Author Interview: ScarlettLetters

Jandco Recommendation: Wild Swan By ScarlettLetters

1. 1. Instead of the traditional fall-in-love-happily-ever-after formula, you chose to write about falling out of love. What made you choose divorce as your theme?

I wanted to write a story that took place after most fics end--Edward and Bella finally getting married. I don't know if I would say Wild Swan is a "falling out of love" story, rather more of a "taking love for granted" story. The whole idea came to me as I was thinking about how even being married to Edward Cullen could get stale if the relationship wasn't made a priority. While the divorce has been the focus so far in this story, it really is just a plot device I had to use to get Bella and Edward into positions where they could discover who they really were outside of this contrived environment they had created--a true gilded cage. I am in no way trying to bash young love, nor am I saying it can't work long-term, but if placed in "real life" this is one way how the story could play out. Plus I wanted to do something totally different than what had been done before (at least I don't know of any other stories like this one).

2. Self-Discovery plays a major part in your fic. Is any of that from personal experience?

I've never been divorced, but I did have a major break-up that made me reevaluate what I wanted out of life. I didn't have the resources Bella and Edward do, so there was no traveling the world for me, more like bottles of Two Buck Chuck and wicked Scrabble games with my bffs, but yeah, I had to figure out what I was continuing to do that was making me miserable and what I wanted my life to look like moving forward. My Bella isn't a Mary Sue, by any means. I'm WAY TOO Type-A and aggressive to be as meek as she was in her relationship with Edward and her current behavior is actually hard for me to write because I'm generally more of a "close the book, I'm done" kind of girl.

3. Have you had any backlash from the hardcore Bella/Edward fans?

I wouldn't call it backlash...yet. I have a lot of nervous readers though. Most tell me they have faith in me after some reassurance that I'm an E&B shipper and are hanging tough, but my characters are in their early 30's and divorced. I'm going for realism, so some things are going to be introduced that might make some people upset. I'm prepared for some backlash, and while I don't want hate mail or nasty reviews, I plan on writing my story the way I see it. I've been told by writers I admire that they cannot read this story because of the subject matter and I totally respect that, as I would any reader who feels the same. I really hope I'm shown the same respect when I write something people might not be happy with. I don't mind constructive criticism, but there is no excuse for readers to say purposely mean things to authors. Sorry if that sounds a little too PSA, but I've heard stories of things like that, and it confounds me how someone can justify being cruel to an author over something such as a fanfic story.

4. What about Twilight made you want to tell this story in this fandom?

Because this fandom is so incredibly pliable. Honestly, the characters that SM gave us to play with allow for so many possibilities. You have every personality type at your disposal, plus there is enough leeway in the character's personalities to tweak things to fit a story (i.e. Rosalie can still be a bitch in my story, but she's Bella's best friend and as such, canon Rosalie's deep sense of loyalty is now placed in Bella instead of protecting the family, and "Bitchesme," as some have taken to calling her, has turned her "mothering" instincts into something completely demented, yet she feels she's doing what's best for her family, which is what canon Esme does.

5. Have you written for any other fandoms or in your real life?

I started reading fanfic a little over a year ago in the Friday Night Lights fandom. Random, right? I'm a Taylor Kitsch fan and fell in love with the idea of Tim Riggins and Julie Taylor as a couple so I wrote two "Tulie" fics. I've never written anything for my private life, but would at least like to try to bang a novel out before I die.

6. What's the details behind your pen name?

I'm a wanton woman! Kidding - I had to think of one and I thought it would be a cool play on the phrase.

7. Tell us anything about yourself that the majority of fandom doesn't know - anything at all!

Reading the Saga and finding fanfiction brought me back to life. That might sound kind of odd, but I was in desperate need to find something for myself after having moved to the suburbs and having a baby. I had lost my identity and connecting to the wonderful women who join me in my love of Twilight and fan fiction has been life changing. I've met some of the best women I have ever known and continue to "meet" great ladies through my story. I'll forever be grateful to SM for what she started when she gave us the Saga and to my friend Adele who bullied me into reading Twilight when I told her I had no interest in some "teeny bopper vampire book"!