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Introduction (01-02)
Da Bear's Head (03-186)
Da Bear's Stories
Acknowledgements
Articles
Biography
Introduction
[01] Every writer of a genre should know the pioneers, the writers that set the standards and broke new ground. Exchanging emails with Bongo Bear was somewhat intimidating. This is a bear after all, and the one who wrote the first Uber (The Hitchhiker) (http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/hitch.html) and then went and shredded them all in the hilarious piece You Know You Are An Uber When (http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/youknow.html), which was based on her original Alternative Fan Fiction Cliche List (http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/alternative.html). Therefore, I took comfort in that if I had to be intimidated, it would be by the real thing. Wit and intelligence can be fearsome weapons.
[02] So, put on your padding, and let us visit the lair of Bongo Bear.
Her name is Bongo. Bongo Bear.
Da Bear's Head
AMY MURPHY:
[03] Why did you start writing?BONGO BEAR:
[04] I've written short stories prior to Xena: Warrior Princess fanfic. Back then, I wrote for personal enjoyment. Only very close friends and family saw *those* stories. As far as writing Xena fanfic is concerned, I just wanted to see if I could write for an unknown and unseen audience so I entered a contest in late 1997 sponsored by a website I believe is now defunct.MURPHY:
[05] If you had to do it all over, would you be a bard? Would you write?BEAR:
[06] I don't regret finding a new way to express myself and sharing it with people I may never know or meet. It was very encouraging to find that I could draw an audience, albeit an eccentric one with rather odd tastes.MURPHY:
[07] Give us a brief day in the life of Bongo?BEAR:
[08] Sleep, eat, work, eat, sleep...repeat.MURPHY:
[09] How do you handle stress?BEAR:
[10] I hunt down and kill things.MURPHY:
[11] Years from now, how would you want to be remembered?BEAR:
[12] Quietly.MURPHY:
[13] What is your pet peeve?BEAR:
[14] Whiners and people who abuse punctuation.MURPHY:
[15] Who is Bongo?BEAR:
[16] A bear.MURPHY:
[17] Tell us something about you that we might not know.BEAR:
[18] I'm not really a bear.MURPHY:
[19] What do you see yourself doing in the future? Future projects?BEAR:
[20] Something more interesting than writing but still creative.MURPHY:
[21] How do you handle depression?BEAR:
[22] Drink heavily.MURPHY:
[23] What advice can you give to future writers?BEAR:
[24] Write fearlessly.MURPHY:
[25] What has the show Xena meant to you?BEAR:
[26] Not as much as it seems to other people, but that has always been the case.MURPHY:
[27] How do you feel about its end?BEAR:
[28] Relieved. I can now go on to other obsessions.MURPHY:
[29] What are your dreams? Hopes? Wishes?BEAR:
[30] I often dream of salmon. Lots and lots of fat flavorful salmon.MURPHY:
[31] Who do you trust?BEAR:
[32] Trust No One. Note: I'm also an avid X-Files fan.MURPHY:
[33] What is a necessity for every writer in your opinion?BEAR:
[34] A respect for the power of the written word.MURPHY:
[35] Do you believe in prayer?BEAR:
[36] I pray daily that I can get through horrendous traffic without pulling out a gun and killing the idiot driving under the speed limit in the passing lane.MURPHY:
[37] What's your favorite quote? Why and how does it affect you?BEAR:
[38] Sorry, I don't have one, so there is no effect either.MURPHY:
[39] What makes your best friend your best friend?BEAR:
[40] The ability to listen without judgment.MURPHY:
[41] Could you or have you ever experienced, you or someone else reading one of your stories aloud in the public? What did you feel?BEAR:
[42] I felt simultaneously honored and embarrassed. The reader stumbled over a word I had misspelled.MURPHY:
[43] What's the most romantic thing anyone has done for you?BEAR:
[44] Propose marriage.MURPHY:
[45] When, if ever, is censorship valid?BEAR:
[46] Only the parents of a child should censor that child's exposure to the media. Governments, religious institutions, and other people's parents should have no say over what any adult reads or views or what that adult decides what his or her child should read or view.MURPHY:
[47] What theme would you like to tackle in your next work?BEAR:
[48] Necrophilia. Xena is dead, you know.MURPHY:
[49] What is your favorite character or play by Shakespeare and why?BEAR:
[50] I like the Three Weird Sisters of MacBeth because they are weird.MURPHY:
[51] What was the last thing that made you smile recently?BEAR:
[52] Subtext sealed with a kiss.MURPHY:
[53] What made you angry?BEAR:
[54] Whining about how TPTB (the powers that be) must be evil because of how the show ended. Get over yourselves, people!MURPHY:
[55] You now have absolute authority over the world. Omnipotent in all areas. What's your first move?BEAR:
[56] Sleeping in.MURPHY:
[57] Do you have stalkers? If so, how have you handled them?BEAR:
[58] I changed my name and went under deep cover, also known as hibernation.MURPHY:
[59] What do you feel about Bullies?BEAR:
[60] With a capital B? They should have their *ss*s kicked for future reference.MURPHY:
[61] What are your thoughts about politics?BEAR:
[62] Republicans are the scourge of the Earth.MURPHY:
[63] Tell us one writing tip that you've learned to be true, at least for you.BEAR:
[64] Don't depend on a software spellchecker. Always have another sentient being read your work before posting it.MURPHY:
[65] How would you categorize your best writing, and give the URL's for them if posted.BEAR:
[66] NEWSFLASH! (http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/newsflash.html)MURPHY:
[67] What stupid thing did you do as a teen?BEAR:
[68] Promiscuous drinking.MURPHY:
[69] What, if anything, can stop you writing, if only for a while?BEAR:
[70] The overwhelming need to sleep or the lack of anything to say worth sharing.MURPHY:
[71] In your opinion, do you fit your astrological sign?BEAR:
[72] No. What's your sign, baby cakes?MURPHY:
[73] What to you is the worst feeling in the world?BEAR:
[74] Forgetting an important date.MURPHY:
[75] The best feeling in the world?BEAR:
[76] The right color on the home pregnancy test.MURPHY:
[77] Favorite song of the moment?BEAR:
[78] "Follow Me". I crank it whenever it comes on the radio.MURPHY:
[79] What is the first thing you think of in the morning?BEAR:
[80] How fuzzy my teeth feel.MURPHY:
[81] Is there one part of the writing process where you usually get stuck?BEAR:
[82] The ending.MURPHY:
[83] What have you tried to change that, successful or not?BEAR:
[84] Start from the beginning and try to figure out why it doesn't fit the ending.MURPHY:
[85] Does the best writing flow for you, or does it come from rewrites?BEAR:
[86] The best ideas flow like the Niagara Falls but the energy must be tapped like the Hoover Dam with rewrites.MURPHY:
[87] How often do you think about a piece when you are working on it and when do you think about it?BEAR:
[88] I enjoy coming up with a clever turn of a phrase while I'm actually writing. When I am thinking about writing, I enjoy finding something in daily life that has a greater meaning that it initially appears to have.MURPHY:
[89] When someone walks into your bedroom, what are the first five things that they're likely to notice?BEAR:
[90] Dirty clothes on the floor, clean clothes wadded up in baskets, an unmade bed covered with faded Star Wars sheets, a menagerie of faux critters, and if he or she is uninvited, a 12-gauge shotgun wielded by a p*ss*d off bear.MURPHY:
[91] Do you feel in control of your writing, or do you get carried away by your inspiration or characters? If you consider yourself to have a muse, what exactly do you mean?BEAR:
[92] Unseen entities are not allowed to enter my body and take over the keyboard.MURPHY:
[93] Tell the truth--are you your favorite writer, or in your own top five? Why or why not?BEAR:
[94] No, I know there are far, far better bards than I who can render human emotions and motivation into words.MURPHY:
[95] Would the world be a better place if women ran it or would it be basically the same?BEAR:
[96] Women would ruin the world with a feminine touch and men would claim all the time they could do a better job.MURPHY:
[97] What is your favorite spot where you live now?BEAR:
[98] My favorite place in the world is in the snow covered forests and glaciers of the Rocky Mountain National park. I love to scamper in the frozen landscape.MURPHY:
[99] What books are you reading now? What about it/them is holding your attention?BEAR:
[100] The D'oh of Homer.MURPHY:
[101] What would your friends say is your worst trait?BEAR:
[102] A bad temper and a cranky disposition. Oh wait, you only wanted one nasty trait?MURPHY:
[103] Do you type with your fingers on the right keys?BEAR:
[104] Of course, don't you?MURPHY:
[105] What is the longest any plant in your home has been with you?BEAR:
[106] Two days. I usually forget to water it after the second.MURPHY:
[107] Do you have any particular bedtime rituals (glass of warm milk, etc.) that you follow every night?BEAR:
[108] Yes, I have a favorite ritual, but this is going to appear in a family website.MURPHY:
[109] If you find a spider in the bathtub, do you help it out or squish it?BEAR:
[110] I turn the water on and watch it drown.MURPHY:
[111] What in your opinion is most dangerous about mankind?BEAR:
[112] Human beings are too damned clever for their good.MURPHY:
[113] What is most positive about it?BEAR:
[114] Human optimism, also known as Hope.MURPHY:
[115] What was the last thing you bought that you really didn't need?BEAR:
[116] I bought dog treats for my cat.MURPHY:
[117] Have you ever smoked cigarettes--explainBEAR:
[118] I did not inhale.MURPHY:
[119] Who is your favorite Greek God?BEAR:
[120] Athena followed by Bacchus.MURPHY:
[121] Why do fools fall in love?BEAR:
[122] Trick questions like that deserve obtuse answers.MURPHY:
[123] Do you keep a diary and if so what do you call it? If so, what effect has it had on your writing?BEAR:
[124] No, I prefer not to keep anything that could be used to blackmail me.MURPHY:
[125] How has online writing affected your life and how you see yourself, your goals?BEAR:
[126] It's made me a better typist.MURPHY:
[127] What skill would you like to have that you don't have now?BEAR:
[128] The ability to read minds and see into the hearts of others.MURPHY:
[129] Who is your real life hero and why?BEAR:
[130] Bob Dole. Few men can admit to needing Viagra.MURPHY:
[131] What fan fic story touched you so much that you still remember it vividly?BEAR:
[132] Vivian Darkbloom's White Trash Series (http://ausxip.com/bards.html#darkbloom). I still haven't recovered from all the paper cuts.MURPHY:
[133] If you could only choose a single climate with no variation would you prefer it to be sweltering hot or freezing cold?BEAR:
[134] Freezing cold. I can always layer.MURPHY:
[135] What is the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them?BEAR:
[136] The color of their eyes. I like blue eyes the best because the width of their pupils are most obvious when aroused.MURPHY:
[137] What is the most idiotic and annoying common prejudice?BEAR:
[138] Homophobia. I am dead serious here. Consensual adults loving each other should never be a crime.MURPHY:
[139] How is $25 well spent?BEAR:
[140] On sushi.MURPHY:
[141] Would you rather live in a sociable suburb, or alone in the deep woods?BEAR:
[142] What do you think, human?MURPHY:
[143] What literary character did you most identify with as a child?BEAR:
[144] Winnie the Pooh.MURPHY:
[145] What is the source of your inspiration?BEAR:
[146] Observing life.MURPHY:
[147] Where do your ideas come from?BEAR:
[148] Living life.MURPHY:
[149] What do you find most satisfying about your job?BEAR:
[150] Travel.MURPHY:
[151] What were your favorite book, TV show, and movie when you were a teenager and what do you think of them now?BEAR:
[152] That was such a long time ago, I don't recall and wouldn't admit it if I did.MURPHY:
[153] What's your idea of a perfect world?BEAR:
[154] A place where bears and humans realize just how much they have in common.MURPHY:
[155] How real is your fiction to you?BEAR:
[156] Most of the characters stay on the paper.MURPHY:
[157] What Disney character do you most identify with and why?BEAR:
[158] Pooh. He's a bear, too.MURPHY:
[159] What do you read for inspiration?BEAR:
[160] The newspaper.MURPHY:
[161] What's your favorite website?BEAR:
[162] Whoosh! -- the boss paid me to say that.MURPHY:
[163] When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?BEAR:
[164] A goddess.MURPHY:
[165] What are the limits in sacrifices for true love?BEAR:
[166] If you have to ask, you'll never know.MURPHY:
[167] If you could interview your favorite author, what questions would you ask? And, why?BEAR:
[168] Why vampires, Anne? Why not werewolves instead?MURPHY:
[169] What makes a great kisser?BEAR:
[170] Knowing when and when not to apply tongue pressure.MURPHY:
[171] What have you learned from your animals?BEAR:
[172] Relaxation. Nothing relaxes like a cat.MURPHY:
[173] Does our society glorify violence to the point we have become desensitized to it and the consequences?BEAR:
[174] No. I still know when to be appalled.MURPHY:
[175] What is your motto?BEAR:
[176] Carpe Diem.MURPHY:
[177] What do you think we take too seriously as writers?BEAR:
[178] Our readers.MURPHY:
[179] What are you feelings on subtext?BEAR:
[180] Subtext is next to godliness.MURPHY:
[181] Why did you stop watching Xena? Or did you?BEAR:
[182] It ended.MURPHY:
[183] Why did you stop writing?BEAR:
[184] I wanted to move on to reading.MURPHY:
[185] What questions should I have asked?BEAR:
[186] My measurements.
Da Bear's Stories
Summaries for some of Bongo's works can be found at:
http://lunacyreviews.com/authors/Bongo_Bear.shtm
URL'S to Bongo's Stories:
Alternative Fan Fiction Cliche List
http://whoosh .org/uber/essays/bongo/alternative.htmlA Christmas Wish
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/christmas.htmlFracas At the Forum Inn
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/fracas.htmlFurby Love
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/furby.htmlThe Hitch Hiker
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/hitch.htmlIntimate Strangers
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/intimate.htmlJealousy
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/jealousy.htmlThe Mission
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/mission.htmlNEWSFLASH!
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/newsflash.htmlThe Painting
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/painting.htmlThe Personals
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/personals.htmlThe Price of Innocence
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/price.htmlQueen of Air and Darkness
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/queen.htmlRoommates
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/roommates.htmlTears of Silver
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/tears.htmlThree Wishes
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/three.htmlThe Wedding Gift
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/wedding.htmlXena Goes on Strike
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/bongo/xena.htmlYou Know You're An Uber When
http://whoosh.org/uber/essays/youknow.htmlThe Other Side of Fortune
http://ausxip.com/fanfic9/other_side_of_fortune.htmDinner at Caligula's
http://ausxip.com/fanfic14/dinner_at_caligula.htmlMemoria
http://ausxip.com/fanfic14/memoria.html
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the Bardic Circle for a few of the questions.
http://www.geocities.com/thebardiccircle/.Thanks to Kamouraskan for the beta.
Articles
L. J. Maas and Murphy Wilson [Amy Murphy]. One Step Beyond ... Uber, That Is. Whoosh #49 (October 2000)
http://whoosh.org/issue49/maas1.htmlThe "Inside the Head of..." series in Whoosh issues #58, 61-63, 65-
Biography
Amy Murphy
Twenty-nine-year-old Amy Murphy resides in Indiana, and is an avid reader of Xena: Warrior Princess Fan Fiction. If it exists in the Xenaverse, chances are she's read it! Murphy has also tried her hand at writing FF, turning out two very nice pieces that reside on a couple of web sites throughout the Xenaverse.
Favorite episode: IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (24/124)
Favorite line: Xena: "I Have Many Skills" Various episodes
First episode seen: TITANS (07/107)
Least favorite episode: LYRE, LYRE HEARTS ON FIRE (100/510)
