An Evening (or a bunch of e-mails) With Novareinna

Greetings, dear readers... it's your pal Greg again, with a fascinating new interview. Unlike the last one, this interview was not done in real time, but was rather the sum total of emails sent back and forth between myself and my subject from nearly a month of correspondence. Due to a change of medium, (and perhaps, because that's just the kind of gal she is) you may find the interview quite long: the bulk of it is verbose responses to only occasional interjections by me. I hope you'll find her responses as fascinating as I did as I present to you the second of The Chosen Triumvirate; affectionately known as the Den Mother, and queen Supreme of her own site, Penumbra, devoted to her literary works among other things, may I present... my conversation with Novareinna.

Greg: To begin, then... Ultrace's interview began with a query to the origin of his handle... and because yours also sparks the curiosity of others, I wanted to start similarly with you. Why 'Novareinna'?

Novareinna: Well, let me begin by saying it wasn't my original choice way back when I first got onto the Internet. I believe my first attempt to create a screen name was via AOL. I truly wanted one of several preferences: "Mystique" or "Gypsy" being the top contenders as I recall. However, they were both previously taken and as I didn't much care for being "Mystique1234" or "Gypsy5678," I opted for something else entirely.

Now for the actual origin of the name. It is an ancient Romany (Gypsy) tradition that every girl child born into a family be given a unique name by her oldest living aunt. It is a name that should be known only to the one who receives the title and the one who gives it, but that concept has long since bit the dust and I don't believe is even followed any more... not even as to the "giving of the name"...but I digress. The purpose of this unique name is supposed to come into play at the time of death. The soul ascends (well, hopefully anyway) and listens for the calling of the name. Since the name is known only to two people, then there can be no doubt that to hear the name is to know that one is truly being called home... to the correct vardo encampment of the personal Gypsy family.

My Aunt Alicia Flossina (my mother's sister) gave me the name of "Novareinna," which means "a happening in the eleventh month" (I am a Child of Scorpio, born in November, so it's rather apt).

Oh, I suppose I should add that my maternal grandmother was a full-blooded European Rom (Gypsy), making my mother half-Romany and myself one-quarter-Romany, hence the rigmarole of the name giving. On another note, I have always found it interesting... though that's probably not the correct word, to be honest... that I have sufficient Gypsy blood in my veins to have warranted a gas chamber death sentence had Hitler been allowed to totally run riot and reach England... and, of course, if I had been born at the time which, I hasten to add, I was not!

Probably more information that you needed to know, so feel free to edit as appropriate <g>.

Greg: (laughs) Well, it's more profound than Mike's, but just as long an explanation. Now, first I'd just like to say that the fact that you're helping Jet Wolf with this monumental project is very impressive. I'm racking my brains, and can't think of any occurence in my own experience where a parent and child have worked together on this kind of scale. Of course, you've been writing a while, if your website is any indication, but it seems to be of a different flavor than the sort of fare Buffy goes in for. Where did your interest in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer begin?

Novareinna: I had seen ads for it on the television but to be honest, didn't take it seriously given the name. I mean, "Buffy" for crying out loud! Anyway, I never watched it until I went to visit Jet Wolf... can't remember if it was the first or second visit now. She talked me into viewing a couple of episodes she had, ones which in her opinion didn't truly need a whole lot of background to be enjoyable and understandable. Stand-alones, as such.

One of those episodes was "Hush" and I don't recall the other. I found "Hush" to be extraordinarily interesting and a cut above what I'd been expecting. Nonetheless, it was a passing fancy until I happened to be randomly depressing buttons on my remote control early-ish one Saturday morning some considerable time later, and came across the cute little blonde Buffy character wandering through a graveyard... not an unusual circumstance, except that she was singing! I stayed the distance through the entire episode, even though much of it proved to be rather confusing to me, and then clarified some of the events through Jet Wolf later that day.

I chewed over her comments, which led to further questions and it was then that Jet Wolf took it upon herself to order me the first season set on DVD, her reasoning being that if I was taking the time to ask so many questions, then I might just be interested enough to want to watch more. She was right. It had a lot more going for it than its title suggested and I was rather impressed on the whole. I can see why it appeals to a wide audience range. It has many and varied layers... rather like Forrest Gump's box o' chocolates.

Greg: And from there, as the tale goes, you started viewing the episodes together, calling back and forth...

Novareinna: Pretty close. I believe I watched the first two or three episodes of the first season on my own and then there was one (don't remember which...as you have probably gathered by now, the memory is sadly lacking in many respects) that Jet Wolf was particularly interested in "listening" to my reactions as I watched. Thus began the "dual ears across the country" listening marathons. From that point on, we "watched" together and she found that she even enjoyed many of the episodes second time around more than she had the first time.

Oh, and when I say "marathons" I do mean just that. We finished the entire sixth and seventh seasons over the course of two days...that's two days each season, of course! Pretty good going considering that after each episode we'd usually engage in a "discussion of events" for at least 30 minutes.

Greg: [shakes his head] That's pretty damn impressive. So, bottom line, she got you hooked.. and sometime during the course the these events she decided she wanted to do a fan season eight. Originally, I thought your involvement came much later, but I now find out you've been editing her work from day one...how did that start?

