Dear Writer: Candy Hearts 2024.

Hello, creator, and thank you so much for making something for me!! While I’ve participated in several AO3 fic exchanges, this will be my first year doing Candy Hearts. I am excited. :)

Most of my fandoms don’t have any entries yet on AO3, so some of my prompts will read like fandom promo postings. Please don’t take these as pressure to explore or write anything in particular; rather, it’s the enthusiasm of an autistic person who loves to tell stories, squee about their interests and share why things are cool! :) Also, I am a fairly easygoing person who is thrilled with just about anything, so please don’t be limited by what I’ve written here.

Atiye (Netflix, 2019-2021): This tale is deeply spiritual, full of twists and intrigue; I love it so much that I have a tattoo of Atiye’s first symbol. This is an ideal show for fanart, given that the protagonist is an artist, whose art plays an integral role in her discovery and acceptance of great spiritual power. Any of the pairings that I’ve mentioned would be much appreciated for fanfic, as well; I adore Atiye and Erhan and especially appreciate how their relationship develops from a place of mutual respect, discovery, and empowerment. (Can you send them to get a tattoo together? Lol!) I also feel happy at how Atiye and Cansu express so much love for each other, and how Atiye and her mother are able to come to a place of greater love and understanding over time. Finally, I found it very cool that both Atiye and Erhan saw their inner selves personified, and I would enjoy seeing dialogues between them.

Ayali (Zee5 TV, 2023): Strong, marvelous, bold Tamizhselvi! She is an amazing character, and I love her cleverness and courage; I can’t imagine having such determination, nor such craftiness, as to hide my period from everyone around me for two years! I found myself cheering along with her throughout the series, as her glee in the moments when she doesn’t get caught is infectious. I would love to read more of her, whether with her mother, her friend, or even the Devi whose power she decided to honour rather than fear. Does she ever get to be a doctor?

Fire (1996): Here is another compelling film whose images haunt me long after – the sensuous bangle scene in particular. I would love to read anything about Radha and Sita, but especially a happy ending after the movie’s shocking (though hopeful) conclusion. They meet in a temple and embrace…then what?? Do they pray together there? Where do they go after, and what do they do? I am truly longing to read even a glimpse of a beautiful future for them. :)

Fortress (1985): I’ve always intended to write a blog review of this movie; it seems like every 1980s kid with cable TV saw it at some point, yet most of us blocked it out until adulthood and then later rediscovered it with a puzzled exclamation of, “wow, this is an actual film; I thought I dreamed it!” The story – of a teacher and ten children being taken from a rural schoolhouse by creepy, horrible, masked kidnappers – has been compared with Lord of the Flies because of its ending. Anyway, the teacher (Sally) must project confidence to everyone else while falling apart on the inside, and one of the older boys (Sid) grows quite a bit during this film, acting less like a boy and more like a second-in-command. I would love to see a story exploring this teacher-student relationship, with a serious or darkly humorous turn; for example, I’m imagining Sally trying to write Sid a college recommendation letter and drawing a complete blank on what she can say that won’t get him arrested! I also enjoyed the bickering-but-loving relationship between the two brothers, Sid and Tommy, and would like to see those two interacting again. Please feel free to include any of the other children, as well, as I liked all of them.

How She Move (2007): This film stayed with me in a way that many “dance movies” don’t; Raya’s struggles, her grief, her deep determination, and her powerful inner expression through dance were all so compelling. I would love to read about how Raya’s life changes after the events we see, especially because it’s implied that she and Bishop will become a couple. Will Raya return to her school on scholarship while making time for visits home, valuing her community and her past in a way that was too painful and difficult to do before? Will she and Bishop get/stay together; if so, do they break up? Do Raya and Quake stay friends, maybe staying in touch through their studies and sharing their dreams for the future? Does Raya follow her dream of medical school, or does that change – whether because of dance or something else?

Ocean Girl (Australian TV, 1994-1997): I watched this whole series after seeing it nominated for an AO3 challenge and thinking, “huh, good title, sounds like something I’d like”; four seasons later, here I am to nominate it myself! The relationship between Neri and Mera is lovely, and I’ll happily read anything about them. I do wonder whether Mera felt a little sad at the show’s ending, given that she had done a good job as regent, despite having to contend with both a plague and rebellion; I also wonder whether she and the Elders received (and possibly encouraged/re-educated/counseled) Kal after he returned to the Ocean Planet. I included Shersheba because her about-face at the end was so abrupt; was it genuine, her transformation from prospective ruler to loyal handmaiden? Is she still plotting something against Neri, or was her repentence of her and Malakat’s scheming sincere? Finally, I know nothing about Aboriginal culture and feel uneasy about Jakamarra’s appearance – the ’90s was not great about cultural sensitivity, not that the 2020s are either – but was rather delighted that Jakamarra had the wisdom to recognise Neri immediately, especially because it took Jason and Brett several episodes and a lot of angsting to figure anything out, lol. And I would love to see Neri meet up with Jakamarra again in a respectful way.

Ramayana: I do adore angst and pining, and the separation of Rama and Sita is full of such grief and longing; I also adore the way that they treat each other with so much love and would be happy to read something tender or sweet or funny with them, perhaps from their time in the forest. I appreciate that Lakshmana and Sita model such a wonderful sibling-in-law relationship and would love to see them teaming up to make some kind of surprise for Rama. Also, I am curious about a possible AU idea: how would things have been different if Urmila had accompanied Lakshmana into the forest, just as Sita accompanied Rama?

Sancharram (The Journey, 2004): If you have not seen this – a Malayali movie about best friends who fall in love – please consider watching it even if you matched with me on something totally different; the director made this haunting film based on a true story, and it’s delicate and totally beautiful. I would love to read a story set after the ending, but would also appreciate any moments between the two set during the onscreen events.

VR.5 (TV 1995): Oh, VR.5, another entry in the “I thought I dreamed this!” competition. This show was gorgeous and strange and cancelled way too soon. Please give me more Syd and Duncan; I love their dynamic – with Duncan the spiritually-minded head-in-clouds dreamer and Sydney the more practical, technical-minded one with a deep romantic streak – and will read about them at any point before, during, or after the events shown on screen.