About Me

Who are you?

Sonia, Rizzle, Rizzlewrites. Long-time fanfiction writer. Original fiction writer. Full-time day-jobber. You can find me on all the usual socials.

Describe yourself in a Tweet

Where are you?

I live in Sydney, Australia. It’s nice and green where I am (in the northern suburbs). My weekday commute is so peaceful that I can read spicy manga on the train without scandalising fellow passengers. OK...except for that one time I forgot about the reflection on the window behind me, but mistakes are how we learn, Susan.

Where are you from originally?

I hail from Singapore, where the official mascot is the Merlion. Half-fish, half-lion, 100% will sink in water. 

You have a day job?

I work at a university. In fact, excluding part-time retail jobs when I was a student, I’ve only ever worked at universities since graduating. Working at a university gives me certain personal, creative freedoms I might not be afforded if I were employed in the corporate sector or if I was working for the government. I’m immensely lucky to work with wonderful colleagues in a field I’m passionate about. Ye olde day job pays the rent and puts food on the table. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without it.

Your kid seems cool

My daughter, Yumi, is a wonderful human made from a combination of carbon steel and marshmallows. She’s smart and funny. The extent and heartfelt loyalty of her social media following is legitimately terrifying considering she mostly just makes boys cry online. Yumi also happens to be a wonderful artist. Occasionally, I’m successful in nagging her to draw fanart for my fics.

What are your hobbies?

Writing, reading, good conversation, watching shows and movies, making myself laugh, eating, napping, cuddling, decorating, making pretty things, looking at pretty things, and listening to music. I love colour, pattern, layers and texture, literally and metaphorically.

What are you most passionate about?

If I had to boil it down to one, all-encompassing thing, it’s stories. Stories are the blueprints for the human condition. Sonia x Stories is a canon pairing. If I were allowed to make a final request before I die, it would be to read/watch a favourite story with a loved one.

Tell us about the floof

He is Gooseberry Boots Hans Gruber, a mitted, blazed, seal-point, weirdly smol Ragdoll boy with more personality than brains. This is a cat who will walk into the oven if I leave the door open. Every Christmas, he makes himself sick eating tinsel. He plays with candle flames. Goose is not meant for life but he makes life worth living. 

So you want to write for a living? LOLOLOL...

I’m not at a stage where writing provides any source of viable income, but some income would be grand. My kid and I have been through some significant hardships over the last seven years. She has challenging, long-term support needs and I’d like to do better for her.

What do you write?

At any given moment, I’m working on several projects: fanfiction and original fiction. My go-to genres are romance, science fiction, fantasy, and action/adventure.

Fanfiction

My fanfiction has been hosted on various sites over the years (Fiction Alley, adultfanfiction.net, Coloured Grey, Granger Enchanted and fanfiction.net), but now has a permanent, happy home on Archive of Our Own (AO3). You can also find excerpts of other original pieces I've dabbled with on AO3, as the archive allows writers to post to an 'original work' category.

Books

Information about my book projects is here.

The rest of my writing consists of lists. Lists and sticky notes are the ONLY reason I function as an adult.

Ew, you’re a fanfiction writer?

Fanfiction is a well-established form of writing and the spawning ground of some of our most beloved traditionally published authors. It’s the reason I have a readership. If you’re reading this then it’s likely you've found me because you're a fanfiction reader (hi, ilu).

I cut my fiction-writing teeth within the nurturing, ample bosom of fandom. Fandoms are significant creative, social movements. Poo-poo them at your peril. It's worthwhile taking note of the stats just from A03 alone

(based on 2023 -2024 figures).

Some of THE BEST work I have ever read has been fanfiction. I'm talking about stories that make you stare out the window to contemplate life. Prose so beautiful it hurts (but that's OK because pain is how you know you're alive). And it's all FREE!

What are your biggest writing sins/strengths?

Sins: Typos. The post-rationalising epilogue. Willful misuse of italics. Too much exposition. Shower scenes.

Strengths: Action scenes. Dialogue. Creative synonyms for ‘penis’ and penis-related activities. Therapeutic channelling of emotional baggage. Shower scenes.

What advice would you give young Sonia?

“Leave him."

Do you have a hidden talent?

No, because I’m shameless and will tell you about every significant and insignificant talent I have within thirty minutes of meeting you.

Do you have a favourite book/author?

I don’t have a favourite author because there are too many to choose from, but my favourite book is A Hat Full of Sky, by the late Sir Terry Pratchett.

Do you have a favourite fictional character?

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED. This guy. Hua Cheng, the Ghost King deuteragonist from the popular Chinese bl novel/TV series Heaven Official’s Blessing. He walks (floats?) a fine line between obsession and devotion. I expend an enormous amount of spiritual energy writing male characters who would burn the world for Their Person, but who are ultimately emotionally constipated, if not toxic. So it seems oddly fitting that my fav is a dude who loves so hard that he overcomes his own mortality to be able to protect his loved one AND manages to do it without triggering any red flags AND without losing any sexiness points despite the lack of toxicity. Ugh, this man…

(Image source: Official TGCF manhua art by StarEmber)

What's something that you're really proud of?

My kid. I’m proud of the fact that despite what she’s experienced, she believes the world is a good and beautiful place <3

If you have any other questions you’d like to see added to this list, let me know. You can reach me on any of my socials or via email: sonia.seddiq@gmail.com