Introduction (01)
Power Chakram's Head (02-137)
Power Chakram's Stories
Acknowledgments
Articles
Biography

Introduction

^[01] Power is a cool writer who cannot write anything short. It has to be eighty chapters or better. This is also true when she writes you a letter!

Power Chakram's Head

Interviewer:
^[02] Why did you start writing?

Power Chakram:
^[03] A combination of two things: I'd watched WHEN IN ROME (62/316) and it had kick-started my imagination, then I was ill and laid up in bed for about two weeks. Boredom got to me and I took up writing as a remedy. I started Destiny's Dominion intending it to be a short story, but it turned into an eight hundred page monster.

Interviewer:
^[04] If you had to do it all over, would you be a bard? Would you write?

Power Chakram:
^[05] Yes. I think I've always wanted to write in some way. I just buried it pretty deep for a long time as I worked on earning a living. I enjoy writing when I have time to focus on the story.

Interviewer:
^[06] Give us a brief day in the life of Power.

Power Chakram:
^[07] Currently I have a really boring life. I get up. Check e-mails. Eat breakfast. Work until lunch. Grab some food. Work until supper. Eat some more. Then I work until between 9pm and 11pm, depending how much I have to get done. Consequently time for writing anything is pretty limited.

Interviewer:
^[08] How do you handle stress?

Power Chakram:
^[09] Badly. I tend to get angry and frustrated and do a lot of shouting.

Interviewer:
^[10] Years from now, how would you want to be remembered?

Power Chakram:
^[11] Years from now, I think it highly unlikely I would be remembered.

Interviewer:
^[12] What is your pet peeve?

Power Chakram:
^[13] Lack of punctuality. I really hate being late, or people being late for an appointment with me.

Interviewer:
^[14] Who is Power?

Power Chakram:
^[15] I'll let you know if I ever find out.

Interviewer:
^[16] Do fans expect to much from stars?

Power Chakram:
^[17] Some do.

Interviewer:
^[18] What is the most sensitive part on your body?

Power Chakram:
^[19] My ears.

Interviewer:
^[20] What do you see yourself doing in the future? Future projects?

Power Chakram:
^[21] I would love to become a published author someday. I have many ideas for book projects, including a fantasy story that I first planned out in my late teens. I'd love to finally write that, but it would be an epic undertaking.

Interviewer:
^[22] How do you handle depression?

Power Chakram:
^[23] Probably as poorly as most people handle it. I think that's the nature of depression. If you could handle the problem it's likely you wouldn't be depressed.

Interviewer:
^[24] What was the hardest thing you ever did?

Power Chakram:
^[25] Emigrating to Canada and leaving nearly all my family behind back in England.

Interviewer:
^[26] What advice can you give to future writers?

Power Chakram:
^[27] Keep writing, no matter what. You cannot expect to improve if you don't practice.

Interviewer:
^[28] What has the show Xena meant to you?

Power Chakram:
^[29] Well, for many years it was the only program I bothered to watch on TV. I guess that makes it kind of special.

Interviewer:
^[30] How do you feel about its end?

Power Chakram:
^[31] I hated it. I wasn't ready for it. I don't think I'd have been ready for it to end after season ten!

Interviewer:
^[32] What are your dreams? Hopes? Wishes?

Power Chakram:
^[33] To find time to have dreams, hopes and wishes.

Interviewer:
^[34] Who do you trust?

Power Chakram:
^[35] My family, for the most part, and my closest friends. Everyone else has a certain amount of trust invested in them, but I tend to be a very private person and I don't allow many people to get too close.

Interviewer:
^[36] What would you say every writer needs?

Power Chakram:
^[37] Tenacity, perseverance, and patience.

Interviewer:
^[38] Do you believe in prayer? Explain.

Power Chakram:
^[39] No. I do not believe in God or gods. But then again I don't disbelieve in them either. I'm one of those skeptics that need to be incontrovertibly convinced that such powers exist. I am a believer in the power of positive thought, however.

Interviewer:
^[40] How do you feel about subtext?

Power Chakram:
^[41] I think everyone is free to believe or not believe in subtext. Personally I see two women who care deeply and strongly for each other, but I've never seen the relationship as sexual... I believe it's far deeper than that. Having said that, however, I have no quarrel with those who see it otherwise, and I'm quite happy to read subtext stories as well as more general ones.

Interviewer:
^[42] What makes your best friend your best friend?

Power Chakram:
^[43] She's one of the few people who knows me, warts and all, and still loves me even when I don't love myself.

Interviewer:
^[44] What theme would you like to tackle in your next work?

Power Chakram:
^[45] When I get time to write, I'm working on an Uber based around the legends of Robin Hood. That said, I also have a sequel to Destiny's Dominion in the pipeline and I have this insisting little storyline for a Xena childhood story.

Interviewer:
^[46] What was the last thing that made you smile recently?

Power Chakram:
^[47] My puppy. Actually, she's a year old now. A Yorkshire Terrier who's just chock full of love and mischief.

