Renacerá

[Renacerá]

.: Emily :.
Author's Page

I just want to start by saying that I love this site so much, and I'm so happy to be a part of it. I've been writing fanfiction since 2006, originally on HPFF as DracoFerret11/DarkRose, and now exclusively on HPFT under the penname Renacera. I still have stories hosted on HPFF, but am transferring those I really like to HPFT after significant edits. So far, I have thirteen stories posted (see below).

Although I like other fandoms, I almost exclusively write Harry Potter fanfiction. My OTPs are the ever-unpopular Dramione, as well as the it's-canon-because-we-say-so Scorbus. I also love basically all LGBTQ+ pairings and stories.

I'll read almost anything, so always feel free to ask if you're looking for feedback! And check out my About Me for more fun facts!
 

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Stories

One-Shots

• "uh-lone" — friendship; Sirius Black
            Three months ago, Sirius Black left his family to live with the Potters. Now, as he boards the train to begin his sixth year at Hogwarts, he must decide: was his decision the right one? "Sirius, have you ever felt quite so alone?"
• "Happy New Year, Hermione Granger" — holidays; Dramione
            At Luna's fifth annual New Year's party, Hermione encounters a face from her past, and after a quiet conversation, a piano sonata, and a few awkward silences, Hermione begins the new year in a way that she would never have expected.
• "Afternoon Tea" — family; Scorbus
            The time has come for Albus Potter to meet Scorpius Malfoy's grandparents. 
            Tea, and tension, is served.
• "Savior" — war; Dramione
            In the midst of the Final Battle, two enemies share a moment of grace.
• "For Her" — rare pair; Antonin Dolohov
            "Morning has become my favorite time in Azkaban. Early morning...in the few moments between the rising of the sun and the waking of the day...those are the moments I cherish. Those are the moments when I think of her."
• "The Outset" — rare pair; war; Dean Thomas/Lee Jordan
            The final battle was over. The castle was in shambles. Every day brought more funerals, and Dean Thomas wasn't sure just how he was supposed to go on.
• "Borrowed Time" — family; fate/prophesy; Theo Nott
            Theodore Nott is fated to join the Death Eaters.
• "Perforce" — war; Regulus Black
            He will not think of things that don't end, nor things that could have been.
            He will do what must be done.
• "My Girl" — family; friendship; magical creature; war; Crookshanks
            Hermione's gone off to fight in a war, but Crookshanks isn't going to accept being left behind.
            A tale of friendship, perseverance, and finding your way home.
   
• "The Start of Forever" — friends to lovers; soulmates; Korra/Asami Sato (The Legend of Korra)
            Korra and Asami have returned from their vacation in the Spirit World. The future stretches before them, and all that's certain is that they'll have each other.

 

Short Stories

• "Permanence" — dying/grieving; family; marriage; parenthood; soulmates; Narcissa/Lucius
            "It was comforting to know that no matter what we went through, no matter what happened, he would always love me."
            There are always two sides to every story. Here's theirs.

 

Story Collections

• "Myriad and Sundry" — dystopian; forgiveness; friendship; law/politics; love/hate relationships
            Longing. Self-destruction. [Death Note]

 

Novels

• Collateral (M) — mystery; alternative Deathly Hallows; Hermione/Theo Nott; Dramione
            [disregards DH] With Death Eaters in Hogwarts and the wizarding world at war, a mysterious murder will only further Head Girl, Hermione Granger's confusion. Especially when the prime suspect, Draco Malfoy, swears his innocence. With Hermione befriending a possible killer and the time for hunting Horcruxes running out, seventh year may prove to be not just difficult, but deadly.
   

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updated June 2020

For my current endeavors, see the most recent posts in this thread.

[Renacerá]

Beautiful, amazing, perfect banner by abhorsen. @ TDA! Thank you for all your support, Branwen!

 

Title: Rendition 

          (sequel to Collateral—posted on HPFF as Rule Breaker—being edited to post on HPFT with new banner also by abhorsen.)

 

Title Inspiration: From V for Vendetta, "I remember how the meaning of words began to change; how unfamiliar words like 'collateral' and 'rendition' became frightening...I remember how 'different' became dangerous."

