We are so happy to bring you the December interviews with our Scoobies of the Month:

First up is Dynamite as our author: 

Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.

When I was a kid, my grandma took all us grandkids to the $1 movie theater. 10 grandkids riding in the back of an old Ford pickup to North City. We’d stuff our pockets with Faygo sodas and Little Debbie snack cakes and sneak them into the theater. When I was 11, she took us to see the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Movie. I loved it! Team Pike all the way! (Until Spuffy.) I used to play Barbies. I’d pretend one of my Barbies was Buffy. Buffy and my Flo-Jo doll would battle demons together. 

When the show came out, I was in High School.  I screamed ‘Hell, Yeah!’ when I heard the show was coming out. But, I didn’t really connect with Season 1. Then Season 2 hit and Spike and Drusilla walked on screen! I was hooked… for a season. The show lost me completely during Season 3. 

In High School, I was a theatre kid, it’s a requirement to read and write fanfic. 

After High School, life, college, motherhood, and moving around the country took me far away from fandom. My career in disaster management has required me to live in places without TV or internet. For a lot of years I didn’t have the bandwidth (literally) for fandom.

Fast-forward to 2020, I was working COVID-19 response. I started watching old shows to destress. A friend suggested I retry Buffy. I binged the sh*t out of that motherf*cker! Season 5 and 6 turned me into a ride or die Buffy fan again. But, it ended too soon. As much as I love Season 7, the ending left me wanting more. I tried AtS, but it wasn’t for me. 

A friend of mine who is very active in fandom suggested fanfic. So, I Googled Spuffy fanfic. I’d say the rest is history but… 

July 2022, I woke up one morning without feeling in my left leg and half blind. Overnight, I’d gone from being an avid runner and long distance hiker to barely being able to walk down my driveway. Quick response and amazing medical care saved both my eyesight and use of my legs.A few months later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).   

I’ve regained my eyesight and most of the use of my legs. Writing Fangs Out and the Spuffy community helped me get through a stressful time in my life. I don’t know if I could have stayed as positive as I did throughout all the uncertainty and treatment without the Spuffy community. 

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Burlesque class, pole dancing, in the middle of a mosh pit at a DIY punk show, IM’ing Dirtaim, Discord conversations, music, movies… I’m an avid long distance kayaker and hiker and urbanex photography hobbyist.  I love mixing all my hobbies. I’ll hike or kayak 5-10 miles, stop to rest midway through and write and take photos. Often I’ll be mid-lake, in the middle of a ghost town, or up on a mountain peak writing smut. 

Who is your favorite character to write and why? 

Oh, that’s a hard one!

 I love writing so many of the characters, Buffy, Spike, Glory, Oliver Pike, Jenny, Tara, Willow, Angel, Angelus, Darla, Drusilla, Sineya, Nikki, Doyle, Cordy, Dawn… 

My mother had a brain aneurysm when I was 12. She was in a coma for months. When she recovered, her personality had changed. She is now legally blind and disabled. Me and my sister, who is four years younger than me, were passed around for a while there between family members so my dad could concentrate on my mom. I really relate to S5-7 Buffy and her relationship with Dawn. 

I’m also a 90s punk rock kid at heart. I am still very active in the punk community. I dropped out of college, and basically ran away from home when I was barely 19. I ended up working at a punk/goth club, where I met my sexy, tattooed, bad boy pool hustling future husband. Most weekends I can still be found in a pit somewhere. I love to write that anti-establishment, anti-conforming, violently hyperbolic, outsider protagonist designed to protect a romantic, soft center POV that is Spike. 

I also love writing Oliver Pike for many of the same reasons I enjoy Spike. His is Spike’s prototype. Unlike Spike though he isn’t given much canon backstory or appear in as many fics, so he’s a very clean slate. 

Which story of yours are you most proud of and which was the hardest to write?

That’s like choosing a favorite child! 

Use It or Lose It was my first fic. I made so many mistakes with that fic. I deep dive into Slayer mythology. It’s a complex story that deep dives into slayer mythology and retcons a lot of the holes the series left. That story holds a special place in my heart.

Fangs Out, The Key Saves Spuffy, and 42 were all a joy to write. Fangs Out was very healing to write for me personally. 

Sunshine and Who Said Love Is Fire felt so emotional to write because I could relate to Spike in the wheelchair at the time. They were such interesting headcanons to explore. 

Fireflite and Edge of the World are like writing poetry. The staging is so vivid in both of those it’s almost another character. 

Girls Invented Punk Rock, Not England is both a fic and a zine, it will have a little bit of everything. I am pushing so many of my boundaries and diving into my punk background with that fic. I’m probably proudest of the 2nd person fic within a fic in that one. 

As a writer, what would you have changed on the show and why?

Even though I prefer the show. The movie still holds a special place in my heart. Buffy is meant to subvert horror stereotypes and be a feminist icon. Unfortunately the show often failed in those goals. To push the envelope a little more, I would have brought some of the elements from the movie over to the show. 

Buffy in the movie isn’t a child soldier. She’s a High School senior. She is eighteen. 

There is no Bangle-style relationship in the movie. Buffy in the movie has  been reincarnated multiple times for hundreds of years. She’s older than both Angel and Spike. 

In the movie, Buffy is confidently and openly sexually active. Her friends are accepting of her sexuality. There is no virgin stereotype. 

Movie Buffy wears comfortable clothes to fight vampires instead of impractical female superhero trope style mini-skirts and heels. 

Buffy in the movie goes out of her way to say that she is like every other girl. She’s a reincarnated woman. Her origin story doesn’t have the consent or other problematic issues the show does. 

Of course, the movie does have its own problems. 

____

And now it's time for Pet35 to take the mic as our commenter: 

Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.

The first episode I watched was "smashed", so, obviously, I got hooked. I was 20 years old and going through my first breakup, and Buffy became a lifesaver to get my mind out of things. I didn't have internet or cable tv or anything like that back then, so I had to buy the DVDs to know what the story between Buffy and Spike came from. I remember having to ask my little sister for money and we still share the ownership of the DVDs because, of course, she loved them too. 

As for fanfic, it's a little shameful, but I didn't know what fanfic was until 2020, during lockdown. I started rewatching my favorite shows and when I finished Buffy I wanted to know if something else had happened. That's when I found out about Spike resurrecting in Angel (maybe that's why I love reunion fics so much, it took me years to find out Spike wasn't dead haha), the comics, and fanfiction. With everything that was going on around in the world, I found a huge comfort in fanfic, it helped me a lot to take my mind off things during my pregnancy. 

What motivates you to leave comments?

It's the best way I have to say 'thank you' to the authors for sharing their works and letting them know how much I'm liking their stories. Also (as many of the wonderful writers here already know...), sometimes when I read a story I just feel the need to talk to the characters and I do so through comments. Yep, sounds crazy, but writer's replies always made me feel safe to express myself however I needed.

Do you also write or are you strictly a reader?

I've written a few things, and I wish I had the time to write more and participate in events, hopefully, I will, but, for now, I'm mostly a reader. 

Were you a lurker before you started leaving comments or did you comment right away?

Oh yes, I was a lurker! I didn't believe people would care about what I had to say and, I have to admit, I was very shy too! But then, I realized how much comments and likes mean to the authors and I try to leave them every time, sometimes I think that I leave too many hahaha and, other times, I don't leave them because I'm so eager to click 'next' and continue reading that I forget!

How important is it to receive a reply from the writer when you leave a comment?

I have left comments in very old stories that I know won't get an answer, but I do it anyway because you never know if maybe the author still gets them and likes to, or because I just can't help myself! But I do love to get a reply. I think it's awesome to have that opportunity to talk to the writers about their works, discuss their work, or just simply let them know what a great time you are having with their story. Also, getting replies has ended up in great conversations with the amazing members of this community.

I just have to thank you all for being part of such a creative, supportive and welcoming bunch of crazy spuffy lovers, and, of course, huge thanks to the Mods for making it possible. Oh! and congrats to my co-SotM Dynamite!   

____

Massive congrats to you both, Dynamite and Pet335! And a big ol' HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone at SAD! We're so happy to have you all here!!

Thanks for everything you all do to make this place so special!
--Chelle, Dusty, GetItDone, and GriefCounseling

Hello, lovelies!

We wanted to draw your attention to a few new features we've rolled out recently thanks to the great and mighty D'Hoffryn who continues to make all our archive dreams come true!

As we mentioned in our 'Tis The Season event post, everyone now has the ability to "gift" a fic to any member of Sunnydale After Dark. The giftee will receive an email notification when a new story is gifted to them. Previously published stories can be updated to include a named giftee, but no email will be sent in this instance.

We've also created a way to officially credit betas (multiple if you have 'em!) and a banner artist in your Add/Edit Story page. This will officially link them to the story!

Plans for these stories to then be visible and linked in the beta or banner artist's user profile are definitely in the works, but we haven't quite gotten to that stage yet. Stay tuned!

Ginormous splendiferic thank you to D'Hoffryn for pulling all this together for us. We hope this is another step in making every member and every role feel valued!

We are pleased to bring you our interviews with the November Scoobies of the Month! Can you believe it's already November? This year has flown by!

Congrats to our author of the month: all_choseny

Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.

I started watching Buffy when it first aired. I was sixteen at the time. I look back and laugh now because my little sister showed me the promo, and I remember thinking, "This is so dark. Why is the show so dark?" I was a fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie, and the show seemed so different. It was different but in a good way! I'm glad I gave it a chance despite my initial reservations. I'm still a fan of the movie; it will always hold a special place in the part of my heart that loves camp. However, the show got me through my teenage years, and it still resonates with me today. 

I got into the world of fanfiction right after this little social media site called Myspace imploded. I used to roleplay on Myspace as several characters in the Buffyverse, including Buffy, Kendra, Anya, Darla, and Cordelia. I also had several original characters. Eventually, Myspace started purging accounts that were considered in violation of their policy, and you guessed it, RPG accounts were the first to go. I migrated over to LiveJournal but learned the platform was too hard to continue roleplaying on. That's how I discovered fanfiction. I started reading fanfiction and thought, "Wait, I can write a whole story by myself without having to wait for someone to comment back to me to continue the story!" And that's how I got into fanfiction. In 2010 I went on a nine-year hiatus from fanfiction and the fandom, and returned in 2019 when the writing bug bit me again, and the rest is history. 

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

I find inspiration for my stories from all kinds of things. Sometimes, I might hear a song that reminds me of a character. Other times, I'll watch a movie, and the plot seems interesting enough to put my own spin on it. I definitely find inspiration from books and literature. Conversations with other people who are part of the fandom might inspire me as well. I've even had dreams that have inspired my stories. 

Who is your favorite character to write and why?

