Confession: I am a geek. One of my joys in life is to obsess (read fangirl) over my favorite shows, movies, and books. And while I love to obsess over Jane Austen, this is just the tip of my geek iceberg – the 10% I let you guys see.
As I was writing Attempting Elizabeth and thinking through the kind of character I wanted the lead to be, I decided to write her as a geek – as someone who is a happy member of many fandoms, not just the Austen one (though she is a hard core Janeite). Kelsey is a Star Wars fangirl, she loves 80s television (especially sci-fi shows like Quantum Leap), and she’s a huge Die Hard fan.
Pretty sure this is in Kelsey’s wardrobe
It’s been awesome for me to hear from readers that they identify with Kesley. I admit that I was a little worried about it. Worried that Kelsey might be just too, well too KELSEY, I guess for people to identify with. But the great thing about Kelsey is that even when she’s trying so desperately to be someone else she still manages to be herself: and she is a geek. And it’s fun! It’s okay to have fun and be referential and irreverent – it’s okay to speak a common geeky language.
So tell me, Janeites…what other fandoms are you a part of?
Indie Jane 
I love Kelsey!
And as for fandoms… do I have to name them all? lol
Doctor Who
Bond movies
I’m a PBS groupie
I follow a ton of bands…
Basically, if I love something, I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
Oooo…Doctor Who. I love 9.
Notice I didn’t list mine!
Back when Libba Bray won the Printz for Going Bovine, she wrote this in her blog: “On more than one occasion, I was told that my work was “weird” and “too much.” And now, many years later, I’d just gotten a phone call about possibly the weirdest, too much-iest thing I’d ever written, […], and a group of people I respect so much called and said, ‘Hey, you know your super weird book? Well, thank you for that..'”
Kel
(Couldn’t see what I was saying any longer…)
Kelsey isn’t “too much,” or “too Kelsey.” She was fantastic, and I loved reading her story. And this is one of those times when I say that I wish I could write humor the way you do, because I can’t. My books (and blog writing) has dry humor, but not the kind that makes you giggle and chuckle the whole time and say, “That was funny!” And when I aim for laugh out loud funny, it falls flat.
So. Your book is awesome, your heroine is hilarious, and I am jealous. 🙂
Agree. I like that Kelsey is a real geek. Not just a girl wearing hipster glasses.
Thanks! And yes, Kelsey’s geekiness is 100% genuine.
Ah, thank you! I always feel like I’m not good enough at being dry and witty. I think this is a straight hair vs. curls thing 😀
Gah! And I still haven’t claimed my fandoms:
Doctor Who, Sherlock, Stargate SG-1, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Disney, Alias, JAG, Doctor Who, Community, Tolkien, and… oh, Doctor Who.
I’m slowly being sucked in Firefly. My first fandom was the same as Jennifer’s–Scarecrow and Mrs. King.
Oh! And I was raised a Trekkie. When I went to Les Mis with my cousins, all nine of us sat bolt upright in our seats when the trailer for the new movie came on. May 17!!
I missed Les Mis in our theaters! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? My entire family is in the Les Mis cult, er, fandom. We have a dog named Cosette for goodness’ sake! But I was pushing to get AE out and NOW IT IS GONE and the closest theater it’s playing at is 90 minutes away!
Gak!! Um, it’s worth the 90 mile drive. You must see it!!
That’s a pretty awesome quote.
In case you didn’t know, I’m a fan of almost everything Whedonesque. I’m a Browncoat. I love Buffy and Dr. Horrible. My favorite characters in the Whedonverse are Jayne from Firefly and Spike from Buffy/Angel. For me, they’re inspirational characters (in that I’d like to write characters who resonate with readers as well as these two did with me). I also love Chuck. My very first fandom–and this was before that word existed btw–was Scarecrow and Mrs. King.
Oh yes, I was in fandoms before they were considered a “thing” too. And, I’m pretty sure, a fangirl before the term fanboy existed. LOL!
I’m a Browncoat!
I think fandoms have existed as long as geeks have existed. Kipling was a pretty diehard Austen fanboy, back in his day. Shakespeare probably had groupies. Geeks rule the world.
I agree! The term is new though…it makes us feel more special than just “groupie” ha ha!
Really considering a story about Shakespeare’s groupies…. 😉 Of which I am one!
Um, that would be EPIC!
I’m pretty sure that we all have the same fandoms – I’ve discussed Doctor Who and Joss Whedon with Nancy & Jennifer!
Do you know the one that I DON’T get? Tolkien. Bores me to tears. I also think I’m the only liberal who can’t stand to listen to NPR.
