'allo!
Here we are again, the world is spinning onward, the days counting down until... Yuletide!!!! And not just the hollyday, but also the fic exchange! And that's why we're all here, isn't it? For the chance to write and read a story as the winter draws in.

On with the lettering!

Furrst off, SO, SO, SO, SO glad you are writing for me! Love getting stories, me. I can and do prrromise that I'll be thrilled with anything that you & your Mewse(s) would like to write for me. :-) <3 :-)

If the requests and the lists seem intimidating, please relax! Truly, no worries - everything here is intended to help. If it does not, or if you and your Mewses have a different idea, as long as it stays clear of the DNW list, pounce! It's likely going to be a better story anyway, for being the one that Callls to you.


My Requests for Yuletide 2021

Onward!

God/dess what a YEAR, after what a YEAR!! So the furrst and most important DNW this year is excessively stress-full stories.

That means NO to:
💥 graphic violence
💥 animal abuse or killing - on- or off-stage (INCLUDES fantasy-type monsters!!!!)
💥 PWP or graphic sex
💥 pandemic stories
💥 A/B/O dynamics
💥 rape/dubcon/underage
💥 infidelity (non-traditional relationships such as poly, is fine, but no sneaking around)
💥 shaming of any kind, esp. embarassment & bullying
💥 bashing & isms (sexism, racism, speciesism etc., etc., etc.)
💥 uncalledout bullying or hate on the basis of being magickal, psychic, and/or Other (especially a different species - this includes fantasy-type monsters)
💥 emotional hiding/dishonesty that leads to trouble
💥 unrelenting angst - angst away, but give a break at the end
💥 horridly ever after / dark, hopeless endings
💥 crack not treated seriously
💥 apocalyptic or dystopian stories
💥 zombies or vampires in their stereotypical forms
💥 casual killing - prefer no killing at all


That means YES to:
🌻 functional family - blood, found, chosen - show me the genuine love people have for each other!
🌻 talking out the Hard - I adore stories where the authors dig deep and so do the characters and by so doing, figure out healthy solutions to the prrroblems at hand
🌻 healthy relationships - romantic, purrsonal, team dynamics, etc., etc., etc..
🌻 loyalty, friendship, respect, both from those who are similar and those who hold difference between them
🌻 competance & willingness/ability to indulge in Out of the Box thinking
🌻 honesty - literal, emotional, etc.
🌻 hugs & cuddles & loverly stuffs like that
🌻 other respect-full touch, sexual or non
🌻 fluff
🌻 crack!fic treated seriously
🌻 character-driven fic - give me all the characterization!!!!
🌻 Going deep into character, motivation, emotion – yes, I love me a well-written angst-story! Just remember to leave some hope in.
🌻 worldbuilding - all the worldbuilding!!!!
🌻 filling in the holes in canon - can be missing material, can be 'fix-its' for various things that could use fixing
🌻 exploring the ‘why’ - of a person, of a situation, etc.
🌻 stories that look beyond the ‘norms’ and show other ways of life portrayed with respect
🌻 people who challenge accepted norms in a positive way
🌻 stories where there is no clear right/wrong – even the heroes have flaws, even the villains have a point
🌻 stories that expand worldviews in some way – places/people/situations that many people don't know about - and should
🌻 hope-full, encouraging, inspurrational stories
🌻 well-done magick & psi
🌻 inclusion & diversity
🌻 Quirks and people being their unique selves
🌻 characters who love yarn and playing with sticks & string in some way (crocheters, knitters, weavers, archers, etc., pro & hobbyist/amateur alike)
🌻 finding a place to fit in
🌻 happy endings for as many as possible
🌻 people being encouraging & supportive of each other
🌻 Interspecies communication, respect, and true tolerance – both among survival-based species (e.g., cat, dog, horse, bird) and trans-survival-based species (humans, extraterrestrials, etc.) and the one to the other.
🌻 Seeing people succeed against the odds
🌻 Overcoming obstacles in a healthy, success-full way
🌻 letter!fic, diary!fic, stories that are written as a series of blog entries, etc., etc., etc..
🌻 and did I mention FLUFF?!?



🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede

I love these books for the gentle loyalty and friendship within. The characters actually talk to each other and work things out and stand by each other with as much fierceness as the situation requires.

A story of that, please and thank you. What, exactly, is between you and your Mewses. Just give me a story that shows these characters being their Awesome Selves. Winter hollydays not a requiredment/requirement and a nice bit of icing if it fits with your story.

While not nominated for this Universe, any worldbuilding that you'd like to add in will delight.

As to who is included in your tale, as many of the nominated characters as will appropriately fit is wonderful, but there are no required characters or sets of characters.

🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

🌻 Purrhaps a story of winter hollyday hijinks? On either the human or draconic side. How does royalty celebrate, whether human or draconic royalty? How does the magickal community celebrate?