 

Additional Inspiration: Also from V for Vendetta, "Our integrity sells for so little, but it is all we really have. It is the very last inch of us, but within that inch we are free...I shall die here. Every inch of me shall perish. Every inch but one. An inch — it is small and it is fragile, and it is the only thing in the world worth having. We must never lose it or give it away. We must never let them take it from us."

 

Details: post-Hogwarts, rated either T or M, genres include action/adventure/romance/drama

 

Unofficial Summary: The war is over. The losses were heavy. As Draco and Hermione begin to rebuild their lives, the wizarding world is beginning to rebuild itself. But what type of world will rise from the ashes? And will what rises be worse than what fell?

 

[suzy turquoise blue]

Hi Emily! Stopping by with some questions for you! (Sorry they're late; RL keeps getting in the way!)

• You spent a lot of time writing Collateral, if I recall correctly -- do you feel that this will help you during NaNo because you're so well-acquainted with Draco and Hermione now, and be able to write quicker?
• What made you decide that you wanted to write a sequel?
• How do you feel that V for Vendetta has influenced this novel?
• Have you always been a Dramione shipper? What do you feel is so great about this particular ship?
• You have to ship Draco with anyone but Hermione. Who would you ship him with, and why?
• You have to ship Hermione with anyone but Draco. Who would you ship her with, and why?

[abhorsen.]

Yessssssss.   So beyond psyched!

[Renacerá]

4 hours ago, esmeraude said:

Hi Emily! Stopping by with some questions for you! (Sorry they're late; RL keeps getting in the way!)

 

Hi Isobel! I'm so excited to have questions to answer!

Okay, here we go!

1. You spent a lot of time writing Collateral, if I recall correctly -- do you feel that this will help you during NaNo because you're so well-acquainted with Draco and Hermione now, and be able to write quicker?
   • I did spend a lot of time on Collateral! Over five and a half years, actually. I do think that will somewhat help me with the characters, at least. I am very close to my Hermione and Draco at this point and understand them very well. At the same time, though, I worry that I spent too long on Collateral and will feel weird breezing through its sequel. So I'm concerned with keeping the plot moving smoothly and logically.
2. What made you decide that you wanted to write a sequel?
   • I loved writing Collateral. I loved getting into it so deeply. I loved the characters. I loved how it ended. But I did leave it very open. It's very much an alternate-DH novel and follows the trio's seventh year and the final battle against Voldemort. The ending left readers and me wanting a sequel, which I always knew I would pursue if I got a spark of inspiration.
3. How do you feel that V for Vendetta has influenced this novel?
   • I realized the connections with V for Vendetta after coming up with the new title for Rule Breaker — Collateral. From the quote above, I found the title for the sequel. I knew that Rendition would deal with political intrigue and corruption, so I do see parallels with V. I also see parallels with the difficulty of the characters keeping their integrity and fighting for what they believe in. There will also be some similarity with The Hunger Games franchise in that way — what must be done to save a world that's teetering on the brink of destruction?
4. Have you always been a Dramione shipper? What do you feel is so great about this particular ship?
   • YES. One of the very first Harry Potter fanfiction stories I read was a Dramione pairing that I absolutely fell in love with. I was hooked. From then on, I wanted to see where I could take the pairing. What sort of change and growth would Hermione and Draco have to go together to be a functional couple? What hurdles would they have to overcome? I really love how creative and in-depth Dramione stories have to be and go to make the pairing work. I just love these two as characters and think that canon-Draco had so much potential to keep going on his redemption ark post-DH. I like exploring that.
5. You have to ship Draco with anyone but Hermione. Who would you ship him with, and why?
   • Definitely his canon-wife Astoria. I love that she's a blank slate for us to write her personality and beliefs. I like to believe she's different enough from Draco to change and improve him, to challenge him and make him a better person. He needs that type of person in his life.
6. You have to ship Hermione with anyone but Draco. Who would you ship her with, and why?
   • Okay, this one is harder. Definitely not Harry or Ron. (Absolutely not Ron!) I guess it would have to be an OC. Maybe a female OC. QueerHermione brings me joy, after all! But I just think she's too smart for Ron and too much of a friend for Harry (though I prefer him with her over Ron any day). I also used to love Hermione/FredOrGeorge and Hermione/Charlie. So maybe those??? She's such a mystery since she's just so brilliant and wonderful and I basically only think Draco is good enough for her, haha. Though I did like her with my version of Theo Nott in Collateral. Ah, the potential. (This was a horrible answer; sorry!)

