Yuletide Letter 2025

[glowsinthedarkofspace]

[edited 10/28, apologies for the late edits!]

Dear Yuletide Writer,

 

 

Thank you so much for writing a fic for me! I’m so excited to see what you write. In case you’d like to know a bit about what kinds of things I like, some notes below, but all of it is totally optional. Feel free to use this list to spark ideas, or to go another direction entirely. I'm sure I will love it no matter what!

 

 

Some tropes/concepts I always like:

• Alien or fantasy culture shock/culture clash

• Outsider POVs

• Fish out of water stories

• Time travel

• Found-document or in-world document fics

• Platonic intimacy

• Secret identities/identity porn (not in the actual porn sense)

• Competence porn (not in the actual porn sense)

• A real sense of danger

• Worldbuilding, especially when it’s really in-depth and researched and unique

• Canon divergence AUs/“For want of a nail”

• Intense but unexpected friendships or relationships

• Staying mostly true to the tone/vibe of the source material

• For these fandoms, I’m most interested in fics that don’t only focus on romance, although some is fine :)

 

DNW:

• Explicit rape, incest, or suicide

• Christmas themes

Edited to add specific fandom notes below! First I'll put what I wrote in the sign up, and then expand, as I was signing up rather on the fly.


Foreigner Series - C. J. Cherryh  
 

DNW:

Explicit rape, incest, or suicide

Christmas themes

 

Optional details:

 

I didn't list any characters, please use any characters you want. I've read all of the books so no spoiler worries on my end. I am fascinated with some of the smaller details of this series that haven't yet been followed up on. I would love a story about the secret atevi machimi fan club, or Guy Cullen forced to become paidhi with the kyo (and the entire backdrop of the kyo and their war against their enemy), or whatever Geigi is up to on the space station learning about technology and human emotions. I'm also fascinated by Machigi and his entrance into being an ally. Give me the treaty implications, the awkward conversations, the unexpected alien-human interactions, culture shock, the stuff happening behind the scenes.

 

One element of the books that I find frustrating is that, other than in the first book, Bren pretty much always finds his way out of real danger very quickly, because his bodyguards are so good. I'd love to see something go really wrong or see him experience a serious issue that has lasting consequences.

Additional details:

Just to give some more insight into what I loved about the source material, my favorite books in this series were #6 and #17. For #6, I loved the linguistics elements, trying to communicate with an alien with absolutely no basis in shared language with lights. I also loved Bren going undercover as a ship person while dealing with Reunion Station's attempts to take over the ship, and the reveal to the boarders of who he was. For #17, I loved the return of the kyo and learning more about them. 

I'd love to know more about Bren and Jago's relationship, and what kinds of issues they've faced due to being a human and an atevi--both in their relationship, and in how others treat them. Is it truly an open secret? How do people feel about that? 

I love the moment where Geigi says he will try to think of Bren as his friend--I'd love to see follow-up on that! 




Blue Eye Samurai (Cartoon)  

DNW:

Explicit rape, incest, or suicide

Christmas themes

Modern AU

 

I love how single-minded Mizu is, and how everyone figures out what they want and what they need to do to get it. I also love how this show plays with gender and I love the historical elements. I don’t want a modern AU. I'd love a slice of life.

 

I wouldn’t prefer straight-up romance for fic for this show—I’m more interested in all the ways that these characters can get closer to each other (and angrier at each other) and reveal themselves to each other without romance. I’d also be excited about fic that’s “behind the scenes,” other character POVs other than the main characters, or canon divergence.

 

Link to (optional) Dear Yuletide Writer Letter https://glowsinthedarkofspace.dreamwidth.org/784.html

Additional details:

I love seeing Mizu be badass, especially after being underestimated by someone. I'd love to see Akemi being badass too--in either the way she is in the show, or expanding her skills. I have this idea that at some point, Mizu needs to teach her some samurai skills. On the obverse, I love seeing Taigen brought down a peg. 

I'm also very interested in Madame Kaji. What does she know (or think she knows) about Mizu? Or to go down another route, what is her history?

And of course, I'd be interested to see a take on how people in London react to Mizu and how Mizu reacts to London, in that time period. 








Realm of the Elderlings - Robin Hobb  

DNW:

Explicit rape, incest, or suicide

Christmas themes

Modern/ real world AU

 

Some things I'm interested in, all optional:

 

Kettricken and her years as regent, or her time when Dutiful became king, or anything about Kettricken and her honestly tragic story. How did she make it through so many lonely years?

 

I love interactions between people from different parts of the world. I'd love to see some Bingtowners or Rain Wilders come to the Six Duchies, or some other cross-cultural trip. Althea in Buck, for example!

 

I'd be delighted to see more about the Skill and how the coteries are growing and being run. I also think it's a very scary power that doesn't get as much fear from the general populace as the Wit, so I'd be interested in seeing that explored.

 

Post-series, what is happening? Could be worldbuilding, could be about Bee or Spark or Kettricken, could be about what's happening in Chalced or Kelsingra, or anything else.


Additional details:

The above is actually pretty thorough, but one more thought: I do wonder deeply about an AU where Fitz successfully takes the throne when the dukes start to hint that they'd support him, in book 2. On the other hand, I would love to see more of Prince FitzChivalry from the last book, doomed to pointless politicking and maybe diplomatic missions, if Bee hadn't been stolen. 






The Masquerade Series - Seth Dickinson  

DNW:

Explicit rape, incest, or suicide

Christmas themes

Modern/ real world AU

 

I used to have a whole list of specific ideas I wanted for this request, but now I would be so happy for any thoughtful exploration of this world and the characters.

 

 

 

Previous letter with those details, if curious/helpful, but I'm truly happy with anything: https://glowsinthedarkofspace.dreamwidth.org/497.html


Additional details:

I'm just going to copy the previous letter details here for ease of access:

(Spoilers through Tyrant Baru Cormorant ahead—most of my prompts are based on that book!)

 

Some ideas/prompts that would delight me:

• Anything focusing on the marriage plot between Baru and Heingyl Ri (and the Necessary King) that was set up in Tyrant. I loved the tension and flirting of Baru’s masquerade ball conversation with Heia, and the manipulation of cultural elements that would make it work. A fic with the actual wedding or its aftermath would be delightful. I low-key ship Baru (lesbian) and Heia (not lesbian but curious) and their arranged-marriage relationship—this could be an exception to my preference for platonic fic, or it could be a really interesting platonic marriage.

• Baru figuring out how to exist in the world as someone with friends, a la her amazing surprise birthday party at the end of Tyrant

• Baru and Svir’s coming to any sort of understanding despite relationship being at odds (my end hope is that they can eventually become friends and/or true allies, but they’re definitely not there yet).

• Any exploration of Svir, Svir’s past, or the politics/worldbuilding of the Mansions. I loved the scene near the end of Tyrant where he had to fend off the attack in the mountains.

• Baru’s houseboat—I am curious, how does she feel about making a place for herself in Falcrest? I feel like there are all sorts of potentially interesting missing scenes from the time she arrives in Falcrest to the end of the book.

• My favorite characters are Baru, Tau-indi, Svir, Xate Yawa (but no need to limit to these)

 

In general, I’d prefer that any fic for this fandom try to maintain the same level of depth and thoughtfulness as the source material, balancing any lighthearted elements with the reality and complexity of this world (but without being hopeless).