#meffw

[masseffectspotlight]

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.

[spacesquirrel]

Tea for One

It was well past the start of the night cycle on the Normandy, and most of the crew was long asleep.

Kaidan, however, is not afforded the luxury of being counted among ‘most the crew’ tonight. He was sitting in the mess, the tendrils of a headache whispering at the edge of his vision, not severe enough to wake Chakwas, yet just enough to keep him up at this ungodly hour.

The soft woosh of a door opening catches Kaidan’s attention, and he glances up, bleary eyes straining as he focuses them on the approaching figure.

His breath hitches in his throat as he realizes it’s Shepard, barefoot and clad in a thin tank top and shorts so short they should be illegal. Her blonde hair, usually in a tight regulation bun, is a mess of waves cascading down her back, framing her face and somehow illuminating the smattering of freckles across her nose.

He rakes his eyes appreciatively over her body, realizing a moment too late she is looking right back at him, a smirk creeping across her face as their eyes meet.

“Like what you see, Lieutenant?” She purrs, tilting her head to the side and flashing him a brilliant smile.

Blushing furiously, he mumbles something incoherent ending with a hasty “uh, ma'am”, before dropping his eyes back to the mug in front of him, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

Shepard’s laughter floats across the table as she makes her way over, setting the mug she is carrying on the table before dropping into the seat across from him with a soft thud.

“Relax, Alenko. I didn’t expect to see anyone awake this late, or I’d have at least tossed on pants.” She peers at him curiously, tilting her head. “Can’t sleep either, huh?” (read the rest on AO3)

[vorchagirl]

A/N - I cowrote a fShiara angsty oneshot with I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins as part of the MEFFW Secret Santa giveaway! Angsty alert and character death. (She did all the work - I just helped really!)

Among the Stars

The first time Shepard died, it felt like a knife in Liara's stomach. But she refused to cry and refused to mourn her bondmate. No. She would find a way to save her; even if Shepard hated her for it. A life without her in was unimaginable, and somehow she was certain that a part of Shepard still lived on and wanted to return.

And so, her desperate grind to bring her love back began. Every credit chip she had went into locating her body, every hour into the search, and every fibre of her being hoped that she would find her before anyone else.

Then, when she did find her, she handed her love over to Cerberus.

Read the full fic here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9159088

[masseffectspotlight]

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 

[masseffectspotlight]

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!

[masseffectspotlight]

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! 

[masseffectspotlight]

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. =)

[masseffectspotlight]

What got you started writing Fanfic? "No one else is writing this. Guess I should get on with it," was the thought process. My first contribution to the fandom was a Scott Ryder/Vetra Nyx pseudo political thriller. (An actual rare pair, believe it or not.) Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch, Kate Atkinson, Jane Austen and Joe Abercrombie I read regularly. 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) Kolyat Krios. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? My own damn Shepard. She's just offstage, like a twinkling star to write around. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? I write mainly about DI Kolyat Krios solving crime and scowling a lot while doing so. I call it the Disconnect universe, and have written just under 100k words in it( Crime/thriller genre writing in the Mass Effect fandom is an odd duck, but I still feed it bread at the park.) What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? My Scott/Vetra piece: Autonomy (It's been retired for now.) What's your third favourite story you've written / are working on? Detachment. My collection of drabbles/one shots. Some of them might not be "official" Disconnect canon so to speak, and are thought/writing experiments. What are your greatest challenges when writing? First person POV can be fairly railroaded with what you can show, especially when I have to show plot off screen from Kolyat's POV. He can also get a bit "unreliable narrator" on me, and I have to hope my audience can read between the lines of his words. Kolyat can also be a stubborn asshat and sometimes, and I need other characters to drag him towards the plot since he won't go, or have plot trip him up. (Thanks Kolyat.) What are your greatest strengths when writing? Worldbuilding and keeping a tight grip on my story (I shoot plot bunnies with no mercy.) I'm also good at making a character have a unique voice/story, even if they're mook #3 from the left. Actually getting on with writing it. Easier said then done of course, but can force myself when not drowned in work to do it. Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? 1) Oriana Lawson stays at a creepy space station's motel in the middle of nowhere, and has to fight her way out. I loathe certain horror tropes as much as I loathe crime ones, and Ori is smart enough to escape. 2) Oriana and Kolyat go on holiday after a traumatic case for Kolyat. Two workaholics vacationing? And avoiding talking about their feelings? Oh boy. 3) Disconnect sequel set on the Citadel- politics! Terrorists! Moving into a new apartment! The C-Sec squad! Aww yiss. ​4) To be published soon: "Selkie," a case of a murdered Alliance officer found in the slums of the Lower Wards. Novella, around 10000k words written on it so far. A strong Kol/Ori focus on it, for once. I indulged in "ship" fic.