Friday, December 17, 2010

Author Spotlight: Aylah50



The Ride
by Aylah50
Main Characters: BxE
Genre: AU/AH Romance/Drama/Angst
Rating: NC-17/M

Summary: Bella and Edward meet at a concert as teenage strangers during the height of grunge in the 90's. The event sends their lives reeling into opposite directions. When their paths cross in a very unlikely place 14 years later, Edward is stuck in the past while Bella is fleeing from hers. Will they be able to rekindle the passion that sparked between them?

1. How did you come up with the idea of your story?

My inspiration for ‘The Ride’ came while I was taking a spin class. I started thinking about how great it would be if, for once, there was a story where Bella could really kick some butt! I also imagined what Bella and Edward would be like if they were my age; would they look back on the 80’s and 90’s as a time they loved?

The idea of Edward and Bella meeting during the height of grunge, dressed in flannel shirts and converse sneakers, listening to Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Líve really appealed to me, so I started fleshing out the storyline.

2. What is the biggest struggle you have with writing your story?

The biggest struggle I’ve had so far is not being swayed from my original outline because of pressure from reviews. I have had the entire storyline planned out from when I first came up with it, and it’s hard not to want to deviate from it when your reviewers are begging for a certain part to happen. But I knew if I changed the story I wouldn’t be happy with it, so I’ve stayed true to my plan.

3. Is there a particular character in your story that you identify with the most?

I identify with both Bella and Edward in different ways.

Since Canon Edward spent a lot of time feeling like there was no point to his existence, I wrote Grungeward as a 30-something who was bored with his job, regretting choices he made in his youth and looking back on his 20’s as a time where he felt free and alive. I definitely feel that way now and again, as do many of us.

Without giving away too much of the story, I can say that Bella has been through something traumatic, something that too many of have been through ourselves, so I identify with Bella on that level. Like her, I also use exercise to work out my aggression, and that can become addictive.

4. Is the story all planned out or is it write as you go?

Well the outline is but each chapter isn’t; there are generally new things I come up with as I’m writing each chapter that I hadn’t thought of a month ago. But the entire story is pretty much already planned.

5. Do you have a particular process when it comes to your writing? Mood? Specific Environment? What do you do to get in the writing mood?

I generally write in WC’s with a few friends, but sometimes ideas will hit me in random places and I’ve just got to get them down. I always carry a notebook around with me, even to the gym because I often get ideas there. I have to write in quiet, although I generally brainstorm with music. And honestly, I *have* to make the bed in order to get into the writing mode. If I know it’s unmade, it just taunts me.

6. Have you got any other projects going on? Any planned for the future?

Well I just wrapped up a different multi-chaptered fic called ABC Countdown, and am in the process of writing outtakes and coming up with a sequel for that. I do have some other ideas running around in my head for one shots as well.

7. Are you out of the closet with your Twilight love? Or do you RL friends and family know about it?

Most of the people who are important to me in RL know about it. My husband is extremely supportive, even getting involved in the fandom now and again.

8. Do any FF authors inspire you?

I find this entire community inspiring; I love what we’ve done with these characters, what new and different worlds we put them in. It would be hard to pin down a select few that inspire me because there are so many, but if I had to pick one I’d say TheLadyinGrey42. The way she writes “Our Lives Unbound” is so beautiful and poetic, so deep and emotional and sexy all at once; I’m really in awe of her talent.

9. What is your FanFic Pet peeve?

I hate it when people publically (via twitter or blogs or what have you) trash another story, and I can’t stand drama in the fandom. I get really upset when people cause trouble in a community I love so much.

10. Do you have other writing experience besides fan fiction?

I’ve been writing since I learned how to hold a pencil, and have a B.A. in Creative Writing and Literary Criticism.

11. Shout out to your betas.

Brits23 and Awesomesauce76 have been with me since the beginning. Kyla713 occasionally betas and pre-reads for me, as does Lazykatevamp.

12. Any fic recs? (please include links & no more than 3)

My drop everything and read fics:

Our Lives Unbound by theladyingrey42

The Cullen Campaign by Belladonna1472

Stranger Than Fiction by Masenvixen

13. Anything else you want to add?

Thanks so much for interviewing me! ☺

No comments:

Post a Comment