Interview with applezombi · 8:50pm Jan 25th, 2021
Interview Rp Style
Nailah as Snow Heart
applezombi as apple
Snow Heart
Snow Heart glared at her younger sister as she threw yet another snowball at her, while she was trying to shovel the snow around the entrance to her castle
"Do you mind? I'm trying to work here." Snow Heart grumbled, but honestly, she couldn't help giggling. It was so good to have her sister back. She could handle a little chill.
"Oh you work too much. Take a break, you silly mare. I mean it's almost Hearthwarming!" Frost declared throwing another snowball. "Or maybe run off to another dimension again. You seem to like disappearing. I bet you're planning something behind my back again!" Frost retorted with a smug grin. Finding it cute how flustered she could make her sister. It was TOO easy.
sighs
"The point is your gift is a surprise, and yes, I'm going to go and get it from some other dimension. Don't worry, I'll be back." and with that, Snow Heart opened the rift between her world, and well the real world. She had a a date with an apple. Was that weird? Probably. But she was getting free cofeee. How could she complain?
apple
The coffee shop was perfectly cliched; mismatched tables and chairs filled a room with walls full of local artist's paintings for sale. The walls were brick, and the ceiling had an unfinished, industrial sort of feel. It looked like every single local coffee shop in the world. A male human sat at a table with two coffee cups and a large carafe, fragrant steam wafting from the mouth.
Snow Heart
Snow Heart fought against her nervousness out of her system. The human or well the apple. Yes she was going to call them that. He was well a big deal. She shook with each step. No pink hoodie today. No more hiding. Let them all see who you are. Her wings spread out to each side of her. Horn glowing with violet magic. She approached the table, with a soft kind smile
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long, apple. I also hope the coffee isn't cold." Snow Heart stated, getting into the other seat, and settling in. Was this awkward? Maybe a little. But hey, free coffee.
apple
"Didn't wait long, just catching up on some reading." He put his phone in his pocket. "And yes, coffee's hot. Sorry, didn't know what you took in it." His mouth curled in a smirk. "Pastel pony critters probably take loads of sugar, right?" He sipped at his own black coffee.
Snow Heart
Snow Heart chuckled at that. "Reading something good I hope?" She then took a sip of the coffee, lapping up the waffling scent of vanilla.
"mhmmphm. Perfect. But I didn't come here to talk about coffee. I came to talk to you. Though it's probably silly for me to ask you how you came up with that name of yours. I mean apple? It's like your TEMPTING me to nibble my fangs into you. And like consent is important." Snow teased, giggling, seeming to beam.
apple
He laughed. "The name actually has nothing to do with the fruit. See, there was this story I really liked years ago, an anime called Macross Plus. The villain was a super-powered computer AI trying to take over the world and turn all humans into her brainwashed slaves. Her name was Sharon Apple. When I was a dumb little teenager, I thought she was pretty cool for a cartoon, so I named myself after one of her zombies. And over the years it's just stuck."
Snow Heart
"Hmm I see. How interesting." Snow sipped at her coffee. "Like anime isn't silly at all. I used to be hooked on Inuyasha, to the point my dad, Train Tracks had to yell at me to sleep. Little did I know back then, I'd be a bat someday. There...are days, I miss it. Being normal. When you're a Princess. Ponies...they look at you differently." Snow Heart admitted, sighing as she looked into her coffee at her own reflection, was she doing enough? Did she deserve these wings? When did she become a bat? Too many questions. Focus.
"Ahem, tell me applezombi, how did you get into mlp?"
apple
"Wow, that goes back a ways." He runs a hand through his hair. "Um, it was probably eight or nine years ago. I'd heard about MLP from a friend, a member of my D&D group who told me I should check it out." He laughs, shaking his head. "I told him he was full of it. Cartoon ponies? Yeah right. That was for weirdos. Then one day my parents were visiting, to spend some time with my kids. My daughter was probably two at the time, and she was in a real mood. Totally pissed off about something, I can't even remember what."