 

Okay, there they are! Thank you so much for the questions! Let me know if you have more!

[sibilant]

Hi Emily!

• What sort of changes do you expect Hermione and Draco to undergo in Rendition?  
• I know that you disregarded DH in Collateral; do you intend to introduce elements of it back into Rendition? 
• I'm always interested how Dramione writers deal with Hermione's relationship with Lucius and Narcissa. How do you plan on tackling this? 
• I recently finished Collateral and loved it, but I noticed that the ending really sort of tied things together nicely and didn't leave much room for a sequel. What sort of unresolved threads from Collateral do you plan on resolving in Rendition, and what new issues do you want to explore? 
• What excites you most about Rendition?
• As a writer, what do you hope to improve on in Rendition from Collateral (description, characterization, dialogue, flow, plot, etc.)? 
• Are you planning on introducing any new secondary characters in Rendition? If so, who's your favorite of the new characters? If not, who is your favorite of the returning secondary characters, and what sort of arc do you want to explore with this character? 

[Renacerá]

31 minutes ago, forever_dreaming said:

Hi Emily!

 

Hi Shreya! Thank you so much for your questions!

 

• What sort of changes do you expect Hermione and Draco to undergo in Rendition?  
  • Post-war is going to be really difficult for them, I think. Rendition very much takes place in a reconstruction period. Hermione and Draco have only been together as a couple for three or four months at the start of the sequel, though they've been through a lot as friends in the months before that. So they won't just be rebuilding the wizarding world together, they'll be figuring out their relationship too. It's going to take a lot for them to grow together without pushing each other away.
• I know that you disregarded DH in Collateral; do you intend to introduce elements of it back into Rendition? 
  • I think at this point, DH is essentially out the window. Parts of it made their way into Collateral (the Gringotts heist, for example), but I had to disregard it for the trio to return to Hogwarts for their seventh year. Rendition will be a completely new direction.
• I'm always interested how Dramione writers deal with Hermione's relationship with Lucius and Narcissa. How do you plan on tackling this? 
  • Ah, the Malfoys. I really think that they will struggle at first with Hermione being a part of Draco's life. They switched their loyalties in Collateral, but I think they will still have trouble with their son's choices. I'm going to handle it with that in mind. They want what's best for Draco; they just struggle to see that he may have a different idea of what "best" means).
• I recently finished Collateral and loved it, but I noticed that the ending really sort of tied things together nicely and didn't leave much room for a sequel. What sort of unresolved threads from Collateral do you plan on resolving in Rendition, and what new issues do you want to explore? 
  • Oh my gosh, YAY. I am SO happy that you read it! I hope you liked it! I'm actually revising it right now to improve the writing (Eesh, some of it is terrible!) before posting it on HPFT. The ending was definitely meant to close things off if I never got around to a sequel, but I did always have a sequel in mind. The unresolved threads to tackle in Rendition will be:

Spoiler

Harry's coma, Draco dealing with life as an amputee—he won't immediately have a magical arm, the wizarding world rebuilding after the war and the overthrow of the Ministry (this is the big one!), the grief in the wake of all the deaths, etc.

• What excites you most about Rendition?
  • Um, everything? Haha. But really, I'm so excited to tackle a bigger plot arc and fit a lot of moving pieces together. This novel will be a lot more of a mature undertaking, in terms of the writing abilities I've development since I started Collateral in 2009.
• As a writer, what do you hope to improve on in Rendition from Collateral (description, characterization, dialogue, flow, plot, etc.)? 
  • Everything. Literally everything. Rereading and editing Collateral just shows me all of my previous shortcomings. It's been so long since I wrote Collateral and I can see how poorly I did with a lot of aspects in it. (It's soul-crushing.) So I want to be better at everything in this new novel.
• Are you planning on introducing any new secondary characters in Rendition? If so, who's your favorite of the new characters? If not, who is your favorite of the returning secondary characters, and what sort of arc do you want to explore with this character? 
  • I have a new villain who I'm really interested in writing and know essentially nothing about. I'm really excited for her though! There may also be a slew of secondary characters and OCs that come in. I'm still not sure. And I'm also not sure about returning characters! Eep! I really need to think about this novel more...

