Wuthering Rewrites – The Fantasy Faire Workshop Chatlog

Ceejay Writer: Welcome everyone to “Wuthering Rewrites”! Today we’re going to look into what it takes to write an awesome mashup book. While we chat, I’ll be displaying some famous mashup book covers on the slide projecter. They’re not in any particular order, so don’t try to sync them up with the conversation. 😊 Hope they inspire you!
Ceejay Writer: Also, my screen is s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g book covers, nothing I could do about that in time. They’re still fun.
Ceejay Writer: Hopefully it won’t – but I shall forge ahead.
Ceejay Writer: Feel free to chime in at any point if you have something to add, or have a question, or know something that I don’t. This is a workshop, not a lecture.

Ceejay Writer: WHY WRITE A MASHUP?
Ceejay Writer: It’s a good way to build new skills. It will broaden your point of view. Superfans can show off what they know about a famous author or genre in a socially acceptable way. It’s a path into learning about a genre you’d like to take a deep dive into. And because it’s *fun*.

Ceejay Writer: HOW DO I CHOOSE WHAT TO MASH UP?
Ceejay Writer: Here’s a series of questions you can ask yourself. If you’re honest with your answers, your perfect mashup should reveal itself.
Ceejay Writer: What are two genres you love but rarely see combined? Westerns and Psychological Thrillers? Soap Operas and World War II Combat adventures?
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: love it
Ceejay Writer: Do you prefer lighthearted comedies, or darker, serious stories?
Owlie Fairelander: oh my gnomes! never heard of undead oz!
Saffia Widdershins: I am thinking Regency Romance and Werewolf
Ceejay Writer: Are you drawn to character-driven or do you prefer plot-driven stories?
Ceejay Writer: Saffia, you need to read Gail Carriger’s novels for some inspiration there.
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: zombie and ladies in crinoline, all the way
Ceejay Writer: What classic novel do you think would be improved by adding a supernatural, horror, fantasy, or sci-fi twist?
Ceejay Writer: Or conversely, why not ponder taking one of those genres and turning it into a sitcom?
Ceejay Writer: If you could drop a modern-day hero or villain into a classic book, who would it be? For example, what if Jason Bourne found himself in Dracula’s London?
Saffia Widdershins: Genevieve Cogman’s current series is a mashup between the Scarlet Pimpernel and Vampires
Ceejay Writer: Now reverse the situation. Which classic literary character would be hilarious, or terrifying in a modern-day setting?
Saffia Widdershins: most aristos are vampires
Ceejay Writer: That sounds fun. Vampires make nearly anything better.
Ceejay Writer: What would you love to rewrite with an unexpected twist? What if Sherlock Holmes was on the case of exposing Bigfoot? Or the Loch Ness Monster?
Ceejay Writer: What’s your favorite guilty pleasure movie? Could you blend it with a serious book? What if The Fast and the Furious took place in the 1940s… with cars of that era?
Ceejay Writer: Which two fictional universes would be amazing together? Now that I mention it, I haven’t seen anyone mash Bridgerton with Blade Runner. Hmm. I wonder if Lady Whistledown could be a replicant.
Ceejay Writer: What kind of stories do you *wish* existed but you haven’t found yet?
Ceejay Writer: Now, all these questions are meant to get your brain working. Really, nothing is TOO outrageous in this genre, so have fun entertaining wild notions.