Novareinna: You know, I seem to have a very different memory on the start of my involvement in the writing than Jet Wolf does. It is true that I read what she wrote from the very beginning, but really only for repetitive words and minor suggestions. I didn't even do it from the computer screen. I would print out the story on paper and then call with my meager offerings. The main reason I did this is because Jet Wolf's confidence is occasionally on shaky ground when it comes to her creative process. She is obviously very talented, but experiences periods of "I suck" on a regular basis. Therefore, she likes to run her stuff by people she knows are likely to be truthful about whether or not she's done a good job. I've never been one to pull punches on her when it comes to that, so she does value my opinion in such circumstances.

Nonetheless, I too thought my true involvement came much later than it apparently did. Obviously, I had thrown my hat into the ring at least by the writing of "Human Nature" since Jet Wolf deliberately added a small segment where Giles executes a kick "a la soccer," and that was inserted purely because I had him performing a "header" with a piece of balled-up paper in a very early version of "The Wren." Thus, I must have been sketching out "The Wren" when "Human Nature" was being written. The mind truly boggles!

I recall being called in to work on the Sapling Memorial scene when Willow is trying to mend her arm and really thought that was the first time I'd devoted any amount of time to the project, but I'm presumably wrong and must have worked more heavily on the editing from a much earlier time period than I first imagined. I am fairly confident, however, that the prosing assignments came later...I think because Jet Wolf got in a bind with trying to get one of the episodes completed in time for airing and I offered to act as a "sweeper" coming behind with the descriptive "gravy" while she forged ahead with the "meat and potatoes" dialogue. It kind of turned into the "norm" after that, with Jet Wolf designating to me the prosing of scenes that she wasn't particularly interested in doing herself or that she didn't feel she was skillful enough to take a stab at. However, she did become increasingly confident of her descriptive abilities as the season progressed and I think now could probably handle all of it very nicely...though she doesn't really care much for prosing in general and would rather concentrate on the dialogue, which is I think is probably her strongest asset anyway and not something either Ultrace or I are as proficient at. She has an uncanny knack of capturing the voices to an absolute "tee."

Greg: To be clear, then, whenever you prose, you're just laying down the descriptive detail: Jet Wolf (or whomever scripts) has already provided the dialogue, you just have to work it in?

Novareinna: Yep, that's pretty much how it works. Jet Wolf zaps me the scene complete with dialogue already scripted. Sometimes, she provides one or two brief descriptive words to convey how she sees the dialogue being delivered and sometimes, she just leaves it to me to interpret. That sometimes works quite well, in that what she gets back might be something of a surprise 'cos that wasn't how she had originally perceived the scene to be going. She's always pleased with that since it makes the episode feel "fresh" to her. Quite often, she keeps my interpretation "as is" 'cos she kinda prefers the new slant even though she hadn't thought of it that way originally, but every now and then, I'm way off the mark and she had something much more specific in mind that I failed to pick up on. In that case, she'll make the changes in the prose herself and then we'll do any necessary edits later when the episode is finished and before it airs.

On occasion, I might add-in some dialogue to what Jet Wolf has already done, but I'm very careful how I meddle with that since I don't have the character voices anywhere near as "spot-on." If I do fool with Jet Wolf's dialogue at all, then it usually revolves around an exchange between Giles and Hannah, or maybe some character that doesn't already have a history within the show (like a random Junior Slayer, for example), but I tend to leave the others alone. If I happen to think something sounds a bit "off" with the core cast, then I bring that up during the editing process and we deal with it then.

With regard to what Ultrace writes, nine times out of ten, I believe he does both his own prosing and dialogue, or Jet Wolf may prose around what he's written and make dialogue suggestions. I rarely fool with anything that Ultrace composes, apart from the normal editing that Jet Wolf and I do together.

Greg: Not to interrupt your flow, but I was kind of curious about the 'don't fool with dialogue except Giles and Hannah' bit. Why noticibly those two?

Novareinna: Not interrupting my flow at all since I don't think I actually have one . Well, I feel comfortable tinkering with Giles' dialogue on occasion, possibly because he's English (as am I) and I therefore seem to have more of a handle on the manner in which he would phrase things. As for Hannah, I had some degree of participation in her creation and so feel as though I know her to a large extent. Plus, both Hannah and Giles are of my generation, so to speak. Yet another "comfort level" when it comes to dealing with these two characters, particularly in the manner in which they might react with each other.

Greg: Interesting. What comes to mind is the episode "Waxing and Waning" – the second episode that you were given prosing credit for – and which Jet Wolf lauded you highly on at one point, saying she couldn't have done it without you. Indeed, considering that came just after your stint prosing the memorial scene "Ex Post Facto", it wasn't that much farther off at all. I remember commenting on how much I liked the scene where Giles got the phone call from Ms. Harkness (which JW said was all you); tell me a little about the experience from your end.

Novareinna: I think I can state with certainty that the actual dialogue was all Jet Wolf. However, I did engage in some window-dressing for that. It seemed a little lack-luster to simply have an almost (if not entirely) one-way phone conversation with nothing to break it up, so I added-in the embellishments. I believe it was the first time I'd undertaken anything quite like that for the "Chosen" and I recall that Jet Wolf was more than pleased with the result. It's a pattern that came to repeat itself several times in quite a few of the episodes that came later... the breaking up of long conversations with "snippets" of activities, that is.

As for the episode itself, that one stands out for me in that I composed the song being sung by Oz's group in the Teaser. The first version was not up to snuff in the eyes of Our Leader, so the version in the episode is actually a second attempt...I suppose I must consider myself lucky THAT one made the grade and I wasn't enlisted to work on a third! As an aside, the melody upon which I based this song and from which I drew inspiration is "Sad Lisa" composed by Cat Stevens and found on the album, "Tea For The Tillerman."