Interviewer:
^[48] What made you angry?

Power Chakram:
^[49] My brother.

Interviewer:
^[50] You now have absolute authority over the world. Omnipotent in all areas. What's your first move?

Power Chakram:
^[51] To remove myself from office for lack of competence.

Interviewer:
^[52] How would you categorize your best writing, and give the URLs for them if posted?

Power Chakram:
^[53] I'm informed my best writing is in Crossed Bows which is the Uber I'm working on, but I'm not ready to post it yet.

Interviewer:
^[54] What, if anything, can stop you writing, if only for a while?

Power Chakram:
^[55] Real life, which has an annoying habit of getting thoroughly in my way.

Interviewer:
^[56] In your opinion, do you fit your astrological sign?

Power Chakram:
^[57] Oh yeah. I'm a Taurean through and through, right down to my stubborn bull headedness.

Interviewer:
^[58] What is the first thing you think of in the morning?

Power Chakram:
^[59] I don't really think much in the morning. It takes ages for me to wake up and I'm usually in a daze for some time.

Interviewer:
^[60] Is there one part of the writing process where you usually get stuck? What have you tried to change that, successful or not?

Power Chakram:
^[61] Yeah... getting the story written down. I haven't found anything that works really, except people nagging me for more of the story.

Interviewer:
^[62] Does the best writing flow for you, or does it come from rewrites?

Power Chakram:
^[63] I find it flows from me, often taking me in directions that haven't been planned.

Interviewer:
^[64] Which part of writing do you enjoy most and why?

Power Chakram:
^[65] I've never really made notes about a story. It kind of lives in my head until it's written down, so I guess the imagining of the plot and playing it out in my mind's eye is my favorite part.

Interviewer:
^[66] How often do you think about a piece when you're working on it and when do you think about it?

Power Chakram:
^[67] When I'm really in the grip of a story it tends to take over most of my waking thoughts. So it's kind of useful that I don't have to do a lot of hard thinking about my real life work.

Interviewer:
^[68] Do you feel in control of your writing, or do you get carried away by your inspiration or characters?

Power Chakram:
^[69] Overall control is inevitably mine, but when the characters take over, that's when I know the story is running well.

Interviewer:
^[70] Tell the truth--are you your favorite writer, or in your own top five? Why or why not?

Power Chakram:
^[71] No. I don't think I am. I enjoy the stories I write, I must do or I wouldn't write them. But I like reading other people more.

Interviewer:
^[72] Would the world be a better place if women ran it or would it be basically the same?

Power Chakram:
^[73] I don't know about better, but most likely it would be different. Women tend to approach things in different ways to men.

Interviewer:
^[74] What is your favorite spot where you live now?

Power Chakram:
^[75] A place called Piper's Lagoon. It's peaceful, beautiful and you can see plenty of wildlife like Seals, herons, bald eagles and deer down there.

Interviewer:
^[76] What books are you reading now? What about it/them is holding your attention?

Power Chakram:
^[77] I'm re-reading The Belgariad by David Eddings for the umpteenth time. I love the characters and the story.

Interviewer:
^[78] What would your friends say is your worst trait?

Power Chakram:
^[79] My temper, which is rather fiery.

Interviewer:
^[80] Do you type with your fingers on the "right" keys?

Power Chakram:
^[81] Nope. I'm a two-finger typist.

Interviewer:
^[82] What is the longest any plant in your home has been with you?

Power Chakram:
^[83] Four and a half years, which is as long as we've been in this house.

Interviewer:
^[84] Do you have any particular bedtime rituals (glass of warm milk, etc.) that you follow every night?

Power Chakram:
^[85] I usually play a game of solitaire on the computer.

Interviewer:
^[86] If you find a spider in the bathtub, do you help it out or squish it?

Power Chakram:
^[87] I normally capture it and remove it from the house.

Interviewer:
^[88] Have you ever smoked cigarettes--explain.

Power Chakram:
^[89] No, I've always thought it was a disgusting habit. I suppose that's because my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all smoked. I hated the smell of it from a very early age.

Interviewer:
^[90] Who is your favorite Greek God?

Power Chakram:
^[91] Athena.

Interviewer:
^[92] Do you keep a diary and if so what do you call it? If so, what effect has it had on your writing?

Power Chakram:
^[93] No. I've never had the patience to sit and write one other than a few casual attempts in my childhood.

Interviewer:
^[94] How has online writing affected your life and how you see yourself, your goals?

Power Chakram:
^[95] Well, it's brought me into contact with a lot of good people I now call friend, but it hasn't substantially changed any of my goals in life.

Interviewer:
^[96] What fan fic story touched you so much that you still remember it vividly?

Power Chakram:
^[97] Shards by Charmer. I think that story settled the aftermath of Ides of March far better than the series did.

Interviewer:
^[98] If you could only choose a single climate with no variation would you prefer it to be sweltering hot or freezing cold?

