Monday, April 23, 2012

Lovelorn — "Tread Softly" by @idealskeptic

"Tread Softly" by idealskeptic
Angela & Jasper, Drama/Romance, Post-BD, MA/NC-17, WIP (Completed 8/30/2012)
Summary: When Angela Weber is forced to take on a new identity and leave her old life behind, she finds the most secret residents of Forks - the Cullens. She finds herself growing ever closer to the vampires, especially Jasper, as they work to protect her. Warnings: Character Deaths

♥ What gave you the idea for this story? Did anything inspire you?
The main inspiration for Tread Softly was the fact that I love the dynamic of Jasper and Angela paired together. I’d written one story that featured them before, and followed it with a sequel, and I missed writing them. My earlier story about them was much more about healing, hope, and happiness. I wanted to try something different, something more adult and deeper if for no other reason than to challenge myself.

♥ In non-canon, Jasper fics, most authors write him with Bella. Why did you choose Angela instead?
The simplest reason I chose to write Jasper with Angela is because, of the few humans in Twilight, I feel like I identify best with Angela. Angela is one of the characters in Twilight who I feel could have been developed into something much more and become an integral part of the story. So I wanted to do that.

I do realize that most authors write Jasper with Bella when he isn’t with Alice and that’s a small part of the reason I didn’t – it’s been done so much. Couple that with the fact that Bella is far from my favorite character while I’m firmly Team Jasper, and it’s easy to see why I chose Angela over Bella.

♥ All authors love their characters. Tell us what you love about yours. What traits are you particularly fond of? Are there any that you based off yourself, people in real life, or another character from a book?
If I were a character in Twilight, I’d want to be Angela.

I like that she’s the one who sits with the Bella and the Cullens, when they return to school and even makes friends with Alice. I like that she’s the one who passes no judgment on anyone or anything. I like that she’s the one that Bella could turn to, if only Bella wanted to turn to someone.

Alice was all of those things for Jasper and so much more. Since I decided to write a story where Alice has been killed, he needed that in someone else – but a little differently. Angela is the most accepting, steadfast, and steady character in the series … she’s perfect for Jasper when Alice can’t be there.

♥ How about things you dislike about them but still find endearing? Characters can be perfectly imperfect and still loveable.
I don’t know if there are so many things I dislike about Jasper and Angela as there are things I dislike about the way their canon characters were handled in Twilight.

I feel like Jasper was swept to the side of the story with no rhyme or reason too often – like maybe he was created simply to have a “dangerous” vampire in the family and then no one knew quite what to do with him so he just lurked in the shadows without saying or doing anything.

As for Angela, I feel like there was plenty of room for her to have been a human friend to Bella somewhere in the four books. I can’t help but think that Bella used her, even more than Jessica who didn’t realize it anyway, to get what she wanted and I don’t like that.

In the end, I suppose what I dislike about “Jasper” and “Angela” is the same as what I like about them – that they were treated badly in the books.

♥ How do come up with and capture the emotion behind what Angela feels, witnessing the crime that was committed as she did as well as how she deals with the fact that she is alone?
I’m not ashamed to admit that I came up with the emotions behind what Angela feels through my guilty pleasure addiction to crime novels and television shows. That and pure imagination. I can only hope it’s convincing…

♥ What direction—journey—are you taking your characters? And is there a theme or lesson you'd like the readers to gain from this fic?
I suppose the journey I’m taking my characters on is little more than the general idea of a love that overcomes a lot of hurdles to get to where it’s supposed to be in the end. Real love, in other words.

I’m not trying to teach a lesson with this fic, but if I had to pick something I hope people would get from the story, I’d say the same thing – that real love, even between a vampire and a human, isn’t easy and it takes a lot of work to get there. Just stick with it.

♥ "Tread Softly" is still a work in progress. Do you have an outline and an updating schedule? Or are you writing as you go?
I update every ten days but I do try to have a couple chapters held back so that there aren’t any long lapses in posting.

I have ideas that will be in the story but I don’t outline or plan specifically because if I’m trying too hard to stick to the plan, I feel like my story loses something. I much prefer to write whatever strikes me.

♥ What's your favorite chapter and why?
Chapter 8 is my favorite chapter. I love that chapter because I feel like it’s a turning point for the whole story. Angela stands up for herself in every sense of the word and Jasper finally begins to admit to himself that he’s starting to feel something for Angela.

♥ Is there anything else you feel the readers should know? Or anyone who has helped you that you'd like to thank?
I have to give credit to TwistedInMasen for the amazing banner, first. Alix Aurelia is my pre-reader and I wouldn’t have posted the first chapter or two if she hadn’t said they were good, her opinion, thoughts, and questions are so important to me. Last but not least, I’d be lost without FrozenSoldier (she writes Jasper/Angela too!) – she’s “officially” my beta, but that’s not a good enough word. After three hour chats about planning the story and letting me borrow an OC she created, I owe her big time!

What the readers are saying:
“You have my attention for sure! From the very start it was great and just got better an better.Peter and Charlotte are wonderful here. Love how you have brought out their characters. Carlisle and Esme of course are the forever parents always willing to add to their family. I like the answer Charlotte gave him when he asked her if they were really ready to try their diet. It was full of love and compassion for both Alice and Jasper.

The questions you leave hanging are great, can't give away everything in the first chapter, or we would not have a story. But you give away just the right amount of information to keep us wanting more. Very nice, my friend. I can really see this going somewhere wonderful and can't wait to see where you are going with it!” — jilly611
Great update sweet cheeks. I loved the Edward Peter Jasper confrontation. That was amazing. I never would have thought to put Edward and Alice's close relationship into play. I just thought Edward was being stupid and him thinking he was the only vamp that could crush some human poonanny and have hybrid babies. Selfish prîck. Anyway holla! Update when the spirit moves ya. And I hope it's soon... XOXOX” — Purradox
“I love Charlotte here. She's a vampire who's decades old, but she somehow manages to appear young and innocent in this situation. Everything is new for her and she's trying really really hard to get it right.

Jasper is very much the older brother SM described him as in the Twi guide, it must be very different for him to be the one guiding others in their bloodlust. The way he wants to protect Angela is classic Jasper style, but it's not overbearing. He still retains his original canon characteristics, but there is a warmth to him too that SM failed to really give him.

Loved the lemon scene, it was cheeky and the banter with Jasper afterwards was a really clever break in the heavy shit with Angela. Loving it still." — koko23cat
“Oh, what do I think? So many things! Beautiful, romantic moment between Angela and Jasper. And I felt like I was in the streets of Cairo. Your description was amazing!

In the begining of the chapter I thought that Angela was very strong and focused. And Jasper was analizing his feelings and coming to terms with them. But after, you show us how Angela is still healing and recovering from her losses, just as much as Jasper.

Love the chapter's end! They are moving forward! Been proactive, and not only reacting.Who am I kidding? I love the entire chapter! Can't wait for your next update!” — ceci-tvfan

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