[TidalDragon]

Howdy Emily! Having not read Collateral I am a bit at a disadvantage, but this story sounded very interesting for a Draco/Hermione story (usually not my cup of tea), so I thought I'd stop by with some questions!

1. How do you plan to address the immediate aftermath of the war, where people often, even if only temporarily, go their separate ways to achieve closure with their families and separate friends? Do you think it will challenge Draco and Hermione's relationship immediately if those groups are not supportive (which I am assuming they won't be - at least not uniformly)?

2. Do you view the society that appears to be coming from the quotes you've chosen above a result of a particular person or persons' machinations or as a somewhat natural, strong reaction to the causes of the war - oppression in rejection so-to-speak?

3. Will the story pick up immediately after the war ends or will there be a time jump?

4. Since you don't reference the British Wizarding World specifically, do you plan to incorporate international politics as well?

Hope you enjoy these on NaNo-eve (and Halloween)!

[Renacerá]

51 minutes ago, TidalDragon said:

Howdy Emily! Having not read Collateral I am a bit at a disadvantage, but this story sounded very interesting for a Draco/Hermione story (usually not my cup of tea), so I thought I'd stop by with some questions!

...

Hope you enjoy these on NaNo-eve (and Halloween)!

1. How do you plan to address the immediate aftermath of the war, where people often, even if only temporarily, go their separate ways to achieve closure with their families and separate friends? Do you think it will challenge Draco and Hermione's relationship immediately if those groups are not supportive (which I am assuming they won't be - at least not uniformly)?
   • That's a great question! And actually, the first thing that I plan to address in Rendition. Since this novel begins almost directly after the fall of Voldemort, you hit the nail on the head! People will be going their own ways to grieve and reconnect and cope, and that pulls a lot of them apart and leads to a lot of emotional upheaval. I'm really excited to delve into that and embrace the post-war feelings openly.
2. Do you view the society that appears to be coming from the quotes you've chosen above a result of a particular person or persons' machinations or as a somewhat natural, strong reaction to the causes of the war - oppression in rejection so-to-speak?
   • I think it's a combination. I think after a tragedy, people ask themselves "how can we prevent this from happening again?" and I think there will always be someone who takes advantage of that or take that sentiment too far.
3. Will the story pick up immediately after the war ends or will there be a time jump?
   • Oops, I answered this above! It begins basically exactly where the last novel ends, give a few weeks. So right after the war.
4. Since you don't reference the British Wizarding World specifically, do you plan to incorporate international politics as well?
   • Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. I think I'd assumed I'd focus on the British wizarding world, since it was the most directly affected by Voldemort, but I think the greater world would also be feeling some of the fallout. Perhaps I'll incorporate that! Thanks for making me think!

 

Thank you so much for the questions! I appreciate them so much!

[FlamingQuilltips]

Hello Emily! This is Ysh and I'm dropping in at your nest on the eve of Nano (or day depending on where you're from) to wish you luck with your project and a couple of questions as well!

I haven't read collateral as well, but I'm interested to know how much from canon will Ron and Hermione's relationship come into play.

What is the one thing in Draco that draws Hermione to him?

How do Lucius and Narcissa deal with Draco's interest in Hermione (if that does happen)

I wish you all the luck with Nano!  

[Renacerá]

3 minutes ago, FlamingQuilltips said:

Hello Emily! This is Ysh and I'm dropping in at your nest on the eve of Nano (or day depending on where you're from) to wish you luck with your project and a couple of questions as well!

I haven't read collateral as well, but I'm interested to know...

I wish you all the luck with Nano!  

Hi Ysh! Thank you so much for the questions!

