Unconventional Courtship Sign-up and Rules

[aralias]

Three things make a post, and 14+ interested parties make a fest! Let's do this thing.

Welcome to 'Unconventional Courtship 2014'!



'Unconventional Courtship' is a panfandom fic fest where you write and post a 1000w+ fic based on a M&B/Harlequin plot. Fics will be posted to this community, staggered through May 2014 (from the 1st to the 31st).

How to play:

It's as simple as:

1. Sign up! All you need to do is comment on this post with the day you want to post your fic. You can tell me which summary/pairing you're going with, but you don't have to. You can also ask me to assign you a summary, if you want. (You don't need a Dreamwidth to play - just comment with OpenID. You will need to ask me to post your fic on the com, though. If you are on DW, please follow the community!)

2. Choose a M&B/Harlequin summary (or two etc) - we have a few suggestions here, but there are literally thousands. You can write more than one fic if you want. You can also combine prompts, if you like.

3. Replace the names (and pronouns if necessary) with the names (and pronouns) of the pairing of your choice. Any any all fandoms and pairings are welcome in this fest.

You can also replace place names and jobs as long as you keep to the spirit of the prompt. So, if you want to write Kirk/Spock, but you don't want to write a modern day AU, you could replace 'the Sahara desert' with 'a desert planet' and Kirk wouldn't need to be the boss at a law firm, he could be the boss... in the sense that he's the captain.

4. Write a fic based on your altered summary. You can take the prompt seriously or use it as an improbable basis for lols.

4.5. Pimp the fest far and wide. I'm only going to post to coms that I'm already a member of this year, as I was rejected from so many last time, so it is up to you - the players! I've re-uploaded the make-your-own banners and of course you can use any that I've already made. But please do pimp where ever you think would be appropriate.

5. Post the fic to this community on your assigned day. Use the header provided.

You can also post to our AO3 collection, but please post to the com whatever you do, and please post to the com first.

We ran this fest last year, so you can see some examples of Unconventional Courtship fic by looking through the collection, or earlier in the com.

6. Profit! Fics for all! I'll post a masterlist once all the entries are in. Crossposting is encouraged.

Any questions? Leave a comment or PM me or email me at heroic.tendencies@gmail.com


Rules:

1. All fics must be over 1,000 words long.

2. You must use a modified Mills & Boon and/or Harlequin summary.

3. You don't have to use a beta, but it is strongly advised.

4. Please use the following header (or similar) when you post to the community:

<b>Title:</b> <b>Author:</b> <b>Fandom:</b> <b>Pairing/Characters:</b> <b>Rating:</b> <b>Length:</b> <b>Summary:</b> <b>Notes:</b> <b>Link:</b>

5. Please post on your assigned day. If you can't for whatever reason, please let me know either by PM or email heroic.tendencies@gmail.com

6. You can use this fic for another challenge i.e. trope_bingo

7. You can sign up for any day you like, but if it is possible for you to sign up for a day that nobody else is interested in then that'd be best of all.


May 1st: thisbluespirit, mara
May 2nd: liadt
May 3rd: merryghoul
May 4th: john_amend_all
May 5th: wbaillie
May 6th:
May 7th: theladyscribe
May 8th: mithen, haeceity
May 9th: honeynoir, lilly_c
May 10th: spikesgirl58, aralias
May 11th: rileyc, katemacetak
May 12th: bendingwind
May 13th: samuraiter
May 14th: sabinetzin, john_amend_all
May 15th: ljgeoff, AngelOfTheMoor
May 16th: mtxref_fic
May 17th: celeste9
May 18th: killaurey
May 19th: trista_zevkia
May 20th: ljgeoff, joyfulfeather
May 21st: straightforwardly, gingayellow
May 22nd: crookedspoon, john_amend_all
May 23rd: roseargent, theladyscribe
May 24th: joyfulfeather
May 25th: silver_galaxy, clocketpatch, bellamortis, rubberglue
May 26th: thequipkid, jessalae
May 27th: thinkatory, lastfaerietales
May 28th: rubylily, scribblesinink
May 29th: badass_tiger, reindeerprincess
May 30th: random_nexus, evandar, augusta_brie
May 31st: wendelah1, neurotoxia, coneyislandbaby

If you have questions, feel free to ask! And/or consult the FAQs from last year.

