opalmatrix | Dear Purimgifter (2026) (Reply)

Thank you for writing me mishloach manot for Purim!

Have some optional details about what I like and don't like in a story, as well as details about what I like about the individual fandoms and characters.

Preferences

I Don't Like:

Sickly-sweet, coy, cutesy romantic stuff (anything in the "tee-hee-hee, is he looking at me?" category is definitely out)
Extensive use of epithets, or epithets that don't match the character POV (no one should think of his or her long-time lover as "the green-eyed man," for example): these will throw me right out of a story
Characters acting out of character, especially if the purpose is to force them into a relationship (doubly bad if that relationship is romantic or sexual)
By-the-numbers, every-action-described sex (a/k/a Ikea Erotica - link goes to TVTropes). Note that actual sex is fine (I love me some sexy stories) — just don't like it when the descriptions turn into a set of exact stage directions.
Mpreg, rape, forced sex (including sex pollen and fuck-or-die), hatesex. Dubcon is OK, especially the sort when the reluctant partner really wants the other person but is just not quite feeling ready yet or doesn't think se wants it in this particular way but gets off on it anyway.
Humiliation or betrayal (without a damn good plot reason) of a character by a friend or lover
A/B/O and related kinks/tropes, incest (unless canon), scat/watersports/emetophilia, tentacles, non-human genitalia.

I Like:

Strong characterization (including character-appropriate dialog: no earthy, uneducated characters using $100 words)
Positive emotional payoffs that are well-earned
Passions that are strong without being mushy/fluffy
Moments of realization — satori
Friendships - although I am a romantic person, not every relationship must be romantic (I do like the trope of friends becoming lovers, however)
Wry and even dark humor in the course of a more serious story
And I like any of the following "cool bits":
- hurt-comfort
- being cozy indoors when it's rainy or snowing
- warm and oversized bathrobes/dressing gowns or sweaters/jerseys
- impulsive acts of valor (especially on behalf of the weak or an underdog)
- the little spots of light that sift through a thick canopy of trees onto the ground beneath
- water running over pebbles or stones
- old-fashioned sections of town with narrow streets and alleyways and odd shops
- family-of-choice, nakama, or True Companions
- cynics with secretly soft hearts
- impulsive acts of valor (especially on behalf of the weak or an underdog)
- In-jokes among family members or close friends
- shopping or planning scenes, where people are working together to pick things out
- food porn
- leaning comfortably against a friend or lover; feeling them chuckle or speak
- snark, whether on the part of the narrator or from a character (this should not be *mean*, just apt and funny)
- romantic partners who are both competent
- unexpected gifts that turn out to be Just Right
- a study or library as a refuge against the outside world
- places where arts or martial arts are studied or where master crafters are at work
- water sounds: rain, a brook, waves
- finding in a fight that one's ally feels like a protective wall
- the moon seen through wind-blown branches
- caper-type operations: crazy elaborate plans that work out well in the end, especially if parts of them are silly/funny

I'm quite content with both straight and gay relationships. I do tend to ship the canon relationships, unless it's a character who has had no clear relationships shown in the story. I'm not comfortable with sexual relationships shown in children under the age of, say, 14 or so, and even then it's better in context (teens with other teens or in a societal setting where girls expect to marry by 16-18 anyway).

Fandoms and Prompts

Chanur Series - C. J. Cherryh

This is my second-favorite Cherryh series (after Alliance-Union). I love Pyanfar especially, the practical merchant captain who ends up (to her horror) influencing the fate of the universe. I also love her second in command: Haral Araun is canny, wise, more than capable, but rough-hewn and will never achieve command. But that's fine with her: she knows what she's worth. It would be great to see events (canon or otherwise) from her viewpoint. Haral is far from simple in her understanding of what's going on.

Snake-Eater - T. Kingfisher

A bit of future fic for Selena and Copper and the good people of Quartz Creek, both human and otherwise. Give me the first signs of the end of winter and/or the first signs in the U.S. Southwest, plus something a little spooky and/or a little weird. A reappearance of Copper’s friend the Dog and other local spirits would be a plus.

Mossa & Pleiti Series - Malka Ann Older

A little friendship (or is it more than that?), a little mystery, a little world-building … perhaps one of their contacts in the mystery is holding onto some Jewish customs? Maybe one of the communities has a Purim festival going on? That’s up to you.

Witch King - Martha Wells

I love Wells’ rich worldbuilding and the constant mixture of sardonic humor and sweetness in the relationships of our core cast. "Found family" is one of my favorite tropes. Maybe something about Kaiisteron’s years when the young demon was Kai-Enna, of the Saredi, destined for a group marriage with her adoptive siblings and “lots of babies” for Enna’s clan (and looking forward to it, as far as I can tell). Or Zeide and Tahren’s courtship and marriage. Or Tenes and Sanja’s relationship, both of them being what TVTropes calls “morality pets” for the more powerful characters. It is canon that Tenes was helping care for young Sanja and teaching her Witchspeak.

Discworld

I don't like the Industrial Revolution books, or the Wizards books (although the vast majority of the characters in those don't qualify for other reasons, so). And I'm leery of all the later Pratchett books: I could tell something was off even before we found out about the cruel disease that eventually took him. So that leaves us: the Witches, the Watch, early Tiffany Aching, and Monstrous Regiment. Something light but sharp or poignant (which is related to "sharp," linguistically ... ). I'm very fond of Tiffany and of Sybil, surprisingly fond of Magrat, and I love Angua to pieces. Finally, most of the cast of Monstrous Regiment is pure love. Preferences: Polly and Maladict, Tonker and Lofty.