1. How much from canon will Ron and Hermione's relationship come into play?
   • Actually, I dealt with that early on in Collateral — thank goodness! Essentially, since Collateral takes place in lieu of Deathly Hallows, I didn't really have to deal with the Ron/Hermione relationship. I essentially was able to say that their crushes drifted off and they went back to being friends, and left it at that. Is that a cop out? Haha.
2. What is the one thing in Draco that draws Hermione to him?
   • I love this question! And I think I'm going to work it more explicitly into both the Collateral rewrite and Rendition. I think the answer is his loyalty. The Draco I write is damaged and scared of connecting with people when he and Hermione first begin to speak, but he grows so much through their friendship and becomes so dedicated to her as a friend. She sees that loyalty and devotion as it blooms into love between them, and she cherishes that he is the one person who becomes her sort of...partner, through everything happening to them.
3. How do Lucius and Narcissa deal with Draco's interest in Hermione?
   • This didn't come up much in Collateral, but will be dealt with in Rendition. I think it will be hard for them. They want Draco to be happy, over everything else, but they have expectations for him and they live in a very prejudiced world. It's going to take a while for them to come around to seeing her how Draco does. I think they will. I hope they will! But I'll have to see how it goes as I'm writing it.

[Renacerá]

Rendition Updates

Day 1:

• 2,017 words; most of chapter 1 complete
• confident about: characterization, description
• unsure about: side-characters (who should they be?), additional padding for the chapter length

 

Day 2:

• 3,242 words; chapter 1 complete, chapter 2 started
• confident about: how chapter 1 turned out, plot outline of chapter 2, characters chosen to supplement this section of the novel
• unsure about: new side-characters (I really need to stop calling the new OCs, "NAME1" and "NAME2"...)

[Renacerá]

Rendition Updates

Day 3:

• 3,982 words; halfway-ish through chapter 2
• confident about: plot in the first half of chapter 2
• unsure about: description ("show don't tell"), OCs' back stories (They have none at the moment.)

[Guest Rumpelstiltskin]

Alrighty, stopping by to ask some questions!
 

1. So, Dramione and Scorbus! What makes them your OTP? If you were forced  to choose between the two pairings, which one would you deem ultimate Shipping material? Would there be any circumstance in which you would not ship them (eg. under a certain trope, etc.)?
2. What is your NOtp (the pairing you absolutely refuse to read), if any, and why? Are there any circumstances that you can think of that you think the pairing could work?
3. What was your favorite part of writing Rule Breaker? Least favorite? Why?
4. Kiss, Marry, Kill the follow characters, please (and tell me why): Percy Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Teddy Lupin

[Renacerá]

Omg I fell so far behind over the last few days!

I'm currently just over 6,000 words, so I need at least 4,000 more to get back on track. That is...not going to happen tonight. But hopefully I can slowly make it up over the next few days.

 

Currently, I'm writing chapter 3, and having some difficulty with Draco. I was so excited to have him back in this series--he didn't show up in the first two chapters--but now that he's back, he's all awkward and weird and I don't know how to write him. I have no idea how to get his and Hermione's reunion correct. They've been apart essentially for six weeks, and now they're back together, and their current reunion feels so terribly stilted and unnatural. I literally hate the scene right now. I may have to skip it and come back to it, which I hate doing. Any advice?

[Renacerá]

On ‎11‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 1:25 AM, Rumpelstiltskin said:

Alrighty, stopping by to ask some questions!

Ahhh! Hi Rumpel! Thank you so much for your questions!

