LEXICON COMMENT:
This author interview was added April 19 2000.

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What is your name or nick?

Robert Powers (of the Ever-Changing .sig)

What is your E-mail address/addresses?

repowers@netaxs.com

repowers@mailexcite.com

How old are you?

Born 1973

Are you female or male?

Male

What is the name of your home page name and what is its URL?

Rob's Pile of Transformers

http://members.tripod.com/repowers/

List the Transformers fanfics have you written. Where can they be found?

Everything I've written and finished can be found at:

http://members.tripod.com/repowers/fanfic/index.html

and includes...

The Corrosion of War Without End

A Flaw in the Jewel

Blue Thoughts

Time Alone

No Getting Away

The Razor's Edge

A Night Under the Stars

Peaceful Warfare

The Lurkers

Night Work

Shadow of Obligation

Which, of the Transformers fanfics you've written, is your favorite and why?

Still "Corrosion" after all this time. It's big and sprawling, and I feel that after a couple of re-writes, the various plot lines fall together very neatly. I still get comments on it occasionally, too.

Which is your favorite Transformers fanfic written by someone else and why?

I could cite any number of Rob Jung's works, all of which made me feel as though I was actually watching an animated episode of the cartoon. I aspire to write with that degree of clarity and intensity... even if I fall far short.

What influences you to write Transformers fanfic the way you do?

Depends on the story. "Corrosion" came about because I've always thought Transformers should have a big, sweeping, epic scope to it, and only a few fleeting parts of the canon really got that down. Most of my shorter stories, though, are built around a single idea that stuck in my head and demanded to be written about. The various scenes in the story come about in order to drive the plot forwards to its conclusion. If I'm lucky, my mind will come up with ways to embellish the scenes so they're strong enough to stand on their own.

How much time do you usually spend writing Transformers fanfic?

If I'm working on hot idea (a story I think I can finish quickly) I'll work on it for several hours a night as inspiration hits me.

What drew you to Transformers in particular?

The fact that transforming robots were cool. What kept me in it was that epic adventure feel I mentioned above. What maintains that today is an interest in the many, many characters that inhabit this incredible universe.

Who is your favorite Generation 1 or Generation 2 Transformers character (fan-created or official) and why?

Probably Nightbeat, because he's got such a big attitude and a lot of brains and a propensity for getting himself into lots of trouble.

Who is your favorite Beast Wars character (fan-created or official) and why?

Dinobot. I wrote a huge essay on why, which is (or will be) available at my web site, but suffice to say he's tremendously complex, and among the most empathic characters ever seen in the Transformers mythos.

What do you like about the Beast Wars canon the most?

Continuity and on-going stories.

What parts of your Transformers fanfics are based on events in real life?

Not much. Transformers is escapist fantasy for me. However, I did base a scene in "Corrosion" off my dissatisfaction with my work-study job in college. "The Lurkers" was inspired by the big flame wars that went on in fall of 1998 as well. And some scenes in unfinished work are based on a nasty relationship break-up from a few years back.

What would you like to change about the Transformers fanfics you've written?

I feel my style of writing tends to get repetitive after a while, and I often wish I could spice it up more.

What do you consider to be a trite or overused theme in fanfics and why?

Oh man, that's the 10-million-dollar question! See my now-infamous list of fanfic cliches for the answer to that:

http://members.tripod.com/repowers/manic/writing2.html

How much time do you spend online? What percentage of that time is devoted to Transformers?

More time than I care to admit, on both counts. Between newsgroups and IRC, I can spend several hours an evening on the 'net. I justify it (partially) by figuring that it's a relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

Which Transformers newsgroups do you use? Select any that apply.

alt.toys.transformers

alt.toys.transformers.fanfic

alt.toys.transformers.classic.moderated

rec.toys.transformers.moderated

The End