Ceejay Writer: OKAY, LET’S SAY YOU HAVE A GREAT MASHUP IN MIND. NOW WHAT?
Ceejay Writer: First: Know your enemy, er, I mean family. Most likely, you will *not* be the first person to write a particular mashup. No matter what topic you choose to mash, someone’s probably done it already. Don’t let this discourage you! Look up those other books online and scrutinize their reviews. Ponder their promotional blurbs. Study their covers. If you can, read their books. Learn from their mistakes.
Ceejay Writer: This will be time well spent. You will be joining this genre’s family and trying to attract its readers, after all. Know what you’re up against. Strive to make something different – and it’s not egotistical to want to make something better. Okay, maybe it is egotistical but we are writers. We’re allowed.
Wildstar Beaumont: laughs at the poster as he was thinking exactly THAT!
Ceejay Writer: 😀
Ceejay Writer: The Mightiest Masher of them all is Seth Grahame-Smith. His 2009 book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for eight months. He set a Guiness World Record for “Highest New York Times best-seller placing by a “mash-up” novel”. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/113013-highest-new-york-times-best-seller-placing-by-a-mash-up-novel
Vernden Jervil: woo hoo
Ceejay Writer: We can aim high!
Ceejay Writer: Other mighty mashers include Ben H. Winters, Sherri Browning Erwin and Steve Hockensmith. Learn all you can about them and their books, as well as authors who have played around with your chosen genre.
Ceejay Writer: Goodreads has a list of 212 popular mashup books. Scour the list and get to stalking your competition! https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/mashup
Vernden Jervil: So you are recommending a monster mash?
Wildstar Beaumont: oh my ! GK + zombies !
Ceejay Writer: How about a monster M*A*S*H, Vernden? Frankenstein’s monster working in a field hospital, perhaps?
Ceejay Writer: Once you’ve settled on a genre and its twist, you can start fine-tuning your research. Let’s say you chose the Star Wars universe, and want to write it in the style of William Shakespeare. Surely, that’s never been done before! Yes it has, and don’t call me Shirley.
Ceejay Writer: Ian Doesche has mashed the iconic films with William Shakespeare’s flowery style in his nine-book series. Behold, his blurbs for the first and the last book in the series. Read and learn from them:
Ceejay Writer: (Incoming full blurbs! Brace yourself)

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope
MAY THE VERSE BE WITH YOU!
Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ‘Tis a tale told by fretful Droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearsome Stormtroopers, signifying… pretty much everything.
Reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter, William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will astound and edify Rebels and Imperials alike. Zounds! This is the book you’re looking for.

ღ Harri ڰۣღ: wonderful!

William Shakespeare’s The Merry Rise of Skywalker: Star Wars Part the Ninth
As our story opens, a sea of troubles threatens the valiant Resistance, who are pursued by the sound and fury of the vile First Order. Can Rey, Poe, Finn, Rose, BB-8, Chewbacca, and their allies overcome such toil and trouble? Shall Kylo Ren be proven fortune’s fool or master of his fate? What will become of the House of Skywalker? And is all well that ends well?
Authentic meter, stage directions, reimagined movie scenes and dialogue, and hidden Easter eggs will entertain and impress fans of Star Wars® and Shakespeare alike. Every scene and character from the film appears in the book, along with twenty woodcut-style illustrations that depict an Elizabethan version of the Star Wars galaxy.

Suja Fairelander: =D
Ceejay Writer: Those are the only two blurbs I’ll be sharing here, but I wanted to give you something awesome to strive for. You should go read lots of blurbies on your own time, too.
Ceejay Writer: Speaking of Blurbies. On to our next topic!
Owlie Fairelander: Ha the other group gave a great mashup—giants and victorians.
Ceejay Writer: Nifty! Write it!
Lizzie Gudkov: hehe *nods*

Ceejay Writer: TITLE AND BLURBIE
Ceejay Writer: You’ll need to craft a book title, a back-cover blurb, and a short (one sentence, two at the max) elevator speech. And you’ll need a book cover. That’s an entire topic in itself, and I may cover that at next years Workshop.
Vernden Jervil: If you are willing to lock people in the elevator, the speech can be much longer.
Ceejay Writer: Sage advice from a published author there, folks. Listen to Vernden!
Elayne Diavolo: its so pretty!!!
Ceejay Writer: This is no time to be subtle or understate your premise! Go BIG, go crazy, let your wild out. You’ve written a mashup – it’s outrageous by nature! Give your book a title that will help it elbow its way through a crowded genre and grab your reader’s attention. Write a blurbie that will make a reader hand their phone to a friend and say “you have got to read this book promo!”
Owlie Fairelander: I’m enjoying our current mash-up right now.
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: publishers are definitely on the look out for high concept ideas like these
Cᴇʀɪ Qᴜɪxᴏᴛᴇ: Depends on the ocean
Ceejay Writer: Oh yes, Harriet. Mashups, romance, and cozy murder mysteries. They love them.
Elayne Diavolo: i am so glad i did not do victorian, i think i may have died with all that clothing
Elayne Diavolo: i need to have barefeet during the warm weather
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: they like stories that have been told before but with a twist
Ceejay Writer: “Death By Clothing” by Elayne Diavolo.
Cᴇʀɪ Qᴜɪxᴏᴛᴇ: walking from Australia is a bit much – but there’s always swimming =)
Elayne Diavolo: lol right Ceejay! those dresses were wicked, i mean gorg but totally wicked in design

