Mass Effect Author spotlight

Welcome to the Mass Effect Author Spotlight, where we will be highlighting the work of two authors every week! Join us, to celebrate and spread the word about the incredible writers in this fandom!

[vorchagirl]

Mass Effect Fanfic Writers Discord (MEFFW)

The Mass Effect Fanfiction Writers Group (MEFFW) finally has its own discord!

The mods have been busy working on this for a while now, and we’re hoping it can be a way for us to provide a safe space to chat about fic and Mass Effect for people on the go, and to bridge the gap between Tumblr and FB. It isn’t intended to replace the FB group at all, and our mod team will be active in both spots.

It welcomes NSFW fic and art and we have dedicated channels for adult content. We’re also welcoming of all writers and fans - regardless of what ships or characters you like. We’d love to have you join us! 

(signal boosts are very much appreciated.)

https://discord.gg/as8GAfp

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MEFFW Halloween Drabble Challenge

Hello everyone! It’s been a while but it’s time for a drabble challenge! A Halloween themed drabble challenge! 🎃

Every member of the MEFFW FB Group who writes a drabble will go into the draw to win a gorgeous portrait of their Shep or Ryder drawn by the lovely @blacksheep33512 - and we may even have an second mystery prize! (The winner will be chosen by random number generator on the 1st of November.)

Rules: 1. You must use the prompts and characters in some way. How is totally up to you, but it’s always fun to think outside the box and be creative. 2. Drabbles should be between 100 – 1000 words 3. You can post your drabbles anywhere you like (Tumblr, blogs, LJ, FFN, AO3 etc) though we have a dedicated AO3 collection here: AO3 MEFFW Drabble Archive 4. Have fun! This is no pressure writing! Write in whatever style or genre you prefer - but please do warn for triggers or NSFW if needed. 5. You will get around two weeks to write your drabble. You should post a link to your drabble in the group and tag us if you post on tumblr so we can see it. 6. Though anyone can participate, you must be a member of the MEFFW Facebook Group to be eligible for the art draw! Prompt: The prompt is ’Halloween’! Yep, that’s right - it’s time to get writing on some spooky Halloween stories! Drabbles Due: October 31st.

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It’s also feature a friend week! This week we’re featuring @tlcinbflo!

What made you choose this author?

Tlcinbflo is an inspiring author. Her fics are creative, sexy, and have incredible dialogue. She writes Shenko like nobody else, and her grasp of Kaidan's character is incredible. She also writes wonderful shega, and her femSheps are indepth and relatable. She's an awesome, awesome writer, and deserves to be featured.

What is your favourite fanfic by this author? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much!

I adore her epic fShenko piece The Reason.  because of the unique view of Mass Effect it gives us through Kaidan's eyes. I love the relationship between Sloane and Kaidan, and how much they fight to be together. But I love all of her fics and genuinely have a hard time choosing just one. I love this fic because we see Shepard through his eyes, and I could continue to gush over how wonderfully-written and thoughtfully written this fic is. One of the things I love about her writing is that she writes so that anyone who is a casual fan of the game, or has only had a passing familiarity with the characters can dive right in.

If they have more stories, what's your second favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much!

Moving In This is a Shega piece that is just gorgeously written and it's domestic fluff with a heavily pregnant Shepard just after the end of the Reaper War. A lovely, lovely fic. 

Her wonderful fShenko fic Snowed In (about Jess & Kaidan) has a special place in my heart. It's tropey and beautiful, and the focus on love and passion is wonderful.

If they have more stories, what's your third favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much!

Enjoy The Silence about Aria and James is just incredible. It's warm and snuggly and feel good. It makes me cry because of how beautiful the relationship is between the characters, and how lovely the dialogue is.

What are some common themes, topics, or genres that this author incorporates into their works?

Her romance and angst is always outstanding. But she can also write fight scenes incredibly well. I think my favourite thing that tlcinbflo does is show the thoughts of her characters in such an organic and natural way, and this comes through in wonderful dialogue that is emotional and technically beautiful.

Is there anything else you'd like to say about this author? Do they give back to the community a lot? Do something fantastic in their spare time? Give them a thumbs up here!

They are a wonderful author who is kind and caring. They write many gift fics, and their original writing is kind blowing. On top of this they are a wonderful person and friend.

Alright, one last question! Does this author do any other type of fanworks for Mass Effect?

They have a wonderful tumblr account: https://tlcinbflo.tumblr.com

I adore her epic fShenko piece The Reason because of the unique view of Mass Effect it gives us through Kaidan's eyes. I love the relationship between Sloane and Kaidan, and how much they fight to be together. But I love all of her fics and genuinely have a hard time choosing just one. 

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It’s also feature a friend week! This week we’re featuring @nightmarestudio606!

What made you choose this author?