My favorite character to write hands down is Buffy. However, lately, Harmony has had quite a few cameos in my fics, and she is a hoot to write. 

I think I like writing Buffy the most because I grew up with her. We were in high school at the same time. We were freshmen in college together. Buffy feels like someone I've known my whole life, and I think I have a decent handle on her character, which makes her fun to write.

Which story of yours are you most proud of and which was the hardest to write?

It's hard to choose, but I'd say the story I am most proud of right now is A Marriage Of Inconvenience. It's a Spuffy Regency Romance, and it is only my second all-human fic (I took down my unfinished WIP of the other AH). Not only is it all human, it's historical fiction, so I had to do a bit of research for it and strike a balance between authenticity and accessibility. I also finished that story in about 20 days, writing and posting a chapter a day. That was a huge first for me. 

The story that has been the hardest to write is my Chosen One series. I am basically rewriting the Buffyverse starting pre-series. In this fic, I've brought Buffy into the 2010s. Reimagining the Buffyverse and striking a balance between familiarity and freshness is a challenge. I often find myself getting discouraged while writing it, but I will continue to keep pushing until this story is complete. 

As a writer, what would you have changed on the show and why?

I definitely would have changed the circumstances around the reason Spike wanted to get his soul. I hate that episode that I will not name. I think it could have been done differently without the violence. I also think it was out of character. 

I would also change the ending of the series and not have Spike "die" in "Chosen." He could have gotten out of that cave. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it! 

_____

And another congrats to our commenter of the month: Double Dutchess

Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.

I never caught the show when it was on TV, but in 2008 a friend recommended it to me (he'd been rewatching the episodes with his wife). That year I found myself at home with what I then thought was a burnout, and I remembered the recommendation. I asked the Season 1 DVD set for my birthday, and the rest is history. I enjoyed the first season, and after that I got all the DVD sets one by one. I was working only half days at the time, and I could afford the time to watch around 3 episodes a day -- the closest to binge watching anything I've ever come! After finishing Buffy I went on to watching Angel, and then reading the comics as I was hungry for more content. I didn't really get into Buffy Season 8, but I loved After the Fall a.k.a. Angel Season 6. And, in my search for more Buffyverse content online I inevitably came across fanfic. I devoured the stories on All About Spike, but also on writers' own websites, LJ etc. I still happily re-read the classic stories I discovered then, mixed with the new stories that get published every day. It's so great that people are still producing lots of new fannish content for a 25+ years old show to this day!

What motivates you to leave comments?

I like to show appreciation for the people who put in the time and effort to create the content I just consumed for free. As a creator myself, I know how nice it is to hear from people who enjoyed the things you made. 

Do you also write or are you strictly a reader?

I don't write, but I like to make fan art, such as banners, and fanvids. With vids you can also tell a story, just not through writing but by combining video images with words from others (song lyrics). Or just by combining video images in  new ways, in case of an instrumental piece. I'm glad that SAD opened up the possibility for artists to post their work as well, and I'm very slowly bringing over the things I've made over the years (at least the Spuffy-oriented portion of my creations). I try to make banners for whatever I'm posting, which means I still get the fun of making something new in the process of posting something old. 

Were you a lurker before you started leaving comments or did you comment right away?

Oh, I was a total lurker for several years. It wasn't until I became active in fandom communities such as BuffyTube and LiveJournal, where people actually created things in addition to just discussing the shows, that the thought of leaving comments even occurred to me. This also coincided with getting active as a creator myself. This taught me the joy of being on the receiving side of comments, and that was also a motivation to leave my own, as I mentioned in answer to one of the previous questions.

Nowadays I try to leave comments on everything I read, at least on websites where I have an account. That said, I do still lurk a lot (in the more general sense) in several fannish spaces. This is because I can't handle being active in too many places at the same time, but I'm still curious about what's going on elsewhere! Fortunately, being a Sunnydale Herald editor fits in perfectly with these lurker tendencies :-)

How important is it to receive a reply from the writer when you leave a comment?

It's nice, because it makes commenting feel more interactive and less like you're leaving a review. That said, it's no problem at all if there is no reply. I don't tend to remember exactly what I commented on anyway, so I usually don't even notice it if the creator doesn't reply, and it comes as a nice surprise if they do.

Thank you both and again and many congrats! You guys deserve it!
Chelle, Dusty, Get It Done, and Grief Counseling

October 2023

We are so happy to share the interviews with our Scoobies of the Month! You’ll notice that there’s a bit of a change. We’re trying out new questions, five each. Let us know what you guys think and please feel free to comment if there are questions you feel we didn’t cover.

Author of the Month for October 2023: Ginger

1) Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.
Oh dear, what a question to ask the elderly! ;-)

I was an adult when Buffy premiered, living that gig-economy life back before all the cool kids were doing it while attending grad school, so my schedule was so erratic that I barely watched episodic TV. Just happened to be home one night and caught The Puppet Show. Yeah, I know, Season 1, but I laughed SO HARD because it evoked tragicomic moments from my years as a theater kid. Caught up with the rest, or most of it anyway, in summer reruns. Anyone remember those? The moment I became enthralled, however, was in late September when a certain bottle blond strutted onto the screen and into my heart, forever apparently. A decade and a half earlier I had battled my way to the front row at a Billy Idol concert - oh, general admission, those were the days - to get a close-up look at his loveliness and can confirm all these years later that it was totally worth it. I was really into music growing up, did the college DJ thing, went to a ton of shows, including at CBGB (and used their infamous bathrooms so I’m pretty sure that I’m now immune to everything and possibly also immortal). In other words, Spike was all but laboratory-grown to appeal to me, and if such a creature existed IRL I’d have never survived past college. Then there was the SMG/JM chemistry and, well, anyone reading this understands that.

By 2000, my life had changed due to a high-pressure job and a lot of work travel. To avoid becoming a very dull girl, I actively joined a much smaller fandom for a more conventional, less impactful, now largely forgotten show that had a compelling ship - my first fandom rodeo. While active elsewhere, I was lurking in the Buffyverse, convinced that I would never write Buffy fic because I didn't presume to have anything to offer, but I read and enjoyed my fair share of Spuffy works and would occasionally be a fly on the wall on the boards. Then Buffy ended. And Angel ended. I was bereft at the idea of never seeing Buffy and/or Spike onscreen again so I just stopped engaging with the fandom. Life intervened and I dropped out of my active, though increasingly moribund, fandom a couple years after that. 

Every so often, I’d think about the Buffyverse in general, and Buffy and Spike in particular, and hunt for an old favorite fic to reread - something from one of the old-school greats like Nautibitz or Herself. I guess Buffy and Spike as an idea never really left me. Fast forward a decade and a half to early 2019; I was homebound over a winter holiday weekend with a raging sinus infection and sprained MCL. Something, I have no idea what, compelled me to Google Spuffy fan fiction to see what if anything was new and, well, there were definitely things! I dove in headfirst and when I finally came up for air, God help me, I had story ideas and commenced doing what I’d sworn I never would. What can I say, Spike tends to have that effect on women.

2) Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
All kinds of things. Sometimes it starts with hearing a character speak a line of dialogue in my head - and yes, I am aware that there is medication for that. It can start with a single image coming to mind. I’ve used fic to explore philosophical quandaries raised by the canon or even issues from the wider world that are on my mind. Sometimes a piece of music or art, or a place I’ve been to, can get the old synapses firing. My current fic is basically a way to relive a wonderful trip my partner and I took at the end of last year. Another passion of mine is travel, so I enjoy putting Buffy in places I’ve visited and loved. After years on the Hellmouth, I think she’s earned it. My favorite, most treasured inspirations come from my fandom buds, growing out of passionate, often hilarious conversations.

3) Who is your favorite character to write and why?
While I obviously adore Spike, I’ve never lost sight of whose show it was. I’m ride or die for a Buffy who survived the Hellmouth to grow and thrive in the adulthood she never thought she'd have, despite the trauma of having been for all practical purposes a child soldier. I also find other relationships (besides the obvious one) satisfying to explore like, for example, how Buffy and Dawn’s sibling relationship might grow and deepen outside of a daily life marred by near-constant crisis and turmoil.

4) Which story of yours are you most proud of and which was the hardest to write?
A couple years ago, I wrote a short character study of William/Spike across time. It was a challenge writing pre-soul, unrepentantly evil Spike because I mostly write post-canon, but it was more fun than I thought it would be once I got going. Even back in his Big Bad days he was multidimensional, which is a big reason I fell so hard, so fast. (His eyes and cheekbones vie for a close second… and this was all before we saw him in any state of undress.) Proudest? Hard to say. I’m always gratified when I manage to crack myself up. In the first Spuffy fic I ever wrote, Buffy has a harrowing experience at her 20th HS reunion. I channeled into it all my feelings about having to spend one more minute of my life with most of the people with whom I went to HS. Rereading it recently, it rings true to me. If HS was hell for most of us, aren’t we likely to bring a little hell with us to a reunion?

5) As a writer, what would you have changed on the show and why?
I’m driven crazy by the usual offenses - we all know what they are - but instead of pondering rewrites or fix-its, which I don’t think I’d be very good at, my approach to those derptacular fails is for the characters to reflect on and deal with them in retrospect. That being said, I’m good to never have to sit through Where the Wild Things Are again. Seriously, for life. I will also always regret that there was no Buffy and Spike scene in Hush, even if I believe it was a sound tactical move on the part of the showrunners. If SMG/JM had to communicate nonverbally on the heels of Something Blue, the resulting blue-flame hotness would have made their job of trying to force feed us the sh*t sandwich of Buffy and Riley even harder.

Commenter of the Month for October 2023: All4Spike

Oh wow! Thank you for the honour!

1) Tell us how you got into Buffy the show and Buffy fanfic.
I found Buffy at the beginning of S2 during the first showing in the UK. Every time my daughter phoned me, she could speak of little else, so I decided I had to watch it so I could understand what and who she was raving about. I was a bit doubtful at first, (that weird title, you know?) but was well and truly hooked from the moment Spike ran down the Sunnydale sign.

I didn't know fanfic even existed until after both Buffy and Angel had finished. I then came across All About Spike by a sheer fluke typo in a search engine and dived down the rabbit hole. Finally, I decided I needed to 'fix things' for Spike in my own way, and the seemingly interminable Coincidences series was born.

2) What motivates you to leave comments?
I comment, because I appreciated so much the readers' feedback as I wrote Coincidences. Every word meant the world to me, and let me know that a) I wasn't crazy, and b) that despite my initial writing inexperience, and inevitable whoopsies, people were willing to give up their time to follow my meandering storylines. I'm trying to pay forward that encouragement, and sense of accomplishment.