Greg: In regards to doing and redoing the song: has it happened often that you and she had butted heads on just had different ideas on how a scene should go?

Novareinna: I can't honestly say that we've ever "butted heads" on any of this. If Jet Wolf says something wasn't what she had in mind, then I either give it another try or she works on it herself. This is, after all, her baby and I truly don't feel qualified to tell her how to write it. She has very set ideas on how things should go, for the most part. Which is not to say she's inflexible, 'cos she's not. She's very open to suggestions, but will only take and run with them if she feels that they are better than or significantly improve the original concept.

If we have differing views on a scene, then we usually talk it through. I give my opinion and she gives hers, and then we view the merits of both. But, at the end of the day it's her call and that's exactly how it should be. I believe the scene I felt most strongly about not changing was the one where Xander goes after Faith toward the end of the season. I felt that the Xander/Faith dynamic worked nicely and I was rather pleased with the way the scene in its entirety played out. Jet Wolf liked it very much too, but had her reasons for changing it to Buffy, which in all honesty probably worked better after all was said and done...I still like that Xander/Faith interaction though...[laughs]

Greg: From the answers you've been giving so far, it seems that you mostly got involved with The Chosen because you were helping Jet Wolf out...filling in prose here and there, helping editing. At what point would you say you became invested in it: that it was something that you wanted to actively take part in?

Novareinna: That's probably the toughest question so far. I think it's fair to say that I did become involved at Jet Wolf's request for the most part, although I did freely offer to help where needed. The major factor was that I quite enjoy descriptive writing whereas she is much more interested in creating dialogue. So, it seemed like a very viable proposition. That having been said, Jet Wolf herself would be the first to agree that my participation in a project...any project...is extremely dependent upon whether or not my enjoyment value is maintained. As soon as interest begins to wane in anything – and unfortunately, that frequently occurs with me – I tend to wash my hands of the whole thing and move along to something else.

Jet Wolf and I have already discussed the fact that I'm likely to wake up one morning and decide that I no longer want to take an active role in The Chosen. She has no delusions about that. It hasn't happened thus far and I don't envision it happening any time soon, but the likelihood will always remain and she is prepared. I would probably always continue to help out somewhat with the editing process regardless, but as for any other role, well that would go by the wayside. Still, as I said, I don't envision that happening in the near future at least, since my interest and enjoyment levels continue to run in high gear.

But, to answer the question about when I became invested in the project, I'd term it more as a vested interest really...anything one's child is involved in is bound to be of interest to a parent. So my "investment" in the project began from day one. Nonetheless, if Jet Wolf made the decision to abandon the project tomorrow, I would have no desire to continue it alone (to say nothing of lacking the ability and talent to do so!) That having been said, I would like to reiterate that I do find much enjoyment working with the talented duo of Jet Wolf and Ultrace and take much pleasure in the finished product. I think it's a fine continuation of the series itself and does credit to the original concept. However, if Jet Wolf hadn't semi-broached enlisting my help, would I have been vying for a position on the writing team? Probably not...but I'm glad she roped me in anyway!

Greg: It does seem a natural extension of your vocation – to write – and an avocation – namely, the world of Buffy. I may be wrong, but it also seemed like your involvement ramped up quite quickly after 'Waxing and Waning': beginning with 'The Inward Eye". Was that in response to your flaring interest in helping, or was there some specific personal interest in telling the story of Tara's return?

Novareinna: I can't honestly say that I particularly noticed an increase of my involvement after "Waxing and Waning," but you could be right. It certainly wasn't a conscious effort on my part, but it could be that around that time, the pressure of churning out an episode every seven days was beginning to weigh a little heavy on Jet Wolf's shoulders and so I assumed a larger share of the burden. It's really not easy getting these episodes in shape within seven days, especially when real life sometimes rears its ugly head!

With regard to Tara's story...no, I had no specific personal interest in being involved in that. I like Tara well enough, but she's nowhere near my favorite character in the show and never was. The relationship between her and Willow was cute and I was fond of the pair together, but I always preferred Willow with Oz, to be honest...which has nothing to do with the accepted concept of male/female relationships, just that I truly did like the interaction between Oz and Willow, although oddly enough, I didn't care for Oz much at all when he first showed up. [laughs]. However, Jet Wolf told me I'd be sure to like him later. I think it may have had something to do with the moustache!

Greg: It's a surprise, that there was no driving interest in that trilogy. While I don't have a blow by blow account of the work you did for 'The Inward Eye' and 'Fulcrum', you were given solo prosing credit for the finale, 'Second Chances', which implied to me that you did a huge amount of work on it, even if Jet Wolf had already scripted it...and considering just how seminal a work that was for The Chosen, I had thought that your success in telling that story was an incredible triumph...