He sips at his coffee and thinks for a bit. "So my dad, who wasn't even a fan of the show or anything, pulls out his tablet and pulls up an episode of ponies off the internet, on Youtube or something, sits my daughter in his lap, and watches it with her. She was pretty much entranced, but she wasn't the only one."
"My wife and I binged the entire series that day. All of it. Back then, there was only one and a half seasons out, so it was the sort of thing you could actually do in a single day." He laughs. "I called my friend that night. Admitted I'd gotten sucked in, finally. I've been watching ever since, though only recently decided to involve myself in the creative side of the fandom."
Snow Heart
"Hmm...Fasnicating. And hey. It's good to know I'm not the only one that thought ponies were weird at first. I suppose sometimes all you have to do is give things a chance. I mean every show should have a chance, even if it seems toadally silly and over the top. Try. Just try." Snow Heart spoke, before looking back up, leaning back in her chair, letting her wings flex, and moving them a bit.*
"I never wanted to be a Princess. Crazy right? Seems to be every mare's dream. But not me. I just want to fit in. Be one of you." Snow Heart spoke honestly, but hey, she was getting used to the attention. Sorta. Somedays it was still hard, sometimes it was overwhelming, but she was still here. That's what mattered.
"What inspires you to write?" asked Snow Heart, her bat ears flickering with interest, and intrigue.
apple
"What inspires me?" He pauses a while, eyes distant. "I suppose, a lot of different things. It really depends on the project I'm working on at the time. Recently, though, I've had one large project dominating everything I write. It's called Rekindled Embers, and it was inspired not only by my own personal experiences losing my religious faith, but thousands of others like me whose stories I've read and heard." He fidgets a little awkwardly in his chair.
"Look, I know the topic is a little difficult for some people, so I'm happy leaving it at that. But with everything I write, I try to have it relate back to some personal experience I've had. And since this particular experience, this particular..." he hesitates, almost uncomfortable to use the word, "... trauma, I guess you could say, has dominated my life for the past few years, it makes sense it would dominate my writing. To be honest, writing this story has been one of the best things that has ever happened in my life."
"Other stories are inspired by other personal experiences, though the crossover is rarely direct. I don't like to write my exact experiences, but allow my stories to be informed by them. Unscheduled Cargo, for example, is inspired by watching others experience life-changing traumatic events and the way I'd like to reach out and help them through it, even if I don't always know the exact words to say. Cat's Eye View was inspired by some of my own insecurities, and how I'm always worried that I'm an arrogant, self-righteous, and self-important blowhard."
He laughs. "I know it sounds like I'm being a little hard on myself, but I really do enjoy turning my own idiosyncratic insecurities into creative fuel. It works out well for me, and it ends up being a lot of fun."
Snow Heart
Snow Heart listened, and nodded along, letting apple speak. After all it was rude to interrupt them. She wanted to reach out. To tell them it was okay to tell about the bad word, but that wasn't her place. After all, she didn't really know how hard it had been for him. However, she sympathized with his story, a slight smile.
"It's okay. It's okay to be hard on yourself. That's not a bad thing. I'm hard on myself all the time. I mean I'm a Princess, ponies expect me to act like one, and often I feel I don't do as much as I should. I know...crazy. But it's how I feel. I want to give back to this community, to the place that saved me from a far far worse fate." Snow Heart coughed.
"Sorry. Anywho~ What advice might you give a new writer? One just starting out for the first time?"
apple
"New writer advice, huh?" He laughed. "Isn't that a bit like having the blind lead the blind? Seriously, though, my advice is threefold. One, read. Read everything. Read outside the genre you're writing. If you're writing fantasy pony stories, read mystery or non-fiction. If you're writing horror, read romance pulp. The more you read, and the more you read from outside your comfort zone, the more benefit you'll get."
"Second, keep writing, no matter how bad you may think your stuff may be. Writing is like a muscle, you need to exercise it."