 
3) Do you also write or are you strictly a reader?
I write when I have a story to tell. Sadly, the muse went into hiding recently, leaving me with the first draft of three and a half chapters of a potential story, before she/he absconded. Wish me luck! 

4) Were you a lurker before you started leaving comments or did you comment right away?
I lurked before I started writing. After I posted my first chapter, it hit me how much the readers' comments meant to me, and after that, I've always tried to find something positive to say, so that more chapters would appear more quickly!

5) How important is it to receive a reply from the writer when you leave a comment?
I never expect it, I'd rather an author focused their time on writing more stories, but I love it when I do receive a reply.

A hearty round of applause for these two amazing members! Thank you both for taking the time to participate in the interview and for giving us such awesome answers. As always, we appreciate everything you (yes you!)  bring to this community. You guys give us daily reminders of why we’re here.

Until next time!
-- Chelle, Dusty, and GetItDone

We have new Scoobies of the Month Interviews! :o) Hope you enjoy them! 

Commenter of the Month for September 2023, honeygirl51885

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I discovered Buffy while the end of season five was airing. They were showing reruns on another station and my mom and I binged seasons 1-5 that summer. I became obsessed! I read episode recaps and info. on BuffyGuide, so I’d be completely prepared for anything that could possibly happen when season six aired, but of course I wasn’t. I was flipping out when Spuffy had their kiss at the end of OMWF. Luckily, I recorded the episodes (even back in VHS days!), so I could watch it again and again.

When and why did you decide to read fanfiction for the show?

I started reading fanfiction for BtVS during the summer I binged the series, so that would be 2001. Even though I was watching the show non-stop, I couldn’t get enough and started searching for more. I don’t really remember what all I read back then, since it was twenty plus years ago, but I do remember being on a Spuffy site called the Bloody Awful Sandbox. That and fanfiction.net were my go to for stories.

When I came back to the show during the pandemic, I ventured onto fanfiction.net again because that was familiar to me. I then found Elysian Fields and that opened up a whole new world to just Spuffy fic. When SAD launched, I immediately joined, knowing it would be another lovely Spuffy-only haven.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

When I first started watching Buffy, there were already five seasons in existence and Angel had his own show. I knew Bangel wasn’t end game, so I never really got invested in that ship at all. When Spike and Dru came to town, I fell in love with them. I just adore how he loves with his whole heart, even as a soulless demon.

I also knew that he had rejoined the cast as a permanent character in S4 (well, as permanent as you can be on Buffy). That made me really focus on him and I couldn’t get enough, especially when he and Buffy had scenes together. Even when they’re trying to kill each other, they’re mesmerizing.

Buffy is my favorite character on the show. She has her flaws and there are definitely times where you want to scream at your TV when she makes silly decisions, but she’s human and she’s trying her best. You can see that in every episode and SMG is able to give her such strength and vulnerability in her portrayal. You never have to wonder if Buffy is just phoning it in, because she gives 110% every day.

Spike is the character that really makes the show stand out for me. He has some of the best lines in the series and JM took that character above and beyond I think what anyone had imagined for him. I seriously could not picture anyone else standing beneath Buffy’s tree smoking a cigarette and think it was sweet rather than insanely creepy!

When Buffy and Spike are together, that is just TV gold for me. Sometimes on re-watches, I’ll skip through scenes just to get to them. I really appreciate how much these two have been through in the series and I think their journey together is one of the best relationship arcs I’ve seen. I remember watching S7 when it aired and was just waiting for Spuffy to get together, then being disappointed when they didn’t even get a kiss. Now, being a lot older, I truly love S7 and think that it was the healthiest and best relationship either of them had ever had, hands down. And that’s why I love post-series fanfic. I want to see that relationship grow into what we all know it could have been if we had more seasons.

What words of advice would you give other fans who comment or are considering maybe commenting on fanfiction?

I was a lurker for the longest time. I never left comments back in the day, and when I returned to fandom, I didn’t start commenting until March 9, 2021. I had read some truly amazing stories, but I had just read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Twinkles, which is a smutty Spuffy poem with art. It was so amazing, I just had to let the author know. It was a super short note (Fun, festive, and beautiful!!), but that began my obsession with commenting. I now comment on every chapter of a story I read, even if the authors are no longer in fandom.

So, my advice would be just to break out of your shell and leave some love for the amazing authors whose stories we get to read…for free!  It really doesn’t matter how long your comments are, even getting a little emoji is enough to let them know that you like their work and want to see more.

From ashcrashed:

Is there a genre you enjoy reading, but wouldn’t necessarily want to write?

I’d say the historical time travel genre is one that I absolutely love reading, but I find it very intimidating to write. Now that I’ve said that, I do have a time travel piece that I’ve been sitting on for over two years, for that very reason. I do a fair amount of research when I’m writing my fics to make sure things are as accurate as possible, and with historical time travel that would be lots of research and I just haven’t had time for that. But, I do love reading Victorian William stories!

What draws you to a particular story?

If I’m being honest, the first thing I look at is the rating. I mostly go for NC-17 stories because I love my romance to eventually lead somewhere physical. But, that’s not saying that I haven’t read lots of lower rated stories that I love.

I’d say it really depends on my mood. I love a good baby/kid fic, historical time travel is always delightful as I said above, I thoroughly enjoy some AH Spuffy, post-series is definitely a favorite, I’m always looking for romance with a bit of angst lurking around, oh and I definitely need that HEA tag. I have so many stories on my bookshelf and the only common thread among them is that they’re all Spuffy!

Author of the Month for September 2023, ashcrashed

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer? 

Initially, I watched a few episodes of S1 when it first aired. I wasn't fully invested, mostly because I was only 10 years old, but I liked the show and thought Buffy was so cool. She had the flyest outfits and was funny, and that was enough for me. I missed a good chunk of s2, but I caught a few episodes here and there. I vividly remember watching School Hard and liking Spike and Drusilla. And also Kendra’s appearance. I think her death was the first time I’d ever really experienced a character’s death on a TV show (which, being 11 at the time, is understandable). But in the midst of that was the Spike and Buffy team-up in the finale, which was fun, even though I didn’t expect it at all, and was totally confused about how the hell it happened. 

I skipped around s3 too, seeing more of the back half of the season, and by the time I managed to catch up (either on summer re-airings or syndication), s4 was well underway. I didn’t start to regularly keep up with the weekly eps until S5, but thanks to FX’s consistent BtVS blocks, not to mention the Best of Buffy Thanksgiving marathons, I was locked in and keeping up regularly. It’s safe to say I grew up with the show, which is wild to think about. It was with me through my formative years, and something I felt like was a major part of my childhood, and it’s always held a special place in my heart because of that. I also gravitate more to the latter seasons of the series than the high school years. BtVS as a whole is a great show, and I do enjoy the early seasons, but I was a bit older and able to really follow the storylines with the later ones. I graduated high school the year after Buffy ended (same year AtS finished), and I pretty much left both shows behind.

When and why did you decide to write fanfiction for the show? 

During the pandemic I did an actual BtVS rewatch, my first since the show went off the air. Even with the marathons and syndication airings, I knew of and seen all the episodes but wanted to experience the seasons in a seamless watch, now as an adult. My thoughts on the show as a whole haven’t changed drastically, I just gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the things I liked, and a more seasoned way to express my thoughts and critiques. 

It’s fascinating, returning to things you loved as a kid as an older person and seeing if it still hits the same. In some ways, it did. In others, not so much. Which is what I expected.  I've always been a writer, and my stories were original character romancelandia-type stuff.  I never really engaged with fanfic in general until a few years ago, though not for BtVS.  I’d always been on the periphery of the Buffy fandom. The interactions I’d had online in various spaces over the years weren’t positive, and I figured it was best to stay within my bubble of real life friends who enjoyed the show. I hadn’t read any Buffy fanfiction until 2020, only doing so after starting the spuffygifs blog on tumblr. 

Making gifs and edits and seeing how incredibly active the fandom still was, was pretty cool. BtVS has always been popular on tumblr, but the early days were a mess. Spike and Spuffy fans were in the trenches, and it was the same old fights you’d see anywhere Buffy fans gathered online, but things had quieted down considerably. I hadn’t expected the blog to take off, or for people to be so chill and enthusiastic, but it was nice, creating that space and getting to appreciate the show and ship in a different way. I’d see fic rec lists all the time, and decided to dive in and I was blown away at just how much there was, and that people were still writing and sharing new stories. Which is amazing, especially for an older show. 

I hadn’t been writing, fanfic or otherwise, feeling a bit blah and uninspired, but going through years of stories was like a jolt. I wanted to challenge myself, to write anything, wanting to feel that excitement again about creating things with zero pressure, get back to writing just for fun and non-work reasons, and why not, for two of my all-time favorite characters? It wasn’t about satisfying a particular need to see a certain plot, at least not initially. It was more like ‘I want to do this, to see if I can do it’. So I pushed past feeling blah and dove right into writing my first fic.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy? 

I can’t remember for sure, but I don’t think I shipped them from the start. I think I just enjoyed the antics of their dynamic and the bickering between them and never thought anything of it, until 'Out of My Mind' happened (watching that live was an experience, talk about shook!). I don’t think I was for sure like ‘yeah, this is the one for me’ until 'Intervention' with the Buffybot fake-out and kiss because what a game-changing moment. And that’s the power of Spike and Buffy (and good writing, thank you Jane Espenson) because having that kind of axis-shifting honesty after an entire episode of him gettin’ busy with a Bot is wild, but they’re just that good.

They’re extremely compelling characters. It says something about just how fascinating and full-bodied they both are, that I can return to BTVS years later after putting it all aside and still love them both. And I do, separately but of course, together. I’m drawn to complex and multi-faceted characters, and while the show isn’t short on them at all, Buffy and Spike are, to me, the standouts. They are flawed and interesting and just fun. I liked them both from their very first scenes, and even when I’ve disagreed with their choices or cringed at their decisions, they’re still characters I enjoy and want to watch.

Their individual arcs are so rich and interesting. They’re both, at their respective cores, characters who feel deeply, who think too hard, and who love fiercely. They’ve been hurt, and they hurt each other. That they come out on the other side of the messiness and violence and self-hate and they’re able to grow, not for one another but because of each other, is why they’re so damn good together. 

‘The Second Love’ stories just speak to me. The idea of not being the ‘first love’, of coming into something a little bruised and jaded, and still finding a connection. You see their whole journey, from enemies to reluctant allies, to lovers, and not-quite exes, and the in-between and after. It’s not neat, nor nice, but it is honest. 

