Tag: representation matters

Dets, I just want to thank you for ace!Balin, and particularly the fact that he had a relationship not work out because of it. It’s something I’ve been through and it’s no fun, but I love that Balin felt no need to compromise himself, and that he’s so clear on what he needs and wants in that scene with Náli. It means a lot to see an ace character have the experience of their aceness being an issue, but still accepting themselves. Thank you <3

Ah, Nonnie  I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. I am wishing you everything wonderful in the world. *hugs* And I am super-glad that Balin means so much to you – that’s so important to me, and I am really thrilled to hear it. 

Hey dets! You’re writing is the bomb-diggity, it always either brightens my day or drowns me in feels. I was wondering – are there any gender-fluid characters in sansukh? would dwarves be accepting of genderfluid people?

Hey Nonnie! I am so glad you’re enjoying it, thank you so much!

There is at this stage one genderfluid character in Sansukh: Bombur and Alris’ child Bomfur. They also answer to Bomfa. Bomf is a silversmith, and a very good one. They are married to a goldsmith, Zerin.

Bomf is something of a quiet achiever amongst their huge and noisy and generally rather famous clan. They habitually speak rather softly, and are very close to their young brother Bibur (who is apprenticing under their husband, Zerin). 

Bomf is well-known for their incredible wealth of hair. Bomf has the brown hair of their mother, Alris, but in the bushy abundance that is all Bombur’s legacy. Bomf also has a very remarkable singing voice, though it is not the stellar polished brilliance of his eldest sister Baris. 

They like to part their beard in the middle on some days and braid it in different styles upon each side, each indicating a different gender. This gives them an asymmetrical appearance, which they rather enjoy.

Upon some days they wear the braids that indicate that this is a Bomfa day, and others to show that today they prefer to be Bomfur. 

Check out the list of Bombur’s mighty clan here!

I adore the way fan fiction writers engage with and critique source texts, by manipulating them and breaking their rules. Some of it is straight-up homage, but a lot of [fan fiction] is really aggressive towards the source text. One tends to think of it as written by total fanboys and fangirls as a kind of worshipful act, but a lot of times you’ll read these stories and it’ll be like ‘What if Star Trek had an openly gay character on the bridge?’ And of course the point is that they don’t, and they wouldn’t, because they don’t have the balls, or they are beholden to their advertisers, or whatever. There’s a powerful critique, almost punk-like anger, being expressed there—which I find fascinating and interesting and cool.

Lev Grossman 
(via mysharona1987)

Why do straight, white, cis guys tend not to write fanfic? Because they don’t need to.

(via rendezvouswithenterprise)

I have a question. My headcanon for Dori has always been that he is ace, and either aromantic or demiromantic, which I was really glad to see in Sansukh, but I also have another headcanon for him. That Nori disappeared for awhile after their mother died and so Dori, alone, broke, and with baby Ori to take care of, had to turn to prostitution to make sure Ori had a roof over his head and such. Do you think that’s possible, or…?

Hey Nonnie!

Anything’s possible! I’m not using that particular idea in Sansukh (it’d be an entire fic in itself!!), but it’s a heartbreaking and interesting headcanon!

first off, sansukh is amazing, of course. i could give so much praise for everything you’ve done with it, with dwarves, with dwarf culture, etc. BUT that would take all day and i’ve got a question to get to (sorry. i still love it <3 but sorry) so i seem to have developed a bit of an infatuation with dori recently. you've often got little, i guess you could call them side-pairings, those little asides with romances mentioned but not integral to the story. anything planned for dori?

First – thank you, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the fic and all the worldbuilding and culture stuff! It’s a lot of work, but I do love it, and it’s just so lovely to hear that.

Ah, I’m really really sorry to disappoint you, Nonnie, but it’s mentioned a few times in the fic that my version of Dori is aro-ace. He’s an important Dwarf, Guildmaster and Quartemaster of Erebor, and he mothers half the mountain – and terrifies the rest, because he’s still one of the strongest Dwarves. He’s not interested in the slightest in romance.

(to the eternal disappointment of most of Erebor, because Dori is also Mr Hottie TA 3019.)

I like how even though the hobbits view on gender and sexuality are… un-accepting… pippin still doesn’t seem to care(did I mis read), while bilbo has internal things going on.

Pippin don’t give a fuck 🙂 He’s young, not even of-age, and isn’t as indoctrinated in the respectability politics of the Shire. PLUS he’s a Took. 

Bilbo has internalised a lot of it, yes. From an adventurous youth he settled down to appear to all and sundry as Bungo’s proper, respectable son. Even though he shredded his good reputation with his little ‘holiday’, he is still a product of that society. 

I’m glad people are liking that I am addressing these issues! 

I just wanted to tell you that Sansukh is such a masterpiece. Every part of it is incredible, and while I love tolkien’s work, I think yours completes it so well. You connect everything in such great ways. Also, you add so much that I needed in the original stories. All of this representation is so important. I actually cried when I saw Jeri was nonbinary. It made me so happy. Thank you so much.

ASJGFKJSGFSJHGDFSJHA

thank you. Really. 

Representation is important to me. I avidly hope that I can do the characters justice. Thank you!