What in me is dark
Illumine, what is low raise and support;
That to the height of this great argument
I may assert eternal Providence

John Milton, Paradise Lost (lines 22-25)

Latest Interest: I've recently really gotten into Fairy Tales. I'm not sure why. I read The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, have got through Grimms and am now on Hans Christian Anderson. (Actually, in the few months since this profile was wrtten, I've started a book on Fairy Tales from the German Romantic period, including Goethe).

Biggest pet peeve: When people put my work on a favourites list and don't bother to review.

A few random facts about myself...

Location: UK

Profession: Student (studying BA hons English and Creative Writing)

Favourites:

Film: The Piano. Which incidently, if you haven't seen, go watch it. Immediately. Possibly the most beautiful movie experience I've ever gone through (and I've watched enough of them). There are no words to describe Michael Nyman's breathtaking theme music for this. It incorporates period drama and romance, two of my favourite genres, and Holly Hunter's performance is phenominal: both passionate and sombre. The music and sensual storytelling, combined with the haunting imagery of the piano left abandoned on the beach... this is one of the few movies I would call utterly perfect.

Music: Anything by Enya or Loreena McKennitt and Celtic music in general, movie soundtracks, Ludovico Einaudi, Nightwish, Clannad, Apocalyptica

Authors: JRR Tolkien, Daphne Du Maurier, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Joanne Harris, Wilkie Collins, Angela Carter

TV show: Carnivale is my recent obsession. Described as a cross between Twin Peaks and the Grapes of Wrath, with it's Renaissance-esque lighting and cinematography, it shows how television can be an art form. It's also seriously dark, disturbing, mythic, complex and oh-so-addictive. Up there with Angel in TV's most unjustly cancelled shows.

Poems: Paradise Lost, Inferno, The Raven, The Highwayman, Sea Fever, The Lady of Shallot, The Prisoner: A Fragment, L'Allegro and Il Penseroso, Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, Cargoes, The Going, Der Erlkonig (The Erl-King), The Second Coming, and anything by John Donne (particularly A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning)

Okay, with books it's difficult as there are so many, but these are probably my top five (which are likely to keep changing):

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. I think the description of 'the book of the century' speaks for itself.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Because what woman doesn't want their very own Mr Darcy? And I'm talking about Colin Firth, the real emerges-from-the-lake-with-a-wet-shirt Mr Darcy, not some glowering substitute in the form of Matthew McFadyen. Not to mention, Elizabeth Bennett is one of the most awesome protagonists in English Literature. Even Austen acknowledged her to be her favourite heroine.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Whenever anyone asks me if I have a favourite book, I always say there are too may, but I think this probably has to be it. This is one of the few books when on reaching the end, I immediately turned to the front and began reading it again. Heathcliff and Cathy's romance has become an archetype in itself. Also check out Emily Bronte's poetry; it reaches the same heights of emotional intensity and much of it is inspired by her earlier Gondal stories.

Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier. 'Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderly again...' I love this. I love the entire atmosphere of mystery and suspense that is maintained throughout. Du Maurier is a master at first person narration, and this is an intriguing study in jealousy and insecurity as much as a mystery story.

Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell. I must be one of the few people in the universe who actually read the book before watching the movie, but my God, Leigh and Gable are utterly perfect and Scarlett and Rhett (although I have my doubts about Leslie Howard...). Did anyone else just want to slap Scarlett throughout the course of the novel? It's so screamingly obvious she and Rhett are meant for each other, and who would pick drippy Ashley Wilkes over the dashing and rebellious Rhett Butler?

Likes:

Sunny mornings, random people, decent coffee, autumn, reading anything that falls into my lap but especially Classics, writing (obviously). I also have a thing for anti heroes. I can't get enough of them.

Favourite pairings:

Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler (Gone with the Wind)

Erik and Christine (Phantom of the Opera)

Anakin and Padme (Star Wars)

Harry/Hermione, Draco/Hermione and Ginny Weasley/Tom Riddle, when done well (Harry Potter)

Heathcliff and Cathy (Wuthering Heights)

Buffy and Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Angel(us) and Darla (Angel)

Jareth and Sarah (Labyrinth)

Works in Progress: I have several ideas lined up, but of course, with an ever increasing workload it could be anything from a few months to three years until they see the light of day.

Sineya: A oneshot fic focusing on the First Slayer and her origins.

Slouching Toward Bethlehem: I have been meaning to write something on Star Wars forever, so this will be a series of vignettes from the main characters during Revenge of the Sith.

I'm also continuing with The Mask and Mirror, albeit slowly.

And please leave a review if you have a spare minute. Thanks.