She's so versatile and is amazing at creating truly lifelike characters. She's also a great friend and one of those people who will bend over backwards to be there when you need her.

What is your favourite fanfic by this author? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much!

Anything in the Death Wish series. It's mShenko and is so evocative and heartwrenching and yet there are so many happy moments sprinkled throughout. Blake, the Shepard she uses for that story is unique and really comes alive with all of his flaws and imperfections. 

If they have more stories, what's your second favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much.

The Hunted. It's a murder mystery with a twist. The characters are complex and compelling. The story is well-written. She really catches the narrator's voice. She weaves canon characters and original ones so seamlessly that it's sometimes hard to tell apart which ones are canon and which are not. 

If they have more stories, what's your third favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much!

Wish You Were Here. mShenko reimagined into what it could have been had Kaidan been an option for broShep from the get-go. Her Kaidan is one of the best thought-out and well-rounded ones I've read, and her John is unique and full of life.

What are some common themes, topics, or genres that this author incorporates into their works?

mShenko definitely. She also definitely loves her angst and is the master of bittersweet.

Is there anything else you'd like to say about this author? Do they give back to the community a lot? Do something fantastic in their spare time? Give them a thumbs up here!

Potions helps run the MEBB and I've personally seen the amount of work she puts into it along with the other mods. She's constantly cheerleading other writers and supports them through providing beta for works and getting people out of ruts when they're stuck. She's a great writer and a wonderful friend. She's a fantastic beta reader, and saviour of my writing, and a fantastic co-author as well 

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This week we’re featuring @bunnythemonsterslayer!

What got you started writing Fanfic?

Not being able to draw what I had in my head fast enough and wanting to still get it down on something. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway

thunderheadfred

What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder)

Jarun Tann surprisingly enough. Also my OCs: Michelle Mayer, Saavi, Xavier etc. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why?

Any of the main cast of Andromeda. I just haven't had time. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on?

I use to write some Dragon Age fanfiction back in the day but never published it. I really am loving Failing Up, which is the only think I have published on Ao3 right now. It takes place 6 months after Andromeda and the capturing of the Meridian and centers around Michelle Mayer, a human employee of the Nexus' Pediatric Center who is 'promoted' to Directer of the center after the death of her former Director during the Scourge. It follows her as she tries to get everything running and stable while dealing with the consequences of the past Andromeda events and mismanagement along with entitled parents and limited supplies. I love writing it because it allows me to explore and come up with creative headcanons about alien infancy and care taking. Also I get to have someone be nice to Director Tann because God does he need some love. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here

I am working on a short series revolving around what an instruction manual for joining the Nexus Pediatrics Unit would look like with notes and inserted comments by the 'senior' staff. There is no link yet, it is still in the editing process. What are your greatest challenges when writing?

Over thinking, Tolkenism (ie over describing little things), trying not to slip characters OOC to make a gag or situation work. What are your greatest strengths when writing?

Writing realistic banter, conveying emotion, backstory writing. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about?

Failing Up will contain a lot of alien babies, romance and zany adventures in the workplace. Many things with baby Krogan. Ever wanna know why no one wants to work in the Salarian ward? Frustrated with the canon problems in Andromeda? That might just be me but I try to fix em anyway so stay tuned! 

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What got you started writing Fanfic?

Exploring characters

Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway?

A lot! My first one was KristenSK and Seeker for SWAT Kats. Too many now for Mass Effect

What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder)

Garrus and Wrex

Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why?

Saren. My ideas strayed away but I would love to dig into his head.

Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Mass Effect: Andromeda Series

Published before the Mass Effect Andromeda game. My oc was a Andromeda. A non Shepard. I really wanted to parallel the trilogy but create fillers that weren’t touched in the game.

What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here

Mass Effect Andromeda: Awakening. I really loved exploring the Archon and shipping him and my Celeste Ryder.

What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Her Virtue. A non Mass Effect. One of my Game of Thrones fics. Focused on Brienne and Jamie.

What are your greatest challenges when writing?

I’m my own critic so just getting started is hard.

What are your greatest strengths when writing?

Characterization. I make sure to keep them aligned and if I can’t hear them in my head say something then I don’t do it.

Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about?

Mass Effect Descencion series and my first Fast and Furious challenge! 

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This week we’re featuring @aliemah-0!