And beyond the seriousness and drama of their relationship, they’re also so deeply unserious about one another. There’s a level of comedy and antics that I appreciate about their relationship. ('embarrassing freak couple' is one of the funniest and accurate script notes to describe their relationship). They get drunk together. They crack jokes. They roast each other, they bicker, they know the other’s bullshit and call it out. They fight a lot, with each other and also fight well together. 

They’re a team, and they understand each other. And it isn’t instant or easy, but earned through their respective solo journeys and the progression of their relationship. Because there’s something so interesting and compelling about characters seeing the ugliness and vulnerability in someone else and growing to forgive and accept those parts of themselves, and loving it and one another.

Which three fanfics that you’ve written are your favorite? Why are they your favorite?

I am totally choosing fics besides Swipe Right because it’s my first one and a consistent, expected favorite and I gotta give the others some love.

“Bloom” has been a surprising recent favorite. I say ‘surprising’ because it bothered the hell out of me for so long, for no reason other than it took forever for me to hammer out the direction I wanted to take it. I knew I didn’t want to do a full season rewrite (that is far too much commitment), but worried about the story either meandering or feeling incomplete. When I finally stopped stressing over the plot, and let it write itself out, it became what it is now, and ultimately it ended right where it should have, all along. I think I was even surprised at how sweet and romantic it is, because I feel like straight-forward romances are a challenge for me, sometimes. But I’m really proud of myself, and it. 

“Big Night Out” is just fun and a little ridiculous (as all season 4 era fics should be). It’s one of my favorite seasons to write in, because the possibilities are endless. Spike and Buffy hate each other, but there’s enough canon chaos that brings them into each other’s orbit, that their animosity can easily shift into something else, and BNO totally takes advantage of that ‘what if’. Plus I love adding in the Scoobies wherever I can . And I got to write not only Buffy and Spike trapped in a phone booth and being too damn close, but also Buffy riding with Spike on a stolen motorcycle and that’s always a good time.

“Stars for Wars Like Ours” because I love post-series reunion fics. And I like the idea of the issue between them not only being the stretch of time but also physical distance, with both Buffy and Spike moving beyond Sunnydale, growing while they’re apart, and living their own lives for a bit, and how to make their feelings work in each other’s lives again. It was fun, getting to do my own world building, too. I have a sequel in the works, with an idea that I’ve been mulling over since I returned to the show and I’m excited to finally be working on it. Plus, Sandra Cisneros’ poetry is so gorgeous and the poem the title is based on is so angsty and romantic and very fitting for Spuffy.

What words of advice would you give other fans who write or want to write fanfiction? 

Write what you want to read. It seems simple enough, but I think it’s easy to get intimidated by the legacy of the fandom and the sheer number of fics already present that starting out can feel like ‘why bother’? . And sure, there might be something somewhere written by someone else with a similar idea, but it’s not your story. So write yours. Don’t feel like you need to emulate a certain style, or follow a particular trend. If you’re a 10-chapter fic writer, who struggles with consistent weekly updates (I’m calling myself out right here)  write your ten parts at a workable pace, and make them your best. I can guarantee someone out there is enjoying what you’re putting out, and is so appreciative.

From honeygirl51885:

Where do most of your ideas for stories come from? 

It really depends. But if I can make something into a one-shot or two part fic, I will absolutely take that route. It’s low commitment and I’m forced to finish it. Otherwise, I tend to take advantage of the challenges or events, because they’re a great way to kickstart the brainstorming. And then other times, I’m listening to a song or reading something and a line will stick out and I’m like, huh. That has the vibes for a good story idea. And I’ll make bullet notes that eventually morph into a plot.  Bloom was inspired by a JM quote. Unintended (You Could Be), Falling, Nights Like This, Just to Keep You (Satisfied), they’re all song-inspired, either lyrics or titles. The Longest Day came about because of SAD’s drabble event, which allowed me to try something new because I’d never written drabbles before. Swipe Right is based on a movie. I’m never worried about an idea being overdone or anything like that, because my writing style is my own.

Do you ever get stuck writing a story (either writer’s block or characters aren’t doing what you want them to)? If so, how do you get yourself back on track? 

Definitely. Music helps though. I write linearly, despite all efforts to attempt hopping around from scene to scene. And if one piece isn’t working out, I stop completely, which can be frustrating. So I take a step back from my work, take a break, then come back and re-read what I have. 

Clearing my mind and literally leaving the writing alone for a few hours or days works well. If it’s a character issue, I ask myself why am I forcing it one way when the plot obviously wants another? Usually, if it’s not working out the way I intended, it’s because I need to shift gears. I outline a lot. Me and bullet points are besties, which can be very helpful in organizing my thoughts, but it also means me trying to stick to the bullet points and making sure I hit every beat, which can be why I’m frustrated, because the story is calling for a different direction. I’ve been learning to be more flexible, to appreciate the art of changing my mind and just letting the writing do what it does. I try not to plan so far out that I don’t leave myself room for growth, because being too rigid right out the gate is usually what gets me stuck in the first place.

Do you have a favorite and least favorite genre to write? 

Favorite, is probably angst or dramedy. I think there’s a lot of potential with both and they’re malleable enough that I don’t feel the need to stick within particular parameters. Like angst can be romantic, and dramedy can have heartwarming moments. I would love to do a BTVS-style dark horror comedy like “You’re Next” or “Ready or Not”. Least favorite, maybe fluffy? Like intentional ‘this is going to be a full fluff-fest’. I have to be unintentionally sweet, like caught off guard in a sneak attack, because otherwise when it’s on purpose it feels too…saccharine. But I think that’s just me, overthinking my work like always. 

Greetings!!

We are dropping in to leave a few details about the upcoming Spooky September event!

This event is simple. Post any "spooky" art or fic at any time during September and you will qualify for the event. It does not need to be completed in September, only started. You can do as many chapters as you wish and you can define spooky however you wish, too. Spooky can be scary, fun, playful, horrifying, mysterious, shocking. It is completely up to you!

Awards will be given for writers, artists, betas, and commenters who leave 15 or more comments of 15 words or more.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Congratulations to all our participants for the Spiral Spuffy event!

It’s hard to believe we started talking about this event and forming teams back in May, but it’s been a wonderful summer of keeping up with these collaborative team fics. Huge thanks in particular to all the writers, artists, and betas who worked hard on these five very unique stories that will be a part of Sunnydale After Dark’s history forever. You’re all amazing and it was a joy to see each contributor’s unique fingerprints on every story as they came together.

Awards have now been distributed! If you commented on all five stories at least once, you should have received a commenter award. Awards were also given to all credited betas and artists. sandy_s worked hard to create unique award sets for each team based on their stories. Here's a sampling of them all for your viewing pleasure:

Please contact an admin if you feel that you are missing an award from your account!

Lastly, it doesn’t seem possible that the next event would be starting so soon, but we’re keeping it simple this September and wanted to give all you planners a heads up. 

To celebrate the fall season, we’ll be hosting a Spooky September event. There will be no chapter minimum or maximum requirements. So long as there is an element of spookiness (which is up to your personal interpretation) and your first chapter is posted before Oct 1, your fic and/or artwork will qualify.

Let us know if you have any questions. Much love!

What a year it has been!

In one year’s time we have accumulated: 1,108 members, 91 creators, 19,484 comments on 1,051 stories with a total of 17,899,853 words.

When we started this archive, we never expected numbers like that. We talked dreamily about a small, cozy archive with a fun and friendly vibe. We wanted our own place, a clean slate, where anyone and everyone could join and feel like they were valuable, where creators could just create and fandom could simply be a good time! Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a show with a long, complicated history. The fandom itself has become just as historic and just as rich— with many personalities and stories of our own. This is something to be proud of! But it’s also something that can overshadow the common thread that runs through us all, which is a love for this show and these characters. 

Sunnydale After Dark is about the love. It’s about connections and joy in finding that story or artwork that speaks to your Spuffy-loving soul. It’s about those beloved friends you’d never know unless you’d found this corner of the internet together. It’s about enjoying this fictional world in whichever way you want to. It’s about embracing the people who don’t always see things the way you do, and saying “Hey, we have this love in common, and that is more important here than all the many things we don’t share.”

Every choice we’ve made this past year at SAD has been about preserving that love and nourishing a culture of positivity. It’s been about welcoming and including as many people and viewpoints as we can. That’s why we decided to be more than a fanfiction archive and to invite artists to be as much a part of this creative community as the writers. It felt to us like for decades, the artists had hovered around and put just as much love into their creations as writers had, but like their work was homeless, living only on the periphery of fandom in social media spaces. How many times had we seen artwork shared with no clue where it had come from or who the artist was? That didn’t feel right. No one would ever do that with fic. So giving artists space here to get the recognition they deserved was one of our primary objectives and it worked out so well and is rewarding to this day to see all the creativity that has blossomed as a result of making that one decision.

Speaking of artwork, nothing embodies the spirit of Sunnydale After Dark better than the extraordinary mosaic at the top of this post created by Dynamite and Dirtyaim. When they reached out to us about the possibility of a community art project in which the combined talents of all our Spuffy artists could come together to create one stunning piece, we knew it was the perfect symbol for what we strive for here every day. Not only because of the amazing art, but because this idea was not from the SADmin team. This idea came from the members to celebrate the members and was organized and run by the members. 

We love when that happens. 

We love that Tessa and LJ94 decided to organize and run a Buffy watch party. We love that flow highlights a special piece of artwork every Friday. We love that Julikobold and others started having morning coffee time together in The Alibi Room on Discord, where readers and writers chat all day long about anything and everything. We love that Grief Counseling showered this site in adorable emojis and wrote her own prompt list after the drabble prompts were so much fun we needed more! We love that bookishy and Girlytek created the ultimate Buffy-themed drink menu for our holiday prompt exchange party. We love our diligent commenters like Magnus374, Rea, and Marina Eulalia (to name a few!) who put so much energy into supporting our creators and of course, of course we adore those creators filling this archive with art and fic! 

We couldn’t possibly list all the incredible ideas and contributions you all have made.

We the SADmins think of ourselves simply as the facilitators of this community’s ideas. We want to curate and deliver the things that our Spuffy fic and art community want most. The ridiculously talented D’Hoffryn is here to make this website run lightning fast and without error, but he also loves building the things you all dream up! We have 1100+ members. You all are bound to have brilliant ideas that would never occur to us. So please never hesitate to share.

In light of the sharing, we have created a one year feedback form! We want to know how everyone is feeling, what things you’ve loved, and what things need work. If you’ve had an idea for a really cool event or site feature you’d love to see, this is the time to share it with us! Fill out as much or as little of the form as you wish. We’re excited to read everybody’s thoughts.

Hopefully, all of this explains a little bit about why we wanted our one year Spiral Spuffy event to showcase teamwork! We hope this event experience allows different members to get to know each other and come together to create five unique stories that we can all enjoy. Look out for the first chapters of each of these fics being posted today! 