1. So, Dramione and Scorbus! What makes them your OTP? If you were forced  to choose between the two pairings, which one would you deem ultimate Shipping material? Would there be any circumstance in which you would not ship them (eg. under a certain trope, etc.)?
   • Oh my gosh. Well. So many reasons. This answer could be stupidly long, but I'll try to restrain myself.
   • So, Dramione (which I would choose over Scorbus simply because it's been my OTP much longer, despite Scorbus being more likely in canon): I honestly see so much potential in these two. They've both been through so much and come so far. Even in canon, Draco is already beginning his redemption arc in HBP. It's not complete by any means, but that's why we've got fanfiction. Draco is, in my opinion, one of the only canon characters smart enough for Hermione. Yet at the same time, he's different enough from Hermione to challenge her. I think she needs that as well. She'd calm him; he'd help spark her. They could be incredible together. The only circumstances I don't like them in are "Draco Playboy" stories. Ugh. I don't think Hermione would ever put up with that.
   • As for Scorbus, they're a newer love of mine. I think they could really be a wonderful couple. I adore how much room NextGen gives us to explore, and I've read some incredible Scorbus stories. It completely depends on how an author explores that relationship, but there's so much potential and excitement to a couple whose families haven't gotten along (Hi, Dramione!). I haven't actually come across anything I don't like with them yet. But I suppose I like when they aren't predictable and "Slytherin vs. Gryffindor" tropes.
2. What is your NOtp (the pairing you absolutely refuse to read), if any, and why? Are there any circumstances that you can think of that you think the pairing could work?
   • There's nothing I will never read, but ones I don't really like include:
   • Snape/Lily, Snape/Hermione: I just really don't like Snape. I can't like him. I think he's abusive and gross. The only way I see him working in a relationship (but not with Lily or Hermione!) is in time-travel or Marauders Era stories where his experiences change him and make him a decent person instead of an awful one.
   • Ron/Hermione: I just don't think Ron is good for Hermione. Firmly. It works in some stories, and I've read some great ones, but I just hate them together.
   • Draco/Pansy: Pansy is from the same pureblood, elitist world as Draco and definitely brings out the worst in him, rather than the best. I've also read stories where they work together, but I like them better as best friends (by changing her personality completely, tbh) than together. Draco needs Hermione or Astoria to help him heal and be a better person.
3. What was your favorite part of writing Rule Breaker? Least favorite? Why?
   • My favorite part was getting into the characters' heads. I love the cast of Collateral and loved writing for all of them. Exploring their lives, hardships, and triumphs was wonderful. My least favorite part was how long it took! It was hard to keep a consistent writing style over such a long amount of time (five years!), so there are definitely different levels of quality in the chapters. Hence why I'm now editing it to repost on HPFT!
4. Kiss, Marry, Kill the follow characters, please (and tell me why): Percy Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Teddy Lupin
   • Hmmm, kiss Teddy, marry Luna, kill Percy. 
     I don't really want to kill Percy (I have a lot in common with him; oops! Both of us being perfectionist nerds who find interest in minutiae and get a little bit too deep in our leadership roles sometimes...), but I like the other two more than him, I think.
     So I'd kiss Teddy. He's NextGen, so I don't really know him, but he seems cute.
     I'd marry lovely Luna. She would be such a fun wife. She'd make me explore and get out of my shell and the complacency I fall into sometimes.

 

These were so much fun to answer! Thanks again! Always come back if you think of more!

[Renacerá]

Rendition Updates

Okay, we're halfway through the month! And I am soooooo far behind! I'm currently sitting at 15,392 words (approximately 11,000 behind where I should be). I'm really happy with the chapters I've written so far, but I also know I have a long way to go with this novel. Here are my current updates:

Day 15 (haven't written today yet):

• 15,392 words, 6 chapters complete
• confident about: plot, Hermione's characterization, villains, interesting background things I've come up with
• unsure about: pacing, emotions, balance of action and internal strife, DracoDracoDraco

 

Now, off to write for the day!

[Renacerá]

April 2018 Camp NaNo:

I am so excited to be finally finishing the rewrite/edit of my novel, Collateral (M), which was formerly titled Rule Breaker on HPFF. I spent almost five and a half years writing this novel, and I'm so proud of it. But, to be honest, my writing has improved significantly from when it was originally written. I'm now undertaking the monumental task of editing it to be posted on HPFT.

Collateral is 50 chapters long and 125,000 words. I've so far edited the first six chapters. So I have quite a ways to go.

This month, I aim to complete the edit! So, I'll be measuring based on chapters edited, which I'll track along the way. Please ask any questions or encourage me however you can! Thank you so much!

[Slytherinchica08]

I know that NaNo is over now but I still wanted to come by and see how the month ended for you? I absolutely love Collateral and I'm so excited to see the updates and be able to continue reading this story. I really hope that the month of edits went well and if you ever need someone to cheer you on during any rough patches of the editing process my messages are always open. Or if you just want to yell about characters not cooperating or celebrate a word count/chapter being done I will gladly yell and cheer with you.

[Renacerá]

Update!  

At ever long last, I have another of my old stories rewritten and posted on HPFT! If you have a moment, please check out the new version of "Savior"!

 

*wonderful banner by hysteria @ TDA*

In the midst of the Final Battle, two enemies share a moment of grace.

link+ (M)

[victoria_anne]

Hey Emily! I'm here because it's your appreciation month!  

1. So how's the writing going?  

2. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? 