"And last of all? They say write what you know, but that's kinda dumb, isn't it?" He shrugged. "I'd never understood it. But when people say that, they don't really mean only write things you have specifically experienced. I think it means to find an element of emotional honesty from your own life in the lives of your characters. Just because you've never experienced the exact same pain as your characters, doesn't mean you can't write it. Think back on your own pain, even if it's different. And that goes the same for happiness, sorrow, anger, determination, everything."
Snow Heart
"Hmm....That is very solid advice. And for a "beginner" you've made quite the name for yourself already. I've been writing ever since I could grip an ink quill with my hooves. Was weird at first, using my wings to write, but it's helped me get even faster. But it's not about the speed, or the length. It's kind of corny. But my own advice would be to simply try. Writing is hard. but don't let that white page intimate you." Snow Heart said, growling at her own spelling.
apple
He nods. "Yeah, intimidation is a real thing. Writing seems like such an impossible mountain to climb, sometimes. For me, setting realistic, attainable goals was really helpful. Also letting go of unrealistic expectations. There was a time when I thought I wanted to make a career out of writing. That placed a burden on my ability to enjoy the process. When I let that expectation go, I was able to simply write for the pure joy of it."
Snow Heart
"Mountains? I like mountains. I've climbed a lot of them." Snow Heart's chest puffed out in pride, the light of the sun simply to practically glow on her, to the point it was almost blinding her bat eyes. She also understood that too. She remembered wanting to be famous, wanting people to know her name. Wanting to be respected. No...to be loved. To feel valued. But when she just wrote, it bought her such joy
"Yeah...that is true. Now, this next question. It's a very hard question to answer. Who is BEST pony?" Snow asked, and interjected into her question. "And no, it's not me."
apple
"You climb mountains?" He eyes her wings with obvious amusement. "Sure. Climb."
"As for best pony?" He raised an eyebrow. "That's a trap, right? I'm supposed to say 'Snow Heart', aren't I?" he laughs. "It's a little complicated. To be honest, it changes for me. Sometimes it's Rarity, sometimes Sunset Shimmer. Sometimes the Princess of Libraries herself."
Snow Heart
"Yes, I do. I actually love climbing. HEY! I didn't always have bat wings you know. I used to be just a unicorn. No pony cared about me then. But then wings and suddenly everypony wants your name!" Snow Heart pouted, giving apple the stare.
"No? Hmm, a mix of three eh? Couldn't choose? I love Rainbow Dash. I wouldn't be here, if not for her. So selfish reasons, she's the best pony."
Snow Heart finished her coffee, letting the mood calm before her. If this question was hard, how hard would the next one be?
"Tell me...what would you like to say about the writer behind the apple?"
apple
"That is a hard question." He takes a long sip from his mug to pause for thought. "I'm sometimes really insecure when dealing with people over computers, online." He smiles at Snow. "Talking like this, face to face? Easy. Talking with people over the computer? I get super insecure." He rolls his eyes. "It's like typed words on a screen lose body language. Expressions. Eye contact. And so i get nervous. I type out a sentence, then delete it. Rewrite it, then delete it again. Over and over. It's the same with comments on other people's stories. Sometimes I don't say anything because I don't know what to say and then I get caught up in my own head."
He laughs. "Absolutely ridiculous, I know. It's silly just to even be saying it out loud. But there it is. I guess..." he sighs. "I guess I want people to know that so they don't think I'm ignoring them, or standoffish, or something like that if I don't respond to comments or whatever online."
Snow Heart
"It is. A lot of ponies don't know how to answer it. Um...correction. Every creature. Not just ponies after all." Snow Heart replied, shaking her head, more at herself then apple. "I get it, I really do. Because I'm the same way. Do you like country music? I used to love it, and Brad Paisley's "Online" is so true, and everything is just easier over a computer. But...I want more."
Snow Heart paused.
"Damn it, I'm becoming a Disney Princess!" she shook her head. "Oh no pumpkin rides for me, thank you very much. Do you know how unsafe that is? And how cruel to the poor animals." Snow Heart was getting distracted.*
"Um...Sorry. What do you do when you aren't writing? Any hobbies?"
apple
"Writing is my primary hobby right now." He smiles. "When I'm not writing, I tend to game, or play D&D with friends. I do some crafting as well; homemade soap, homemade cheese, that sort of thing. I'm working on putting together a loaf of soap inspired by Rarity herself, a white-and-purple swirl loaf scented with bergamot and vanilla."