Ceejay Writer: LEGAL CONCERNS
Ceejay Writer: Now we will *quickly* mention the boring adulting stuff. Legal Concerns.
Cᴇʀɪ Qᴜɪxᴏᴛᴇ: sure Madonna, the Victorian age is famous for its use of latex =)
Magda Kameneva: perks up.
Ceejay Writer: You’ll need to understand how to use works that are in the Public Domain, and the legalities of “Fair Use”. I’m not a lawyer, but luckily one of my besties is, so when I have questions I lean on her.
Ceejay Writer: But even if you don’t have a lawyer-bestie, you have the Internet. You should be able to search out your chosen topic and find the answers you need to be sure you’re not going to Writer’s Prison (all the pens there are devoid of ink and the pencils are broken. There’s no coffee).
Vernden Jervil: I thought that was hell
Owlie Fairelander: No coffee!
Owlie Fairelander: That’s the cruelest of punishments that is!
Ceejay Writer: Hell also has no coffee, according to “Death and the Taxman” – a book I highly recommend.
Ceejay Writer: But you have to at least know what to ask ABOUT so I’ve put together a notecard called “Legal Basics for Literary Mashups” and it’s in the toolbox I’ve made for you. It lists the main issues you’ll need to address. There’s also a landmark SLurl to my place, The Inkwell. Near the back of my shop, there’s two toolkits I prepared for workshops at previous Fantasy Faires. You’re welcome to take those, too.
Owlie Fairelander: Wot kind of evil is that!
Magda Kameneva: Writer’s prison is time spent fretting over going to court and paying fees and dealing with C&Ds instead of … you know, writing.
Ceejay Writer: While you’re at The Inkwell, look around. Many New Babbagers have published books and my shop features them! Click any framed book cover for a link to book details. My books are there too (my author name is Lori Alden Holuta). Next to the shop is Inky’s Place, my octopus-themed club and Mad Pea game room. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/161/75/106
Ceejay Writer: I’ll post our workshop chatlog at my website, “A License To Quill” soon, in case you want to re-read or share it. https://ceejaywriter.com
Ceejay Writer: My Ceejaytopia group is where I send out notices for literary events I host or am interested in. I’m not spammy, you’ll maybe get one notice a week. Just click my portrait propped up on Hugh’s book to join.
Ceejay Writer: Thank you for being here today! I hope you’ve found some inspiration, and maybe you are already churning an idea around in your brain. Perhaps at Fantasy Faire 2026 you’ll be able to share some good news with us about *your* book!
Lizzie Gudkov: applauds! *Great ideas, Ceejay. Thank you.
Ceejay Writer: Just in time for the big finish! If there’s any questions or you want to tell us about a good mashup book, or whatever, the rest of our time is for you!
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: thank you, ceejay, really enjoyed this
Schaduw Farspire: thank you, great job
Ceejay Writer: Thank YOU! I hope you’re feeling inspired to try your hand at writing!
Owlie Fairelander: This was great, Ceejay, thanks!
aquarius denimore: cant wait to dive in
Saffia Widdershins: Thank you, Ceejay!
Ceejay Writer: If you’re in my group, I’ll toss out a note when everything’s posted at the website.
aquarius denimore: thanks for the workshop
Ceejay Writer: You are a fun bunch!
Saffia Widdershins: Have you every tried your hand at a mash-up?
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: YAY!