Novareinna: Unfortunately, I sometimes have trouble in remembering the exact details of each specific episode, so titles don't always ring a bell. I will say that as time went on, I worked on more of the prosing than I originally had done at the beginning, but there were still certain scenes where Jet Wolf had a very specific idea of what she wanted and took over that prosing herself. That having been said, yes the prosing can sometimes turn into a huge amount of work, but doesn't usually take as much time as many might imagine. With minimal breaks, I can probably prose most of the entire episode within an eight hour time span...but that's because the dialogue generally conjures up such spot-on images with which to work. On the other hand, it takes Jet Wolf much longer, primarily due to the fact that she doesn't care to do it. [laughs]. Nonetheless, I truly appreciate your flattering comment regarding the work I put in on this project, but descriptive writing is not something I find especially difficult, so I really don't know how much credit I should take for something that I don't have to work particularly hard to achieve...still, I'll take as much as you care to dish out. [grins]

I get the feeling that you thought I was much more involved in the The Chosen than I actually am. For instance, I have very little to do with plotting...except as a sounding board and offering the occasional potential storyline. My role, pure and simple, truly is solely in the prosing for the most part ("The Wren" and "Separate Tables" being the exceptions to this). Still, I would like to reiterate that I'm happy to be a member of this "Team O' Three" and happily share in the limelight, whether 'tis warranted or not. [Insert sneaky snicker...]

Greg: Considering how much your name appears in the credits, it was certainly my opinion that you were pretty heavily involved. Maybe Ult and JW were the ones that did the hard plotting and JW the bulk of the scripting...but I would argue in your favor that the work you did with Second Chances contributed heavily to it's success. But since you mention them, let's talk about the following two episodes...starting with 'The Wren'. Where did the inspiration for that episode come from?

Novareinna: Well, from the get-go, the focus of what would come to be called "The Wren" was always going to be Dawn, as was the fact that the episode would be set in an "alternate reality"...whatever one interprets that to be in their personal opinion. I believe the original concept was something along the lines of Dawn being the powerful slayer while Buffy was the non-powerful sister, but nothing was set in stone at that point. Given this surrealistic type scenario, which meant that the players would not necessarily have to act in character or in accordance with the accepted norm, Jet Wolf asked if I'd like to tackle this episode. I think she was rather surprised when I said I'd give it a shot, knowing full well that Dawn has always ranked rather low on my list of favorites. Nonetheless, the "fantasy feel" of the piece appealed greatly and that was what attracted me to give it a try. Fantasy is my choice of genre for writing most of the time.

Running with the vampire-slaying concept, I began research into ancient vampires...can't exactly remember why now...but came across some type of connection to birds which took my fancy. The wren wasn't mentioned, but I began to investigate legends associated with birds and stumbled upon the "Wren Boys." I was immediately taken with the word association of "Ren" for Renaissance Festival and "Wren" as a bird. Thus, the essence of the episode was born within the idea of happenings taking place within a Renaissance Festival. Since I've been to several such Festivals and know the layout, etc., I felt comfortable working with that. From there, it seemed as though the concept took on a life of its own. As already noted in the commentary, this became a very surreal type of episode and virtually wrote itself, in that it took many directions that were neither intended nor expected at times. Jet Wolf was invaluable in defining the symbolism within this episode, but even now, there are some references the origin of which neither of us are truly sure about...they just "felt right." The end result was an episode that came to hold far more significance that originally intended, but much of that is covered in the commentary. Much beyond that, I'm not at liberty to reveal. Suffice to say, that as time progresses, "The Wren" will probably be viewed as more important than anyone probably imagines at this point, but my lips are sealed! [Insert Evil Cackle!]

I would like to point out that Jet Wolf had much to do with the plotting and time sequence of the events in "The Wren." Without her, it probably would have been little more than a random and rambling package...but still a rather pretty one! She worked on both prose and dialogue for virtually everything that transpired outside of the "festival area," and is almost solely responsible for the interaction between Dawn and Willow within the "festival area," when we realized that Dawn had a one-on-one exchange with all important characters except Willow.

The position of this episode on the "airing schedule" changed quite a few times. I wasn't entirely happy with it being the first episode posted after a hiatus, but that was ultimately Jet Wolf's call. I truly didn't think it would be anywhere near as well-received as it was and was pleasantly surprised at the positive reaction from many readers. We always knew there would be some who wouldn't care for it...this type of "fantasy" stuff is not always everyone's cup o' tea, but by and large, it was a success. There was very little editing associated with "The Wren." We virtually ironed out all the wrinkles as we went along on this one. I have been given the majority of the credit for this episode...and indeed, much of it was by virtue of my own creation and imagination....but there was probably closer collaboration between myself and Jet Wolf on "The Wren" than any other episode either before or after thus far.

Greg: Ultrace said in his interview that your style is very different from Jet Wolf's: she scripts and then proses, where you do everything in one go. Considering that you worked together on this and Separate Tables, did the two styles conflict? How did it work out together?

Novareinna: Yep, that is true. Jet Wolf scripts the dialogue first (together with informative little notes regarding atmosphere or attitude, etc.) and then goes back and proses when the scene has been totally scripted. On the other hand, I work on both as I go along..it just flows better for me that way.

With regard to working together on "The Wren" and "Separate Tables," this didn't truly present any conflict. In "The Wren," Jet Wolf worked mainly on all scenes outside of the "Renaissance area," whereas I took care of what went on inside. With "Separate Tables," it was a similar deal. She worked on most of the stuff outside of the flashbacks, whereas I dealt chiefly with the flashback scenes. So, as you can see, our paths rarely crossed with regard to the work being done.

Anything that seemed a little out of place, or didn't seem to come together quite right, we ironed out during the editing process, but that's the norm anyway...regardless of who worked on the episode in question, issues of cohesion and blending are always taken care of during the editing phase.

Greg: The response to 'The Wren" was for the most part positive, though as JW has said, those who didn't like it really didn't like it. Taking all into consideration: the fact that you don't really care for Dawn, that your were scening in a favored fictional setting, the good and bad reactions...What is your overall feeling about 'The Wren" and the work you put into it?