3. You said one of your OTPs is Scorbus, have you ever considered writing them? 

4. What fanfictions are you reading at the moment?

5. How much do you plan before you write?

I hope you have a good day!  

[Aphoride]

Hi Emily!  I recognise your old pennames (DarkRose and DracoFerret11) from the old site, but honestly, I don't think we ever really spoke that much? I know I read a whole chunk of Rule Breaker when it was being posted and how good it was, but I don't really know you much more than that... So, with the House Cup Opener 2018-2019 being all about camaraderie and getting to know each other, I thought I'd stop by with some questions  

1. I'm considering a major rehaul of a long novel as well - how are you going about editing? Why did you decide to edit it and is it easy to make the changes you want to? 

2. What is it about Draco/Hermione and Albus/Scorpius which make you love them so much? 

3. Is there anything (pairings, eras, characters, etc.) who you just can't write? 

4. Autumn or Spring? 

5. How do you write Hermione so well? 

[Renacerá]

On 9/17/2018 at 7:52 AM, victoria_anne said:

Hey Emily! I'm here because it's your appreciation month!  

...

I hope you have a good day!  

Hello my dear!

Thank you so much for these questions! I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to reply. You caught me right at the point where my fiancé and I were moving to a new city and life got crazy. So, to answer you absolutely lovely questions!

1. So how's the writing going?  
   Terribly!  I haven't gotten a lot done lately, unfortunately. The aforementioned life craziness has kept me from being productive. But I hope to change that since...
2. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? 
   Yes! I hope so! I think I'll be a Rebel and finally. edit. Collateral. Because seriously, I desperately want that done and posted. Then I can work on Rendition, which I fiercely love already.
3. You said one of your OTPs is Scorbus, have you ever considered writing them? 
   The only Scorbus I've ever written is "Afternoon Tea," which is just a fluffy little meet-the-family piece. I had a lot of fun writing it though, so I think I would like to write more Scorbus in the future!
4. What fanfictions are you reading at the moment?
   I read everything that @abhorsen. posts in her Greengrass series (though I'm a few behind right now)! I'm also not-so-casually obsessed with @Chelts-rhj's Stand Tall, which is phenomenal (and I claim every chapter of it that comes into the queue).
5. How much do you plan before you write?
   A ton! I usually loosely map out several chapters in advance if I'm writing a novel, and the entire story if it's something shorter than that (e.g. one-shots). I know the plot points I want to hit and the worldbuilding I want to do, and sometimes I even have individual lines I want to put in.
        I really like planning, but if I'm honest with myself, it probably slows down my writing somewhat because I can't really start anything until I have an outline done.

Thank you so much for your questions! I really enjoyed responding to them!

 

 

On 9/26/2018 at 5:27 AM, Aphoride said:

Hi Emily!  I recognise your old pennames (DarkRose and DracoFerret11) from the old site, but honestly, I don't think we ever really spoke that much? I know I read a whole chunk of Rule Breaker when it was being posted and how good it was, but I don't really know you much more than that... So, with the House Cup Opener 2018-2019 being all about camaraderie and getting to know each other, I thought I'd stop by with some questions  

Aw, hello there! I don't think we spoke much either, but that can definitely change now!   Sorry for my delay in answering! As I mentioned to Bianca above, I was moving at the end of September, and life was crazy for a while there.