Comments

[neurotoxia]

I should be working on my thesis and here I am, signing up for yet another thing

Could you assign me both a date (a late one, if possible. I already know I'll need a while) and a summary please? :)

May 19th

[trista_zevkia]

I started writing this one last night, I was so inspired, but I'd like the 19th as a posting deadline as it's a day I'll remember, but whatever works =) If I get it done, I might even try for another one. Would anybody mind mpreg, as many of the plot revolve around babies and other consequences of sex?

108) Playing the Dutiful Spouse - Carol Marinelli

‘We have made an application on behalf of Spock to exercise his conjugal rights...'
Learning that the Vulcan he's tried to forget has spent the past 6 months imprisoned on Betazoid and needs him to visit is the last thing Leonard McCoy wants. But he will play his part in exchange for Spock's signature on the confession! Except he hasn't bargained on their mind-blowing connection being as undeniable as ever. Last time it led to usually sensible Len to leaving Jim alone on shore leave. This time the consequence of giving in to their chemistry will bind him to Spock forever...

[sabinetzin]

I'll take May 14!

I wrote a story last year for this challenge- is it okay if I write another story (based on another summary, of course, because we ain't exactly hurting for pirates) in the same AU, in the grand tradition of romance novel series? I'll just find something else to write if the answer's no, but just wanted to check.

[killaurey]

I can work with this one! Thanks so much!

[john_amend_all]

I'll take May 4^th, if you like. With Nyssa and Ten...

150) Relentless Seduction- Jillian Burns

Unrestrained. Unrelenting. And completely undressed! When microbiologist [Nyssa of Traken]'s best friend disappears in New Orleans, she's determined to find her. Her only lead is a bar called Once Bitten - a haven for the dark and vampire-obsessed. While [Nyssa] generally prefers science nerds there's something about the bar's tall, dark and delish bartender... Bar owner [Ten] is sure that there's more to [Nyssa] than frumpy clothes. And as they delve further into the seedy underworld of the Big Easy, [Nyssa] and [Ten] turn to each other, discovering a sizzling hunger that won't be satisfied. But will one taste be enough?

[aralias]

may 21st is yours :D and good luck choosing a prompt.

[aralias]

you can have this prompt and may the 31st if you like (if you want a different prompt, let me know).

A Seductive Revenge – Kim Lawrence

Josh Prentice has a broken heart and thinks there’s only one way to mend it; he plans to seduce Flora Graham, and then jilt her. But he doesn’t expect to find it so difficult to walk away…

Re: May 19th

[aralias]

the 19th is yours! and yer - i feel like mpreg is ALMOST inevitable in this fest, as the prompts are either about babies or sexy bosses, or both.

[aralias]

it is definitely ok. in fact, i welcome it! may the 14th is yours.

[aralias]

excellent! a nice early one :D and i don't expect you to manage as many fics as you did last year, but it would be nice! i enjoyed them all.

[mtxref_fic]

Oooh, this could be fun! May I have May 16??

[aralias]

you may!

[liadt]

Excellent! I was dreaming about it this morning!

[john_amend_all]

And I certainly can't promise the same volume (or, come to that, quality) as last year. But I'll do what I can...

[honeynoir]

Can I have the 9th, please?

[aphrodite_mine]

I'd like May 12. You mentioned assigning a random prompt... could you give me two random options? Thank you!

[mithen]

I will sign up for May 8 and break up that currently-empty space there!

BTW, I would very much like to do a second one with Blake/Avon, and since you've been kind enough to help other people choose a prompt, I thought I'd ask you to pick one of the following for me! Going from most canon to most-AU:

1. Trap, Secure

The last thing Roj Blake remembers is being shot. When a sexy stranger finds him, he has no memory of who he is or what he's doing in the jungles of Gauda Prime.

