FFA FanFic Review

QuantumFizzX/Kathryn Review's & Recommends

Enchanté

By rpgirl27

Fanficion link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5676810/1/Enchante
Rpgirl27 profile link: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2040698/rpgirl27

Summary: 1858- Edward wins a plantation during a poker game and he and his father decide to begin a new life in New Orleans. What happens when Edward is introduced to a peculiar custom and a beautiful girl at a private ball? AH,OOC,mostly canon couples.

A recent, impromptu survey among some of my friends revealed that, nearly universally, our introduction to erotica came in the form of paperback historical romances surreptitiously gleaned from our mother’s private reading stock. Fast forward a few years, and our excitement comes from fanfic. The talented rpgirl27 melds these two beloved forms in her thought-provoking, often scintillating, Twilight-inspired romance, “Enchanté.”

Though, it might be dismissive to lump her tale in with the pulp my mother used to read; this is a thoroughly researched piece with authentic period accoutrements in full-description. Her fanfiction profile page reads like a (far more interesting) history text, with links to everything from the costume images, to the architecture, to the songs being played at balls.

Not only is the world she creates thoroughly believable, many of the characters are a deft blend of canon behavior in altered circumstances. Those who are far flung from their Twilight roots (e.g. Edward) are well drawn and complex. She delivers perhaps the most intriguing James, who she describes below, I’ve encountered in the fanfic realm.

All of the details and characters are packaged in (forgive what might seem hyperbolic but it is genuine sentiment) the single-most unique set of circumstances. I defy you to find a similar situation. What makes the story all the more gratifying is, despite the exceptional conditions, one reads it with the ever-present idea that it is entirely plausible.

Rpgirl27 graciously consented to answer some questions about her work and inspiration.

QFX) What inspired you to come up with such a unique premise? Was there a moment when you thought "Hey, let me do this to Edward & Bella?" or how did that spark come to you?

rpgirl27) I've been a huge Anne Rice fan since middle school and besides the vampy stuff she's known for, she's also written a few pieces of historic fiction, one of which being a book called 'The Feast of All Saints.' This is where I first heard of the whole placage concept. I also had a college course that I believe was called The History of the Atlantic World 1400-1900, and it touched on the subject as well. It was a very popular practice on the island of Haiti/Dominican Republic, and kind of jumped over to New Orleans after there was a huge slave revolt on the islands. The wealthy white plantation owners fled to avoid being massacred and most moved to Louisiana because they shared a common heritage with the people who were already there (French/Spanish). That's also why it wasn't a widespread custom in the rest of the South and really isn't something that most people know about.

I never set out to write a fic, I just really enjoyed reading them (read as: I am massively obsessed), and then one day this idea popped into my head and I thought it would make a great ExB story...but I ignored it for awhile. It kept hanging around in the back of my brain though, and eventually I gave in and started writing it down. Now it's almost like the characters are shouting at me sometimes. My brain has become a very noisy place.

QFX) Have you written anything prior to this?

rpgirl27) I hadn't written anything since college, so that's like 6yrs of missing creativity. Mostly I just wrote bizarre short stories and random bits of silly poetry. However, that was all on my ex's laptop and I'm sure I'll never see it again.

QFX) Do you have a background that lends itself to the historical romance?

rpgirl27) I used to read historical romance almost exclusively...you know, before fanfic when I actually read real books. One of my favorite things to do was dig around on Amazon and find reissues of Victorian erotic literature. Most of it is anonymous and some of it is HARDCORE. It seriously puts our smut to shame!

QFX) You've said previously that you have a degree in History & Archeology. The story is richly detailed and appears historically accurate. Were these details things you accumulated during your studies or do you do additional research for the story? If so, what parts do you feel you need to research the most/least?

rpgirl27) A lot of things I already knew from school, and I'm a dork so I always thought outside research was fun. I'm a chronic fact checker though, so I usually consult multiple sources. The internet is really amazing in that so many libraries and Universities now have their archives online and easily accessible. I researched a lot about birth control options and practices, also popular music, food, French Creole dialect. The least amount of research is probably on clothes and furnishings. I go crazy over Victorian antiques and I could talk about different styles of ceramics until you fell asleep from boredom. But still, I double check everything and make sure it wasn't something that occurred post 1858 because I'm OCD like that.

QFX) Just how did you acquire such in-depth knowledge about whorehouses and opium dens? Teehee

rpgirl27) Hmm not sure how I want to answer this question ;) I probably have the strangest Google history ever...
I can't say I've ever knowingly been in a whorehouse, that's all gathered from other people's accounts and my imagination. The fact that I can't say for sure whether I've smoked opium probably speaks volumes, but I really don't think I have...unless it was mixed in with...erm something I used to smoke a lot of (ages ago). However, I've been in a lot of houses and apts that might as well of been opium dens *shakes head* Should I add the requisite warning? Drugs are bad...blah blah blah LOL It's funny, I've noticed that people get more upset about E's drug use than his sexual proclivities. Opium wasn't illegal, in fact, it would be similar to a modern prescription drug like Oxycontin. E's just misusing it.

QFX) I’d like think that it takes a great deal to surprise me, but one of the early actions of James in this story managed it. You also reveal a unique set of circumstances in which the characters meet. Did you intend for the story to be so shocking? Do you have any more details coming down the pipe that might produce similar results?

rpgirl27) Was it shocking? Hmmm, I don't know that I set out to be shocking, that's just how James is in my head. How does Rob describe his character in Bel Ami? Completely amoral, I believe, well that's James. He wants what he wants and that's that. He doesn't care who he hurts or how depraved his actions are, if it entertains him, he's going to do it and he usually gets away with it. E didn't let him get away with it, and so James will always be lurking, biding his time and seeking an opportunity. He wants E and quite possibly B, and there's a few ways he knows he can get their attention, we'll just have to see what those are ;)
I don't know if the rest will be considered shocking or not. It will get a bit more violent at times, there is a war on the horizon, but if you're talking slash, then no. Not in this fic anyway *ponders writing historic slashfic* O.o that could be fun!

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