Monday Meet & Greet with December.Eclipse

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December.Eclipse

Hello, Lambchops!

So this weeks Meet and Greet is with December.Eclipse, author of perhaps one of the most intriguing and complex Carlisle/Bella fanfics, Beyond the Broken Scars.

I have to say thank you to Georgina Le Noir for sending in a request asking us to include DE’s Meet and Greet this month. Like her, I love this story hard. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m one of those people who will take a good book and flip to the end because I’m not patient enough to get to the end gradually. I have to know what happens. NOW. If I could do that to BTBS, believe me I would. She writes so beautifully and with such detail that you can’t help but feel you’re there in the story, experiencing what the characters are experiencing. The story itself is so addictive that it has you constantly going back to reread the chapters because you don’t want to miss a thing. Beside all that, you never really know WHAT DE has in store for you next.

So, if you’ve never read Carlisle/Bella before, Beyond the Broken Scars is a good place to start. If you’d like to read the rec I wrote on it a few months ago, you can find it here. Otherwise, enjoy getting to know December Eclipse a little bit better. She’s got a gift.

IdreamofEddy

Tell us about yourself. Married? Single? Kids? Age? Whatever you'd like to share.

Well my name is Aryanna, I’ve just turned 19 and I’m a college student studying in Europe. My ambition is to be a Doctor.

Tell us about Twilight. How did you first get into the Saga? When was the first time you read it? Which book is your favorite?

I heard about the Twilight saga when the first book was released, but never got around to reading it until I saw the trailer for the first movie. And an old friend of mine set me a dare to read all four books in 10 days. I had to read Breaking Dawn three times, because I just couldn’t believe half the things that were happening in it. The pregnancy (that wasn’t bad, but the biological errors behind it made the whole thing so ridiculous). But the imprinting factor was the creepiest thing I have ever read in my life. I literally threw the book across the room after reading that part. What the hell? I know Reneesme will grow into a woman and won’t remain a child forever, but the context of match made no sense whatsoever. Very creepy.

I don’t really have a favorite book out of the four; I like each of them in their own ways. Twilight for being introduced to the Cullens and learning of Carlisle. New Moon because of the Volturi and the vote scene. Eclipse with Rosalie and Jasper’s back stories, the engagement and the battle. Breaking Dawn for Bella finally becoming a vampire, learning about other covens around the world, and the Volturi confronting the Cullens.

What got you started reading Twilight Fanfiction? Do you remember the first fic you read? What are your favorite stories?

I started reading fan fiction because I was left dissatisfied with how the entire saga ended. There were just so many holes in the whole plot and even though Breaking Dawn was suppose to be the “great finale to Bella’s story” it really wasn’t. There were far too many unanswered questions and in my frustration / curiosity I turned to fan fiction.

I love stories usually involving the Volturi or a large majority of the Cullens, in the drama/fantasy/romance categories, and set in the alternate universe. I’m purely for the Vampires in this series.

Who are your favorite characters, from who you like the most to er...who you would like to readers to kill right off the bat?

My favorite character has to be Carlisle. I see him as the hero of the Saga because he is the definition of self sacrifice for me as far as the series goes. He is the first of his kind to step out of the typical vampire box, like he chooses to feed on animals rather than humans. The fact that he spent almost an entire century perfecting his immunity to human blood; and the power and influence he has over his coven. You see almost throughout the entire saga how he is always there for his family and is always ready to protect them at any cost – even if it means going against his own views. After reading his back story in Twilight I was drawn to him more than any of the others. And I was dying to learn more about his past life, his time studying in Europe and being with the Volturi in particular. There is just so much more of his character to be explored.

I have to admit I was nervous to see how he was going to be portrayed in the movie version. But it is safe to say that the casting for him was perfect and watching his character come to life on screen made me like him a lot more. :)

My other favorites are Aro because I see him as the “Godfather” type figure of the vampire realm. He and his coven serve to protect humanity from the vampires which is by no means an easy job. And the whole aspect of his character fascinates me.

Then there is Jasper, he outshines Edward for me with the sacrifices and choices he has made in becoming a “vegetarian” and adapting to a “normal” way of life.

Least favorite has to be Jacob Black, why I cannot say but his character irritated me beyond measure. I strongly wished that Edward had at least had a duel with Jacob in Eclipse. If I had to kill anyone in the series it would be Jacob, and I would want Edward to kill him. Because let’s face it when up against Jacob there is no competition, Edward owns him in every way possible.

Which fics are you reading right now, and which one's have your complete attention whenever they pop with an update?

Usually I try to avoid reading Fics of the same “pairing” category to what I’m writing in order to avoid being influenced. But, there is one in particular that I cannot resist reading, it’s called “Near to you” by Caitlinlaurie. It’s an alternate version to New Moon occurring about 5 years after the Cullens left. Bella is a school teacher living in a small town and she is reunited with Carlisle who mysteriously turns up there alone. It is very well written and the author does a great job outlining the characters. You’ll fall for Carlisle all over again after reading it. I highly recommend it.

What made you finally decide to start writing your own?

I’ve always had this ambition of becoming a publish author and figured that fan fiction would be a good way to practice, and receive feedback on my plot / character ideas. The Twilight saga is an easy genre to write fan fiction about because there is just so much left unfinished. And I had a strong desire for everything to have gone an entirely different way after New Moon.

Beyond the Broken Scars begun as an original story, but I decided to alter it into a Twilight fan fiction. I altered Bella a lot, making her in my own image and giving her a more concrete personality. And then there was the relationship forming between her and Carlisle. To tell the truth I never intended on creating a “supernatural” romance between them, but during the plot development the situation between the two of them went further than I had intended. Their union became a vital element and I couldn’t like not write it into the story. I blame the Movie interpretation of twilight for influencing me in this.

In writing a twilight fic I tend to experiment with the other characters – like with Alice and Edward, mixing them with original characters of my own creation. I try to build on those unsolved elements in the original saga, like the Romanian vampire clan and the Volturi. What started the rift between the two covens?

What's the atmosphere like when you're writing: music, quiet, kids screaming and ripping each other apart, husband bitching in the background?

I have two atmospheres when it comes to creating a story.

When it comes to building up the plot line and the content/events in each chapter I tend to do so when I’m out running. I take my iPod and along with the open road I can let my imagination run free and form the story for me.

I usually get down to writing in the evenings when it’s quiet and peaceful. I dim the lights, make some tea and listen to music. I listen to Alternative Rock and Heavy metal, sometimes classical music helps as well. Flyleaf and Evanescence inspire me whenever I writing Bella. I need 30 seconds to Mars and Three days grace when writing Carlisle or Edward. For me “From Yesterday” is Carlisle’s signature song and I religiously listen to it whenever I’m entering his POV.

Do you drink and/or smoke?

Nope.

What else do you like to read besides Twilight?

I have to read a lot of science textbooks and medical journals for college. But when I have time I like to escape into the classics, sci-fi, and fantasy books. I love anything by Charlotte or Emily Bronte, J.K Rowling, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, Amanda Grange…etc

What else do you like to do?

I’m a pretty active person, I love cycling and running outdoors, swimming occasionally and hiking. Writing poetry, going to the movies, concerts and shopping for shoes! Watching TV shows like Brothers and Sisters, Nurse Jackie, and Criminal Minds.

Tell us a secret.

Hmm... well I originally found the idea of pairing Carlisle/Bella and Jasper/Bella together to be a little weird. But then I saw the movie and my perception changed completely. Seriously I was like… “Team Edward and Jacob be damned, I’m Team Carlisle or Team Jasper!” I’m a sucker (no pun intended) for blond vampires. ;)