StorySite Author Chat # 3        09-15-2000 10pm EDST

Chat Log with Guest Author : Kim EM

ChatMom : Rose2

Log Secretaries : Sandra & Jean Rea

Minor editing has been done on the log to correct some spelling errors, and remove some extraneous data. - Crystal

 

[Chatmom] If everyone is ready I declare Kim EM 's author chat begun

[Chatmom] Kim if you have any opening remarks

[KimEM] Nothing too much. I just wish that Cathy could have been here for her scheduled chat.

[KimEM] Was I supposed to have remarks prepared? *blushing*

[KimEM] LOL

>> Crystal has joined channel #XC.2179487

[pickle696] Hi Crystal

Sandra_pal_1> Hi Crystal

[KimEM] Hi, Crystal

[Chatmom] Kim your site says you’re a movie buff what are your top 5

[JeanRea] Hi Crystal

[Crystal] Hi everyone

[KimEM] Hmmm... Can I pick 5 Bond movies? LOL

[KimEM] Let me think....

[KimEM] in no particular order....

[Prue..] hi crystal

[KimEM] Mirage, and old Gregary Peck movie.

[KimEM] North By Northwest.. Hitchcock at his best

[KimEM] Goldfinger... Bond at HIS best

[KimEM] Rio Bravo .. John Wayne, ditto

[KimEM] Singin' in the Rain

[KimEM] Well, there's at least ONE comedy :)

[Chatmom] thank you Kim

[josie-1] You mentioned in your bio that you're not one of those who can write "stream of conscious and produce great stories". That you require a plan, a structure from which to build. In "Retrograde Dreams" you seem to have found a way to melt the need for structure in a free flowing stream of thought in a very accomplished manner. I was wondering if writing "Retro" has changed your view on what you can do as a writer? If so, what evolution has come about within your life which has ma

[josie-1] It was my turn.... wasn't it?

[josie-1] hmmmm?

[KimEM] I'm not sure Retrograde Dreams qualifies as a 'great story'.. But it was different from the way I'm used to working. I started with the image of Val as Ricky's mom and kept imagining other mindbending situations. And somewhere along the way I realized I had a story there....

[Prue..] i'd like to thank Kim for substituting for Cathy and on Cathys behalf thank her for her support and her contributions

[KimEM] And I DID write it with a fever, just like Ellen said. But it actually does have a structure. If you read the scenes in reverse order, they start in the present and move progressively farther in the future...

[Prue..] oops did it again lol

[KimEM] Prue, the FINK! :)

KimEM] The last scene, by the way, was a last minute idea...

[KimEM] It was going to end with Tucker waking. And then I realized that with Amy's recent behaviour, one final nightmare worked...

[KimEM] I do wonder how many people were fooled by the first waking. I intended it to be a nasty trick.

[Prue..] lol

[KimEM] anyone fooled and willing to admit it?

[josie-1] But this is a departure for you, is it not? will you be trying to do more of it?

[JeanRea] I was

[KimEM] Well, not another nightmare for Tucker. I've done that. I may revisit the Tucker-verse soon, but it will be in a more traditionally-plotted story

[josie-1] thanks

>> The_Princess has joined channel #XC.2179487

[The_Princess] hi

[Prue..] hi

[KimEM] Prue, thanks... when Crystal asked me to fill in I was happy to help. I'm just sorry that Cathy's computer problems caused her to not be able to chat tonight. And I'm looking forward to attending hers soon.

[JeanRea] Kim, your story Expo Summer and your Bio both recounts violence toward T*'s, do you feel in RL we as a oppressed group should fight fire w/fire?

[Prue..] as i'm sure she will appreciate that

KimEM] You mean using violence ourselves?

[JeanRea] yes, against any and all violent attacks

[JeanRea] on the ACT_UP model

[KimEM] I believe in self-defense. If you're attacked, you should have the right to defend yourself. But I don't believe in 'proactive' violence.

[Chatmom] everyone needs to sign on now to prevent being bumped

JeanRea> ..

[Prue..] here

[pickle696] Yo

>> Samantha_2 has joined channel #XC.2179487

[josie-1] here

[pickle696] Kim who is your favorite fictional character?

JeanRea> wb folx :)

[KimEM] Favorite of all time? That would have to be James Bond. Don't me get started there. I have a Bond fetish. :) I could fill the entire chat with nothing but Bond trivia.....

