a fucking creme egg ever again. 

"None of my family and friends will let me put my iPod shuffle on to play. They’ll be like, ‘We just listened to Shania Twain, and now it’s The Little Mermaid soundtrack. Get it off’."

A while ago I mentioned about a Nico Mirallegro lookalike who I sometimes see at my new job. veganmarshmallows asked if I could get a picture, so today I saw the opportunity and took it. He found it quite amusing - initially he looked at me like I was mental but softened up. Needless to say, he’s a very pretty man and it’s rather enjoyable to talk to him. What do you guys think? 

I see it hahahaha I would have been better if he was smiling because he looks like not convinced about the pic haha Did you tell him the reason of the pic?

I see it, but next time you should ask him if he could look more grumpy. You know, for scientific research.

Next time?

"Hi, I'm that weird bartender who took your picture. Can I take another one? Get your top off and look grumpy. It's for science."

A while ago I mentioned about a Nico Mirallegro lookalike who I sometimes see at my new job. veganmarshmallows asked if I could get a picture, so today I saw the opportunity and took it. He found it quite amusing - initially he looked at me like I was mental but softened up. Needless to say, he’s a very pretty man and it’s rather enjoyable to talk to him. What do you guys think? 

I see it hahahaha I would have been better if he was smiling because he looks like not convinced about the pic haha Did you tell him the reason of the pic?

When I told him it was an actor he reminded me of, he said: "Should I do an actor pose?" and I joked that he should do an Othello with a skull. That's what I think of when I think actor...

and yeah, initially I said: "You remind me of a friend." and he asked: "Who?" and I got rumbled. "Alright, not a friend...an actor."

Well this is just begging for a fic

Don't make a Tunisian man angry. 

Finn learns this the hard way, as he seems to learn all the important lessons of life during his time on this weird blue and green ball that is 'the earth,' a place in which, moments prior he had been 'on top of' as it were... his gorgeous girl pulling his t-shirt over his head with a joyful grin, his boxers following suit as he pressed his lips against the soft skin of her neck, her excited gasp quickly interrupted by her bedroom door clicking open. 

"Rachel? Can you..."

"Jesus!" Rae squeaks, Finn leaping up, a shocked "Shit!" falling from his lips as he looks around for something to cover his shame. No time for that, as Karim says something Finn doesn't understand, but the tone's clear enough. He may not know much French, but he would guess the sentence could be translated to something along the lines of: "I'm going to rip your dick off and make you eat it."

"Karim! What you doing?!" Rae screams to no effect, Karim stalking off, Finn opening Rae's bedroom window, not willing to find out what he's going to bring back with him. He's halfway out before Rae gets to him, Finn pressing a quick peck on the lips of her thoroughly confused and mortified face. Karim is back, his face red as a beetroot, and Finn catches the glimpse of a long black...what is that, a whip? He's not sticking around long enough to properly examine Karim's weapon of choice. He's scrambling down the drainpipe, can almost see Karim running down the stairs two at a time, can hear the front door open as he reaches the driveway. He can hear Rae's voice call after him as he hits the pavement, but everything's soon obscured by the sound of blood rushing in his ears, along with the wind as it whips past them. He casts a glance behind him every now and then, the dark, tall man always in easy pursuit, brandishing what he assumes is something he uses with Rae's Mum when the occasion calls for it. 

"Je vais vous faire payer, mal profanateur!"

The adrenaline pumping through his veins seems to hold off the realisation that he's currently running through the streets of Stamford stark bollock naked, his tackle swinging every which way in the breeze, a crazed immigrant chasing him, ready to beat seven shades of shit out of him for making the moves on his step daughter. 

The realisation only comes when, on autopilot, he runs into Ashton Court Playpark and scrambles up the big tree he and Chop used to scale when he was a kid. He knows the branches all too well, not registering how the rough bark stings his feet and shins as he pulls himself up, higher and higher, the altitude a fitting bucket of ice cold water for him.  The cat calls and wolf whistles shift into sharp focus, and he feels a blush reach his cheeks, but also a tickle of laughter ghost his throat. 

He glances at the Mum's covering their kids eyes in shock and in some cases, amusement. He tries to look apologetic through his fear, narrowly dodging the kinky sex tool as Karim throws it up at him in frustration. 

"Vous lâche!" he yells as he throws, the sight of Rae's Mum's car pulling up by the front gate like a shining beacon of heaven for Finn. 

"Bloody hell! Karim! What do ya think ya doing you crazy bastard?!" Rae yells, running towards them both in her tube of toothpaste dressing gown, feet bare, with what Finn hopes is a blanket in her hands. Rae's Mum catches up, pulling Karim away and shifting his livid attention, Finn finally feeling brave enough to make the steady trip down. Once his feet touch the grass, Rae wraps the blanket around his shoulders. 

"Finn, I am so sorry!" she says, eyes wide with shock and embarrassment. 

"You weren't the one tryin' t'kill me." Finn replies, seeing Rae's Mum march Karim to the car in the corner of his eye. 

Linda would later tell them in way of apology that Karim is a very traditional sort of bloke with a strong belief of no sex before marriage. Rae would nearly choke on her own sarcastic scoff at the sheer hypocrisy of him, but would soften when Linda also explains to them his innate protectiveness toward her. 

"He's dead fond of our Rae. He may not always show it but...he is."

Finn would then make a mental note to not try it on with Rae in her house again. 

On the Town

Finn sat at the kitchen table, absent-mindedly polishing the silver tea service. Breakfast was over and he had to finish with the accoutrements in time for Mrs. Dewhurst to prepare afternoon tea. Then, he had another pair of Hassan’s shoes to polish. It seemed all he did was shine things up, putting a good face on them.

Polishing made him think of Rae’s locket, which she had entrusted to him implicitly, though it seemed she was never very far from his mind. The strangest things reminded him of a moment in the garden, or the day he’d been sent with her to go shopping, or the poker game. After she’d placed the locket in his hand last week, he’d kept it on his bedside table for several nights, carrying it with him during the day, and fell asleep looking at it. It was the only thing he had ever enjoyed polishing. Yes, he got a certain satisfaction in making tarnished metal gleam, being able to see his face distorted in a serving platter or the side a cream jug, but the locket was different. It was special, just like Rae.

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Just amazing. Written spectacularly well. I'm halfway through and am enjoying it immensely... 

The song Rae sings to Finn.