Novareinna: I had something of a roller-coaster ride with my feelings on "The Wren." I was very pleased with the way it turned out until time came for it to "air" and then I went through a period of intense doubt as to its worth. I remember that shortly after Jet Wolf posted it, I told her not to relay to me any comments received, whether they be good or bad...'cos I simply didn't want to know. I think much of this was associated with the fact (as I've already said) that it was the first episode after a hiatus...and everyone always seems to expect much from such an episode. Luckily, the initial reviews received were positive and Jet Wolf persuaded me to listen while she read them to me. [laughs]

On reflection, there were a few things we could have done differently or added to "The Wren," but by and large, I consider it to be an interesting story, though not one that appeals to everybody. On a personal level, I was very satisfied with the way it turned out, but it's not my favorite episode by any means.

Greg: Perhaps it's just as well that the Wren came first, as the very next episode – which as you said, you played a significant role in – was not received as well...

Novareinna: Yeah..."Separate Tables." Great disappointment there all around. Don't quite know what happened. We never could pinpoint where it went awry..but awry it certainly did go. [laughs]

Greg: When you say 'awry', are you referring only to readers' reactions to it, or was there some personal dissatisfaction with how it turned out, either before or after airing?

Novareinna: "Separate Tables" fulfilled its objective in that it provided some insight into Giles' shady past and his association with Hannah. That aside, it fell far short of expectations. Jet Wolf in particular wasn't happy with the fact that it failed to convey the full implications of "separation," which was the focus of the episode she especially wanted to project. I spent a lot of time on the flashback portions of this episode...verifying locations and dates to be sure they were accurate and maybe that was part of the problem. Perhaps it came across too text-booky, but like I said, we never could exactly pinpoint where it skewed. We just knew it didn't "feel right." However, being unable to zone in on the exact problem, we were unable to fix it...at least not before it was due to air anyway. It probably would have taken a total rewrite and apart from the fact that we weren't sure just where it began to go wrong, there simply wasn't the time to take it totally apart and begin from scratch.

I think it's safe to say that this would rank among the least favorite of all the episodes...at least for me and Jet Wolf anyway, I don't know about Ultrace. Course, its airing date came at a bad time for Jet Wolf...the election results and all (something which had no effect on me since I can't vote anyhoo and my circumstances never seem to change no matter who gets into office) ... which did little to enhance the overall mood that week!

All in all, it was a disappointing and unsatisfactory episode...one that I will probably never go back and read again...the bomb of the season in my opinion. Just about the only solitary highlight for me was the scene where Buffy, Faith, Kennedy and Hazel are overlooking the dance floor of the Vortex and spot the vamp. I simply loved that scene and to me, was the episode's saving grace! There were a few other interactions that I found amusing, but the Slayers watching the vamp was something that I could picture so easily in my mind and it was such a classic visual.

Greg: Just speaking from my personal experience, some of it might have been being unable to relate a little to Hannah and Giles's backstory. It certainly seemed that you threw yourself into that tale...is it merely that you lived through that time, and knew how it was, or was there personal experience that you were drawing on from that tale?

Novareinna: A combination of both actually.

Yes, it was set pretty much during the period of my personal "wild days" in London, when I hit all the clubs where it was "trendy" to be seen and where I rubbed elbows with many of the members of the then up-and-coming groups...even dated a couple o' them...members that is, not the entire group...I never adopted the "groupie lifestyle"...[laughs]

The train trip through Europe was also based on personal experience. I guess, now you've pointed it out, many of the scenarios were drawn from personal escapades, but that's probably because Jet Wolf wanted an authentic touch to the flashbacks and unconsciously, I think that's what I supplied. Maybe that's why it didn't work...it was just too personal in nature and thus, somewhat distanced from the readers.

However, no matter how you slice it in the end, it just didn't work...pure and simple.

Greg: I admit that I'm curious: you've said that you like Hannah and have an easy time writing for her. Was she your creation? or, if the answer is no, do you think that Jet Wolf had you partly in mind when she created Hannah?

Novareinna: The concept of an ex-wife for Giles (i.e., Hannah) was always Jet Wolf's idea. The name "Hannah" was chosen by Jet Wolf from a list I provided to her of Olde Worlde names ... although I'm sure she also had a list of her own and simply wanted to expand her options. She didn't care for many of my suggestions...Charlotte, Isobel and Victoria counted among them...but she "hmmmddd" a little at "Hannah," so I gathered it was in the running.

I did work up a little biographical word sketch of Hannah's appearance and character (I've done that for two or three of the characters), but Jet Wolf already had some of the attributes in place. I guess in the end, Hannah was something of a blend between what I had suggested and what Jet Wolf had in mind. The major difference I can recall is that I pictured her rather petite, whereas Jet Wolf had her about on a par with Giles' height...the chief reasoning being that the BuffyVerse already had petite lil' female characters aplenty and more of an Amazon-type wouldn't go amiss. As for whether what Jet Wolf envisioned was based in any manner on me personally, I really don't know...I think maybe in some small way it might have been, by virtue of the fact that we're of a similar age and would have experienced some of the same things, perhaps. Hannah's last name...Sinclair...was my creation, but only because Jet Wolf didn't much care what it was, so long as it didn't sound stoopid...[laugh]

Greg: Your name is featured prominently in each of the last four episodes: Aid and Abet, Exchanges, Duality, and the finale Win, Lose, or Draw. Is there anything that particularly stood out for you, or that you enjoyed/hated doing during that run, particularly Exchanges and 'WLoD'? Ult has said that Exchanges wasn't so much a collaboration as he had his part and you had yours, while WLoD sounds like it must have been a huge juggling act...