>> Brit has joined channel #XC.2179487

[josie-1] hi Brit

[Prue..] hi

[KimEM] I suspect that in the T* fiction arena, my preference is pretty well known :)

JeanRea> lol,

[Brit] hi

[pickle696] hi Brit

[josie-1] Tuck forever

[Brit] you said it

[KimEM] You nailed it, Josie :)

[Brit] i loved your tucker fanfic, do you have plans for anymore?

[KimEM] Yes. I won't go into any detail right now, but I came up with an idea that Ellen has asked me to write up. So I'll give it a shot. I don't plan to start it till I get caught up with EXPO Summer, though.

[Brit] cool! Thanks

[Chatmom] that has us caught up on questions anyone else

[Crystal] Kim, how many parts do you foresee for Expo?

[KimEM] I don't have a specific number of chapters in mind. At this point, though, I'm thinking it will run around ten parts....

[KimEM] I'm currently writing part 4, and have part 5 in a detailed plot....

[KimEM] beyond there, I have a much more sketchy plot, although I know where the story is heading...

[KimEM] When you see chapter five, just remember to blame Prue.

[josie-1] lol

[KimEM] She came up with an idea that is a VAST improvement on my original ending for that part....

[KimEM] if it works, credit her... If it doesn't, well, I'm the one who screwed it up.

[Prue.] grumble

[KimEM] and I bet she didn't see a BIT of that *evil grin*

[Crystal] How many Prues do we have here?

[KimEM] Prue, are your ears burning?

[Prue.] just me

[Prue.] crashed

[Prue.] lol

[KimEM] I was talking about you while you were gone

[JeanRea] Who are some of your primary influences for your writing and also for your life ethics?

[Prue.] darnit

[JeanRea] lol

[KimEM] I'll start with writing and go from there....

[Prue.] k

[KimEM] In addition to the writing I do here, I have written a few screenplays, none of which have sold yet...

[KimEM] And for that form of writing, you have to have the story plotted out in exquisite detail. Plus, there's a VERY rigid formula, so yu learn to write stories that are personal, and individual, but yet conform to the format....

[KimEM] It's a good way to learn discipline. And I've studied a number of screenplays to try and glean how those writers pulled it off....

[KimEM] In terms of the kinds of things I like to write, look on my page at the things I like to read. I'd love to be able to write like James Hogan or Larry Niven, Elizabeth Moon or Lynn Abbey...

[KimEM] Especially, I'd like to be able to write as well as David Eddings. I love his writing... The style is one I've tried to emulate, even though his content is much more readable than mine....

[KimEM] One thing of interest to me, that I'd never noticed until recently, is that there are a LOT of siilarities in his style and in Ellen's....

[KimEM] oops. Similarities

[KimEM] So I guess there's something in that style that I respond to....

[JeanRea] ummm what a great rumor to start, that David is Ellen *evil grin*

[KimEM] I've gotten a number of emails about Retrograde Dreams that talk about how well I copied Ellen's style. Which is nice, except that I was too sick when I wrote it to copy ANYONE's style....

[Prue.] lol

[KimEM] That was MY style. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, since I am neither Ellen not David Eddings, and I'm fairly sure that neither of them is the other either... *wicked grin* ... but it _would_ make a good rumor, wouldn't it? It's just that there's something about the choices of words and the speech patterns that I respond to...

[KimEM] A long answer to a short question.... As to my life ethics?

[JeanRea] If you wish to share, Please :)

[KimEM] Hmmm. I can credit my parents for a lot of the good stuff. They were somewhat older than the norm while I was a child, but they did fairly good job of teaching me what is what.....

[josie-1] .......

[KimEM] I had a lot of negative experiences growing up. And they taught me a lot about what NOT to do. I learned a lot of bad stuff from them as well....

[KimEM] How to pretend to be what I am not, just to fit in. How to be afraid of the world, bercaue it can turn on me in very painful and damaging ways.....

[KimEM] How to be so pathetically eager to please people, because maybe then I can get away without being mocked and humiliated.....

[KimEM] It took a long time to outgrow the bad stuff... and I can't honestly say that it's all gone yet.....

[KimEM] But things like that have retreated from being precepts, to being things in my past that I can learn from.....

