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About the author: E.R. Holdridge (Shobi)

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Introduction


So you want to know something about me. I find that astonishing, and
wish you would just read the scripts I wrote. Especially if you're
reading this first. If you are, read the scripts and come back here
later. Pre-conceived notions about who I am can only dampen your
enjoyment of the scripts. "Go! Now, go!"

If you're still here then you've already read the scripts or don't
follow orders well. Neither do I really, but I digress. I do that a
lot. Obviously. I mean, have you seen how much I wrote? And that's
edited down. And that's just so far.

Bored yet?

For the truly interested I will give you some background about me and
why I wrote the scripts. My name is Eric Holdridge (how many thought I
was a girl? put your hands in the air--don't worry, I take that as a
compliment!). I was born in 1971. Hatched actually. In the Andromeda
galaxy. Then I was raised by wolves.

Not really. But that is way more interesting. By, like, a lot.

I was born in Illinois in the U.S. and that state is pretty much where I
have lived all my life. I have a B.A. in Political Science &
Communications. And I got my law degree (J.D.) from the University of
Illinois in May of 1997. You know every lawyer joke you've ever heard?
Well, they are all true. I went to school with these people and a
more humorless, soul-destroying group of folks have never been collected
in one place. The most creative thing most of them do is look for tax
shelters, network, and practice their golf game. It was this world I
was immersed in when I first saw the show that would change my life in
many ways.

My So-Called Life aired my first year of law school--1994-95. I started
work the August after it went off the air. Why? Well, I loved it of
course! I still do. I identified with every single character in some
way because they were all so real. When it ended so sadly and abruptly,
I just was not done with the characters yet. They felt so real to me
that I didn't want them to be "dead". There was so much I wanted to
see. I wanted to see if Angela and Rayanne would ever make up. I
wanted Rickie to finally get a boyfriend. I wanted Jordan's problems at
school and at home and with the band to all work out. I wanted Patty
and Graham to find their way through their problems.

Most of all I wanted poor Brian Krakow and Hallie Lowenthal to not be
frozen in that moment. Not them watching helplessly as someone they
loved left them behind. Just like we were all left behind that night
when MSCL aired it's final episode. No matter when it was, on ABC, MTV,
Showcase, or one of the many other foreign channels that I know nothing
about. I didn't want to be frozen in that moment either. I felt
deserted by MSCL and betrayed by ABC and Claire.

At the time, I had few outlets for this frustration. I did not know
anything about computers so I did not have the virtual community to talk
to like I have now. Few of my friends watched MSCL, but the ones that
did agreed that we needed an ending. Once the cancellation was
announced and the wrap-up movie failed to appear, I decided to write it
myself. Of course, once I started brainstorming, I came up with enough
material for almost twenty episodes. So I started writing.

When finished my outline was for 19 episodes. I've stuck to it pretty
well. Of course I never know whether or not I'll continue, so I try to
find a suitable "ending point" here and there in case I don't write any
more. My #5 and #10 are good for that. After #10, I swore to my
friends I was done. I had one of them help me edit it for content,
mistakes, and length. I gave out bound copies as gifts. I had closure,
or so I thought.

Then one friend introduced me to e-mail and the internet and the web. I
was hooked. As Katimski would say, "The old temptress." I found the
community I was searching for--people who got it. People who love
Angela Chase as much as I do. I found other fan fiction as well. All
of it is here on Sascha's page.

So I did what any good egomaniac would do--I put mine out there as well.
Of course, despite my intentions, I've been firming up a tight outline
for my numbers 11-19, so I guess I'm still not done with these
characters yet. These will be available as soon as they are "ready" for
public showing according to my new volunteer editors and my own
anal-retentive standards. Research and writing is a slow process for
me, infringed upon daily by the constraints of my own "so-called life."

If you got this far, I thank you. If you read all my scripts, thanks
squared! If you'll drop me a line with comments, suggestions, or
criticisms I swear I will read it, respond if asked, and take your
opinions into account.

Most of all, thank you for getting it. For getting what wonderful and
strange people these characters are. For wanting to hug Rickie; and
help Rayanne; and get bossed around by Sharon; and pay attention to
Danielle; and just hang out with Tino. For seeing yourself in the kids
and the adults. For hoping that the Angela-Jordan-Brian triangle
could end with all three of them being happy. I'm so glad that I
wasn't the only one.

Fanfiction contributions by this author


“And, you know, with your hair like that? It hurts to look at you.”

Rayanne Graff, Episode 1: "My So-Called Life (Pilot)"