Saffia Widdershins: and if you did, what genres would you choose?
Ceejay Writer: I’ve tried, but spluttered to a stop about 500 words in. I really need to try again.
Ceejay Writer: I was trying for two spaceships meetingup in deep space. The Red Dwarf, and Babylon 5.
Owlie Fairelander: Oh that would be fun.
Magda Kameneva: Oh good heavens.
Ceejay Writer: Turned out I couldn’t get my head wrapped around it but that was some years ago.
Owlie Fairelander: Red Dwarf is such a fun show.
Ceejay Writer: I’ve still got the document.
Saffia Widdershins: The Cat would have been so cool. They might hacve spaced Rimmer
Ceejay Writer: The Cat vs. Ivanova.
Ceejay Writer: Rimmer would be Beyond The Rim.
Magda Kameneva: Cat Vs. The Shadows on Z’Ha’Dum.
Ceejay Writer: ooooh.
Saffia Widdershins: LOL
aquarius denimore: goodnight everyone
Ceejay Writer: If you manage to write a mashup – even a short story version, I would LOVE to hear about it. Bother me anytime with such stuff.
Symeon Siamendes: nini Aquarius
Vernden Jervil: That reminds me of an old gag I saw about Chekhov meeting Bester.
Ceejay Writer: O.o Do tell.
Vernden Jervil: I forget the details
Ceejay Writer: Pffft. Find them and tell me later!
Ceejay Writer: Oh! And I will be back here at 7am slt on Saturday for our bi-weekly “Tall Tales Writer’s Critique Group”. If you have something you’re writing and want to bounce a bit of it off us, come on by.
Saffia Widdershins: I remember when I was up at Edinburgh Festival. There was a play at the fringe called “Ludwig and Bertie”. It was set in Cambridge. Bertie Wooster was planning to interview his new gentleman’s gentleman – i.e. Jeeves
ღ Harri ڰۣღ: thanks, ceejay
Ceejay Writer: Oh, cute, Saffia!
Saffia Widdershins: And the great philosopher, Betrand Russell was waiting to meet a promising new student – Ludwig Wittgenstein
Saffia Widdershins: only there was a terrible mix up.
Magda Kameneva: Ow.
Magda Kameneva: Ow ow.
Ceejay Writer: Terrible mixups are wonderful.
Saffia Widdershins: Jeeves coped superbly as Betrand Russell’s promising student
Saffia Widdershins: while Wittengenstein was pretty hopeless as a gentleman’s gentleman
Ceejay Writer: This really sounds fun, Saffia.
Saffia Widdershins: Please don’t forget to toss money in the kiosk
Ceejay Writer: Yes please! What Saffia said.
Saffia Widdershins: And I too must run away. Ceejay – thank you SO MUCH for doing this.
Ceejay Writer: Of course! Let’s do it again next year!
Ceejay Writer: Take care, boss!
Magda Kameneva: Thank you, Ceejay.
Saffia Widdershins: And I’ll hold you to the picture one for next year!
Ceejay Writer: So happy you came, Magda.
Magda Kameneva: Glad I could make it.
Saffia Widdershins: Is it ever right to use AI for a cover?
Ceejay Writer: You got it! Book Cover Workshop in 2026!
Saffia Widdershins: 🙂
Ceejay Writer: Oh, don’t get me started, Saffers.
Saffia Widdershins: LOL
Saffia Widdershins: see you soon
Magda Kameneva: Did you hear that Seattle WorldCon used ChatGPT to vet panelists?
Saffia Widdershins: Technical rehearsal about to start in the theatre below us!
Magda Kameneva: People are preparing to wage war. WAR.
Saffia Widdershins: Bloody hell
Ceejay Writer: MAGDA – NO!
Ceejay Writer: Seattle… BE BETTER.
Ceejay Writer: My hometown. GRRRRRR
Magda Kameneva: Sorry.
Ceejay Writer: No, I needed to know that!
Ceejay Writer: Okay, I shall tidy up my space… last chance to grab a toolbox!
Ceejay Writer: Thank you all for being here! I’m going to toodle off myself now. ENJOY THE FAIRE!