What got you started writing Fanfic? I was young and had a passion for writing with a lot of spare time. I don't have as much time these days but it's still a wonderful outlet. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? VorchaGirl especially, because she is always always putting out and promoting quality content and always inspires me to keep writing even if its only for a few minutes a day. What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) Ashley always comes easiest to me, but I don't really write with her that often, unfortunately. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? I'd love to write more with Aria because her character is just so fascinating, but also intimidating because she has a very specific kind of dialogue and viewpoint. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? My favorite story is After Effect because it is very loosely based off an experience I've had, and how I wish it had gone. Shepard and James, after their fun at the party on the Citadel, don't talk much post war. Until Shepard discovers she's pregnant. It's exploring their relationship as well as the fact that some couples don't always go a traditional path, but that doesn't make them any less real. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! My second favorite story is absolutely Holiday Retreat. It's an AU where Kaidan and Shepard meet as teenagers over the winter holidays. It's meant primarily to be a romance, but I think in future chapters I might be adding In some elements of team work, to display that whole they knew early on about their affections, they also knew they would always work well together professionally. What are your greatest challenges when writing? My biggest challenge is not just sticking to a plot, but also sticking to strict character concepts like what they stand for and how they would react. I often feel I simply write what I want them to without regard for how their character might actually feel. What are your greatest strengths when writing? I'm really great at foreshadowing and displaying rather than telling how a relationship is progressing. ​Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? Garrus is going to have some choice words with Shepard, regarding a relationship. ;)

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What got you started writing Fanfic? Got in an argument on Reddit about the ending of Mass Effect. They said that if I was that unhappy I should go re-write it. So I did. ^_^

Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? ​Too many to name, really. Rae D Magdon got me started because, smut, but she's a top notch writer (especially with emotions) just the same. Joeking inspired me with the depth and breadth of his asari world, while Montparnasse did the same with her eloquent prose. I'll never quite meet their standards, of course, but they encourage me to strive and become better than I was yesterday.

What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) I'd have to say that FemShep comes most natural to me. I can write pages from her point of view in the time it takes to write a paragraph from say, Miranda or Jack. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? The Krogan and Salarians are large fixtures in my upcoming sequel and I hesitate writing either of them because of the huge weight of culture that comes with the task. I have a very superficial, stereotypical understanding of them and my biggest challenge will be to make them realistic and authentic to the reader. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! Resolve is my favorite. It was a labor of love and taught me that I actually CAN finish a novel from start to finish that actually makes a larger point. Previously I'd only ever written snippets of a single scene or event that were emotionally satisfying but never really went anywhere. It's definitely not perfect but it's mine and I treasure it like childhood. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! Happily Ever After is my second because let's be honest: This is the REASON I wrote Resolve. Just to get to THIS scene. It was even more satisfying because I took what I'd learned from Montparnasse and applied it...in first person, which was something I'd never done. It was very satisfying and I'd like to include more of that rich emotion in my sequel if possible. What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! It's a WIP with random, horribly cheesy names that make me grin until I can settle on a real one. It's a sequel to Resolve that takes us even further into the future to see what the galaxy becomes after surviving the forge of the Reaper War. I'm unsure how intellectual my audience wants to get and whether or not they'll lose interest...but hey, if I can't do what the hell I want in fanfiction then wtf am I doing here? What are your greatest challenges when writing? My greatest challenge is in making people identify with my characters. They all have reasons for what they are doing but why do we care? What are your greatest strengths when writing? My strength lies in plot dreaming. I can't do it all at once, but I can gently pull at the warp and weave until something fun drops out. The most important bit is that I make the plot items believable....there's so much fiction out there that just throws you an event because it makes the rest of the story work and hand-wave it over, expecting you to accept the ridiculous. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? Oh I think I've revealed enough. =)

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This week we’re featuring @thunderheadfred!

What got you started writing Fanfic?

Hmm. Hard to say. I started back in middle school. Just for fun, I suppose. I took a long break from it - what brought me back was a desire for a low-pressure proving ground. I lacked the confidence to jump straight into original work, but I wanted to write again, to start practicing again. Fanfic seemed like a good outlet. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway?

I started writing my first Mass Effect fanfic after (another) binge-read of 'Ghost' by @theherocomplex. I wanted to challenge myself to try something on that scale. Bee has since become one of my biggest inspirations in the community - and a wonderful friend! <3 What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder).

It's a close race between Kallo Jath and (young) Garrus Vakarian. They're both a bit snarky, a bit trapped in their own heads, but deeply sweet and selfless at the core. I find characters like that make for natural POV characters, because they allow for a lot of emotional range and fun (for me!) unreliable narrator moments. I think Kallo wins by a tiny margin on account of the fact that he's a bit more whiny and pretentious, and I've been known to indulge in that kind of thing from time to time. Hahaha. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why?

