Fanfic hits (sort of) mainstream - EDITED

[veronica_rich]

I just arrived home from Borders (where I picked up the LOVELY new Rolling Stone magazine, BTW, with Pirate Jack on the cover - RRROWWRRR!), and while I was perusing the magazines, I found one called "Film Fantasy" specifically about POTC. I think it's one of those one-time vanity things a publisher might put out to supplement income and cash in on a hot trend - sort of like those magazines that concentrate on LOTR when a new movie is coming out, and the like?

ANYWAY ... some of our very own writers in LJ are listed in the very back of the magazine as part of a "top 10" recommendation of fanfic online about POTC. honorat, tortuga_black, and geek_mama_2 are listed, as well as several other writers I've not heard of. (I just scanned the descriptions of the list, but I don't think they covered slash. I believe the magazine is probably aimed at teenagers.)

They have a paragraph description of each story and the praises of it, why it's in the magazine. It's called "Film Fantasy" and is published by Bauer Publishing as part of its "Life Story" series - I can't find anything online about it, but you can find it at Borders (and possibly other stores) for $10 right now.


EDIT (July 2): I picked up a copy of the magazine. The compilation of these stories is credited to G. "ErinRua" Atwater, which the magazine states is webmistress of a POTC site, captainjack.t35.com/FanFic.html (I have seen this page before, and I suspect so have a few of you). I cannot find, however, who actually picked these particular stories.



I don't know if the writer intended for these to be ranked in this order, but here they are anyway:

"No Mercy" by honorat. One of the most popular fanfic genres is the "gap-filler," which looks behind the scenes of the movie, providing details on information the audience did not have an opportunity to see. This is a well-written, thoughtful glimpse of Commodore Norrington after battling the undead pirates, while he deals with the deaths among his crew.

"Harry and the Pirate" by geek_mama_2. Another favorite topic is romance, most often involving Captain Jack Sparrow. This novel-length story paris an original female character with Jack Sparrow himself. The result is a delightful romp of adventure and romance that beautifully employs the voice and mannerisms of the era.

"Plums of the Caribbean" by Ms Brooklyn (lj handle unknown) at www.fanfiction.net/s/1736143/1/. A third popular premise in fanfiction is the "crossover," wherein the writer combines elements and characters of two different fandoms. Here is a tremendously fun example, the author tossing Janet Evanovich's wisecracking bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, head over heels into Jack Sparrow's world. The outcome is wryly sarcastic and thoroughly enjoyable.

"Finding North" by cupiscent. Perhaps the most enticing mystery of the POTC universe is Jack's shadowy past. This is a haunting, lyrical, almost literary story of Jack's younger days and his mystical attachment to the Black Pearl.

"His Holiness, Captain Sparrow" by Beth at www.fanfiction.net/s/1441326/1/. Back stories the movie only hinted at also inspire many fic writers' muses. This hilarious, rollicking short tale explores Jack Sparrow's gallows charge of impersonating the clergy.

"The Sacking of Port Royal" by tortuga_black. Fans also love novel-length stories that carry on the grand tradition of POTC, following Jack Sparrow and friends on swashbuckling adventures of the author's own creation. This splendid epic originally appeared in a fanzine and stands as a stellar example of movie-worthy storytelling.

"Mutiny on the Dauntless" by galadhir. Some fanfiction is purely speculative, delving into scenarios that the movie never touched on - but which could have happened at some other point in time. This richly drawn, almost Patrick O'Brien-ish nautical adventure follows young Lieutenant Norrington on the crossing from England with Governor and Elizabeth Swann.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Bread Box Edition" by evadne_noel. Another fan hit is the parody, in which fic writers lovingly poke fun at favorite characters. This is a witty, satirical, slapstick play on what the making of POTC might have been like.

"A Fine Woman" by Igenlode Wordsmith (lj handle unknown) at ivory.150m.com/Tower/Fiction/FineWoman.html. It is not only Jack Sparrow who has fan followers: Commodore Norrington has also won many hearts. This lovely, period/atmospheric piece looks at Elizabeth and Norrington after the movie, when she is Mrs. Turner, and the unfinished business of her having jilted Norrington rises up amidst other difficulties.

"Our Beautiful Life, Or I Want to be a Pirate" by ceridwen-amyed (lj handle unknown) at www.fanfiction.net/s/1885118/1/. And then there are stories which defy classification; flights of imagination that take the breath away and go beyond common fan fiction. This magnificent vignette poetically addresses the question of what happens next for Mr. and Mrs. Will Turner.

(The above is from an excerpt of "The Top 10 Pirates of the Caribbean Fan Fiction Pieces" in Film Fantasy - Life Story Magazine put out by Bauer Publishing, Copyright 2006)

Comments

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

As much as I love the cover of RS, that initial pic on the interview makes my blood race--Good Goddess, that man just gets better with age!! Though in the interview, they asked him about how he researched and created the character of Jack Sparrow. He said he'd done a lot of research and specifically cited "Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition" as an inspiration. So, yeah, now we can say to all those little punks who, with quivering lips, shriek "Captain Jack's not GAY!" that, "He soooo is; Johnny Depp said so.":)

I'm still looking for the Newsweek with him on the cover, though. *pout*

[a-silver-rose.livejournal.com]

Nah, Captain Jack's not gay. Bi, maybe, but not gay ROFL.

- Silver Rose

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

Bi, yes, but with a definite preference for blacksmiths and navy men.;)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I have that very book - I bought it off Amazon very shortly after the first movie came out, and it's an interesting read. It's sort of a scholarly look at homosexuality among pirates and sailors, as opposed to some of the more prurient stuff we around here like. :-P

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

"Prurient." What a polite word.:)

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

I found those (RS and FF), and snatched them up, just yesterday. (And I too am still looking for the Newsweek rumored to have Jack on the cover. :/ ) I wonder if that (the FF fanfic recommendations) means Disney doesn't mind fanfic.

I'm loving all the 'gay Jack Sparrow' references. Even Orlando seems more comfortable with the concept. (I'm taking his mentioning, in more than one interview, that Johnny is "always trying to kiss me" as proof of that. :p ) It was hilarious when he told Conan O'Brien that, with Johnny doing Jack Sparrow, he wound up playing the "straight" pirate.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

The Newsweek is still on the stands, but you'd better move fast - it's been out for a few days already. (It's Johnny on the cover, just so you know - not Jack, in case you're looking for a magical special two-cover week, LOL. Which, for the record, I believe would be a great idea.)

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

Even better, he told Conan that Johnny got off the plane at St. Vincent's and "ended up nearly tongue-kissing" the poor PM of the island when he met them. Of course both of them had consumed mass quantities of wine on the flight but that's not really all that important.;) Orli was so cute on Conan. I just love him so much.