1. I'm considering a major rehaul of a long novel as well - how are you going about editing? Why did you decide to edit it and is it easy to make the changes you want to? 
   Oh my gosh. Of course you ask the question that requires the most introspection for me!
        Well, I can start by wishing you luck if you undertake your overhaul! I think how difficult/easy it is depends on who you are as a writer. Personally, my editing has been intensely slow. I just can't seem to get going because I'm my own worst critic and I find my past writing absolutely awful. So it's really hard for me to even see places to improve when I basically want to scrap whole sections of things.
        Of course, that sort of answers why I wanted to edit it—I really do love Collateral, and I know it has potential to be great. It was written a long time ago, and the writing just isn't up to my standards now. If you undertake your own rewrite, my biggest advice would be to be good to yourself. Don't let it become something where you just see the flaws and forget the potential.
2. What is it about Draco/Hermione and Albus/Scorpius which make you love them so much? 
   Oh man. Okay, since my one-true-love is Dramione I'll start with Scorbus since that answer will be shorter. I don't often write "canon" Next-Gen, but when I do, I think that Scorpius and Albus are such a lovely slate to explore. I like nontraditional portrayals of them, and I loved writing "Afternoon Tea" to explore what it would be like for them to face Scorpius's family with their relationship. I just think they're fun and sweet and a good couple in many ways. And I basically love all queer pairings too, so that's a bonus.
        Now for real-talk: Dramione.
        One of the least popular ships in our lovely community is my first and biggest love. I adore this couple. I think that Draco has such potential for redemption and change and opening up, especially after HBP. He's been through so much as an individual while he's still so young, and I think that gives him a depth that not many "villains" have (even Voldemort!).
        Dramione is a hugely fun ship to write about, especially in the Post-War/Reconstruction era. Hermione is brilliant and tough and righteous, and I don't think she'd ever take crap from anyone, especially Draco. I think he needs someone like that to keep him in line and help him move forward towards being a better person. And I think Hermione has a compassion about her that she wants to help those in need. Draco doesn't deserve that help by any means, but helping someone who doesn't deserve it is just as valid as helping someone who does.
        They have such a complicated past and such potential for a future together. I just think that's so fun to write about. I try to avoid too many of the clichés that make people hate Dramione, and I do wish people would give it more of a chance. But I could rant about this forever, so I'll stop here. 
3. Is there anything (pairings, eras, characters, etc.) who you just can't write? 
   I really don't like most intergenerational pairings (e.g. Hermione and Snape/Sirius/Remus/etc.) unless they involve time travel. I would never write a time travel story, so I'd therefore never write a pairing like that, though I've read some that are quite good.
4. Autumn or Spring? 
   Aw, I love this question! Autumn, for sure! My birthday is at the end of September (actually, it's the 25th, so you posted your questions right after it passed! Happy birthday to me!), so when I was a kid, I looked forward to the fall. Then as I got older, I really just fell in love with the season. I love the crispness of the air and the changing leaves. I love the feeling of things shifting. My fiancé and I are planning a fall wedding because of how much I love it (as he does too).
5. How do you write Hermione so well?
   Aw, you're so sweet! This is going to sound so self-aggrandizing, but I think part of why I like writing for Hermione (and apparently do it well!) is because I see myself in her in some ways. Canon/Hogwarts era Hermione is a lot like I was as a teenager: nerdy and academically obsessive, loyal, a bit self-righteous, a bit self-conscious...I just remember those feelings really well (because I still feel them often!). And then, the way that I write her as a young adult in the Reconstruction/Post-Hogwarts eras parallels a lot of what I've felt through my own late teens/early twenties. In Rendition (in progress), I also delve a lot into Hermione's internal struggles—including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I hope I do her justice and do those experiences justice as well (since I've suffered from anxiety and depression throughout my life). Again, thank you for the compliment!

 

 

Thank you both so much for your questions! I loved answering them!

 

 

 

[Renacerá]

stunning banner by @abhorsen.

Hello, friends! I'm writing as a NaNo rebel this November, with the goal of completing the full edit of Collateral. (Please let me succeed at this!)

 

Collateral is a 125,000 word, 50 chapter novel, spanning the entirety of an alternate seventh year (in place of Deathly Hallows). I wrote it over a five and a half year period from 2009 to 2014. The first seven chapters are edited and posted on HPFT (link below), and my NaNo goal is to get the remaining 43 edited and posted. The story's summary is:

With Death Eaters in Hogwarts and the wizarding world at war, a mysterious murder will only further Head Girl, Hermione Granger's confusion. Especially when the prime suspect, Draco Malfoy, swears his innocence. With Hermione befriending a possible killer and the time for hunting Horcruxes running out, seventh year may prove to be not just difficult, but deadly.

 

To read what's posted so far, click the M-rated link below:
Collateral

[crowsb4bros]

Hi Emily! I have some questions for you! 

1. FIVE and A HALF years?!!? My first question is how did you motivate yourself to write a WIP for so long without abandoning it? 

2. This is so my vibe. Where did you get the idea to write this story? 

3. You've written two amazing characters that are so hard to wrangle. What's your favorite thing about the way you've characterized each of them?

4. What's your ideal writing environment?