Thank you for being a part of this community. Thank you for celebrating this fandom and our creators with such passion and kindness. And thanks for making this past year so much fun and such an incredible success!

Much love!

Behold D'Hoffryn! Lord of Arashmaharr, he that turns the air to blood and rains death upon lesser websites!

Greetings After Darkers,

As many of you may know, I am your techromancer and resident vengeance daemon. For those who do not know me, know that I am here to unlock the potential of your fandom by improving this website and keeping it running smoothly. While my role here is a quiet one, I want you to know that I am here, listening to the screams of frustration that pierce the dimensional walls of the internet.

I have been working on a few new UI elements in an effort to modernize SAD and its underlying frameworks, and would like to invite you to make wishes of me and my fellow admins. Make your voices heard, show me inspiration like Ms. Rosenberg did with Warren Meers, tell me your vision. Let me elevate you all. If you have ideas, please seek me out, here is my talisman, #dhoffryn-support.

The teams are here!! The teams are here!!

Well, you all voted and chose Spiral Spuffy as the name for this event and, well, we couldn't wait til Monday to share the teams! It was just too exciting.

With GetItDone leading the organizational charge, we've spent the last few days sorting out our teams and are very happy with how things have worked out. Everyone was able to have at least their second highest ranked genre choice, but most people got their first. We are a diverse community and this was proof again that there's something for everybody!

Here is how the teams will break down:

Authors and artists, if you haven't already, please check your emails for details on how to contact your team and get started! The Discord channels are already made and waiting for you.

Also please note that Marina Eulalia would like to volunteer to beta event fics for anyone in need of a beta.

Some reminders:

• Teams post their first chapter on June 23 (Sunnydale After Dark’s official anniversary!) and each following chapter weekly.
  
• The story will be complete after each team member has contributed one chapter.
• Teams who may want to continue their story are welcome to do so with a sequel fic, but for this event we’d like only one chapter per author.
• Anyone who comments on all Spiral Spuffy fics at least once with a comment of fifteen words or more will receive an award.
• Anyone who betas a Spiral Spuffy chapter will receive a beta award. Writers will need to credit their betas in their chapter notes in order for us to give this award.

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to a SADmin!

Most importantly, HAVE SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Whoohoo! We have new Scoobies of the Month Interviews! I hope y'all enjoy them. 

Commenter of the Month for May 2023, Magnus374

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Probably around 1997 or 1998 when they started to show it in Sweden. A blond girl with short skirts and high heeled boots, of course I liked it🙂 Soon I was drawn in by the characters and the humour and I liked Spike from the start. After the first 3 seasons, the show changed channel and I couldn't see it anymore. So where around 2008 I came across fanfiction which made me think about the show again. I stopped reading bought all the seasons and watched it.

When and why did you decide to read fanfiction for the show?

I was unemployed around 2007 and 2008 and came across Spike fanfiction, which made me watch all the seasons, then I returned to reading and found some Spuffy sites and a couple of those was still active, Spuffy Realm and the Elysian Fields and the rest is history.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

I like both as characters but the way they complement and balance each other and make each other better. Spike brings life to Buffy and she grounds him and connects him to humans. There's also the fact that Slayers and vampires are both hybrids. Vampires are more demons and slayers are more humans, together they are balanced (without the soul). Simply put, they are right together.

What words of advice would you give other fans who comment or are considering maybe commenting on fanfiction? 

Don't be afraid to start, you don't have to say much. When I started I often said things like "nice" and "this is good,”  just to show that I have read it and liked it, then it became longer especially when the author responded. If I don't like something I mention it but I always tries to say more good things. You should always be careful about this though, I have gone too far a couple of times, always apologise if that's the case. It's the writer’s story, not your story.

From Julikobold:

How do you find the time and energy to read so many stories and comment so consistently and always content related?

I admit that I have asked myself that question🙂 I suppose that I've got used to it over the years. When I started commenting on the sites I was on, there were perhaps 2 or 3 new chapters each day, so I even had time to read old stories. In the beginning I also avoided all human stories. As more and more people posted stories, I sort of followed by reading more. I have the problem that I tend to enjoy everything I read and that makes it much harder to not read. I must admit that my commenting also was a kind of competition thing. On Elysian fields I found toplists on who had posted the most comments and I realised, I can become number one, which I did🙂 Anyway, the truth is that I have started to reach my limit. At some point I probably will have to choose which stories not to read and that will be difficult for me.

From the admin team: 

What’s your favorite type/genre of fic to read?

This is actually a very tough question for me since I tend to enjoy every story I read. It's not really a genre thing, what I really like is stories gets my mind going. I can read something in a story and get an idea in my mind and just run with it. It's also fun to guess what will happen in a story. So I can't really give a straight answer to that.

How do you think being a male in a female-dominated space gives you a unique perspective on fandom?

I actually don't think so much about that, but I do notice that at times I can understand the male characters even when I'm not supposed to🙂 and at times I can have trouble following the logic of some female characters. So there clearly is a difference in how we think. One thing I often do in a story is trying to figure out a reason for some actions other than it being about men wanting to control women. For example the creation of the first Slayer. I don't think they chose a young woman just to be able to control her, I believe it had to be a young woman. I don't know if I have a unique perspective but at some times, I do see things differently.

Do you ever find it difficult to comment? If so, how do you push through that?

I can have trouble sometimes for different reasons. I comment on basically every chapter I read and sometimes I have trouble coming up with something new to say. With English not being my first language, I tend to reuse phrases a lot and I don't want my comments to sound too much the same. Then I try to turn around the words a bit or add some words.

More problematic is when something I really don't like is happening in a chapter. At times I simply avoid saying anything about that part of the chapter. Often I do mention it but points out that I like how it is written or saying that it's my problem that I don't like it, and sometimes I try to explain how I think. Most of the time I also brings up things I do like in the chapter to balance it out.

There's also a classic solution to having trouble commenting, keep it short and just say something. 

It's an honour to have been chosen thank you all.

Author of the Month for May 2023, Julikobold

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I watched the first season on and off, when it was originally airing but I didn't get really hooked to it. That might have been part bad dubbing and part the airing time in my country (Saturday afternoon) but also that I really was over the broody vampire thing (too much Louis from Interview with the Vampire). I catched School Hard by chance and was intrigued by Spike and Dru, so I watched the rest Season 2 for the two of them. I really got into it with season 4 and Spike's return. I prefer the later seasons as they are darker and for me more interesting.

When and why did you decide to write fanfiction for the show?

I wrote a little one-shot about a year ago and thought was a fluke. Then the March SAD drabble event happened and it really got me started. So SAD is fully responsible for my deep dive into writing fanfic. And I'm happy about it. 

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

They are both flawed and real. I prefer layered characters over perfect heroes. Their relationship is messy but rooted in a unique friendship and respect. And Sarah and James brought so much emotion into these roles, I just love watching them - and to read about them.

Which three fanfics that you’ve written are your favorite? Why are they your favorite?

The drabbles are very dear to my heart. They got me into writing and I still like to do it regularly. I try to write one per day, but I don't feel bad, if it doesn't always work out. They are fun.

Spike3 is very special for me. It was inspired by a discussion what to do with three Spikes and once the idea was in my head, I just wrote it down. Keeping the three voices of basically the same character separate and distinctive enough was challenging and headache inducing. I'm really happy when readers comment, that the distinctive voices worked out.

It is too difficult to decide on a third. They are all my babies. They are not perfect, but I love them and can't play favorites.

What words of advice would you give other fans who write or want to write fanfiction?

The first advice is stolen from Teuntje: Write what you want to read. Don't brood too much about what readers might like, only what you want to write. Your audience will find you.

And, just do it. Start writing and don't be afraid. The community especially on an archive like SAD is very supportive.

From Magnus374:

English is your second language, how do you manage to write stories so well in another language? Is there a special method?

Thank you. That is always my biggest concern, if the language is believable. I have no real method. I read a lot and have been watching shows and movies in English for about two decades. And that resulted in a wild mix of AE, BE and some other dialects. I also need English for my job, as I work in an international environment. That is all.

Your stories often has an important character beside Buffy and Spike, is there a character you really want to use to give us a different perspective but haven't been able to work into a story?

I love writing the less used characters with distinctive voices. Right now I can't think of anyone specific I would want to use but I'm sure the characters let me know, if they have something to say. I never expected to write an Andrew POV. He just insisted and I complied. 

If you had to choose a different partner for Buffy and Spike, who would that be, and why?

I'm Spuffy at heart, but I always identified with Spike the most. Therefore I just want him to have a partner who respects and loves him. Give me that - no matter if someone from canon or an OC, and I'm happy for him. A good writer can sell me almost anything. 

For Buffy I read only Spuffy. I'm just not interested in any other ship for her. But I'm sure there are great stories out there who have that, I just don't seek them out.

Hey, y'all! Trevor Carlee graciously agreed to do an interview on SAD! Thank you so much to Trevor for agreeing to do the interview (and answering all the questions!), especially with how busy he is! And thank you to everyone who submitted interview questions (your name should appear after your question)! :o)

We hope everyone enjoys reading about him, his love of the Buffyverse, his art, and his podcast with Kristin. 

Please see the end of the interview for where to find his work! :o) (The banner for the interview has caps from Doomed, which is the next episode he and Kristin are covering on their podcast...new episode out tomorrow!)

Interview with Trevor Carlee

About the Buffyverse

How did you get into the Buffyverse? 

I originally watched the movie when it came out and was relatively indifferent. I remember enjoying it but not thinking anything of it. So I wasn't inclined to watch the show when it was announced. It wasn't until all the promos were stirring about "What happened to Angel'' and "The curse" and all that. I was like "Oh! That show is still on?" So my first episode was Innocence and boy oh boy is that a doozy. I fell hook, line, and sinker.

How old were you when you started watching Buffy? (Niamh)

I was about 9 or 10 when I watched the movie (can't remember if I watched it in a theater or rented it from Blockbuster). And I was 14 when Innocence aired and my life changed forever :)

Which BtVS episodes is/are your favorite and why? Which season is your favorite and why? (Tessa)

Innocence is definitely one of my faves because it's what hooked me. Also Becoming Parts 1 & 2 (I actually hope to edit them down and screen them in a theater one day. Maybe on my 50th lol). That finale just feels like a movie. I remember seeing that as a teenager and being blown away. Nothing had been done on television like that before.

Some other faves are Fool For Love, Normal Again, The Body, The Gift, Once More With Feeling ... I feel like I'm falling into a trap of just listing every episode haha

I want to say season 2 is perhaps my favorite season, which is rooted mostly in nostalgia. It was just so pivotal to me at the time. But if we're going off the now, I'd have to say Season 5 probably.