Thane is a big one. I always liked his character in-game but struggle with how romantic and... uh... "siha!" he can be. I feel like I'd fumble to capture that and end writing him with too many purple words and dramatic flourishes. I've also considered adding Tali as a POV character to my longfic (Red Streak) but ultimately decided against it because I don't think the quarian perspective would jive well with the turian v. human POV thing I've got going there (plus I'm lazy and ughhgghghg MORE research??) Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Red Streak   Synopsis - Jane Shepard was raised by a turian expat after the First Contact War. The plot runs as parallel streams - an AU version of the first game plays alongside Shanxi, following Hannah Shepard and the turian OC who eventually becomes Shepard's adoptive father. Background - I started this massive beast with a casual, carefree attitude (oh how things change!!) purely as a personal challenge to write as much as I could as FAST as I could, because I wanted to see if could sustain a 100k+ narrative. Turns out I could write a LOT more than I thought... but once I reached a certain level of investment, the self-doubt arrived, and in a BIG WAY. Thanks to a lot of IRL stress-factors and a general lack of confidence, I've been on hiatus from this one for a while, but I absolutely plan on seeing it through to the end... eventually. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

A Pretty Taste For Paradox Synopsis - My take on a canon-compliant asexual romance between femShep and Mordin Solus. Background - Early last year, I became deeply curious about what might have been - what if we'd had the option to pursue an ace romance with Mordin that spanned the events of ME2/3? What might have changed? What would that relationship even LOOK like? I thought nothing could knock Shakarian off my personal OTP throne... but... damn. Since starting this, Mordin/Shep has become almost impossible to beat. What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Double Blind Synopsis - Basically... 50 Shades of Solus. Shepard is assigned to apprentice with Mordin Solus on Omega for her N5. An improbable amount of BDSM ensues. Background - The idea for this dumpster fire came to me while I was drunk in the middle of a thunderstorm. That in and of itself was so ludicrous and Byronic that I had to do it, haha. Trying to use this one as an outlet to break free of months of agonized writer's block. No better way than a PWP to remind myself that not everything has to be good. Sometimes you gotta just let yourself roll in the trash. What are your greatest challenges when writing?

The entire process, start to finish. Writing feels like trying to line up the pieces of a pain-pleasure torture puzzle so fiercely seductive and complicated that it puts the Lament Configuration to shame. What are your greatest strengths when writing?

Um. I honestly don't know. I guess... imaginative similes and descriptions? (Thanks, ADHD. No, seriously.) My brain is a constant stream of weird disconnected thoughts. I feel like writing is the one place where so much random noise is actually helpful rather than a huge pain in my ass. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about?

NOPE! Just that if I have a WIP that hasn't been updated in a while, don't give up hope! None of my works have been abandoned. Sometimes I really struggle to write, but I'm making a little more progress each day. I SHALL RETURN!

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This week we’re featuring @makocartwheels!

What got you started writing Fanfic?

I've always written little things here and there. A couple of years ago, I was going through a tough time - unemployed and living with my parents for 7 months, got divorced, made the difficult decision to leave the UK and return to the US after most of a decade. Everything was in shambles. Mass Effect was my safe outlet. I clung to Shepard's perseverance and (in my plays) her relationship to Garrus. Then I started writing it, and then posting it. I had no idea what I was doing but I never looked back. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? 

There are so many good authors and good people in this fandom but I have to call out Suzy (pikapeppa on tumblr, queenofkadara on Ao3) in particular. She writes relationships so beautifully and they feel incredibly natural and organic. I love reading her work and am inspired by how hard she works to continually improve, try new characters or pairings, and stay true to what she wants to write/the story she wants to tell.

What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder).

Either my main Ryder, Lazuli, or Reyes Vidal. My writing of them is partially based off of real people, which helps get into their heads. They're also just so much fun to write and explore their motivations. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why?

Not really? I get really attached to what I like and am okay with sticking to them. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Renegades, a f!Reyder AU set in 2040s London. Ryder is a hacker, Reyes is a secret CEO trying to get her to work for his organization. It basically covers the Kadara missions but draws on my years living in London. I also love growing the characters and their relationship. Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11749008/chapters/26478780 What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Pocket Aces. It's one of my less popular works, but one where I loved the premise: Keema and Ryder team up to save Reyes from a plot on Kadara. Set in the gameverse, after the series of the games (and after two other fics). Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11553570/chapters/25947588 What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here!

Whiskey and Secrets, which is probably the fic most people will have read based on the stats. It started out as a series of one-shots but Reyes and Ryder ran away with me; it turned into a full-blown Alphabet fic covering Kadara through the end of the game and slightly beyond. I like it because Ryder comes into her own after uncertainty about pretty much everything. Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11049426/chapters/24633372 What are your greatest challenges when writing?

Staying focused. I'm easily distracted (I had sat down to write and I'm taking this survey now haha). Researching things that are outside my usual sphere of interest, just because it can be hard to know where to look or because I'm afraid to speak about it incorrectly (or offensively, if it's to do with people/representation). What are your greatest strengths when writing?

Feedback in comments says pacing and character development. Smut. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about?

Not for the moment, unless I can shout out upcoming work for Assassin's Creed: Origins under a new pseud on Ao3 (seekerandstoryteller). Thanks for doing this!