Kerr Avon risked his life in the raid on the compound, only to discover his quarry gone and an injured man left for dead, a man Avon would be a fool to trust. But his amnesia seems real—and so does the passion exploding between them.

[I...I suspect this one has already been written! But I love me some good amnesia and lurking guilt...]

---

2. The Power and the Glory

Any red-blooded man would kill to be handcuffed to political hotshot Roj Blake, but campaigner Kerr Avon wants to raise awareness—not his own acute consciousness of those delicious, iron-hard muscles beneath Blake's expensive suit.…

But in a shock move, he's made a part of the Blake re-election campaign.… Avon hopes he can dance with the devil and create change from within. But what chance does he have when that devil is sex-on-legs [!!!] Roj Blake—and as Christmas closes in, he wants to do considerably more than kiss him under the mistletoe…!

[Would be set in a PGP President Blake future... What exactly Avon would be protesting I do not know, but handcuffed-together (with a smirking and unhelpful Vila) is very tempting.]

-------

3. Chained to the Rebel
Bound in chains, enslaved rebel Roj Blake stands proud in the Domo slave market. As a warrior, he's trained in the art of survival.

Alpha computer tech Kerr Avon is betrothed to be married--against his will. Catching sight of the magnificent Blake, he finds a rebellious half plan forming in his mind. Avon can offer this captured rebel freedom in return for his hand in marriage!

[We were discussing the relative dearth of slavefic...? AU where Avon got away with his embezzlement, I would guess!]

---

I think there's good odds I can get both the Superman/Batman and Blake/Avon done, but I'll only sign up for the S/B and will hope for the best (I actually want to write all six, of course. Curse you! *shakes fist and is secretly delighted*).

[bendingwind]

I'll take May 12th!

[aralias]

yes! and thanks for filling out the early half of the month.

[aralias]

may the 12th is yours! and two prompts sounds like a good idea- hopefully i'll have a better success rate if you can choose between them. how's this?

Marriage at His Convenience – Jacqueline Baird
Amber’s multimillionaire Greek lover, had ruthlessly informed her that he was getting married – to someone else… But when she inherits half his company, he’s determined to protect it by marrying her. This is the only man she will ever love, but he needs to be taught a lesson!

OR


THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS
by KYLIE BRANT

A woman without a past…

She didn’t know her name, she didn’t know her nationality. The newly manufactured ‘Rianna Kingsley’ only knew that her martial-arts skills and weaponry and assassination techniques went far beyond the average person’s…

A mark that became a death warrant…

The men who’d tried to assassinate her all shared one common trait: a tattoo of winged horse, exactly like the one on her ankle. Where had it come from – and what did it mean to her survival?

A man who was more than just a stranger… It was dangerous for Rianna to share too much with anyone – much less the criminal hired to kill her – bur she couldn’t resist Jake Tarrance’s arms, his bed. With her shadowy past hot on her heels, would Rianna’s business with jake be passionate…or deadly?

[aralias]

!!

and you can always write more after the fest is over ;) and/or wait for next year if there is a next year. it's very low-maintenance for me, so i don't see why it wouldn't run next year if there was any demand at all.

as for your B/A prompt..... i would love them all! but i think probably slavefic the most (with everyone else i am just choosing a random summary, rather than expressing my true opinions). but also - president blake and handcuffed together=two tropes that i love and would like to see more of ;) so i think my order of preference must be 3, 2, 1

[aralias]

excellent! it's yours.

[mithen]

I am very likely to indulge myself and just keep writing them and using that to pimp the comm for later iterations! Because it is way too fun...

And I hear and obey on "Chained to the Rebel," lol! Now must consider how in the world Avon has gotten betrothed against his will and why he is on Domo. :) Fun questions!

[spikesgirl58]

I would like May 10th, please.

[aralias]

great! welcome back :D