"Another hobby I'm just starting to explore is mixology. Cocktails, that sort of thing." He looks uncomfortable. "I know some people don't like to talk about that stuff, though, so that's okay."
Snow Heart
"Nothing wrong with that. Writing is a hobby after all." Snow Heart chuckled and thought of all her notebooks back home. So many ideas, so many things she wanted to do, but never enough time. MOOD. She listnened. "Oh you cook? I used to cook a lot, but now my cook does that. I tend to um...not be that good at cooking honestly."
She didn't comment on the drinking, or the cocktails. Just stayed quiet. Awkward. She should say something.
Pineapple!"
apple
He laughs. "Don't worry about it. And I wouldn't say I cook, per se. There are a few things I really like to home make, though, because it just tastes better that way."
Snow Heart
"Right. I'm not. Don't worry it's okay." Snow Heart quickly replied. After all, she and her writer were not the same pony/person? Sure they shared a lot of similarities, but certainly not the same. She thought, and thought about what to ask now, remembering her questions. Oh was it time for THAT question? Nervous sweat drop, ran down her cheek, and she swallowed a gulp of breath.
"Is there anything you'd like to ask me? Be warned, you only get 1 question. So make it worth it." She grinned, leaning forward, and making sure to wink
apple
"Well, sure," he leaned forward. "There's all sorts of things I'm curious about regarding a certain baticorn. However, to waste my one question on that, when I hear a rumor that there may be a book on the subject coming out early next year?" He grinned eagerly. "Nope. I'll just wait. I wouldn't mind posing a question to the writer behind the bat, though. I think it'd be nice to give her a chance to talk about her work doing reviews for other writers. Why does she do it, and what is her mindset when she does?"
Snow Heart
"Why I do reviews? Probably the same reason why I do everything, to help someone. A long time ago, there was no one to help me, I had to do it all on my own, and it was hard, grueling work. Lots of blood, no seriously. Blood. Sweat and tears. I worked myself constantly while going through a rough phase in my life when everything seemed against me. But, then and there, it was my own writing that kept me going. So I want to HELP ponies. People if you will. Sure, some of the stories I have reviewed make me cringe at how poorly written they are, and I've also read some great stories as well, but well if you never try, you will never get anywhere in life. Most of what I do, most of how I live, is simply just that. Try."
"And yes, I'm finding more excuses to quote the best thing I ever put to paper." sue me.
apple
"I'd say that's a dang good reason," he nods. "You've always been helpful and kind."
Snow Heart
puts her butt mark out for him to see "See the heart? I've got the strongest heart in all of Equestria, the snowflake represents kindness. And being calm." Snow Heart retorted, realizing showing off her mark was a little bit naughty, and blushed
"Ahem. Enough about me. Is there anything you want to say to all my stalkers?"
apple
"Stalkers, eh?" He laughs. "Um, come read my stories?" He laughs as his face reddens slightly.
Snow Heart
"Oh I'm sure they will. I mean if I think you're awesome, they practically have to check you out. It's like some secret rule or something." Snow Heart chuckled. "Also, before I go back to throwing snowballs at Frost. I just wanted to thank you for doing this. You see I do these interviews to help other authors get a bit of the spotlight. Never was a fan of that bright sun. It follows me eveywhere." she sighed, and with that, lighted up her violet magic on her horn, and poof, in a single moment, she was gone as fast as she had come. Leaving a little release date for her story on the table.
applezombi12/16/2020
"Hah, nice," he glances at the date, grinning with anticipation.
apple's Fimfiction page:applezombi
"If you want Snow Heart to interview you, get in touch - and be sure check out Nailah's Reviewer Mansion"
This was a nice thing to come home to after a 13 hour work shift. Thanks, Nailah! 