🌻 Or magick in the everyday world? Tell a tale of a time magick saved the day - or messed it up.

🌻 Or the story that Calls to you and your Mewses!

Additional DNW for this Universe: no magick or dragon bashing please, UNLESS it is the catylist for some of that 'standing by each other with as much fierceness as the situation requires'. In other words, background only, and something that the characters denounce and promptly stand against sucessfully, at least in the moment. (recognizing that large issues are not solved in a moment or by a single event, alas)


🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻 Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms - Mercedes Lackey

I love the realism set against the magick in this Universe, as well as an amazing set of characters being awesome. Elena is amazing and Bella such a delightfully sensible heroine. I would prefer if both Elena and Bella could show up in the story as well as the worldbuilding, but if that doesn't work out for your story, no worries!


🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

🌻 For this Universe, the furrst thing that comes to mind (and extra-optional because of Non-Nominated Characters) is a fix-it fic where the Huntsman isn't the villian and doesn't betray Bella and his kin).

🌻 Another thought would be to play with celebrating the Winter Hollydays - how are they celebrated and by whom? how do those celebrations change from King's Court to the common folk of Bella's town to the people of the valley beyond the Werewolf's home? How does Elena and hers celebrate them? How are they celebrated across the Kingdoms and how do they change across the Kingdoms?

🌻 And, of course, what you and your Mewses come up with, as that is often the best story.


🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻 Sister Act (Movies)

I absolutely ADORE these movies!!!! Their sweet portrayals of gentle rebellions that change lives for the better, that being true to yourself is the best way to be, and that worship of a Diety does NOT have to be stuffy and boring and better if it is not are simply so amazing, it's hard to find words.

🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

Ah, Reverend Mother and Doris/Sister Mary Clarence! They've both seen so much. They both are entrusted with the leadership of others. They both have been in danger of time passing them by.

Wait, what?!? These two have something in common?!? Why yes they do, and if you'd love to share a story of that commonality with me, I would adore that too.

If you feel called to share a story of Christmas (and/or the respect-full coming together of Winter Hollyday celebrators of different faiths and how that works), that would be fab, tho' not required.

Or the story that Calls to you and your Mewses - it's often the best story.

Additional DNW for this Universe - no Christian or Christianity bashing. I know as a religion, many followers have much to answer for, but Reverend Mother as an individual deserves respect.


🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻 Hilda the Plus-Size Pin-up Series - Duane Bryers (Any)

Give me more story set in this amazing universe. Hilda & her animals are such wonderful friends - share a story of that. Purr-haps even a tale of the animals interacting with the people coming to do Hilda's shoot - I see a lot of potential humor there.

Again, MidWinter hollydays not required - and a loverly addition.

Such a sweet Universe! Hilda is at peace with herself and the world around her - I am in awe of her for that.

🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

🌻 She is friends with her animals as well as those of the land around - purrhaps share a story of that. From the birds nesting in her drainpipe, her mailbox, to sharing her life with squirrels and other creatures, Hilda is a good example of how to be with others.

🌻 Purrhaps share a story from one (or more!) of the animal's points of view. How do THEY see Hilda? What do they like? What don't they like? What are they exasperated by?

🌻 Purrhaps a story of the animals' reactions to the photo shoots - what do they think of that?

🌻 Purrhaps a story of the Winter Hollydays. How does everyone celebrate - from the humans to the animals?

As many of these characters as you feel fit appropriately in your story would be wonderful! No worries as to including all, however.

Write the story that Calls to you and your Mewses! It's often the best story.


🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻 Fiber Arts Anthropomorphic

I love me some Soft, Fuzzy Goodness and Organized Knots, so a story of these would be wondrously warm this hollyday season.

🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

🌻 Not a ton to say here except that this is a place that I could see some Crack Treated Seriously. Can you imagine the lot of them bickering about who's the best use of fiber and who's the easiest to do and who makes the best prrroduct, etc.?

🌻 Maybe a story of the Hollyday Insanity around making too much in too small a time and the confusion around - why do the humans do this? EVERY YEAR???!!!???

🌻 Or write the story that Calls to you and your Mewses.. It's often the best story.


🌻🌻🌻Prrompts🌻🌻🌻

🌻 Knitting (Anthropomorphic)

Yes, indeed, I love me some Soft Fuzzy Yarns. And I love spun fiber, too.

🌻 Prrrompt Possibilities 🌻

🌻 Bickering Yarns! Hollyday Hijinks! I can totally see a story of the various kinds of yarn qibbling with each other about how they are the 'best' yarn. Maybe a story of how each of them are gifted to a purrson for the Hollydays?

Write the Story that Calls to you and your Mewses. It's often the Best Story.

Again, thank you so much for agreeing to write a story for me! You are truly an amazing purrson!!!!

May your Mewses be ever at your side!!!!
BardicRaven