Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 08:29:55 -0500
From: moonshine
Subject: [VP] RE: Slash Closet

Fringematr Lisa wrote:
>And I am definitely in the closet when not online. (I actually 
made a comment
>about S/H to my husband earlier tonight and he asked 
incredulously, "You mean
>people actually write stories about Starsky and Hutch with
*eachother*?!" I
>waited for him to ask me if I'd ever read any of it, but he 
never did, so the
>closet door remains safely closed for now...) 

Kath sez:
A closet is all well and good if it's what you need, but do keep 
opening the door from time to time!  I've been together with 
hubby for over ten years and he's gone from amused and tolerant 
to the most active and supportive of friends.  I remember when I 
used to "work" science fictions conventions *years* ago--getting 
some kind of gophering job with one of the pro dealers so that I 
could: 

1) Legitimately say, "Oh--I have to go!  I'm working the 
convention."  

AND 

2) Feel like I'd somehow earned my 'zine money independent of our 
regular resources (we were *very* broke when we first got 
together--happy, but broke!)

That "closet" door was never very tight in our household, 
especially since Lou knew from before we were married that I had 
slash buddies.  He'd just look at the growing stack of fanzines 
by the bed and ask supportively if I'd found anything good.

Soon I started doing some fan art, but that was just fine with 
Lou--he loved to see my drawings!  I had a big chunk completed on 
an art degree and felt I should use that knowledge.  Every artist 
draws nudes, why shouldn't I?

Then the day came when I had the *startling* thought...why, I 
could write a slash story!

Whoa.

Now guys, you've got to understand that 11 years ago I was 
computer *illiterate!!!*  Spock used computers, not normal folks 
like me.  I didn't know how to turn one on.  After I was shown 
how, I had to keep detailed notes on where the switches were. No 
kidding, there were like three things you had to do to just to 
get the darn thing ready to go.  So I started out writing in long 
hand in a legal pad, with the intention of buying a typewriter 
(which I knew how to use) when I got a little money ahead.  Well, 
the story grew and grew and I became anxious to see how it would 
look not in my hieroglyphics.  So I sat at the computer, totally 
phobic, barely making any headway, when ol' Lou-man makes the 
offer to enter it for me.

Ack.

Gasp.

Arggghhh!

I stammered something like, "Uh, sure honey..." while beaming the 
Vulcan death message, 'Make one funny remark and I'll kill you.'

He was a doll baby.  Typed it in while gradually getting me 
acclimated to our computer so that I could take over this task 
rapidly--which I did.  By then the closet door was so open and 
he'd shown himself to be so supportive that as far as I was 
concerned, he was "on the team."  He could even tease me by 
saying things like, "Have Starsky and Hutch taken their pants off 
yet?"  

"No," I'd grumble, "they're only on second base."  

"How many pages have they been on second base?"

"Four."

"That's a long time--" Lou would begin.

"Not if you're a woman.  Think about it."

I'd get a friendly "humphf" as Lou lumbered away.

So, as you can see, here's one fan who's got a very small slash 
closet.  Hardly a thing to put on the shelves.  I keep thinking I 
should turn it into *something*...but a girl has to have *some* 
secrets.  I keep it "just in case."

Pax
Kath


