FanstRA day 6: Coffee with Womblingfree

Coffee with Womblingfree

I spotted Womblingfree on twitter via mutual friends much later after Spooks S9 aired and of course a new RA aka Richard Armitage writer on Wattpad had my fanfic feelers right away on alert. There are so many RA character based stories on Wattpad now I can’t keep up but I know there always is something to look forward to. I finally had a chance to read something by her when she posted Santa’s New Toy this past holiday season.

Fanny: What character did you meet first, but first how do you like your coffee?

Womblingfree: How do I like my coffee? Plentiful – I drink far too much of the stuff but am quite boring – white, no sugar!

First character I met – Harry Kennedy, and I thought “Mmmm, maybe…” I remember seeing ads for Robin Hood & Strikeback and thinking “Must watch that” but never getting round to it. Then Series 9 of Spooks started and I began to see the light!

phew! I didn’t bump my head!

Fanny: Yes, I did not see the light right away when I caught the first Season of Robin Hood on BBCA . That is quite a gap of time there between airing of Robin Hood or did you caught those adds for Season 3 perhaps? Did you also realize the same actor was in them?

Womblingfree: Yes – I realised it was him. He was kind of vaguely on my radar but not quite getting to ‘crush level’ for a few years. Then S9 Spooks started and I stumbled across a thread about him on a chat forum and after a few days of chat, reading interviews and lots of YouTube viewing l realised I had regressed to be about 13 again : )

Guess again who I am!

Fanny: Oh wow S9, you must have been in a mad rush catching up on Spooks S7 & 8 ! I know about the regressing – I’ve named it “aging in reverse” 😀

So would it be fair to summarize you got caught in the mad fan rush of anticipating what was to happen with Lucas? Is your screen name “womblingfree” a representation of Armitage Mania impact? 🙂

Womblingfree: I’d watched series 7 & 8 as well but for some reason, although I liked the character and RA’s acting I just didn’t get ‘that‘ feeling. I think the Russian dialogue in the first episode of S9, and perhaps the slightly ‘hunkier’ look in the wake of Strikeback might have tipped the balance a bit!

No, I’m not John Porter as Lucas under cover, I just borrowed his jacket

Womblingfree is my name by default really. It was a name I used on another site a couple of years ago so I used it for Twitter too and then it came with me when I signed up on Wattpad! (twitter log in feature on Wattpad)

..as for mad rush to catch up – the only other thing I’d seen him in was the Vicar of Dibley at that point – I really should have shares in Amazon now!

Fanny: The anticipation of Spooks S9 got me engaging on twitter with other fans – like you via an account I had made for another fandom as a way to follow updates. Lucas S9 character brought out a lot of feelings in the fans: Season 9 had him featured more and attempted to show more of the man behind the mask. Did you discover his character in Strike Back stirred similar feelings, since there is a similar contrast between physical strength versus emotional strength? Or perhaps a conflict about choices and decisions?

Womblingfree: Although their jobs are similar I’ve always felt that as men Lucas and Porter are very different characters. I like to think that Lucas/Bateman was not a bad man, but inherently weak, hence the Dakar situation and making a series a wrong choices from then onwards. I guessed the outcome a few episodes before the end of the series so although I was a bit deflated, I wasn’t too surprised.

my bloody nose is itching!

I had much stronger feelings about the demise of John Porter. I think there was so much potential to develop him further, and even though they couldn’t do that without Richard on board, to just kill him off as quickly as possible without tying up so many of the loose ends from Series One I felt was a real disservice both to Chris Ryan’s character and to Richard’s fantastic portrayal of him in the first series.

I only watched the first 40 minutes of Project Dawn and was thoroughly hacked off for a good couple of weeks afterwards, to be honest.

I may go backwards at some point and write my own version of what happened after Series One – I have an idea in mind but it’s on the back-burner at the moment.

Fanny: Oh that idea sounds good – let me know if I can help turn that burner on 😉 a little JP picture perhaps?? I think about Lucas/Bateman the same way – inherently weak – Hence I enjoy reading fanfiction keeping those characters alive – same for Porter : I happily live in denial of their demise.

Womblingfree give me a juicy ending! I’ll do whatever it takes!

Womblingfree: I haven’t really read any Lucas fanfic apart from The Gruinard Project, and haven’t felt inspired to write any either which is strange I suppose as it was ‘him’ that got me hooked.
I was just reading your blog about Lords of the North – it really is brilliant isn’t it? I’ve almost finished the first book in the series and was talking to a friend today about writing a short Uhtred fanfic at some point.

Wallpaper by Vivayn

Fanny: That is a fellow blogger who’s post I tweeted : yes Lords of the North is brilliant, even more your idea to write a short fic. I have to confess to harbor a wish for Monet fanfic – now that’s a crazy notion 😀

I have 2 more questions I’m asking everyone: what’s your preferred mode of writing: Pen & Paper or word processing
What’s your preferred time of writing?

Womblingfree: I use my laptop, although I’ve always got a couple of notepads or folders to hand where I can make notes or sketch a rough draft if for any reason using the computer isn’t possible.

I tend to write late at night, as with a job & a family to factor it is tricky, particularly as I have to be on my own to write. I was lucky to be able to rearrange my working hours last year though, so now I have a day ‘home alone’ during the week. I try and get the household chores out of the way so I can use it for writing if I’m working on a specific project.

Fanny:Thanks for having a chat with me and wishing you lots of inspiRAtion!

Saturday, March 17th

It’s almost over, oh noes! In fandom, Phylly3celebrates her second blogiversary! • In the Hobbitchain, Antonia Romera compares trailers for An Unexpected Journey in three languages •CDoart‘s the King Richard Armitage blogger, writing on the relevance of the character in times of questionable justice • In fanfic, Jo Ann finishes her story • fedoralady traces the evolution of her “sloth fic” series • In freeform, Gratiana Lovelacerescreens her Armitage birthday vid • Fabo casts Armitage in Hollywood musical remakes • C.S. Winchester takes on Armitage in period costumes from N&S and Miss Marie Lloyd •Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day

Advertisement