Novareinna: I think I figured rather prominently in these last four episodes because we truly were getting down to the wire in meeting airing deadlines. Consequently, with the exception of battle scenes, there was very little in all four of these that I didn't prose. This is something we can hopefully avoid if we move (as is currently planned) to a bi-monthly schedule as opposed to the Season Eight weekly schedule. Jet Wolf was extremely focused on getting the dialogue just right in these episodes since we were approaching the finish and it was important to her that the story be as detailed and exact as it could be at that point...something that is usually much better conveyed via dialogue than any form of description.

"Aid And Abet" stands out for me because of the introduction of Quinn. I know he wasn't particularly well-received by many, but I really like the little guy. Of course, the interaction between Tara and Kennedy was and is the main focus, but Quinn had his part to play and I thought he did it well. [laughs]

"Exchanges" is probably my least favorite of the final four episodes, which is not to say that I didn't like it, just that I found the other three to be more enjoyable. Much of the credit for this episode has to go to Ultrace. He did a magnificent job with the battle scene. Of course, this is the one where Hazel dies and I was sad to see her go. I would have liked to have kept her around, but she was slated as cannon fodder from the get-go. Ultrace is right in his statement that he had his part to do in this and I had mine. We both basically worked through Jet Wolf to bring it all together. She does a magnificent job in that respect, blending the styles and such.

"Duality" was a toughie in some respects. It's not easy to keep coming up with a different way of saying "reflection" or "mirror." [laughs]. This is probably my favorite of the four final episodes. The opportunity to create the image of a dark, slinky and somewhat bitchy Tara comes only once in a lifetime! I was particularly pleased with the way some of the "mind meld" scenes turned out and enjoyed depicting Madrigan making his way through the mirrors. Creating cameos of the ensnared potentials was also something I found rewarding. As I recall, this was the only episode in the entire season where a scene which had already been totally scripted and prosed was later cut, to be replaced by one which took a slightly different track. Still, I understood the reasoning behind it although I didn't initially agree with the idea. All in all, I think this was a very satisfying episode for those involved in its creation. I know I was happy with it!

"Win, Lose Or Draw" was indeed something of a juggling act...which Jet Wolf, as always, managed to bring it together quite seamlessly. We weren't sure about how this would flow since it was written a little differently to the other episodes, if memory serves. I believe Jet Wolf scripted all the related scenes at one time. By that, I mean that I think she scripted all the Tara/Willow scenes one directly after the other so she wouldn't lose cohesion in how things were transpiring...and so on. Thus, it felt very disjointed in the creation, not only for her but also for me since I was following behind with the prosing and consequently was also jumping out of sequence for much of the time. I liked most (if not all) of this particular episode, but for my part was particularly pleased with scene where Kennedy is encouraging the juniors before they enter the portal. Jet Wolf had thrown in a girl who was a tad nervous and I took it upon myself to flesh her out a little...thus, Chrissie was born and has now cameoed herself in a couple of fan fics based on The Chosen. I was delighted with that! We put a lot of effort into the ending of this one. Not only was it important that it end correctly, being the last episode of the season and all, but Jet Wolf also strived to create the impression of "togetherness," even though not all the major characters were in the same location. I actually had Giles hanging up on the telephone call before the finale, but Jet Wolf changed that so the Scoobies would remain connected, albeit via a phone line. It was the right thing to do, but I hadn't originally pictured it that way. Just a question of "crossed lines" if you'll excuse the bad pun!

Greg: A stirring synopsis of the final four: just a few more questions and then I'll stop picking your brain. You highlighted "Duality" as being a favorite: would you say this is your favorite episode of Season 8? Or if not, what would qualify (of all the episodes, not just the ones you worked on). And of all those episodes, what is your favorite scene?

Novareinna: Let me begin by saying "Duality" is not my favorite episode of the Season. That would have to be "Human Nature"...although Jet Wolf keeps insisting I should go back and read it again. She seems to think I'd be likely to change my mind on that score and not find it anywhere near as good as I remember. LOL. However, I've not reread any of the episodes since they went through the editing process. I find I simply don't have the time for the most part and since I'm on the computer all day at work, I don't usually feel inclined to turn it on when I get home...although that might change now a have a shiny new system!

"Human Nature" appealed to me on several levels. First, the concept of Dryads appealed to my tendency toward the Wiccan beliefs. Second, I found the idea of a Sapling Memorial to those who had gone before to be enchanting. It reminded me somewhat of what used to be the custom in England when a person was cremated...a rose bush was planted in their memory. One of my uncles who died when I was very young was totally color-blind, but requested a red rose bush be planted for him after he was cremated because red had been his mother's favorite color, even though he himself had no concept of the color red. I barely remember what my uncle looked like, but recall his final wishes with crystal clarity...it obviously made an impression. The Sapling Memorial seemed to strike a chord in that respect.

As for a favorite scene, taking into consideration all the episodes, I'm afraid I find myself unable to answer that question. I truly don't know whether I have one...and certainly don't know which one I'd pinpoint. I'd have to go back and reread them all to figure that out...and we've already covered the likelihood of that possibility. [laughs]

Greg: Is there anything you would have liked to have done during Season 8 that you didn't? And if so, might you implement it in a future season?

