PLACES TO VISIT

 

If you're interested in writing fanfic based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, this is as good a place to begin as any other. It has lots of resources of varying qualities and plenty of links. It's a "jumping off" place, but, hey, sometimes that's all you need to start!

 

What can I say about the GeekGirlz: Sharon Jane, Dana, and Chris? This has got to be the neatest "freakiest" website I've visited. Where else could you find links to a Gaelic insult generator and Fleetwood Mac lyrics on the same page? The "girlz" write lots of stuff including BtVS and Angel fanfic. Chris's "The Angelus' Papers" is a collection of wickedly funny essays. Kind of like having Strega from Television without Pity in your living room while you watch the early seasons of BtVS. Sharon Jane has this thing for Angel (well, it's a mutually drooling thing that she and I share) which leads to not-happy stories. Dana is currently exploring the world of Connor. If you have a couple of hours to spare, take a walk through the frenetic minds of three talented women.

 

Raise your hand if you've read truly awful Buffy fic. The Better Buffy Fics Archive contains a wide selection of great fanfic. There's something for everyone here: slash, het, general. It's not the easiest site to get lost in, but it's damn close. The stories are selected by the 1000+ members of the list (BetterBuffyFics@yahoogroups.com). It's a lively discussion list where they take seriously plot and character development. Occasionally there's some fighting (e.g., "Can vampires purr?" Uh, yeah!). Every great once in a while, there are free-for-all rec days. And there's always something to sink your teeth into.

 

Maybe it's the English major in me, but sometimes I just want to know more. What kinds of evil are in the Buffyverse? How has Spike's identity been rebuilt in season 6 of BtVS? Do Slayers have an inherent right to slay? What are the philosophies of slaying? Why does Angel's hair stick straight up? (Oh. Wait. Sorry. That last one's not in there.) There's some higher level brain functioning here. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

I'm not sure which is scarier: that this exists or that I read it. I was a little surprised that academics were taking BtVS so seriously. And then I thought about this. There's some true scholarship here. There are essays on the moral themes in BtVS, courtly love and Spike, and the pedagogy of fear. (Are you running for the hills yet?) I always wondered what I should do with my English degree. Now I know.

 

 

I stumbled into this place by accident. Somebody's siggie had a quote from the delectable Strega, and I just had to know more. Strega provides the recaps for Angel and Ace does the same for BtVS. These are no ordinary recaps. They are biting scene by scene descriptions complete with commentary on fashion, action, dialogue, and the inanity of the shows. They are hysterically funny, and once you start reading them, you'll never look at the shows the same way.

 

 

With the demise of The Darker Side of Sunnydale, there was a sudden dearth of good scary Buffyverse fanfic. Campfire Tales now serves as the official BtVS Writer's Guild DarkFic Zone. And it is truly a dark place. Don't get lost.

 

 

What can I say? Angel makes me drool. Leave me alone. Ducks' fanfic? Makes me drool more. Wipe the spittle off your keyboard and go read already.

 

Chrislee writes angsty B/A like nobody's business. These are not mindless PWPs (porn without plots), but well-crafted stories. She's also got tons of interesting stuff to say about other people's writing.This is someone who knows what she's talking about. And she makes me homesick for God's country.

 

Dark Star is my heroine. She does an incredible job of feeding my Angel addiction. I'm here every couple of days looking for something new to read. And there's always something new to read. I keep trying to wean myself, but I think I'm here for life. That's okay. As long as there's plenty of whipped cream and I don't have to share (Angel or the whipped cream).