Oops

[przed]

I've already mentioned fandom and fanfic in Ros' presence, but she's just tumbled to a another piece of the fandom puzzle.

We were visiting my mum this weekend, and last night Ros talked her grandmother into letting her watch Hockey Night in Canada. As I have absolutely no affection for hockey, and Ros was engrossed in the game, I pulled out my laptop and started working on my Take That secret agent AU. (32K words and counting!)

But then, without my noticing, during a break in play Ros came over and sat beside me and started reading over my shoulder. Which read to this exchange.

Ros: Is your story about the guys in Take That?
Me: Um...No! Absolutely not! What makes you say that?

I don't think she was convinced.

And man, why did she have to read the RPF? Though I suppose I should be thankful that it wasn't an obviously RPS scene. (Not that I'd write a sex scene with my mum in the room. She's already proven she's not above reading my stuff over my shoulder.)

Why is my family so nosy?

::headdesk::

Comments

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

lol--oh noes! Ros can read fic now. Be prepared. Be very afraid.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I've got an entire cabinet on the top floor filled with slash zines. And a couple of Suzan Lovett Pros prints beside my desk that are suggestive without being too explicit. Eventually, she's going to notice all this, and I'm not sure if I'm more afraid of her having questions or *not* having questions. :O

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should just be really really glad she isn't (yet) in the Hockey RPF fandom, which has so many problems I don't know where to start.

[przed.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. I am definitely encouraging her fannish tendencies, but if that ends up with her in Hockey fandom I will have very mixed feelings.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

I can imagine the headdesking *g* In some ways I think it would be easier to explain to a child than to an adult - I mean, in school children are constantly asked to do creative writing tasks like 'imagine you are a character in this story and write a letter to another character' (or I was!) which is I suppose to do with comprehension and empathy and language skills, but still fanfic! It's just that people don't expect adults to interact with texts in that way. Just like no one thought of adults using colouring books until someone figured out it was quite fun and quite soothing and labelled it 'therapy' and there you go *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

In some ways I think it would be easier to explain to a child than to an adult

I read this and a light bulb went off over my head. I think if we'd been home, I would have given Ros a very basic explanation of what I was doing it and been done with it. But there is no way I would ever do that with my mum in the room. I've given her a very basic idea of what fandom is, and she's read my fantasy story that was a Pros slash story with the serial numbers filed off and liked it, but I think the whole RPF/RPS thing would do her head in. Because, as you say, people, and especially people from my mum's generation, don't expect adults to interact with texts that way. Except we totally do!

I am also totally down with the colouring book thing. I've had a colouring book with translucent pages of Mexican Day of the Dead pictures for ages, and Ros and I do a page every year ahead of Hallowe'en and put them all up on our windows. If I had more spare time, I would totally buy one of those lovely mandala colouring books. Or just take up drawing again. Or both!

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

Ros: Is your story about the guys in Take That?
Me: Um...No! Absolutely not! What makes you say that?

Oh dear, I couldn't help LOLing about this little exchange :) I'm afraid you were bang to rights there! I'm not sure how but my two seem lately to have hit upon the idea that 'mum writes gay porn'. My response to this heinous accusation was as wide-eyed as yours, and probably equally as unconvincing. They seemed to find the idea amusing but happily in no way shocking :D

[przed.livejournal.com]

This children learning how to read thing is most inconvenient. I blame the schools!

I have to laugh at your two twigging to your hobby. If suspect Ros will figure out "mum writes gay porn" sooner rather than later. Let's hear it for kids being amused, but not shocked!

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

See, and this is why you should write fic in a language other family members can't read. *firm nod of someone who used to write with her parents in the room*

[przed.livejournal.com]

We can't all be multi-lingual geniuses. *g*

BTW, the TT secret agent AU is 34K words and counting. And only six scenes to go! I may finish this sucker before Christmas. \o/

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

Consider it motivation to learn another language? ;)

OOOOOH, YAY :D Because nothing says Christmas like angsty secret agents!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Lol, oh dear! I know I shouldn't be laughing at this, but... *g*

Ros has awesome fannish parents - she'll be just fine :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Even as I was panicking and thinking "Let's not have this conversation in front of grandma!" I knew it was funny. *g*

I'm sure she'll be fine. She's just got to learn to survive having us as parents. *g*

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

LJ tells me it is your birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY :D :D :D

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thank you!