Welcome! Bienvenue! Failte!

As the little red and white flag indicates, je suis une Canadienne. As such, I'm a proponent of the letter 'U' and nine times out of ten I'll argue 'R' should come before 'E'. The inestimatable Pierre Berton once aptly defined a Canadian as "someone who can make love in a canoe."

It takes skills. Bring life jackets.

I'm female, twenty-something and I just got married a couple of weeks ago!! Freaks the hell out of me to be a 'wife' (but gee golly am I ever happy).

We just returned from out brief honeymoon from Cape Breton Island - Cabot trail. If you ever have a chance to visit that part of Canada (esp. in fall) don't miss out. It's breathtaking. We'll be hitting up Ireland and Scotland in late spring/ early summer for our big honeymoon :)

My roots are Irish, British and French Canadian. I speak English and French and live and work in a part of the country where that is very essential. I have a university degree in English Literature and International Political Science (hold on while I dust it off).

Major Interests: Camping, canoeing, fishing, swimming, biking, blading, skating, boarding (snow), high-heeled shoes (50 pair and counting), corsets, vintage 40-50's pin-up art, egyptology (would dearly love to visit Egypt one day), anything Celtic (have been to Ireland to study and plan to return), Guinness (meal in a glass), Gin and Tonics, Lager n' Limes. The latter three are the secret to a sane, if not entirely productive, life.

I've also been drawing since I could walk, although now I try and restrict myself to paper. You can imagine the horror of my mother, the librarian and fellow bibliophile, when I used to "illustrate" all the books in the house.

I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember and I collect antique books, much to the chagrin of my fiancé who has allergies to dust and very little interest in reading. He collects records and guitars, which he plays, so I forgive him.

I adore a myriad of books and movies, both fictional and otherwise, and far too numerous to mention. But I'll note a few that have no doubt influenced me:

For pure wit - I devour P.G. Wodehouse novels. England in the 1920's was a great place and time to be a butler. Dorothy Parker ranks pretty damned high with me as well. Monty Python and Black Adder reduces me to hysterics. I've read the majority of the standard classics (Austen, Hardy, Dickens, Elliot, Shakespeare), including the more current staples like Tolkien and Lewis and Adams.

I enjoy Terry Pratchett, Tom Robbins and Edward Gorey for a chuckle. Ondaatje makes me cry, which I love. Stuart McLean makes me laugh and happy to be Canadian. Davies does the same. And yes, I have read all the HP books - the other staples, right? Like most women I have read Outlander and fallen in love with Jamie. I still love Georgette Heyer novels, Edward Eager, Joan Aiken and Susan Cooper novels (I read them as a kid) - and have since reread them a dozen times.

Most recently, I finished George RR Martin's Fire and Ice series (the 4 books that are published - shakes fist at Martin) and Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch (Lies of Locke Lamora made me fall in love with skinny, plain-looking thieves). I eagerly await the third Abarat book by Clive Barker (shakes fist at Barker).

I dabble in Anime from time to time, but have never really gotten into Manga. I am, however, developing an appreciation for graphic novels. For a while I was a dedicated watcher of Sailor Moon (years and years and years ago) and Inuyasha (more recently) while the episodes were aired on TV.

I've always had a soft spot for redeemable villains and sarcastic male leads. Colin Firth gave a wonderful portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the A & E version. I love the 1930's Thin Man movie series - Myrna Loy and William Powell - their chemistry is dynamite and has never been matched in my opinion. I also adore The Black Swan and Captain Blood. - you've got to love old B & W pirate movies. Not to mention that Errol Flynn and Tyrone Powell exuded pure sex appeal. Most of the classic 80's movies get my nod - Labyrinth (shocking), Willow, Legend (when Cruise was still normal and tasty), Princess Bride, Breakfast Club, etc, etc.

As far as fanfic goes, the Labyrinth fandom is what inspired me to write my first fanfic (see below). David Bowie is the only man I know who can wear tights and make-up and still make heterosexual girls squee in delight.

That's about it, folks. Thanks for the interest and feel free to drop me a line anytime if you have any questions or just want to say 'hello'.

Please note that I only talk seriously on the first Tuesday of every month. Between noon and three.

Cheers,
Vic Wit

Free enchanted peaches if you got the movie reference in that last line.

My Story:

The Goblin Market

Nine years after defeating the Labyrinth, Sarah is in Ireland - a land of old magic, where legend suggests her victory comes with a price and her story is far from finished. Something ancient has been set in motion and Sarah finds herself at the centre of a very old, very Goblin, tradition.

As time passes, fruit ripens.

Let the feast begin at the Goblin Market...

This piece was largely inspired by a smattering of Celtic myths and my time in Ireland (particularly at The Hill of Tara and Newgrange). I also reference some literary works, music, etc that helped flush the story out. The title is taken from the Christina Rosetti poem of the same name. I knew that English degree would finally come in handy!

My story features a slightly evil Jareth (just for flavour) and a slightly phlegmatic Sarah - an attempt at staying in canon. Both characters are learning and evolving, however, and both are having a bit of fun at the other's expense. In fanfiction I really can't abide a lovesick GK and neither can I abide a wimpy Sarah or Sarah the snow-queen-with-a-mouth-like-a-trucker. There is a fine line.

I can promise that as the genre indicates, it is and will be a romance through and through.

To date, the story has evolved beyond its original scope and has become a much more serious endeavor than what I had orginially planned (and the journey is still proving to be a mystery). The reception has been beyond my expectations - so thanks to all who have reviewed or offered CC. I hope it won't be my last attempt at writing fanfiction. I am actually getting kind of depressed as I near the end, truth be told, and I am way too much of a glutton for praise to stop for good. My reviewers have really left me feeling right chuffed!

Updates:

I have started working on some illustrations for The Goblin Market. The story will likely be finished before they ever see the light of day, however. So if anyone else is game to try... hint, hint. Wink, wink. Poke, poke. Makes puppy dog eyes. I promise rich rewards... of a yet to be determined variety.

One more drink and I'd have been under the host ~ Dorothy Parker

Never fear being vulgar, just boring ~ Diana Vreeland

I can resist everything except temptation ~ Oscar Wilde

Stiletto, I look at it more as an attitude as opposed to a high-heeled shoe ~ Lita Ford