Which Big Bad do you like most and which one is your least favorite? (Tessa)

I think my favorite big bad is probably ... oh boy that's a tough one. I love the overall presence of Glory, but I think The Mayor is probably my fave. I love how much depth he had as a villain. 

What are your thoughts on ships in the Buffyverse? (Maggie)

I think ships are fun and such a great way to keep a franchise alive and kicking. I also love ships that aren't even romantic. One of my favorites ever is Jeff and Abed in Community. I get choked up every time they hug on any of my many rewatches because their connection is so deep (IMO) and I love that people get to express their love for that in any form, whether it be art/fanfic or talking about it online with peers.

I do wish the people who are angry about certain ships could just find peace though lol

What was the moment when you started shipping Spuffy? What are your perspectives on Spike? (The Sunny Slayer)

I'm not sure if there was a specific moment. I think they always made sense from the beginning and as it was happening live I fully accepted it because the show and the actors do such a great job of prepping you for it. I'd imagine Something Blue was the metaphorical chip implanted in my brain that told me "This is happening and this is good.

And I absolutely LOVE Spike. He's funny, charming when he wants to be, and absolutely adorable.

What draws you to Spuffy compared to the Bangel ship? (Tessa)

I think Spike and Buffy just have so much time to grow and explore each other, so I'm drawn to a fully fleshed-out relationship. Unfortunately, Buffy and Angel had a few months of getting to know each other before he lost his soul. And then when he came back it was melodrama out the butt until he left. There wasn't really anything for me to hold on to.

All that being said, I ATE UP the melodrama of Bangel as a young teenager.

Which Buffy character do you identify with the most? Why? 

I probably identify most with Oz. I'd love to say Cordelia because she's who I aspire to be like, but I'm more of a quiet, monosyllabic type (among other people at least - I'll talk up a storm by myself). Also red hair.

Who was your least favorite of Buffy's love interests? Why? 

I feel like Parker’s too easy of a target. Probably Riley .. and mostly because they dragged it out far too long. 

I heard you were in the Marines and introduced your comrades to Buffy. Can you tell us an anecdote of what it was like when you watched the show with your fellow Marines? What were their reactions? (The Sunny Slayer)

It was fun. I was SO confident in it back then, but it was also 2001. So Buffy was still airing and it was in the zeitgeist and it hadn't aged yet. I remember excitedly watching it with them just KNOWING they would love it. I've since experienced people not being super into the show, so my confidence isn't as high when I recommend it anymore. But it was so cool to just be three or four Marines huddled in a small barracks room watching each batch of episodes (my mom would ship out a few episodes so we could binge them and also to save on shipping).

As they are comic book fans, what specific story arcs are a Must Read for people who dislike/disavow the comics? (sabershadowkat)

Well, obviously, I think watching the Spike/Buffy story hit its highest potential is #1. Domestic Spuffy is a sight to behold (and oh boy, that one moment when she sees in his mind there are not enough heart-eye emojis in the world). I also really liked the internment camp storyline and the “new magic” storyline, they were super interesting. The FINAL final story was a great way to tie everything up IMO (and even closes out Faith's Mayor storyline). I also think the Angel/Faith comics are a great dive into who Faith is.

What is it about Buffy (the character) that you like the most? (Niamh)

I love her perseverance. No matter what, she keeps pushing. Fighting gods and monsters with zero hesitation. I love her so much.

What is your opinion of Willow and Xander? (Niamh)

I didn't fully realize how deep Willow's problems were and how it didn't all just start in season 6 until many years later. And not even FULLY fully until doing this podcast where I'm watching it so critically. I still love her though. Xander however; I never really clocked the stuff he was doing/saying to be bad back when it aired, but it is one of those things where every time you watch, you're like "...yikes." But he has redeeming qualities too so I'm not gonna throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. Honestly, I just watched the unaired pilot and THAT Xander was so much better. I really wish they went that route.

What is your perspective on Dru? (Syn)

I love Dru so much and wish we got more of her. We at least get a good chunk in Angel, but she's so electric when she's on screen, I always want more. Her entrance in The Trial (in season 2 of Angel) is one of my favorite entrances ever.

Has your opinion of the characters changed with your own maturity? And if so, how? (Niamh)

Yeah. I don't think drastically, but more so I've found nuance to certain performances that I didn't really appreciate back then and I've, as mentioned before, come to realize and acknowledge the more problematic sides of characters.

Which vampire would you let bite you? (ClowniesLivEver)

I don't know what this says about me, but probably Dru.

If you were Buffy's creator/writer, how would you have changed the final season (season seven)? 

Honestly, I absolutely love season 7. We'll see how I feel watching it critically while recording the podcast, but I really dug the (structured) "race to the finish" nature of the storytelling. It even has some of my all time favorite episodes (Help, Conversations with Dead People, and Lies My Parents Told Me). I guess if I was changing anything, I'd not make Giles do some of the things he does or act the way he does, but that's just because I don't want Buffy and Giles to be at odds with each other selfishly.

About His Art

What made you decide to start creating fan art and animation? Any tips for fan creators creating in fandom now? 

Honestly, I've been working as an editor for television for about 15 years, and I'd been doing motion graphics as side work. I always avoided 3D work because it seemed too difficult. Then one day I just took the dive and got into it and fell in love with the whole process. I wanted to improve and not lose interest so I set a goal for myself to create an art piece for every episode of Buffy. That way I always had a reason to go into it if I was ever bored or couldn't think of what to do to improve my skills.

And I figured tying it around Buffy (my all time favorite thing in the world) would keep me inspired. And it's worked so far! I did the same thing for my Buffy: Into The Slayerverse animation. I figured I might as well tie my first "big animation project" to something Buffy so I'd be motivated to finish it.

Regarding tips, I'd say "Release it!" Whatever the art is that you think isn't good enough, just put it out anyway. There are a good amount of my pieces that I wasn't happy with and I just put them out there because I needed to move on. And on most of them I got some really great comments telling me how it was their favorite one or how it moved them. Art is different for everybody and we're our own worst critics.

What's behind your stylistic choice to not include faces in your art? (Maggie) (And Niamh)

This actually started because I was new to 3D and I barely knew how to do what I was doing, much less make accurate faces lol - so I figured I'd do the low poly art style and then it just kind of became my thing. I think it also really helps bring the focus to the overall piece. It's a fun challenge trying to get people to remember an episode with as little information as possible. Although I do get the occasional "Is that Darla or Buffy" comment haha

How do you go about deciding what to model? What software do you use? What advice would you give people starting out on 3D modeling? (ClowniestLivEver)

I use Blender (which is free) for all of the 3D modeling. I use Photoshop to do some finishing touchups (but you could use something like Gimp, which is free - I just happen to be comfortable in Photoshop.

Regarding deciding what to model: Sometimes it's super easy. I had the idea for Fool For Love when I started making the art and had to wait till I was in season 5 to do it. Sometimes it's tough and it takes me weeks to think of something. If I know what I'm gonna do, I just kind of hop in and start building and moving.

I typically start with all the characters, get them into place, then position the camera, then I start building the set. After that I work out their clothes, all the textures, etc. I usually do the lighting about halfway through and then I just kind of keep tweaking until I'm happy or exhausted.

My advice would be to just keep doing it. I kept dipping a toe in 3D and abandoning because what I was making looked like ass. It wasn't until I did the donut tutorial (a Blender tutorial series on YouTube) that I felt fully confident in my abilities. And then making consistent Buffy art really boosted my confidence as well. 

Has anyone from LEGO contacted you about making actual Buffy sets based on his animation? When will they be available?  And I'm not joking! I would buy some. (Jasna) 

No one has contacted me yet, no. I think someone from Lego Ideas retweeted one of my animations, but that's about it. Hopefully one day!

What is your favorite Lego piece - which of the little component pieces - and why? (Syn)

I don't know if I have a favorite Lego piece. I suppose just the standard 4x2 brick? I'm sure I sound really basic.

Have you always been into Legos? What was your favorite set as a kid? 

I actually have! When I was a kid, I would build all kinds of things out of Legos. I don't think I ever had sets (not sure how prominent they were back then?) I just had a bunch of random Legos and I would build all these things and keep them in an empty cabinet in my mom's house.

What does your family think of your fanart? 

My kids love it. They like watching me make it and ask what certain things are. They always ask if Spike and Buffy are married (they’ve never seen the show) even if whatever I'm working on is literally them just in a room together. So even Spike and Buffy with no faces standing in a room together have enough chemistry to transcend generations lol - They also constantly ask me “Do you have a new Lego animation we can see?”

My wife likes my art and my animations too. She's even helped me with some. For instance, with my Passion piece, I initially just recreated the scene where Angel snaps Jenny's neck and I wasn't feeling it at all. I showed it to her and said I couldn't figure out why I didn't like it and she reminded me that I typically create my interpretations of the episodes and this was more or less just a shot from the episode. Which led to one of my more popular pieces.

So, an exception to that advice above, sometimes if you're not feeling your art...start over!

When can we expect to see more Spuffy in your art? (hellishyen) What is your next big project (like the Dark Willow one)? 

Haha, well we're definitely getting close to a point where it'll be hard NOT to make every art piece a Spuffy art piece with where they're going in their relationship. But outside of my episodic ones, I'm not sure. I kind of just do them when the inspiration strikes.

I have a couple "big" projects that I'm putting together. I don't want to say them officially though. Not for any kind of secrecy, more for my own mental health. If they turn out not to unfold or not be what I expected, I'll think "But I said on that one site X months ago that I was going to do this! They're gonna be so disappointed!" And then I'll spiral haha. But I have a couple cool Buffy-centric projects in the works. And then obviously I'll keep making the little moments as often as I can.

Once I get to a comfortable amount of patrons, I’ll be in a healthier place to spend a lot more time on the bigger projects. Right now, I just dip in when I find slivers of time.

Is there a scene from Buffy that you will never attempt to LEGO? Why? 

LMAO - I think we all know one very specific scene I would never attempt with Lego. And we all know why. I'd rather not elaborate so as not to trigger anyone.

Would you ever use fanfic as source material for your art? 

I've actually been thinking about it lately. I read my first fanfic a few weeks ago. Someone mentioned online that they wanted to see Buffy riding on the back of Spike's motorcycle. So I animated it. And then Holly (from Elysian Fields) wrote a quick fanfic as a companion to it. So I read that. And then it got me thinking that it'd be fun to bring some fanfics to life. We shall see.

About Another Buffy Podcast

What made you decide to do a podcast about BtVS? Have you done other podcasts? 

