Hello,

I'm Scottish (NOT British) and have been a member here for a while but only recently started writing fanfiction.

Most admired Authors:

J.R.R. Tolkien, from Silmarillion (which, I confess I was always hesitant to read because I thought it would be too laborious, but I was absolutely hooked from the first page) to LOTR and beyond.

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books are like visual drugs. I keep reading and just want more, more, more. Seven just aren't enough to satisfy my appetite for the world she's created.

Jane Austen - I love all her books (except Northanger Abbey). Her works are timeless.

Most loved Films: LOTR, Star Wars, almost anything with Kevin Spacey (brilliant actor).

Thank goodness for fanfiction. Or rather good fanfiction - not a lot of the self-insertion, slash, incest & teacher/student relationship drivel that unfortunately finds its way to this website. Where I come from incest is a crime, and adults in improper relationships with children are thrown in jail. I also believe that if Tolkien or Rowling had intended their characters to be superpowered or slashy, they would have written them that way. Some of the stories posted here have nothing more to do with the universe they are supposed to represent than sharing a name with their characters. And that's sad.

My favourite literary character of all time is Samwise Gamgee. Quiet, modest, unassuming and self-deprecating, he appears to be no more than Frodo's dim but loyal servant at the start of LOTR. By the end of the trilogy however, we realise he is much more than that: Strong, faithful, unshakeable, relentless and good. He just wants to take care of business then get poor Mr Frodo home in one piece. And he won't let anyone stop him!

I do like and admire Frodo - but he's the ethereal, saint-like hero that a bad girl like me could never aspire to be. Sam seems more real. He loves, but he's also flawed; displaying anger and hatred at times (specifically Smeagol/Gollum who he refers to alternately as Slinker or Stinker); he has to dig deep before he can find any sympathy for Gollum, not managing it until the slopes of Mount Doom. It's easier to relate to someone who has at least one flaw than poor, perfect Frodo.

Neville Longbottom is my favourite HP character. He reminds me a lot of Sam Gamgee, perhaps that's why I like him. But he is also a strong character in his own right. We should have seen more of him in the books - but then I suppose I shouldn't complain, at least she didn't kill him off (still reeling from the deaths of Hedwig, Fred, Lupin AND Tonks).

Although I'm practical and prefer to stick to canon when writing, I also love to read a good AU or time travel - but only with canon pairings. Snape-as-Harry's-father is just daft. Why do people who write such stories always name Lily and Severus' son Harry James Snape? Following naming traditions in the Wizarding world, if Snape was Harry's father, his eldest son's middle name would be Severus and not James. Snape would rather die than name his child after his school nemesis.

Spelling and grammar can make or break a story and it's impossible to read one when these are poor. I use UK English and check my own fics before posting, so any mistakes there are all mine. I'd like to think there aren't any, but no matter how thorough one is, something always seems to slip through! So, sorry in advance if you spot one.

Please feel free to leave a review if you enjoyed any of my fics (or even if you didn't). Constructive criticism - sent with a genuine desire to aid in my development as a writer - is always welcome. But be warned: those who issue critique without helpful pointers - with the sole intent of being spiteful - will be regarded as flamers, and promptly blocked from my account.

So please, grab a cuppa, take the weight off your feet for half an hour, and peruse a fic or two. I sincerely hope you enjoy what you read!!

Bye for now!