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This week is a little different: It’s Feature a Friend Week! This week starring @yourlocalpriestess

What is the alias / link to the ME fanfic author you want to talk about? YourLocalPriestess

What made you choose this author? She makes me read Shakarian, and I ain't even mad about it. What is your favourite fanfic by this author? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much! Include a link. EQUIDISTANT DAMAGES. She knew it would be this one, because I HOUND her for more constantly. But honestly, pretty angst, parallel universes, she gets her shakarian and I get my mshenko. Honestly, Dreams. This is a good good fic and defo her magnum opus and I'm real real proud of her for the idea and execution and honestly all of it. What are some common themes, topics, or genres that this author incorporates into their works? Other than Shakarian? Well, she likes angst. Is there anything else you'd like to say about this author? Do they give back to the community a lot? Do something fantastic in their spare time? Give them a thumbs up here! She is the Nicest Person but also the saltiest and I love her and she 100% deserves a rec. Alright, one last question! Does this author do any other type of fanworks for Mass Effect? If so, drop a link to their art pages or commission pages or any other blogs or such that you'd like to share! (Other fanworks include, but are not limited to: traditional art, digital art, crocheting, quilting, singing, cosplay, poetry, fansongs, ect) She has her tumblr and then her Mass Effect tumblr. https://yourlocalpriestess.tumblr.com/

https://standintheashes.tumblr.com/ 

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This week is a little different: It’s Feature a Friend week! This week starring @orangeflavoryawp

What made you choose this author? She is my fanfic senpai. I have so much admiration for how she writes, how she puts so much emotion into each and every line like she bleeds angst instead of blood. She's also done a lot for the ME community. What is your favourite fanfic by this author? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much! It is so hard because I love all her works so much. I really like this one-shot about Mordin x Shepard, though, entitled Rust. What's your second favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much! Moiety is a series of drabbles and one-shots by her, and every single one will make you FEEL. The amount of emotion she can put into so few words amazes me. If they have more stories, what's your third favourite story of theirs? Tell us a bit about the piece and why you like it so much! My favourite ME story from her is a WIP but well worth the read. Tells the tale of Shepard as she learns about love from the men in her life. Really beautiful story.  Sheparding Men. What are some common themes, topics, or genres that this author incorporates into their works? ANGST. haha. Also pain and loss and grief and love and healing and friendship and character growth and this absolutely gorgeous poetic present tense way of writing that just sweeps you up and tears out your heart. Is there anything else you'd like to say about this author? Do they give back to the community a lot? Do something fantastic in their spare time? Give them a thumbs up here! They've been really busy lately with real life stuff, but I hope they know they're still an amazing writer and friend and valued member of the ME community!

Alright, one last question! Does this author do any other type of fanworks for Mass Effect? If so, drop a link to their art pages or commission pages or any other blogs or such that you'd like to share! (Other fanworks include, but are not limited to: traditional art, digital art, crocheting, quilting, singing, cosplay, poetry, fansongs, ect) Not that I'm aware of, but check out their tumblr and fanfic pages

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This week we’re featuring @dragonwyrd316!

