General Questions
(Editor's Note: Duplicate questions were combined to avoid repetition.)
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Do you like to write?
I love to write :)! Writing has always been a very important part of my life because I love communicating, and I'm a very expressive person. I especially like manipulating words and language as well as being the director of my own created scenes and characters. Writing also satisfies a need to entertain. Knowing that your work is being read and enjoyed is one of the great thrills of writing. Also, although it's considerably different when you're the one doing the writing, it is still so exciting [and sometimes very therapeutic (g)] to be transported into another dimension and away from reality for a while.
Do you write by hand or computer?
Definitely computer, but I do sometimes write out parts of scenes in long hand if I'm afraid I will forget an idea. For example, I wrote down a part of a scene while I was parked in my car one day before I had ever started the story, and that part ended up being used in the Todd and Tea scene out in the countryside. However, most of my work is typed on computer because I just find that my words flow so much more easily than if I'm writing it out.
Do you read fanfiction? Any favorite authors in that genre?
I do read it, but I don't always get a chance to read as much as I want to. I really don't have a particular favorite author because I get a lot of enjoyment from the very unique, individual approaches displayed in fan fiction. A story will, however, immediately intrigue me when the writer seems to know something about the elements of good writing and makes a real attempt to draw the reader in.
Do you have a chapter or passage out of any of your stories that is your personal favorite or that you are most proud of?
Well, I know the series of passages that comes to mind first g...and that would be the lead-in to, and the actual scene in the countryside. I really labored over all of this because I wanted every action and word spoken to be very vivid -- especially since it was their first time. This would probably have to be the one I'm most proud of, but there are certainly other favorites. There is a scene I really had a lot of fun writing and that was the one where Todd is racing the Lamborghini down that mountain highway to get away from the helicopter...with a broken arm, no less! I think that one called for a fair amount of suspension of belief (g). Oh, and another chapter(s) I felt took some real effort on my part to even attempt was where Todd is in the cave. Writing about being down in the dark depths of a cave with no light made it almost too real...shudder. Also, much later on in the story, there is a chapter where Nick is just beginning to really have feelings for Sherry, and a certain scene where he almost falls down in Slider's kitchen. I thought the dialogue and the unspoken reactions being played out between Sherry and Nick, as well as Slider, worked out well.
Are you critical of your own work?
Yes, and no. I'm critical about scenes where I feel I didn't get just the right description or certain dialogue in order to make it more believable or more exciting. My aim is to captivate my audience, and I often rewrite passages that I feel don't quite do that. However, I don't really overanalyze my writing too much and go looking for errors. If I had to come up with a particular scene that I was extremely critical and tentative about, it would have to be the flashback to the night that Nick appeared. The events leading up to Nick's emergence were particularly difficult to write since they were dealing with his abusive homelife.
Are you still watching OLTL? Have you found that your writing has suffered since TnT left our screens and Todd returned?
Yes...still watching...still trying to figure Todd out. I made up my mind after Tea left and I was still writing on the story that I would just go ahead with my own ideas. There was enough background material available through tapes to go back and do research if I needed to. I had a clear picture of what I wanted to do by that time, and my characters were already defined in the story. So, in answer to "has my writing suffered?", I think I would say that hopefully it didn't because I just made up my mind to move on and capitalize on what had already taken place and insert some new conflicts of my own.
Do you write any other stories besides TnT ones?
Yes, I do. I've started writing some Angel fan fiction as well as a Buffy/Spike fan fiction. I am working on a story now that is not about Todd but is about a character that RH could portray [if only! (g)]. I also plan to do some other fiction stories not related to any show in the near future and possibly get them up on my own website.
Is there any part of any story that you're not particularly pleased with? Are you a perfectionist who does a lot of rewrites or do you work solely from inspiration?
I honestly have to say that I don't have a specific part I'm just completely disappointed with. There has been some dialogue or description that I felt could have been better, but generally, I have a pretty good feeling about what I've written. I do rewrite, but it's usually only a few passages within each chapter and not terribly extensive. I try to let inspiration do a lot of the guiding in my writing simply because I like the freedom and flexibility that comes with it. I'm not the type of writer who enjoys sticking too much to an outline because I like to be surprised myself by what my mind will come up with.
I want to compliment you on writing really STRONG women. I recognize Tea as the woman the Labines began to develop not the pliable character she became after they left. And Sherry is a great character too. Do you draw from any strong women that you know as models for these characters?
Thank you! I've always believed that women are strong, so I guess my characters reflect my belief. I've been impressed by certain female characters in movies such as Out of Africa, Sophie's Choice and Norma Rae. There was also a character named Lindsay in a movie called The Abyss who had a feisty, deeply stubborn attitude which may have contributed to my interpretation of Sherry. I should also include real women I've read about in books or seen on television biographies that I've admired and have probably incorporated their traits into my writing of characters.