Kristin and I met through her husband (who I went to college with) and her best friend (who I also went to college with). We quickly realized we both loved Buffy and would constantly geek out over it. Then one night she was just like "Let's just do a podcast." We both had our own podcasts at the time, but this just started as a way for us to have a reason to talk about all aspects of Buffy, without really thinking about an audience or anything. We just wanted to pour out all of our thoughts on Buffy in one place.

I used to do a gaming podcast a looooong while back. And then more recently, I did a podcast called "Trevor Loves Everything." My friends typically joke that they don't take my recommendations seriously because I love everything. So I did a podcast where I'd invite friends on to talk about movies that most people hate and that I love. My guest would be someone who also hates the film and we just had a fun conversation about said movie. It's still up and available. I haven't done a new episode in years, partly because of the pandemic and partly because ABP has taken up most of my time.

Pros and cons of podcasting? 

Podcasting is a great way to just get all your thoughts out and recorded somewhere. It's like journaling I suppose. Unfortunately, it's also a lot of work (depending on what you put into it). Kristin and I record twice a week (which also means watching two episodes a week - so 4 hours) and then I edit the next week's episode usually on Friday. And each episode takes approximately 3-6 hours of editing depending on how much we talked and how much I need to clean up our time delay. Also finding the clips and incorporating them takes a good amount of the editing time.

10 Hours might not seem like a lot, but doing it on top of work and taking care of kids (and animating and creating art pieces) can get very exhausting. But it's such a great outlet that it never feels like a chore.

What will you do after you are done with Buffy (and Angel)? (hellishyen)

Oh boy, I'm not sure. I guess we'll have to start figuring that out when we get closer to the end, but we have a few more years until then.

Where are you in recording (I know y’all are ahead) and how do you feel about it eventually ending? 

We are currently in the middle of season 5 of Buffy and Season 2 of Angel. Right now, we're very excited because we're covering some of our favorite stuff. I'm sure being near the end will probably hit us once we're nearing the end of season 6 though.

Will you cover the comics?

Yes. We currently plan to cover the comics unless something changes. I'm actually super looking forward to it because I only ever read the comics once. I'm pumped to dive deep into it all.

For those of our membership who haven’t dipped their toe into listening to your podcast, what would you say is unique about “Another Buffy Podcast” that you think people resonate with? 

What I've noticed is people say it's like chatting with your friends about your favorite show. I think that's because we didn't really approach this like "Let's make a Buffy podcast and do X, Y, and Z to reach certain audiences." We just kind of started talking about our favorite show and anyone who wants to come along for the ride is welcome!

About Fandom

How do you deal with people commenting in a negative way about the Spuffy ship to you? (Tessa)

Usually, any negative or unwanted comments, I just ignore. I typically respond to every comment (as long as I see it, Social Media is finicky), but those negative ones I just ignore (or straight up delete). I don't like giving fuel to the fire.

Do you enjoy reading fanfiction? Why or why not? 

I enjoy the idea of fan fiction and I want to read a bunch of it. I just don’t have a lot of time. I read that one I mentioned earlier because it was a fast read. I’ve got books piled up to my right as I’m typing that I still haven’t finished and they just stare at me all day. 

If you do, what do you enjoy about fanfic? 

I have peeked in on fanfic stories here and there out of curiosity (read a paragraph or two) and I really love how well some writers can speak in the language of the show I love so much. So I know when I do step into fan fic, I'll fall down a never-ending hole haha

I would be interested in hearing more of his perspective as a male fan of the show. I know there are lots of guys that are fans of the show, but our Spuffy fic community is more female-dominated. (bruskiboo)

It's interesting, most of my straight guy friends have seen and enjoyed Buffy but none of them are as into it as I am. The people I geek out with the most about the show tend to be women or gay men. Even in high school, the friends with whom I talked about Buffy were girls. I don't have any intellectual insight to add. I just have a lot of passion for the things I love and am unapologetic in talking about those things, hence "Trevor Loves Everything" haha

Has negativity ever impacted your art/creativity, and what advice would you give other creators who have gotten negative feedback?

I wouldn't say it's impacted my art because I'm just gonna keep doing what I do. But it has affected my mental health.

Two things that help me get through:

1 - I try to approach those negative comments from a place of empathy. I imagine the people going out of their way to be negative on the internet are very emotionally unstable and are lashing out. So I try to understand it's just a hurt person trying to hurt someone. 

2 - The second thing I do is give it no oxygen. I reply to and like all of my comments (again, as long as I see them all - apologies if I never replied to you). The negative ones just sit there alone (unless someone comes along and fights them in my comments) and disappear into the fold.

Sometimes I'll delete comment threads or mute them if people fight in my mentions and I don't want the mental exhaustion of reading it all. I deleted an entire post on Tik Tok because a whole war was starting in the comments and I was like "No thank you."

So I guess my advice is that your mental health is the most important and do what gives you peace. No one wins internet arguments, everyone feels like shit (except for the trolls...don't feed the trolls). 

Where can people find your works (links, prints, etc.) and social media? (Also would you let us showcase some screenshots of your art when we post the interview? Or could you make us a little something?) 

Thank you so much! This was fun. You can check out all of my stuff on my site www.trevorcarleeart.com. There's a link to my shop there where you can buy all my art prints. 

Also, if you aren't following me already, I'm on all the socials (Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, YouTube) with the same name @trevorcarlee. And if you want, I have a Patreon. For $5 a month, patrons can vote on my next Lego animation for that month. I post in-process behind the scenes type stuff. Also, I'm going to start posting some sneak peeks of my upcoming projects before anyone else gets to see them. But it'll all come out eventually so if you'd rather not spend $5/month and wait till it hits YouTube that's totally understandable too. I'm just happy anyone is enjoying what I make and I want to spend as much time as possible making it all, hence Patreon haha.

Hey, everyone! Here are the Scoobies of the Month Interviews! I'm so sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy them! 

Commenter of the Month for April 2023, violettathepiratequeen

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I was watching it out of obligation at first! Some friends of mine had always pointed to it as their favorite show, so in February 2020 I picked it up and was like OKAY I will drag my way through this probably corny supernatural show, because I know people who say it’s the best. 

But RIGHT away I fell in love with Buffy and all her Scoobies, and even though it was still just a cute thing I was just watching out of obligation, the minute Angel lost his soul I sat up and took notice like “oh, this is a REAL show!” And ummm it only progressed from there, and by the time Spike died in the Hellmouth it was my favorite show.

When and why did you decide to read fanfiction for the show?

I definitely decided to write first, because I noticed S7 has some missing scenes just begging to be filled, and since I was on A03 anyway I just looked up the Buffy/Spike tag to see how others were writing them! I was really just floundering at first because I wasn’t sure what I wanted, lol, so there were a multitude of stories I read in those early days that I wouldn’t read now. When I discovered the existence of exclusively Spuffy sites, my world changed in the very best way, and it became so much easier for me to find what I liked and who were my favorite authors to read! I’m still so excited there are exclusively Spuffy sites. I’m just blown away by HOW much love and excitement there still is for this ONE specific pairing that there’s still such an active and engaged community for it!

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

I loved Buffy right off the bat for ALWAYS being clear on what the right thing to do was. She strove for other things— normality and cheerleading and having friends and boys and a social life— but she always set that aside without question to either save the day or just be a good friend. “Witch” is my favorite S1 episode because of… many tiny little things, but one in particular: Willow casually mentions that she and Amy used to have brownie pigouts on the sly, and when Amy (or who we thought was Amy) doesn’t make it on the cheerleading squad, Buffy immediately invites this girl she just met over to her house for brownies. This is the THIRD episode, and already this perky little valley girl is showing how kind and empathetic she is! 

I took a little bit longer to get on the Spike train… and I think, again, it was his goodness that got me there. His truce in Becoming Part 2. Did he go to Buffy for selfish reasons, and there really wasn’t a speck of goodness to be seen there? YES, but the fact remains that he DID put aside his demonic tendencies and teamed up with the hero to save the world, sticking to his word so that Buffy was able to fight Angel alone and not have to worry about Dru (or Spike!) attacking her, too. And every time after that he did something endearing or funny or so inexplicably GOOD, I just fell more in love with him. He tries so hard, even if he doesn’t always get it right!

And I love them TOGETHER because their journey to romance makes a lot of sense to me. I’m actually really picky about romances in the media, and a lot of the time I just don’t buy the love they’re trying to sell. I’ll like two characters together, sure, but usually just as a “meh” thing, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen two characters with personalities and similar journeys and both the need and ability to love in similar ways and who just CLICKED so well that I need them to be together, always, and not have any other character come in between that. It’s definitely an obsession, lol, I’m not proud.

What words of advice would you give other fans who comment or are considering maybe commenting on fanfiction? 

Just be positive in whatever you’re saying!  Writing fanfiction is a hobby and means of escape and no one is getting paid for it, so unless the author has explicitly noted that constructive criticism or feedback is okay, it’s safer and kinder just to mention what you liked, and not point out the flaws or anything that didn’t sit well with you.

From VeroNyxK84:

As a commenter and reader do you have a favorite ‘setting’ (i.e. season, genre, category, etc) that will make you click on a story right away, even with an overflowing bookshelf?

Season 7 is like a siren call for me; I always jump all over one of those stories when I find a new one! There aren’t too many S11 fics, but if anyone writes one of those I can guarantee I would devour that immediately, too. And this is very specific, but Spuffy between S2 and S3? Chef’s kiss. HappyWhenItRains, scratchmeout, and handwithquill all have fics set in that time that are definite comfort fics for me!

WIPs vs Completed: do you have a preferred ‘status’ when you start reading a new story?

Completed, definitely! I try not to start WIPS at all but I sometimes will if I know it’s being regularly updated (I started reading Dusty during “Pretty Petals,” because I was so impressed that she was updating every day or so!) If I come across one that hasn’t been touched in a while I won’t touch it either… my heart just can’t take that, haha. 

Is there a story (or more) that completely wrecked your emotions but ended up making the list of your top fav?

Too many to count, lol. I’ve got three that stand out in my head as ones that both destroyed me and left me lying flat on my face for a solid week just thinking about them, but also ended so beautifully that I crawl back to them for rereads. None of them are on this site unfortunately, but for those who know… West of the Moon, East of the Sun by KnifeEdge, Because He Needs Me by DreamsofSpike, and Sideways by GoldenUsagi. I’m in serious danger of just ranting for hours here about why those were so amazing to me, but here’s some hints: Mr. Gordo, a Spike who trusts Buffy implicitly even when he’s seemingly broken beyond repair, and ALL the cuddles I could hope for. 

Thanks to whoever nominated me— last month was such a CRAZY one for comments that anyone could have won this, and I’m blushing so much that you guys picked me!

