Board Name: Akilana Stormwatcher, SW

Age: (range) 30-35

Location: Virginia

Time Zone: Eastern

What's your Occupation? Grocery retail, pharmacy department.

Brief bio: Born in Milford, Delaware, lived in Virginia since the ageof 3 days. Graduated in 1989, married in 1995. No kids, 2 cats.

When did you start reading the Hardy Boys? Around the age of 10 or 11.

Who started you reading the Hardy Boys? I'm vague on this. I think I just picked one up in my Elementary School library one day and started reading. If I remember right, it was the Mystery of the Desert Giant.

When did you start writing Fan fiction? About 1988. After my favorite cartoon show went off the air, I started making up my own episodes and writing them down. After I got that out of my system, I veered over to the Hardy Boys- or rather, back to them, because I had often daydreamed about adventures for the guys.

Who is your favorite character? I don't have a favorite, I like 'em equally.

What attracts you to the Hardy Boys? Action, adventure, character interaction, all-around 'friendly' feel to the books. A nice quick, fun read. The only downside is that I'm a speedreader and if I skim a Hardy Boys book, I can end up seriously lost. Like when I accidentally skipped the bit that read, "After a good night's sleep, the boys proceeded to the airport and took the flight to Mexico."

What is your favorite Hardy Boys Series? I don't exactly like 'a series'; I like portions or individual books of each series. For example, the Wanderer Digests are my favorites of the paperbacks. On the whole, I prefer the blue hardbacks, up until about #50. The Casefiles have their good points, but I find them lacking characterization many times. The Digests started very well, but I feel they've needed a major overhaul for at least the last 50 books. (#183)

What is your favorite Hardy Boys Book? Hmm. In hardback, While the Clock Ticked. Digest, Sky Sabotage. Casefile, Brother Against Brother.

What is your favorite Hardy Boys moment? Oh, too many to list. :)

What is your favorite Hardy Boys moment in your own stories? In 'Joe's Medal' Joe points out a footprint to Frank and Frank says, "Let's follow it!" Aside from that—Fenton joining in the boys' spy-hunt in the same story. I wasn't quite expecting that, it added itself without consulting me.

Who is your favorite original character in your own stories? Jesse Martinez, for the 'good' guys. My favorite bad guy is Ted Madison; he's not the average nit-brained jerk. He's a very intelligent and charismatic jerk.

How would you describe your fan fic? Well, anything that runs the gamut from G to R-rated had better be described as eclectic...

Which of the Hardy Boys books are you familiar with and/or own. I'm familiar with all the versions, from the Vintage to the Be A Detective and Clues Brothers. I don't have any of the collections quite complete, but I have about 5 full shelves- that is one entire bookcase!-of Hardy Boys.

What I'd like to add: The thing I love most to do in writing fanfic, aside from character interaction, is to run back through my previous plotlines and make something small suddenly turn out to have large significance. I also like to set up surprises- here's what the reader thinks is going to happen, but there is what really happens. : D

Are your stories open to critiques? Yes, certainly, critique away.')