Ask "why?"

[veronica_rich]

For a friend in POTC fandom who has been asking me of late, "Why can't we ask why anymore?" - here's a chance to ask "why?" At least about fanfic. For anyone seeing this.

If you have any questions about any story I've written, go ahead and ask me. It can be "where'd you get that idea?" or "why the hell did you do that?" Or any variation thereof. If you don't like something and are curious, ask. To be honest, I can't promise I'll be able to answer - if it's been long enough, I may just not remember - but I'll try. All I ask is that you be civil.

(My stories are among Memories here and here. These are all ratings, including NC-17/M, so please be of age to read these.)

Comments

[danglingdingle.livejournal.com]

Why did you introduce Jack's daughter in Contradictions? Is there any possibility to learn more of the past of Contradictions!Jack?

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Well, actually, he has two daughters. (That he knows of, anyway.) At the time, I'm sure I probably knew exactly why I did it and how I came up with them. I know I wanted opposites.

First, a little reality: It's unlikely Jack wouldn't have fathered at least one child in his life. Maybe he practices safe sex, but it's unlikely. I made him at least somewhat part of these kids' lives because I want to think Jack wouldn't just completely abandon his own progeny (especially considering one of them is a "legitimate" child with his former wife). I also wanted them to be daughters because it seemed at the time - to me, anyway - that so many writers enjoyed giving popular male characters sons to carry on their appearance and name. I thought girls would be a nice change.

Partly, I made Ivy up because I wanted an opportunity for Will to see Jack with his child, to catch sight of a different side of him. (I made David up to cast Will in a father-like role, for the sake of doing just that. The only reservation I have about J/W slash is that it is likely going to leave Will with no children, and I believe he would make an excellent father.) Ivy is in such a regulated social setting, I came up with Liana to be the "fun" tomboy who got to do some of the things Ivy likely wishes she could (basically, I mentally made Elizabeth younger and split her in half - sort of). I don't know if it would interest you, but I also figured that years down the road, Ivy and David would end up together, likely captaining the Black Pearl in Jack's old age, while Jack and Will had a smaller vessel for just them to make short excursions out from a beachfront home on land, while Will made himself occasionally invaluable as the local metalcrafter and teacher of same.