What got you started writing Fanfic? I was in a slump, major writer's block, and had been for years. Was browsing deviantArt one day when I came across some fan art for a new game I had just started playing - Dragon Age. Next thing I knew I was coming up with fanfic and, thanks to a friend of mine pushing me to try it even though I was unsure of myself, not knowing a lot of the lore at the time, branched into Mass Effect. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Evil Sapphyre, Sia, erunyamarine (I think I spelled her pseud correctly), Matyrfae, SolarDiamond (all friends, sisters even, that I met through the fandoms and writing fanfic) What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) Anyone who has a smart mouth, so Joker is my top pick along with the Shepard, Kara, I paired with him. 2nd place is Zaeed, Vega, and Thane, along with my other Shepard, Eve (she's with Thane). 3rd place is everyone else I love writing - My Shepards Phoenix (Vega pairing) and Vali (psycho Shep paired with Zaeed), as well as Wrex, Grunt, Jack, Drack, Reyes, and Liam. I do, however, have another soft spot for Hackett and will get back to his romance with another one of my Sheps some day. Yes, I love writing a lot of them. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? Garrus and Evfra - Garrus because I've read so many amazing fics written by others that have him as the main character alongside their Shepard. I'm worried I may not be able to do him the justice he deserves alongside the other fics already out there. Evfra, while I love his personality in game, I'm just too worried I'd accidentally go too OOC with him. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Lost and Found - it's my fic with Kara Shepard-Moreau and Joker. I started it back in 2011 I believe and, sadly, haven't finished it. One of these days I will. It starts during ME2 when the two of them learn that they both had, what they believed, an unrequited love for each other during their time chasing after Saren. It details their life together and their interactions with the crew through ME2 and continues into ME3. They're the first ME couple I ever wrote and because of their snarkiness, they're so fun to write and that's why this is my favorite, even if it's not finished yet. It needs polishing since my writing has improved since those days, but I still think it's a decent read. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! Enchantment is my second favorite story. It was born of a request from a friend of mine on deviantArt who wanted to see what I could come up with in regards to a Dragon Age/Mass Effect crossover. They even gifted me with an amazing piece of fanart for the story as a thank you. It's a one shot featuring my Warden Ana Cousland who happens to be married to Nathaniel Howe, my Hawke Amberlynn who I paired with Orsino, along with Kara Shepard and Joker. Something goes horribly wrong when Ana asks Sandal to enchant something for her and they end up being somehow transported onto the Normandy. Hilarity ensues. Sebastian gets a good look at a half naked Jack (as it's set during ME2's timeline). It's just a fun story in my opinion. Link:  Fanart link: https://coupleofkooks.deviantart.com/art/DA2-ME2-Enchantment-I-212274461 What's your third favourite story you've written? Never Gonna Be Alone - my first ever finished multi-chapter fic that I submitted for MEBB 2017. It's a crossover between the ME trilogy and Andromeda. Thanks to her friends, Shepard is frozen for around 600 years, relays have been built, and she's able to travel to Andromeda to meet up with her main squeeze, one Reyes Vidal. I loved writing this because I enjoy coming up with rare pairs and ideas that others usually tend to raise their eyebrows over. What are your greatest challenges when writing? Distractions and loss of motivation. I get really into writing a pairing I adore and then get distracted with another couple that pops into my head and end up being the loudest of the voices that reside there, start writing about them, and it may be a good chunk of time before I even get back to what I was writing to begin with. It's why I, unfortunately, have so many stories started but, outside of my MEBB 2017 piece, and a handful of one shots, nothing is finished. And then when I start thinking about that, or when real life stress hits me too hard, I lose all motivation to write and I end up with a depressingly long lasting slump. Sadly, I haven't written since last year's MEBB. What are your greatest strengths when writing? My smut. Yes, sadly, that is very much a strength of mine according to some friends who had dubbed me the 'smut queen' from back during the days I posted most of my works on deviantArt. I'd also say the relationships between my characters, the way they interact, their friendships, dialogue, and my ability to come up with some very random plotlines and rare pairs (such as the Dragon Age/Mass Effect and ME trilogy/Andromeda crossovers). Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? ​I'm working on some ideas to get back into a few of my works in progress, as well as having signed up for MEBB 2018, though I'm not quite sure what my focus will be for that quite yet... or maybe I know and you'll just have to wait to find out! :D

[masseffectspotlight]

This week we’re featuring @lauraemoriarty!

What got you started writing Fanfic?