Novareinna: No, I can honestly say there was nothing I would have liked to have done during Season 8 that I didn't do. I was quite content with the role I played and truly never sought anything more. I'm happy playing third fiddle and often don't have time to contribute much above what I already do. Thus, there is also nothing I intend on implementing on a personal level for the future seasons. In fact, it may be likely that I won't do quite as much. Since we intend on going to a bi-monthly schedule, I believe Jet Wolf might want to try her hand a bit more on the prosing side since there will be more time available for her to do that. Of course, we will always go through the editing as a team...I doubt that will change...and I will continue to work as "sweeper" for the prosing that gets left in Jet Wolf's wake...but I'm happy with that scenario.

Greg: From both your commentary for "The Wren" and this interview here, the amount of work you do – that you want to do – has been a surprise considering how much you have seemed to show an interest in the world of Buffy. You have mentioned, of course, that Buffy is not your traditional fare for what you tend to write. My question then, is two fold: First, if you had to give examples of what represents the purest sort of writing that you like to do (preferably, examples that you have posted online) which ones would they be?

Novareinna: The type of writing that I prefer would probably be classified as 'fantasy'... Dungeons & Dragons, Lord of the Rings type of stuff (although I don't profess to be of that caliber, of course!). I don't believe I have anything posted on my site that specifically falls into that genre. Most of the stories I have available for viewing are short in nature and written mainly when I participated in the AOL Writers Forums. I do have something of a trilogy in the works, when and if I ever return to it. It began as a project a good few years ago now, with six or seven others who were also in the Writers Forums. We had an editor and a publisher lined up...the whole nine yards. The initial concept began with a sort of combined heaven location...Olympus, Asgard, however you want to call it. From there, the different Gods or Goddesses we created were sent out to form their own worlds as part of a competition to see who could make the most perfect kingdom. Thus, the introduction to each of the stories would be the same and then branch out from there. Of course, there was a standard 'bad guy' who was slated to appear in each of the stories also and create havoc. He was to be the same in all the tales and recognizable as such by his identifying appearance. We all had our own ideas about the creation of the specific world we had chosen and how events would transpire. We'd composed several chapters when the decision was made that mine would probably be the first to hit the book shelves. To be honest, I got cold feet at that suggestion. I was unwilling to have my story be the one on which the success of those that followed might possibly stand or fall. In short, I didn't want to be the first, so I pulled out. I understand the whole thing took a dive a few months later anyway when the writer who came up with the initial idea had to abandon it due to illness and nobody felt inclined to carry on without her. I still have all my chapters though and hope to finish it one day...although the opening will have to be changed, of course.

Other than that, I have a series of tales about a small barn owl who is afraid to fly and leave his nest and his dearly beloved companion, a rather daring and audacious little dormouse. Those are my 'Hoot 'N' Annie' stories. Of course, the pair are supposed to be deadly enemies, but instead they're fast friends. Those tales also feature Socrates, a know-it-all spider who lives in the barn rafters, and Filbert, a cheeky red squirrel who vies with Hoot (the little owl) for the affections of Annie (the small dormouse). I have about a dozen or more of those, but they're not online either. When I get around to it, I'll probably create a children's area off my main writing site and post them there.

I also enjoy taking fairy tales and/or fables and/or myths and either expanding upon them or giving them a new twist. Some of those are available for viewing on my website. Examples are: 'Cutting A Long Story Short,' 'Happy Ever-Aftering,' 'Small Mercies,' 'A Slice Of Apple Pie' and 'North-East Of Joyous Garde.' Every week in the AOL Forums, we were given a key word and had to create a story around that one word. It was very challenging in many respects and that's where most of these stories originated. I also like meddling in historical events too (either way past or not so far back)...putting my own slant on what might have happened. A few of those are also on my site...'In The Shadow Of An Angel,' 'Little Girl Blue,' 'Right Place...Right Time,' 'Immortality,' 'That's A Wrap' and 'Within These Walls," for instance.

Greg: [nods] Secondly, do you think you would ever write your own Buffy fanfic, separate entirely from The Chosen?

Novareinna: I don't know that I'd ever write a 'Buffy' fanfic separate from The Chosen. If I did, it would certainly not be centered around the main characters. I might possibly take one of the Juniors...Sonja perhaps [insert sneaky chuckle] and pad out her story somewhat. But frankly, it's not likely. I have my own website to maintain, The Chosen and then, of course, there's always that disgusting four-letter word that rears its ugly head five days a week...work! Plus, I'm trying to put together a history of my family for Jet Wolf since many of the entertaining stories they used to tell are becoming scarce with their passing and she wants a record...and I'm working on a history of the European Rom, to boot! Still, that having been said, I did manage to find the time to compose two 'As If!' fanfics a while back and also have a partially-completed 'Sailor Moon' one hanging around here somewhere entitled, "Leading Lady And The Seven Understudies." Not to mention another work in progress which is science fiction in nature and called "Crossroads." [laughs]. So...who knows? I think I probably have too many irons in the fire already though, to be honest.

Greg: Just as a side note, I would possibly pay for a Sonja story...though to be honest, your vision of her and my vision of her might not coincide. When I finally post 'And How Do You Feel About That?' (currently rewriting whole parts of it after JW's editing), let me know what you think... Jet Wolf and Ultrace have already expounded in detail on their favorite Buffy episodes...what would you be your choices in that regard? What episodes from Seven seasons of Buffy did you like most/find inspirational?

