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Camisha says:
If I had to sum it up in two words, I’d say: Estee rocks. But I’m not limited like that, so I’ll be much longer-winded.
The prospect of collaborating with someone whose work you both respect and enjoy is always exciting, but the reality of such a collaboration isn’t guaranteed to be that great. So I consider us extremely fortunate to have discovered such an awesome balance of skills and to have worked out such an effective division of labor.
We were also fortunate to have gotten along very well as we instant-messaged and e-mailed our way through this project. The nice thing is that we remained respectful and appreciative of each other throughout. The scary thing is that our thoughts synchronized over time, I think we now share the same brain, and forthcoming attempts at separation may be painful.
Basically, Estee gave birth to the story and offered me a look at it in its infancy. Then I had the gall to take it from her and try dressing it a little differently, and then to stick around and keep telling her how to raise it. Okay, the analogy’s a little scary, but the comparison to parenting is pretty apt.
In more literal language, Estee had a kickass story idea that she started to write and then I jumped in with some rewriting and her idea grew and became our idea and she kept writing and I kept rewriting and sometimes I wrote and sometimes she rewrote and we ended up with a story that I think exceeded both our expectations. I’d say that having two minds on the project kept it fresh and nicely unpredictable without being inconsistent or incoherent. I hope you, the readers, will agree.
I can’t thank Estee enough for letting me be a part of this fulfilling and energizing experience. It’s the most fun I’ve had in ages. In short, we make a great team.
Estee says:
For the first time in awhile, I’m writing something without the crutch of knowing someone brilliant is going to come along behind me to re-write my sloppy attempts at proving my literacy. I’m putting down thoughts without the certainty that someone will improve them through perfect elaboration and extension. And while the words are still somehow making their way to the page, they truly are not as good as they could be.
Luckily, the other part of the process that got this fic done is present here: Camisha writing something brilliant so that I don’t have to. Writing this fic truly was an interesting and entertaining process. The result is a true collaboration, and one of which I am so honored to be a part (good English…ick).
It is actually Camisha who rocks. I already knew she was a capable writer from reading her other fan fiction, but I now have a greater appreciation for—and front-row view of— that talent. If this sounds laudatory, it is.
I also enjoy this story. A lot. It’s Jake and Hamilton in a way you don’t normally see them. I hope that you will find it as pleasing as I do. And, because I’m out of things to say, I will end this by thanking Camisha for her collaboration—it has been appreciated and enjoyed.
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