The Goblin Emperor Series - Katherine Addison

I really like Kiru Athmaza, and something about her past would be welcome; also her feelings about her current assignment and how she is learning to work with the other nohecharei. I'm also becoming very fond of Nebeno Pel-Thenhior, Iäna's mother and owner of the Torivontaram teahouse: something of the events of the novels from her viewpoint, or of her youth.

Nine Worlds Series - Victoria Goddard

I love all of Victoria Goddard's books, but this request is about the Greenwing & Dart subseries. Goddard has created such a rich multi-layered world (well, actually, nine of them!). I find it hard to believe that Alinor and its kingdoms and so on don't have some equally rich mythology about this time of the year. Give me an encounter or incident for Hope or Violet or Jullanar of the Sea | Mrs. Etaris in the last days of winter or the earliest days of spring. Perhaps the Lady of the Green and White makes an appearance?

The Saint of Steel - T. Kingfisher

Bishop Beartongue is an amazing character, and I would love to get inside her head. The women paladins, Wren and Judith, need more love in fanfic stories.

The People - Zenna Henderson

An old favorite of mine, loaded with great women and girls. I'd eat up "what ever happened to ..." about any of them, including those who are children during the series. Or even some new (original) characters: how are the People faring with keeping their differences secret in these days of international databases, the WWW, satellite surveillance, and so on?

The Circus Is Coming | Circus Shoes - Noel Streatfeild

Santa Possit and her brother undergo tremendous character growth in the course of the novel. I’d like to see her moved forward a bit in time. The book was written in 1938 and shows circus performers from Russia, Germany, and France all getting along beautifully. This means, sadly, that the Shoa and World War II were already looming. Perhaps some vignettes – nothing too dark, please – of Santa’s progress and some allusions to the background of the world at the time. We know, for example, that Mr. Cob shut the circus down during WWI. Or you could focus on any of the other girls: Fritzi and Fifi are both headed into trouble, in Germany and France, respectively.

Tuyo Series- Rachel Neumeier

I have two main ideas. One, Marag and tiny!Etta find the earliest signs of spring, as the Sun becomes more and more of a visitor, and have some sort of numinous experience. Two, Esau and Keraunani (children optional) are sent on a mission by Aras, and Things Happen, but it all ends well.

Chalion Saga

I'm fascinated with Desdemona, who is in many ways a multi-part all-female hivemind. What does life (such as it is) look like from her viewpoint now? What was it like when she first woke up in Penric's mind? Nikys is also great, and it must be tough for her to stay home with the kids while Pen goes off risking his life again. Finally, there's Ista: show me life on her mission with Illvin, either "slice of life" or a specific plotty incident: more demon-foiling and -devouring, corruption in the clergy of other gods, something poignant with some Roknari near the border where both sides learn something, etc.

Alliance-Union

Cyteen and Regenesis

Thanks to the presence of Ariane I in the first section of the novel, and then the presence of Reseune Administration (and the person behind it) later on, everyone mentioned here is Oppressed by an Evil Vizier

On the basis of his name, a number of us in the fandom have decided that Yanni Schwartz is Jewish at least by ancestry. Just now, I’m particularly interested in the revelations in Regenesis about Yanni’s azi aide/security guard Frank. Does having Frank pose ethical issues for Yanni? What are Yanni's thoughts on the issue? From what we see when the two are trapped in Novgorod, they. may well have talked the matter through.

I love Florian and Catlin II and their relationship with each other and their citizen. Florian is actually my favorite out of the three of them, for his emotional intelligence, but I also have a soft spot for Catlin, the good soldier, so often out of her depth with flux states. You could go slightly AU with a disaster scene that never happened during the canon time period while they're still kids, or carry things forward a little from Regenesis.

I love the way Grant and Justin are two halves of a whole. It would be easy to create a side scene in canon for them, or you could carry the storyline forward a bit, in their new home. The two of them are always a choice target for anyone hoping to get at Ari II.

Some edge/problem/challenge before the resolution to a happy or at least contented ending is welcome, and if you have your own ideas, please go for them, but keep it "light-ish."

The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells

How exactly do Iris and Peri grow up together? Is Perihelion a ship from the beginning, or does it start out as some sort of AI in a box?

It's supposed to be an easy mission, and Amena and Iris have some great plans for a media-consuming party. Peri/ART is in, but SecUnit is still making excuses. And then something complicated happens, because this is The Murderbot Diaries.

Imperial Radch

Thanks to the existence and power of Anaander Mianaai, Lord of the Radch, everyone mentioned here is Oppressed by an Evil Vizier.

Seivarden is such a mess, isn't she? I'd enjoy some further character development with her. I also enjoyed the Penis Festival, and I love the station AIs. It seems to me that the stations probably enjoy it when their residents have a festival and most of them are happy. Maybe some Jewish festival observations have survived, possibly in a strange form, to re-surface in this universe? Finally, perhaps everyone on the Mercy of Kalr (and the Mercy itself, another AI that I love) decides (on the pretext of some event, anniversary, or holiday) that they want to do something for their captain, and Kalr Five thinks up just the thing.