Author of the Month for April 2023, VeroNyxK84

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I already gave an extensive answer to this question in my Commenter of the Month interview back in January, so I'll try to be concise.

Long story short: Year 2000, a classmate in high school made me try to watch but I didn't like it (I tuned in to 1x06 The Pack) so I dropped it without a second thought. 

Year 2004, spring, Italian TV had a S1-S5 re-run marathon with daily eps, preparing for the release of S7 (yeah, a whole year later… don't get me started). They skipped S6 because I think they were afraid of a parents movement called ‘MOIGE’ (battling against what they deemed to be inappropriate TV content, and Buffy made it into their black list - the level of censorship we’ve had, sometimes even when airing at night, was insane) 

Anyway, I got hooked because of the marathon so I watched S6 on DVD and S7 too, because DVDs were released in October while our stupid TV aired it in December. The end… or was it just the beginning? 😉

When and why did you decide to write fanfiction for the show?

It was shortly after I joined SAD last summer. I spent a while just reading stories (even before registering) and it took me some time to come out of my shell with comments, too. 
But there was this Challenge I found in my early exploration of the site that wormed into my brain and before long I started playing with different scenarios in my head, imagining how a story following that Challenge could turn out. So I kept having these scenes crowding my head and they were demanding to ‘come to life.’

At the time there was a Grand Opening event going on, which was what tempted me to try. So I opened Google Docs and I put together what ended up to be the first chapter of my WIP… and I was super nervous about it because I was attempting to write fiction in English (not my native language) for the first time and there was a part of me who kept saying “What do you think you’re doing with this? Did you read the other stories on here? Do you really want to make a fool of yourself like that?”. I can be my own worst enemy. 🙈

Thankfully I have a native friend who is also a BtVS/Spuffy fan and she graciously agreed to check my work to make sure my English was acceptable and readable. For a short chapter there were a few things that I definitely got wrong, so I’m glad she checked it first. 😂 And then I made that nagging voice in my head shut up and I published my first chapter, right on the Grand Opening event deadline. So I got my first award and my first super kind and encouraging reviews. 

The rest is simple… I was infected with the writing bug, and I haven’t stopped since then. Looks like you’re stuck with me. 

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

Again, I already gave an extensive answer to this question in my previous interview, so I’ll shamelessly copy-paste a few sentences from that. 

I love Spike and Buffy because they’re deep, complex and layered both as individuals and as a couple. Their journey from enemies to unexpected allies to somewhat enemies again to reluctant partners to friends to lovers… it was bumpy and tumultuous, at times painful but also undoubtedly fun, and it touched so many aspects in their relationship which I believe is part of what makes them so special.

They inevitably drifted apart but found their way back into each other’s life, cementing their bond with the strongest adhesives: trust and acceptance.

They made me laugh and cry, feel sad and happy and furious, they broke me and then healed me. It was one hell of a ride, but darn, it was ‘bloody well’ worth it in the end.

Which three fanfics that you’ve written are your favorite? Why are they your favorite?

Mmh… I only have 9 stories in my bag at the moment (and two of them are artwork collections), but I’ll try to answer.

Perfect Clarity—This my current WIP, my first ever Spuffy story and my baby. It’s the one that opened up the world of fiction writing for me, and despite the title it’s probably full of imperfections, but I know I’ll always cherish it also because of what it meant to me in a trying period of my life. About the story: Simply put, I’m mixing elements and events from S7 to make more room for a Spuffy romance. That was the core request for the ‘Selflessly Yours’ challenge, in short.

Deliverance—A missing scene one-shot set in S7 after Buffy frees Spike from the cave where he’d been held captive by the First and Turok-Han. Surely done a million times before, but I decided to write it anyway because for plot reasons I skipped Spike’s capture in Perfect Clarity and I needed to fill that huge blank that was left on the show for such a pivotal moment in Spuffy’s journey. How did they go from the cave to Spike helping with the training of Potential Slayers? That’s the question I tried to answer.

I’ve Been Feeling Everything—This one was my entry for the Scooby Celebration event and it’s a ‘hybrid’ story with 2 artworks and 1 one-shot (last chapter). 

It’s my first and only (for now?) NC-17 written content, a Chosen fade-to-black missing scene about the night before the final battle. I’m fond of it because it made me come out of my comfort zone, attempting to write my first smutty scene in what, in my view, was also a meaningful context. 

I wanted to make them ready to cross that line again while entering a new territory which felt both familiar and entirely different at the same time. I wanted to give a bit more build-up to Buffy’s ILY at the Hellmouth, and I also planted the seed for a post-series story in their final dialogue. Which will be my next long-fic project after I finish my current WIP. (Read my answer to violettathepiratequeen’s 1st question below for better explanation on this point) 

What words of advice would you give other fans who write or want to write fanfiction?  

As a newbie writer I don’t think I’ve got much to say to anyone who’s already writing… most people here have been doing this for so much longer than me, I can only learn from them.
I could probably be more helpful to those fans who are just starting or would like to start but are feeling nervous or unsure. I’ve been there not long ago (about 8 months, give or take) and I remember perfectly what it feels like to hit that publish button for the first time: scary and exciting. I still feel some of that even now, I’ve simply learned to roll with it and enjoy that bit of adrenaline rush. I can't talk about other sites because I’m exclusively on SAD, but I’ve found the most welcoming and encouraging environment here, so if you have a story idea… take a deep breath and go for it! And be prepared to never stop. There’s no coming back, and you won’t want to. 😉

As for what to write, follow your heart. I worried at first that my story(-ies) would not be what people wanted to read, but I soon realized there’s many people with many different tastes and you can’t possibly please everyone. So I’m just writing what I feel is right for me and my stories and I’ve been enjoying it immensely. Whenever I find someone enjoying the journey with me, it’s a beautiful feeling and a gratifying added bonus. But basically I learned to be my own fan first. 😘

From violettathepiratequeen:

Is it easy for you to stay focused on whatever you're currently writing, or are you tempted to start new stories whenever the idea strikes?

I try not to be tempted. I have a Google Doc with a list of ideas and sometimes I go back to it, especially when I’m a little stumped with my WIP. A couple of times I wrote one-shots just to get my mind in a different mindset. So far I’ve eagerly and happily been part of all SAD events, which always provide a fun break and exciting challenges.

I regularly check the Challenge section and save those which sound like something I’d like to write, but if they require more than one-shots I just let them be for the moment. 

Because I’m stubbornly refusing to start any other WIP before I finish the one I’m currently working on. Depending on the moment, I’m finding it hard to keep a regular writing schedule and I hate to leave a story waiting for updates for too long. It’s a personal issue I have with myself, and I can’t even think of keeping more than one WIP going at a time. I mean, technically I have 2 artwork collections that are also WIPs and even those are nagging me! 🙈 So I only let myself be tempted by one-shots and events. I seal all other ideas in boxes for later use. And if I lose the momentum for a particular story… I sigh and move on. 😉 

There are so MANY great Spuffy scenes, but are there any that still have a big impact on you when you rewatch them?

Wow… tough question. All of them? 😝

There are a few that always make me wish I was watching them for the first time. Over and over! And I’m aware it’s a very predictable list, but it is what it is. The iconic scenes from School Hard and Becoming pt II are at the top of the list together with Fool For Love and Touched. The beginning of After Life follows closely and I have a soft spot for drunk Buffy on a kitten poker not-date with Spike. 😂

What are the kinds of tropes/concepts/scenes you're ALWAYS excited to write when the time comes for them?

Once again, I fear I’m quite predictable.

I love to have Spuffy bickering and teasing each other, sometimes driving each other mad, too. I love to have scenes where they have a connection and understanding with little to no words. Where they’re supportive of the other, but also ‘brutally’ honest and don’t refrain from calling the other out if needed. Last but not least, I also love to shove them in domestic and fluffy settings. I’m currently having them adjust to the joys of platonic bed-sharing (ok, maybe Spike is not 100% joyful about that XD)… snoring, covers hogging, kicking, clinging, personal space invasions, uncomfortable crotch reactions and morning bickering about all the above. Probably not the most exciting scenario for many people, but I’m a big old softie at heart and I can’t escape from that… I’ve already given up and accepted my fate. 😝

I’d like to close this by saying I’m honored to share this month’s SotM with violettathepiratequeen, both her fics and comments are an absolute delight, and so is she.
Thank you everyone for the incredible support you’ve shown from the start. SAD is my happy place — I’m grateful for every single word of encouragement and praise, and also for all the stunning stories that are hosted here. My bookshelf and my heart will never be empty. ♥️

A little note from Chelle, Dusty, and sandy_s, who are back at the helm!

We’re thrilled that we were able to create havoc and unleash our inner demons today— your participation and outrage was very enjoyable! We had a blast creating this little detour and are happy to return you now to our regularly scheduled program.

You all are the whole reason we’re here and we can’t begin to thank you enough for all the love, camaraderie, and participation. We’ve never seen so many wonderful drabbles and so many thoughtful comments as we have this past month!

And now the SADmins are signing off to…

Oh, wait. Spike? Buffy? Angel? What are you guys still doing here?

“You hired us for this shit, didn’t you?” Spike demanded, chin jutting out proudly. “Took all my time away from Buffy and her sweet—”

“Do not finish that sentence!” Angel snapped. “What he meant to say is that we were happy to help out the fandom. The stories here are— well, they’re… stories. About Buffy and Spike. And maybe I felt a little bit left out. But even I can admit they’re amazing.”

“They are. They are amazing!” Buffy declared. “And we’re very happy that this fandom is still so popular and that Sunnydale After Dark’s recent drabble event was such a success.”

“I had a starring role. I’m dead chuffed. These writers know where the real meat of a story is.” Spike leered at Angel.

“Spike.” Buffy sighed.

Angel shook his head. “Our point is, we’re grateful. And whether you’re writing just Buffy and Spike or, I dunno, including the guy who happened to be pretty significant to Buffy and Spike’s lives, um… or I guess using the whole ensemble—”

“Even Xander?” Spike interrupted.

“Even Xander,” Buffy snapped.

Angel growled, “Can I finish?”

“Go for it.” Spike pouted.

“The point is!” Angel shouted. “Sunnydale After Dark welcomes everyone. Even me. Which is pretty awesome. And, uh, that’s why I’m officially dropping the lawsuit. Even if I have to deal with some angry demon lawyers to do it.”

Buffy snorted. “There are a whole host of reasons to drop your ridiculous lawsuit.”

“Trying to be nice here…”

“What Forehead is trying and failing to say is you are all a wicked talented lot and we’re your willing puppets. Do with us what you will.” Spike wrapped both arms around Buffy. “Make it dirty if you can.”

Happy April, everyone!

We hope you have a fabulous rest of your month.

Drabble awards are on their way soon