[KimEM] I'm finally able, after FAR too many years, to become myself. If people like and approve of this, fine. that's a bonus. But if they don't, well, that's their problem, not mine....

[JeanRea] I think alot of T* can relate to that Kim. It sounds very healthy

[KimEM] For many years, I told NOBODY of my gender issues. And I'm finally able to be open about it. Last month I finally came out to my management at work....

[KimEM] I wasn't expecting much. In fact, I was preparing to start job hunting....

[KimEM] To my surprise, they are cool with it. They have informed me that, even though their equal-employment policy does not mention T* issues, it is intended to be all-inclusive.....

[KimEM] And they will support me in my transition fully. So I got the 'best-case' reaction from my work.....

[KimEM] I hope the universe doesn't drop the other shoe... but at this point, I'm starting to learn that maybe the world isn't quite such a horrible place as I'd believed for years.

[KimEM] Well, another sermon in answer to short question. I have that unfortunate habit.

[josie-1] Something on a lighter note: In a more perfect and just world, in which you were truly Queen, your first decree would be.........?

[KimEM] Do I have magical powers?

[Prue.] lol

[josie-1] anything your magesty

[josie-1] majesty

[JeanRea] lol

[Janet] hi mom

[KimEM] Damn. that's tough. Do I go for something selfish? Or something that will help all T* persons? Or just go for world peace and an end to poverty?

[KimEM] First decree? All persons may be who they are, who they wish to be, without fear of censure or violence

[josie-1] awesome!

[KimEM] nq?

[pickle696] Kim besides writing and reading what do you do for fun?

[KimEM] You mean things like a life? Who has time for that?

[KimEM] I watch a lot of old movies... sometimes not so old....

[pickle696] Yes a life and fun

[KimEM] Do some walking. Hang around online too much for my own good....

[KimEM] I really don't have all that large a circle of friends...

[KimEM] I guess partly a hangover from the bad old days. But it is growing.

[KimEM] In a way I envy people who have friends all over the place, and wind up going out to party at the drop of a hat. But it's not me.

[pickle696] Thank you Kim

[KimEM] One thing.....

[pickle696] Yes

[Chatmom] you said how your transitioning at work how are real people reacting

[KimEM] I look at what I've been saying, and it almost sounds like I have a really bleak worldview.

[Chatmom] opps

[KimEM] But it's really not. And despite what you may have read in my stories, I do have a better sense of humor than that....

[KimEM] You can ask the people I chat with about that....

[Prue.] lol

[Chatmom] lol

[pickle696] I have seen it for myself

[JeanRea] lol

[KimEM] So I don't want to give a false impression. And maybe someday I'll actually write something happy. :)

[JeanRea] nor I pickles

[josie-1] lol

[KimEM] The people at work? It's still largely a secret while management and I get our collective act's together. Right now in my office, there are only five persons who have been clued in...

[pickle696] What scares you most about work

[KimEM] Plus a few more that I suspect have figured it out. But what can I do, go up to them and ask "Have you figured out my secret?"....

[KimEM] Everyone who knows.... EVERYONE at work, everyone in my personal life, all the medical people Ive been working with, without exception have been positive and supportive. WITHOUT EXCEPTION. And I guess that's the most amazing thing of all

[josie-1] I don't think you've portrayed a "bleak world view" at all.... a very honest world view yes, but one with hope

[JeanRea] That's so wonderful to hear Kim :))

[pickle696] Really it is better then you hoped for

[KimEM] yes, I think I've been lucky. Either that, or the conventional wisdom is way too conservative

[Chatmom] Ok everyone were going to open chat now ask directly to Kim

[josie-1] a round of applaus first????

[Prue.] great

[Prue.] claps

[pickle696] BRAVO

Sandra_pal_1> hugs for Kim

[Prue.] well you survived kim lol

[JeanRea] ty very much Kim, congrats Dear :))

[Prue.] huggles

[Chatmom] author author.. oops thats most of the room

[josie-1] hugs Kim

[Sissy_Demi] applause

[Tigger] warm furry hugs!

[KimEM] Thanks... And many, many thanks to Crystal for asking me to fill in tonight.....

[KimEM] And to Rose, our Chatmom who is probably on the verge of a nervous breakdown by now

[Crystal] Thanks for filling in. You did great.

 

© 2000
The above work is copyrighted material. Anyone wishing to copy, archive, or re-post this must contact the webmistress for permission.