Novareinna: My top choice would be "Restless". It's one of those episodes that one could watch many times and still not catch all the nuances. Jet Wolf and I are discussing an analysis of the varying levels which comprise this episode and the possible meanings...or at least we do every now and again when time permits. [laughs]. Plus, it cameos the Primitive...I'm very big on the Primitive.

I also really liked "Tabula Rasa"...is that right? It's the episode where nobody knows who they are 'cos Willow zapped everyone's memory. Some truly amusing lines in that one and I love the reactions between the different parties when they're not exactly sure if they know each other or not. I'd always liked Spike but I thought he sparkled like a star in this one. Gotta love that Randy in his nifty brown suit...!

Many of the episodes tend to meld into one long saga for me. Possibly because I watched them in marathon-style fashion. However, "Once More With Feeling" was most certainly a gem and I liked some of the very early episodes...the one where the woman gets turned into a cheerleading statue and the girl who becomes invisible, for example. I'm also a fanatic on flashbacks, so those types of episodes were also a treat.

In terms of overall seasons, the one centering around Glory would have to take top billing, with the one focusing on Riley at the bottom of the barrel. I didn't find the final season as disappointing as I thought I might, although I did unfortunately find out many of the surprises ahead of time, much to Jet Wolf's disgust. That Wood was the son of the Slayer offed by Spike in the New York Subway, for instance, or the circumstances behind the creation of the Primitive. In addition, I found Kennedy to be rather likeable and I wasn't sure that such would happen. However, for the most part, I found the Potentials to be something of a waste of space. The only girl other than Kennedy that I particularly "cottoned to" was the one who spoke no English.

Greg: Finally, the modified Chosen questionnaire: What is your favorite word?

Novareinna: That's tough. I mean there's whole dictionaries full of 'em. If I had to pick, I guess I'd go with "winnawa." That was what Jet Wolf called absolutely everything when she was learning to talk, regardless of what the object in question might be. Peculiar really, given that "w" is usually one of the most difficult letters for a toddler to pronounce! Go figure! [laughs]. But in all honesty, I can't say I have a favorite word.

Greg: What is your least favorite word?

Novareinna: That would have to be a derivative of my given name..."Patsy." Ugh.. shudder... grimace... excuse me while I go vomit! Only two people have ever gotten away with calling me that and lived to tell the tale. My paternal grandmother and my favorite uncle. Oh...and Jet Wolf when she's trying to be smart! For some reason, I also don't care for "doily" and "post haste." I think Jet Wolf has a phrase where she uses all three in a logical manner when she wants to irritate me.

Greg: What turns you on... creatively, emotionally, spiritually?

Novareinna: Hmmm..getting a little personal aren't we? [laughs]. In a creative sense, it would be an idea which has all the markings of something hereforeto totally untouched or uninvestigated...not easy to find unfortunately. Emotionally is a little harder. I'm not much of an emotional person as a general rule and tend to get more emotional over animals rather than people. If you're talking in terms of being gifted with flowers or jewelry or chocolates creating a "warm fuzzy," I'm afraid that doesn't happen and never did. Emotionally-challenged, that's me! Again, the spiritual thing is not something I tend to associate with particularly well. I think we'd best leave it alone. [smirks]

Greg: What turns you off?

Novareinna: Creatively, the same word being used over and over again when there are so many others which could easily take its place. I find it difficult to read anything that doesn't contain word variables. Emotionally, anyone who is cruel to animals makes me see red and would be an utter turn-off in an emotional sense...the same applies to those who abuse children. Spiritually, those who cannot see another's point of view in terms of beliefs. Who is to say what is the truth? On a personal level, I'm turned off by hypocrites, arrogance and a superior attitude. Stupidity tends to aggravate me too, but I try my best to be understanding about it.

Greg: What is your favorite curse word?

Novareinna: To write? I rarely use curse words in writing. I think the strongest I've ever used is "bitch." In speech? Well now, you pick one and I've probably used it a multitude of times during the course of my life.

Greg: What sound or noise do you love?

Novareinna: Flamenco guitar; rhythmic drums; rain bouncing on a tin roof; birds chirping; thunder; sound of the sea through a conch shell; bagpipes; cry of a wolf.

Greg: What sound or noise do you hate?

Novareinna: Water dripping from a faucet; the morning clock alarm; the grinding sound a computer makes when the hard drive is going kaputt; a dog's whimper; the phone ringing in the early hours of the morning (it's always bad news!); the word "Patsy" [laughs]

Greg: What profession other than your own would you like to try?

Novareinna: I would have liked to have been a veterinanarian, but a lady of leisure would be nice too.

Greg: What profession would you *not* want to do?

Novareinna: Anything to do with sales or selling...don't have the aptitude for it. If someone doesn't want to buy something, I simply can't bring myself to push it.

Greg: Finally...if you got to meet Joss (or alternatively, any one of the actors) what would you say?

Novareinna: I don't know that I harbor any desire to meet any of the actors or creators of Buffy. I'm not much impressed by fame or notoriety...unless it's of a criminal nature and then I'm not so much impressed as intrigued. Thus, I don't know that I'd have anything of value to say. I suppose the answer would be to ask the guy who played Riley what the hell he thought he was bringing to the series that was of any importance or worth whatsoever. Ye Gods, I can't stand Riley! [laughs]