I like some Tolkien (a lot!) and other stuff I cannot slog through. This is the part where Nancy unfriends me…
*shockhorror* How…. I…. I think I need time to process this.
Which parts can’t you get through? Please don’t say the Silmarillion.
Ahem…the Silmarillion? But do I get bonus points in my husband’s favorite band is named after the book? Lol.
I have always embraced my inner geek…long before it was cool…Star Trek, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Quantum Leap,LOST, Louis L’Amour, Jane Austen, I’ll even admit to being a Twihard….
and the list could go on and on…
I love Quantum Leap – I reference it (and quote it!) in AE 😀
Also, yes, Sherlock…so good.
I call myself a Twi-medium (which makes me sound like I have special powers, lol), ’cause I liked the books and I like to go to the movies opening night with my girlfriends, but I’m not like INTO into it. If that makes sense. Probably not.
Hoo boy xD Fandoms, eh?
Buffy, Firefly, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Avengers (just the movie ‘verse), Fullmetal Alchemist, Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Neil Gaiman…Oh, and Cirque. Can’t forget Cirque.
I can’t wait till I have a little spare money and get my hands on a copy of Attempting Elizabeth! Alternatively, I’ll just “borrow” Nancy’s copy…
Liz, I’ve been wanting to read some Mercedes Lackey (I know, right? Even I’m shocked I haven’t yet), where should I start?
Valdemar. Deeeeefinitely want to start with Valdemar. Arrows of the Queen, Arrow’s Flight and Arrow’s fall make up the first trilogy you can jump into. After that, it’s up to you. Most of her books have a timeline showing when the other Valdemar books are set.
Outside of Valdemar, her 500 Kingdom books are interesting re-imaginings and mixings of various fairy tales and the first book in that series is The Fairy Godmother 🙂
Pardon my distraction – Han Solo is in that post … 😉
My fandoms? Um …
Star Wars ((which is, admittedly, largely focused on Han Solo))
Disney
Anne
the Elves of Middle Earth (ha)
Hmm… Ok, here’s a weird one: The Dewey Decimal system! Yeah. I’m That Girl. Good thing they pay me to be in the library all day now, right? 😉 haha …
Does football count as a fandom? Because I totally think my QB-fixation could count as geekiness. As does the fact that I somehow manage to keep a seemingly limitless supply of “useless” football knowledge in my head …
I consider myself an “all around geek”, even if I’m not perhaps as pronounced or flamboyant as others. But I can fully appreciate geekery … it makes the world a better place 🙂
I once played Taboo with a friend who also worked at a library (I did for several years) and we were told we couldn’t be on the same team anymore cause we were just yelling out Dewey Decimal #s as clues. Unfair, we kicked so much butt.
I count baseball as a fandom, so yes, you can count football. Lol!
We are so separated at birth. 9 years of shelving has gotten the Dewey Decimal system engraved on my brain. I spout out numbers–sometimes down to four decimal points–almost as soon as patrons ask. (travel in Portland? 917.9504)
Anything English period drama. Unless it gets too gory. I would love to watch Bramwell, but they do surgery or something in every episode and you are forced to listen to them sawing bones and such. They don’t show it, but sheesh! Who wants to listen to it all! And it’s every episode.
I haven’t seen Bramwell – but sawing bones? Oh man, that sounds like it could be traumatizing!
I love Star Wars ever since I saw it in the theatre in 1977 (dating myself here, yes I know!)–The unsullied, unretouched versions (but my favorite movie of all of them will always be EMPIRE).
I also love Star Trek, Farscape, Firefly and most well done science fiction.
I am totally a geeky Janeite! But I also love period stuff too, Downton Abbey, all the way (as well as any JA or Gaskell adaptation).
Now that I list it out, it looks like I belong to a lot of fandoms! Go figure.
I (and Kelsey from AE, actually) are a bit hardcore about original theatrical release of Star Wars only.
I think it’s good to love many things! We are well-rounded (or ADD, but I like well-rounded)
Star Trek, Doctor Who, Terry Pratchett Discworld, Twin Peaks, Tolkien, Christopher Brookmyre, Jack Whyte. . .
I love fashion history; I’ve made a few regency costumes and am getting interested in steampunk.
Merle, I love sewing and I’ve wanted to do a regency costume, but I’m scared!
Don’t be scared Jessica!
Find an event you want to attend, such as a ball or JASNA meeting, take a deep breath and do it!
It’s also an excuse to watch all the Austen movies and series again for “inspiration”. If you need an excuse that is.
I just need to bite the bullet! Also, there is no JASNA chapter in MT. Can you believe it?