Oh god.... I'd have to think right back to the early days of the internet. I think I'd just finished Final Fantasy VIII, and wanted to read more about the characters-- and then I decided to write a very, very bad (I was about 14 or 15-- can't remember now), fanfic that involved the main characters going on a journey... I stuck around in the Final Fantasy fandom for a long time, and then lost interest in writing fanfic around the same time I discovered forum-based post by post RPG sites, so writing fanfic went by the wayside. But what I did learn from those sites was a lot about character development and how to keep learning from your characters-- so it was a really great foundation for later writings. A friend got me playing Mass Effect, as I'd been obsessed with Dragon Age: Origins, and after the ending of ME3 (which I really didn't mind, and still don't), I decided to write about it. The characters sucked me in, and my Sheps weren't done with their stories. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Oh god. Another tricky question....Published authors that have inspired me in the past include JK Rowling, Tolkien, Robin Hobb-- and I'm also inspired by poets such as Leonard Cohen and Alfred Tennyson. One of my more recent published author influences is the wonderful Sarah J Maas and her world building in A Court of Thorns and Roses, along with her Throne of Glass series. As for fanfic authors that inspire me, I'd go with our lovely Lena (vorchagirl), Kim (mizdirected), Juleshawke, and a whole host of others who I'm probably forgetting right now. Other authors have also contributed heavily to my work: L.M Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, and to a certain extent, so has George RR Martin. The GRRM influence is more apparent in my Dragon Age works, than my Mass Effect works. What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) After Rose Shepard, Aoife Shepard, Lee Shepard, and Grai Shepard, one of my favourite characters for me to write is probably Udina. He simmers with outrage, and I feel that he has such potential. Another favourite of mine to write is Conrad Verner, but in my world, he has a huge edge to him. Another character who I love to write is Nellie Nevell-- Rose's twin sister, and a navy surgeon who worked in the refugee camps during the Reaper War. She's a different type of Shepard, in that she sees far more of the war than Shepard does, and it's a lot harder for her than most people would expect. She has a very different perspective on the war, and I find it to be an interesting and refreshing take on it. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? Ashley Williams. I'm torn on whether to like her or dislike her, because her favourite poet is my favourite poet, and I think I'll need to write my mShep/Ash story in order to explore her and what she truly is underneath her skin. I'd also really like to write a Jack/mShep fic that's from her pov alone-- that'd be interesting to write because Jack is so complex and damaged, and I'm fascinated by her. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? I love most of what I write. I'm most proud of On Both Sides of the Glass, which is a post-war fic that features Leonard Cohen lyrics at the start of each chapter-- even the name of the fic is a line from one of his songs: "The age of lust is giving birth And both the parents ask The nurse to tell them fairytales On both sides of the glass" It's heavily influenced by the music of Leonard Cohen, and Rose, my absolutely precious Rose, is quite a strong character. I'm putting her through hell over and over, and she just lets me. It's pretty amazing what she's gone through, and what she still has to go through. I like writing Rose's post-war journey, and I'm planning on writing hugely ambitious work for her pre-and-during the Reaper War stuff, along with an origins story that starts in 1066, with the Norman Invasion. Rose and Kaidan are soulmates through time and space, and I wanted to write something that would combine my love of historical fiction with my precious baby.  Start with On Both Sides of the Glass and go from there. Things will make more sense if you do. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? The Renegade Angels. This story came about incidentally-- I messaged Laura (aka Potionsmaster) about an AU she was writing, and we hit it off. We're both massive Potterheads, and our story reflects our shared love of Harry Potter and other things. Aoife (aka Effie) is a bundle of anxiety masked by obnoxiousness, a sense of humour, and an attitude of "who gives a fuck?" What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Probably my entry for the 2018 Mass Effect Big Bang. It's a lot darker than my usual stuff, and features a Shepard who is genuinely tired of being labeled  the Butcher of Torfan, even though she ceased being the butcher a long time ago. 0h! Welcome Home. I really like what I did with my Shepard here. What are your greatest challenges when writing? ​Not going off on random tangents and lecturing readers on things that are well-known in canon. I have a habit of educating people while writing, and I struggle with that. I also struggle with writing smut-- I love writing it, but it's a massive struggle for me to write it inventively and with enough feeling behind it. Another great challenge for me when writing is to not get distracted by google searching-- I'm working on something that spans 1100+ years, and trying to get all the history into it without it sounding like a history lecture is pretty fucking hard. What are your greatest strengths when writing? I'm honestly not sure. People say that my work concerning PTSD is really human and tender, and because I've been through trauma, I think it's one of those things where I end up working through my own trauma of surgeries and idiots who have no place trying to cannulate a traumatised patient. I love writing battles, and the action of war and death. One of the things I love to focus on in writing is the way that there are always unforeseen costs to being a hero in the moment, and that there are always going to be the shadows of what you lose when you go to war. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? I have a few things in the works, including a Jack/MShep fic, and another Shega fic.

[masseffectspotlight]

This week we’re featuring @illusivesoul!

What got you started writing Fanfic? Mass Effect. For the first time in my life I was actually compelled to sit down and develop all the ideas this magnificent universe had placed in my head. Back in May last year when I finished the Trilogy for the first time, I read a lot of Shiara fics to get the happy ending that I didn’t get in the game. And while I did enjoy all the fluff and happiness these fics had, I also found out that I was more excited for the brief moments and scenes of conflict and angst that they showed. That’s how I discovered that angst was what I really liked. So after failing to find enough angst filled Shiara fanfics, I said “Well, I guess I’ll write my own angst filled Shiara story”. And that’s how I started writing. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Ronqueesha on Ao3 wrote an amazing Shiara fanfic called "Rest now, My warrior". It is my favorite fanfic, mainly because it's extremely angsty. That fanfic inspired me to create angsty content. What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) My canon Shepard, Katerina Shepard. I've become very passionate about developing her backstory, struggles, relationships, etc, and it's become relatively easy for me to continue to develop her character. In second place I would say Liara. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? I have a couple of OCs that I've wanted to write about but I haven't finished developing them. Also, I have a lot of ideas to write about The Illusive Man, but I've never really worked on them. They're just floating around in my head. ​Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? My favorite story I'm working on is my Shiara fic, Fought, Loved, Lost, Hoped. It's a story about my Shepard’s and Liara’s story, told from both of their perspectives, going back and forth between after Me3 and before and during the events of the Trilogy. The story also has points which are seen from the point of view of other characters and other relationships like Garrus and Tali. I love writing it because it's the story of my Shepard and her life, her struggles, accomplishments, her eventual relationship with Liara and little and big things I change from the canon of the Trilogy. It's also the first thing I've ever written in my life, so it has a special place in my heart. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? I wrote a Femshep/Aria fic called Afterlife Feels Empty Without You for the fic exchange back in December, and I really like how it turned out. It's mainly Femshep, Aria, post war, Christmas on Omega and explosions. I had wanted to write something about this pairing for a while, and this gave me the chance to do it. What are your greatest challenges when writing? I would say that my greatest challenge is dividing the plot that's in my head into chapters, and trying to not change the plot. I'm constantly struggling between if I added to much or too little content on a chapter. Sometimes I don't even know what to put in a chapter. And then I struggle with the fact that I get new ideas that I would like to put in my fics, and trying to add them without altering the plot too much. ​What are your greatest strengths when writing? I like writing emotional scenes, and I think that that's what I write best. From a pairing having a sweet tender moment, to a couple fighting or arguing or someone longing for someone that's gone. I think that's my main strength in my writing. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? Besides my Shiara story and the 100 word stories I write for the group, I'm not really working on anything else at the moment.