Tea as a character appealed to me because she fought for her new family with fierce determination even when she wasn't sure if her love would be returned. Her commitment was always very believable as she was written in the beginning, and she literally sacrificed most of her previous notions of success in order to protect and defend that family. Sherry is another professional woman, not that much different from Tea, who was searching for some deeper meaning to her ordered, successful life and someone to share it with. Both women were faced with ultimate decisions as to what they would do in order to safeguard what had become most important to them.
In Imposter, Threshold and First Love you write the DID as real. I confess I thought it was a complete scam. Did you think it was real on the show? Or did you want it to be?
On the show, I wasn't exactly sure. There were times when it seemed questionable either way. Yet, I chose to believe in my writing mind that the DID was real for a couple of reasons. Not that I didn't think Todd was perfectly capable of manufacturing a scam of this magnitude, but because Todd was already an emotionally mixed up individual, I found it to be a very plausible concept. There were so many moments pre-DID that seemed to be foreshadowing some sort of disorder within him, that I just went on and projected what could have happened. Also, I thought writing about such a disorder would bring an interesting complexity to the story and make it a lot more suspenseful. I know that DID for Todd was not everyone's cup of tea, and certainly it was a real stretch for the imagination, but I guess exploring this in fiction was just too tempting for me to pass up.
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Imposter Questions
When you first started writing Imposter, did you have a clear vision of the beginning, middle and end, or did you sort of write blindly?
It all began with Chapter One (g) I had an idea of Pete hiding out in the penthouse and fooling Tea. What if a wolf in sheep's clothing (Pete pretending to be Tom) were to try to get close to her? What would be her reaction? Could she deal with Pete? All of these ideas came together to bring about that first scene and then it just took off. Once I got more into it, I realized that this was going to be a lot longer than I had expected it to be. I did write somewhat "blindly" at first based on this single idea, but as I continued writing, events and characters began to take shape and get plugged into the story. Then, later, I realized that I had to go down certain paths to explain everything that hadn't been covered. This is when I consciously began to think further down the line and formulated an entire story premise.
I admit it! I like Nick though he scares me a little, mostly because I was afraid that he would become so firmly entrenched that Todd wouldn't come back. As you were formulating the story did you consider having him be the 'host' personality and Todd be an alter?
Nick is supposed to be sort of likable (g). He's not overtly vicious or cruel like Pete, and he's even more calculating and intelligent than Todd (if that's possible). One key difference between Nick and Todd is that Nick has no question about his identity. He knows without a shadow of a doubt who he is. Actually, having Nick be the "host" never really occurred to me, but Nick did allude to that possibility when he lied to Sherry about who he was. This would have been a fascinating take on the story.
Slider is written really well. Did you deliberately choose personality traits for him like his understanding and loyalty so that he would be believable as a character who is Todd's best friend?
Maybe not deliberately (g), but I knew I wanted Todd to have had someone in his corner besides Sam when he was young. I thought it would be good to have a friend and peer for Todd who understood him in a way that no one else could. I created Slider to be Todd's opposite in many ways, too. He loved people. He had a loving family. He also had the advantage of being very popular in school. Still, there were elements of Slider's personality which were attracted to and even identified with Todd. On another level, Slider's innate compassion for those who were outcasts motivated him to get closer to Todd and later compelled him to seek a career helping people.
Without giving away the future of the story totally can you tell me if there will be a romantic connection made between Sherry and Slider? Will you be writing more for them as a couple as the story continues? Will she EVER notice him as more than a friend?
Let's put it this way (g) ...there will be a connection, and beyond that, I can say no more :)!
Please tell me that this story is going to continue and that it's not anywhere near concluded?
Well, it's gone on a lot longer than I ever thought! It's been a wonderful ride getting to delve into all of Todd's psychological and emotional hang-ups and his past. This story has essentially had a mind of its own, taking me places I never dreamed I would go. The thing about Todd's story was that since Todd is a work-in-progress, this laid the groundwork for countless situations. The story will continue, and I haven't totally ruled out some sort of sequel in the future, but for now, I'm just focusing on the next chapter I have to write.
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Showdown Questions
This showdown was better than the one at the OK Corral! Did you write it to restore some of the original fight in these characters that TIIC extinguished after that amazing proposal?
I think I must have subconsciously. I know that I always loved their confrontations because when they happened, the characters let their masks drop and revealed so much of who they really were as well as their vulnerability and their deepest needs. Both Todd and Tea's frustration levels were heightened by their awareness that they were growing closer but unable to pierce through the barriers they had both erected. Seeing the obvious struggle between them on the screen, I knew that I wanted to explore this even more in my writing of their story.
Do you think that Todd would be attracted to a prostitute as he was written at that time (IE pre-JFP)?
