Pages

Monday, October 15, 2012

Guest Post - Kerry Freeman - Explaining Slash to the Unintiated


Explaining Slash to the Uninitiated - by Kerry Freeman



Yesterday I was at the local salon indulging in my one truly girly activity: getting a manicure. (I’m pretty sure people see me in my goofy t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers and wonder why in the world I have such awesome nails. I don’t know why. I just like it, okay?)

As I was paying my bill, some of the stylists and I were talking about my upcoming trip to Albuquerque for GayRomLit. One lady looked at me and asked, “How did you end up writing gay romance anyway?”

Ah, such a long story...

And I basically blamed it on slash. Of course, most people don’t know what the hell I’m talking about when I say that (but I know y’all do). So I explained it this way:

“Fan fiction is taking the characters from someone else’s book or movie or TV show and writing your own story about them.”

She nodded. She understood that.

“And slash is taking two (usually heterosexual) characters and writing stories about them as a gay couple.”

She tilted her head and squinted at me. I’d lost her.

“For example, people write stories about Kirk and Spock in Star Trek. I happen to like stories about Edward and Jacob in Twilight and Harry and Draco in Harry Potter.”

Still squinting, she asked if I ever wrote anything else.

It’s hard to explain about the voices in your head without sounding like a nutjob, but I did it anyway. “I used to, but most of the voices in my head are men. I write men better than women.”

Yep, there it was: the “oh God, I’m talking to a psycho” look. This is usually the point in the conversation when people say, “Oh, how nice,” and begin to back away from me slowly.

My husband says that maybe I should not be so forthcoming with people I barely know. He hates to imagine that anyone would think his blushing bride is not all there mentally.

Awww. Isn’t that sweet? He doesn’t realize that everyone probably thinks that already ;)

Still, while some people are put off by the entire concept of slash, many more are intrigued to discover that someone somewhere also thinks that Iron Man and Captain America have more than a bromance going. Me, I’m all about Captain Jack Harkness and the Tenth Doctor.

Who are your favorite slash pairings?

----

Thank you N.R. for having me on your blog! And everyone, please visit the tour kickoff post (http://kerryfreeman.com/2012/10/pine-tar-sweet-tea-virtual-tour-kickoff/) to enter the super-duper tour giveaway.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks NR! You knew I was going to have to include a Jakeward picture ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post! I also get strange looks when I talk about fanfiction. Lol. I do get this question all the time. I should really say something like, "Well, actually, I'm really a gay man in a straight woman's body." Which is probably close to the truth anyway ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL! It's hard for some people to understand fan fiction, but it's great when you meet people who do!

      Delete
  3. OMG this was so dead-on!! I'm going to GRL this week and most RL people I know don't even know I'm traveling or think I'm going to visit a friend. Because then I'd have to explain what it is...why I'm going (because I read M/M)...I'd have to explain what that is and get the surprised look...which would lead to me having to explain how I discovered it and what fanfiction is...LOL There is just too much to wade through to explain. One day I'll be outted, I'm sure. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I met you at GRL, right? :) It was awesome to meet so many fan ficcers from different fandoms. There were a lot of us there.

      Delete
  4. Every time I go to a concert or a hockey game, I end up slashing the band members or players. I've done that since college at least, long before I'd heard of fanfiction or slash. I'd mention who they are, but then everyone I've ever met would know it's me talking...

    --Trix

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here. It really frustrates my husband when I slash football players during the games ;)

      Delete
  5. haha... enjoyed the post!
    AND HELL TO THE YESSSS!!!!
    Stony forever!!! lol... Sadly, I'm one of those crazy slashers that puts all sorts of pairs together if they have even the slightest hint of bromance. lol...
    oh god... Where to start.. I have too many I like and they're all at the top so ALL are my favorites!! lol, lets see to name a few (aside from StevexTony)
    Destiel (DeanxCastiel - Supernatural)
    SherlockxWatson (BBC America - WatsonxSherlock for Robert and Jude movie)
    DerekxStiles (Teen Wolf MTV)
    Monroe x Nick x Renard (Grimm TV) and yes, I see them as a threesome. LOL!
    Arthur x Merlin (BBC America)
    ThorxLoki (Thor/Avengers)
    gah.. and I have so much more... lol.. I LOVE them~~ ahh~ and I'm all but drowning in reading and writing fanfic for them. lol

    Judi
    arella3173_loveless@yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I love the idea of SherlockXWatson from the BBC show! And I'm all about KirkXSpock from the new Star Trek, too.

      Delete
  6. too funny! a very few, 3 people total know about my dirty little secret!!! and your husband is like mine, he loves your crazy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm getting a little more open about my slash past and gay romance present. I'm sure my husband wish I wasn't ;)

      Delete