[masseffectspotlight]

This week we’re featuring @nord-ronnoc! 

What got you started writing Fanfic? Boredom, for the most part, and me willing to walk a mile in others' shoes for characters like Eric Grimes Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Herr Wozzeck with Mass Effect What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) My original characters, since they provide me with a lot of freedom in what I do. For canon characters, I would have to say Liara, as she has great character growth, and my take on Shepard. I always enjoyed doing my take on them. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? Legion. Like Ulysses from Fallout: New Vegas' Lonesome Road DLC, writing from his perspective as well as his manner of speech is different. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Mass Foundations: Redemption in the Stars Synopsis: Years after second battle at Hoover Dam, an experiment at Big Mountain had gone away, sending the Courier to a universe where humanity became a spacefaring race. In exchange for a way to fix his Transportalponder, the Courier joined up with Liara T’Soni and Feron to find Commander Shepard’s body. However, they were not the only ones looking. Based on the Redemption comic. It was my first Mass Effect story, and I also like writing crossovers, so this naturally fits me well. I did one of the previous alliterations with a friend, who has been a big help to me. For some reason, this story is one of the most popular I've written on multiple sites by traffic and number of comments/reviews. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Mass Foundations: A New Day Synopsis: Eric Grimes, a high school graduate, had somehow been transported to the Mass Effect universe while on vacation. The events of the franchise have yet to occur, and he would be helpless to alter them as the next person. Seeing no other choice, he would have to find a way to survive through Saren’s incursion, the Collector abductions, and the Reaper War—or die while doing something useful. Writing an original story with a majority of characters of my own creation? It was a challenge coming up with different characters, both minor and major, but it was an entertaining one. What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Mass Foundations: Little Star Synopsis: In a remote research facility on the planet Acabar, something not of this universe attacked the science crew. In an act of desperation, they called out to anyone for help. Help came from Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre. With her and her crew to the rescue, they would have to fight through the horrors before the creatures picked them all off, one by one. My first completed story at horror, and according . Also, I get to write my take on Commander Shepard, which is cool. What are your greatest challenges when writing? Description, trying to write in general What are your greatest strengths when writing? Dialogue and interaction Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? Be sure to keep an eye on A New Day and All the World's a Stage. I have more chapters planned for them. And expect a story with an original villain as a protagonist.

[masseffectspotlight]

This week we’re featuring @azzydarling!

What got you started writing Fanfic? That every story was Legolas/Gimli.. seriously! hahaha I felt like I could do better. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? There is and there isn't - I can't say one person inspires me, but sometimes one concept in one story is the most amazing new thing I ever read - and that inspires. What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) Clone Shepard Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? I really want to write more Kal'Reegar, but he is a hard character to nail down. I just don't understand the Quarians.

Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? I think my favorite story I ever wrote in the Mass Effect fandom has to be Fugazi, I got to explore my favorite topic and my favorite character (clone Shep). uhm I suck at writing anything blurb. But basically it's about Shepard finding out he is not real, but a clone - and the impact it has on his crew. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? It has to be Monsters. It's a fallout mass effect crossover, but again, I got to explore clone Shep. And much like the other story I talked about, it's about Clone Shep trying to figure out what he is, and about what it means to be human. What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! It must be Ouroboros, because what is not to love about an Alien/mass effect crossover. It's sorta set after the reaper war, and the Normandy picks up on a distress signal from this mining colony. What are your greatest challenges when writing? To not hate what I write, I mean I don't even edit my stories, I just send them off to a beta whom fixes my bad grammar. I know that If I ever read the story again I will either never upload it, or I will take it down. In that way I am my own worst critic. What are your greatest strengths when writing? That I almost never abandon ship, I almost always find a way to make the story work, and I'm good at keeping myself focused. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? Nope... Writing my Mass Effect Big Bang story, and I can't really tell you anything about that.