This week, we're highlighting @jo-harrington! All recs this week will be for her work.
@jo-harrington writes for the Stranger Things Fandom, with a special focus on xOC, and xReader fics. She's also a great beta-editor and design all the graphics for her fics!
We're highlighting Jo for her incredible world building and strong OCs.
You should check out her Store Manager Verse fics for some great fluff and top-tier retail angst
Jo answered some questions about her creative process and her work under the cut
Why Stranger Things?
I’ve been an avid ST Fan since the beginning. My old Store Manager and I watched the first episode in the backroom of our store while folding t-shirts and rest was history. Fic-wise, a certain Metalhead Dungeon Master brought me out of a fanfiction posting hiatus and I haven’t looked back since.
What's your favorite ship (platonic or romantic) to create for?
Platonic is always going to be the Hellfire Club boys. I love writing their adventures. Their friendship is epic and deserves to be explored and celebrated.
Romantic…EddiexOC or EddiexReader. I mean, I’ve been an xOC girl since my first fandom. xReader is new for me but it’s almost an extension of xOC. I always joke that I’m allowed ONE epic borbo obsession love of my life per decade and I’ll give them one canon pairing but the rest are OCs.
What's your typical writing process like?
I have an idea, I write it down, I get sick of working on a chapter, I don’t edit, I post. (Which is funny because when I beta, I am a lot more detailed. But for my own work I just need it out of my head.) It might not be the best. It could probably read better or have less typos or mistakes. But it’s always from the heart.
How do you come up with your OCs?
I sit there for a long time and figure out how I can put a part of myself into a story. Oops was I not supposed to say that? Sometimes you think of a character that you just can’t help but want to write. But even if they aren’t a manifestation of your physical self or your personality, they almost always end up being an extension of you in some ways, or something you aspire to be. You also need to add some attributes you hate into them, so that they’re not too perfect and you can throttle them around and make them suffer and not feel too bad/let it become a self hatred thing.
What has been your favorite project so far? Why?
Store Manager Verse. (EMxReader) Retail is who I am and who I’ve always been. I had a mall romance irl that went south. So it was a way to rewrite my past with my comfort character…and also give said comfort character a happy ending as well.
What has been your hardest project so far? Why?
As Above, So Below. (EMxOC) It is a passion project, it is a beast, every chapter takes an emotional toll on me and it takes a month—if not more—to recover. But it has been the single most fulfilling project that I’ve worked on in the 20 years I’ve been writing fanfiction. I've been working on it for about 2 years now. 3 more chapters til the end…I’m gonna be very sad when it’s over.
Have you ever had a creative block? How did you get over it?
My brain is just a beehive that I shake every now and again to get the bees angry. Honestly, the bigger block I get into is self-doubt. I have no problem finding the words, it’s the courage to put them to paper I struggle with at times.
Is there a big source of inspiration for you? Books? Art? Games?
Yes all of the above. But in all seriousness, life experience is the best inspiration. There’s only so much research you can do. Truly for me, the canon characters are the source of inspiration. Then I take from things I’ve done, things I’ve read, places I’ve been in order to take an idea to a fully formed plot.
Is there an upcoming project you're particularly excited about?
Eddie Munson Big Bang. I know you’re gonna hear that a lot. I love creating really ambitious AUs and I think this one is really testing my abilities as a writer. It's a crossover fic, in a way, but with a lot of original plot folded in. I hope I do both fandoms/universes justice.
Is there anything we didn't ask that you'd like to add?
I’m from the Midwest, so thank you for listening to all of my long-winded answers. Haha.
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con refers to elements in the story but nothing is explicitly depicted
Pairings: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington/Original Female Character(s), Steve Harrington/Original Male Character(s), Jonathan Byers & Jane "Eleven" Hopper, Jane "Eleven" Hopper & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Jonathan Byers & Nancy Wheeler, Jane "Eleven" Hopper & Kali Prasad, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington
Characters: Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers, Jane "Eleven" Hopper, Nancy Wheeler, Jim "Chief" Hopper, Billy Hargrove, Vickie, Kali Prasad, Robin Buckley
Tags: Hunger Games AU, Dystopian AU, Forced Prostitution, kill or be killed, kids killing kids, no upside down au, angst
Summary: Steve Harrington thought he was used to this. The annual reaping came and went, and Steve did his best to cope with that. The worst of it was going back to the Capitol to his own personal neverending arena. That is, so he thought. Everything changes when Will Byers' name is called at the reaping and the one person Steve can't watch die steps in to take his place.
Summary: In order to undo a centuries-long curse, you travel to Hawkins to defeat a great evil and close the gates to Hell once and for all. Unfortunately, you uncover many unsettling secrets including some about your lost love, Eddie Munson.
Warnings (in no particular order): Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Smut (Specifics Tagged in Chapters), Major and Minor Character Deaths, Violence, Gore, Body Horror, Blood, Manipulation, Transformation, Corruption, Religious Elements, Criticism of Religion, Biblical and Other Literary and Pop Culture References
This story is going to be EXTREMELY HEAVY to write, so I will not be putting out a posting schedule. Chapters will get posted as they are completed.
OC is of European/Italian-American descent on her father's side and her mother's side can be left up to interpretation. She is loosely Roman Catholic and you will see why I say loosely if you read. I will not be giving her a name, or any major physical descriptors if I can help it but her cultural identity is integral to this story.
Note: You do not need to have seen Van Helsing (2004) to understand the premise of this fic. You should, however, read the prequels.
This rec is a part of Writer Highlights. Our featured artist this week is Jo-Harrington.
Know a stranger things artist that deserves some love? Submit through our asks
A Very Corroded Black Friday AKA Extended Holiday Hours CCFest x SMVerse Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader
CCFest Black Friday Prompt: One Day Only
Summary: In an unprecedented turn for 1986, StarCourt Mall announces that it's staying open for 24 Hours on Black Friday. Eddie barely survived a regular shift last year; what will happen when he and his friends embark on an adventure during the dreaded Extended Holiday Hours? It's one day only. How bad could it be?
Word Count: 5.6k
Rating: T
Warnings/Themes: No Upside Down AU, Friendship, Fluff, Angst, Humor, Character Growth, established relationship between Eddie and the Claire's Store Manager (reader), references to media and pop culture, retail and food service themes
This rec is a part of Writer Highlights. Our featured artist this week is Jo-Harrington.
Know a stranger things artist that deserves some love? Submit through our asks
EXSQUEEZE ME WIP WEEKEND EAT YOUR HEART OUT SEQUEL
Thank you for the ask!!!
“I can do the prep,” she offered. “The two of you should get used to having some space.”
“I don’t know,” Steve said, unconvinced. “I know on the tour we need to keep things more discreet but it makes sense we’d be talking. I’m still his mentor—”
She gave him a look. “You know once we get to the Capitol you’ll have to entertain. Jonathan has to be prepared to handle this without you.”