Power Chakram:
^[99] Cold. I hate hot weather.

Interviewer:
^[100] What is the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them?

Power Chakram:
^[101] Their eyes.

Interviewer:
^[102] Have you ever done something that accidentally caused something really bad to happen to someone?

Power Chakram:
^[103] Not that I know of.

Interviewer:
^[104] Would you rather live in a sociable suburb, or alone in the deep woods?

Power Chakram:
^[105] I tend to be rather solitary and unsociable so I'd go for the deep woods.

Interviewer:
^[106] What literary character did you most identify with as a child?

Power Chakram:
^[107] *smile* Either Robin Hood or King Arthur.

Interviewer:
^[108] What is the source of your inspiration?

Power Chakram:
^[109] My imagination, I guess. I've always played out ideas and themes in the private theatre of my imagination, so writing is a natural extension of it.

Interviewer:
^[110] Where do your ideas come from?

Power Chakram:
^[111] From almost anywhere, but usually history.

Interviewer:
^[112] What do you find most satisfying about your job?

Power Chakram:
^[113] It's creative. I make glass ornaments out of pressed flowers.

Interviewer:
^[114] What are the three things you enjoy most about writing?

Power Chakram:
^[115] Putting into solid form an idea that has played about in my imagination. Bringing enjoyment (hopefully) to readers. Seeing how a story will finally turn out as I don't stick to any solid plans.

Interviewer:
^[116] What were your favorite book, TV show, and movie when you were a teenager and what do you think of them now?

Power Chakram:
^[117] Ramage series by Dudley Pope. I still enjoy reading these books. I love historical novels. The New Avengers. I'm still partial to them even now. Zulu which remains a classic and a really great film to watch.

Interviewer:
^[118] How real is your fiction to you?

Power Chakram:
^[119] My fiction is just that -- fiction. But a fun place to hang out and enjoy myself.

Interviewer:
^[120] What Disney character do you most identify with and why?

Power Chakram:
^[121] Not sure I've ever really identified with a Disney character. My favorite one though is most likely Grumpy from Snow White... for obvious reasons I think.

Interviewer:
^[122] Who do you read for inspiration?

Power Chakram:
^[123] I'm not sure that I've ever read for inspiration, just enjoyment. Nowadays it tends to be, David Eddings, Robert Jordan Guy Gavriele Kaye and Raymond Feist.

Interviewer:
^[124] What's your favorite website?

Power Chakram:
^[125] The UFFD. http://www.xenafanfiction.com/whatsnew.htm

Interviewer:
^[126] When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?

Power Chakram:
^[127] I wanted to be a Show Jumper (LOL). Then a teacher, which I did for about ten years, but as a teenager I had this dream of being a writer.

Interviewer:
^[128] What are the limits in sacrifices for true love?

Power Chakram:
^[129] Ask me if I ever find true love. But from where I stand, nothing should be too great to 'give' to a true love.

Interviewer:
^[130] What have you learned from your animals?

Power Chakram:
^[131] That they are forgiving, loyal and always there for me.

Interviewer:
^[132] Does our society glorify violence to the point we have become desensitized to it and the consequences?

Power Chakram:
^[133] Our society is most likely one that least glorifies violence, at least historically. What we do though, is over-expose it making it common place so that maybe that's what causes the desensitization.

Interviewer:
^[134] What do you think we take too seriously as writers?

Power Chakram:
^[135] Ourselves.

Interviewer:
^[136] What questions should I have asked? Then answer them.

Power Chakram:
^[137] Do you think you have answered enough questions?
Yup! Sure do.

Thanks to the Bardic Circle for some of the question. http://www.geocities.com/thebardiccircle/

Power Chakram's Stories

Power's e-mail address is: deejay@bc.sympatico.ca

Power's site: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7405/Welcome.html

Power's Stories:
Destiny's Dominion
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7405/Destiny/Chapters.html
Captured by Caesar, Xena is forced to endure hardship and torture in the hands of her oldest enemy. The Roman has plans for the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle, none of them pleasant. Will they survive long enough to be rescued by their friends? Find out in this epic adventure!

Courting Xena - Bad Timing
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7405/Courting_Xena/Chronicles.html
The King of Thieves pursues the Warrior Princess of his dreams by proving his worth in this new set of chronicles under construction by Power Chakram.

What's in a Name
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7405/Lasca.html
A conversation between Xena and Gabrielle - A birthday present for a friend.

The Birds and the Bees
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7405/Lasca2.html
Xena learns about the facts of life, Gabrielle style, as she and the bard hunt for a missing Amazon and a kitchen boy. Written as a birthday present for a friend.

Acknowledgments

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)

The "Inside the Head of..." series in Whoosh issues #58, 61-66,68-76

Biography

Amy Murphy
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 has read it! Murphy has also tried her hand at writing fan fiction, 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: "I Have Many Skills" Various episodes
First episode seen: TITANS (07/107)
Least favorite episode: LYRE, LYRE HEARTS ON FIRE (100/510)