Hmmm...well, perhaps...or perhaps not g. I think Todd was written in the early days as a very complex individual who certainly had problems with relating to people he considered to be better than him. Whether or not this translated into a certain attraction, I couldn't say, but I never quite rule out anything with Todd (g).
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Threshold and First Love Questions
Do you think the topic of Tea being attracted to a sixteen year old Todd was a risque one to tackle?
I did think about it and wondered if it would be considered this way, but in the light of Todd having regressed to a certain age but still aging very rapidly, I knew it wasn't permanent and it made it easier for me to write. What I really wanted to convey was that he was changing right in front of her eyes, and maybe this was something I longed for so much to be shown on the show. The sixteen year old was not stuck in a time warp forever, and in my mind, neither was the character of Todd Manning on One Life.
"Whoever I am I know what we are to each other," Todd says to Tea. Do you think these characters are 'fated' to be together? Romantically speaking is their connection beyond their control? Are they soulmates?
I like to think that their "connection" was instantaneous and yet still struggling to find its place. I believe that Todd did understood the depth of that connection and was determined to go down that winding road of their relationship. I still remember him talking to Tea in the hospital when she is recuperating from her fall from the window, and she asked him whether or not he still wanted to stay married to her. Todd said, "I'm going to go with this". This simple, but direct statement seemed to indicate that he had already made a decision to pursue the relationship in whatever form it took even though he, himself, didn't know exactly where that would lead. I guess the term "soulmate" does apply in one sense, but in another sense, I think their relationship was still evolving -- creating the definite promise of them being lifelong soulmates but still with issues on each side which needed to be resolved before it could totally happen.
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The Dream Questions
I would love to have Tea go to sleep again and have this dream continue. The idea of Todd on a huge black horse is sooo appealing. Any chance the dream will go on?
Well, I did think about continuing it at some point because I do love period stories. It would also allow Todd to be someone else (his character in another time period) and all the interesting possibilities of that. It also occurred to me that setting the residents of Llanview (Asa, Sam, Dorian, etc.) up in medieval times would be a lot of fun to write. I would already have the essentials of the characters, and I could just embellish with scenery, costumes, and language. I might have to reconsider and do it! :)
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Just For Fun
Who is your favorite author (not fanfic)?
Here I go again with having a problem thinking of a favorite. It really depends on the genre. I can name a few that I've made a real impression on me and I've read more than one book by them...Isaac Asimov, Charles Dickens, John LeCarre, James Clavell, Ken Follett, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, Helen Fielding, to name a few. That is by no means the extent of my list, and I really could go on and on because I've always been an avid reader.
Please tell me that eventually there will be another 'meadow' love scene for TnT?
Sorry...not exactly another 'meadow' scene...however...vbg...
Comments from Mariqua:
I'm very pleased to be a part of this Q&A on the FL Homepage, and I appreciate being asked to participate in this. A special thanks to Louise and everyone at the FL Homepage for this opportunity.
Before I began writing on the net, I wrote mostly for myself, and I was always reluctant to let anyone read my work. Over time, I've realized that having a reading audience has motivated me to write much more than I would have before. It is always so gratifying to create something with words that entices people to read, and through this experience, I feel I have learned a lot more about what it takes to be a writer.
Also, many, many thanks to the readers of Imposter who have posted some great questions and given me some wonderful feedback when I needed it most! Your support has meant so much to me!
Mariqua
I absolutely adore Imposter from the very first chapter. When Mari came up with the story way back when on the old ABC boards, I was very intrigued to see how a writer was going to do the DID story which we OL viewers were cheated out of because of Jill's incompetence.
Since chapter one I haven't been disappointed and I have been spell bound by her writing. She has kept me captivated for over 100 chapters with her story, weaving a tale that at times has given me goose bumps.
Her insight into the show's characters is wonderful and on target, giving us the opportunity to view inside the characters minds and hearts (something we hardly were able to do with the show). And her original characters (Nick, Sherry, Slider, even Edwards) are great too, especially "Nick." He is a masterpiece. I was torn many times because there were times when Mari wrote him and I "liked" him, despite him taking Todd's world.
I'm Imposter's biggest fan and I'm a bigger fan of Mari's work. Many times I've compared her to my favorite, Stephen King because their suspense leaves me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait for her to take her writing out of Fan Fiction genre because I definitely will be first in line to get a Mari original.
Sorry for the book and the gushing but I could go on and on about Imposter and Mari. Thanks so much for doing this for her. She's a great writer who definitely deserves the recognition.
Whl
Keeper Of Fraser's Puffin Face (A Cop, A Mountie & A Baby) Keeper Of Ray and 'Ms. Fraser's' song ("Heart of Glass") & dance sequence ("Some Like It Red").
Forever TnT Fan
Wayfarer~~Kindred Spirit
Keeper of Declan & Peggy's "Song", 19A
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