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

Happy (almost) March, Sunnydale After Darkers!

Drabble season is finally upon us as we begin our Short and Spuffy event! Throughout this month, this post will be updated with our daily drabble prompts.

A detailed explanation of the event and its guidelines can be found here.

Quick reminders:

• You do not have to do every prompt.
• You do not have to do the prompts in order.
• Only the drabbles and comments posted between March 1-31 will count toward event awarding.

Without further ado, here are the prompts!

1. Should we break up?
2. Attainathon 
3. Hurt and Comfort
4. The French Quarter
5. A Little Clue
6. Pretty Chains
7. Side By Side 
8. Message to the Moon
9. Making Up
10. Joy
11. The Clock Stops
12. Blue and Green
13. Too Much Damn Drama!
14. Drowning
15. Pain
16. The Lies You Told
17. Tempt Me
18. Sacrifice
19. Too Quiet
20. Kitten
21. I Think I Love You
22. Loving You is Easy
23. Make a Choice
24. Scent
25. Crashing
26. Indirect Sunlight 
27. Boxes On a Shelf
28. Just Let It All Hang Out
29. Lost
30. Angst is My Oxygen

We've decided to add an award for all banner artists. Please note your banner artist (if you have one) in your story notes so that artists can get their reward. And please note that art will not qualify as drabbles for this event. We considered allowing art submissions, but since a picture is worth a thousand words, that didn't seem fair when our writers are limited to 100

We’d like to thank everyone for your continuous event enthusiasm. It should be a very fun and drabble-y month and that is all thanks to you! We’d also like to thank Grief Counseling in particular for creating this incredible event banner. As always, she is too good to us.

Now, commence with your word counting! To the drabble-mobile! Away!

Hi, y'all! Here are the Scoobies of the Month interviews! Hope you enjoy reading them. :o) 

Commenter of the Month for February 2023, bruskiboo: 

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I watched Buffy for the first time in 2019, when my friend extended her Hulu account to me, and I saw it listed and thought “why not finally see what all the fuss is about.”

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

I wasn’t super interested in reading gen fic for the show. But then someone in a FB group told me there was an entire website just for Spuffy fic. And when I checked it out and started reading the stories, I couldn’t believe my luck – that this specific ship of a niche show from years ago had such a huge collection of stories and a still-active community. I came for the Spuffy goodness and haven’t had my fill yet. (Doubt I ever will.)

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

Oh man, I could write a novel. Let’s go with bullets to rein it in somewhat and call this more of the *top* reasons, and not in any particular order.

They both are inspirational in their efforts to do and be good, but are also flawed and not always good.They are funny and goofy and unique and have their own quirks. They are smart and passionate but also stupid and stubborn.They’re so INTERESTING! They both have depth to their characters and incredible arcs through the series.Spuffy together has *undeniable* chemistry and sexiness.Spike and Buffy seem meant for each other. They have so much in common, their differences complement each other, they get on each other’s nerves, but they also can’t seem to let each other go.Spuffy is a beautiful ship because they have a deep and lasting bond, formed from many years of going through just about everything imaginable together. Even as enemies, they started with a mutual respect for each other and recognized the strengths of the other. And then they traversed a very long and winding journey, through good and bad and the worst times experienced together, where in the end they probably know each other better than they know themselves and are at their very best when there for each other. It feels like a real, adult, weathered, inevitable yet chosen relationship – the kind of relationship I can’t help but believe in and root for.

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

Do it! I mean, I totally get the hesitation. In all honesty, I’m still working my way through commenting on the fics I favorited when I first came to Spuffy fanfic and was lurking a bunch without commenting. But all it takes is a few obviously humbled and heart-felt responses from authors to realize what an impact even a small or simple comment can make.

My personal opinion is that the only wrong way to comment is to be negative. The most “negative” I probably get in a comment is to note a choice or character action that I think differently about, but even then I always make it into a positive - like maybe the author did a good job of making it realistic or their take brought up an interesting point or made me think differently about something. Our authors give so generously of their time and talent for absolutely no money, that it really doesn’t feel like the space to be critical. “If you can’t find anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” is probably a fitting philosophy for fanfic commenting.

Beyond that, I would say try not to feel self-conscious or pressured to comment like other people. And just comment however you feel! A few words or lots of words; epic sharing of emotions or vague summary of thoughts; commenting while being posted or waiting until all done to comment; listing things you liked, picking out quotes, or using our fantastic set of emojis – WHATEVER! Comment in whatever style you want and change it up whenever you want. Just remember how meaningful it can be to an author to write anything.

Another thing I suggest is to be open to reading and commenting on stories that don’t have as much attention. There could be a variety of reasons why a story hasn’t collected many comments, especially on SAD, since it’s a new archive. And I’ve read so many great fics that made me wonder “why doesn’t this have more comments?” So be bold, be the first one!

And lastly, I would encourage commenting on fics even if you know the author is inactive and unlikely to read your comment, because comments can also be helpful to readers. Not only can they bring attention to stories others may enjoy reading, but some readers find it helpful to reference the comments before reading a story, especially if they’re unsure whether they will like a story based on the description or warnings.

From violettathepiratequeen:

What are some tropes you’re always really excited to see in a Spuffy fanfic?

All of them! Tropes are the best and I will read just about any of them over and over again. As far as a fave trope, I do really enjoy hurt/comfort, especially with Spuffy. Cuz there’s something about either of them being forced to let down their guard and be a bit more vulnerable, and the other person wanting to be there for them through it. Also, I don’t know if I’d call it a trope, but I have a major yen for TALKING, for Spuffy finally having CONVERSATIONS with each other. There is so much in canon that is frustratingly NOT discussed that it’s super cathartic when stories fill in those gaps and give us that delicious exchange of actual words and understandings.

Is there any kind of Spuffy fic you WON'T read? Is there an author who you'll read anything from even if you're skeptical?

Yes. I will read *almost* anything, but I do have a handful of story types and warnings I won’t read. BUT, I’m not going to list them here because I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading or writing what they like. Something I love about our rich and diverse community is that it includes all kinds of readers and writers, so we can all find something we enjoy. And just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean someone else won’t.

As for authors, I’ll happily give the shout-out to Grief Counseling. She is the one who originally talked me into trying all human fics, and then basically spoiled me with her amazing examples of AH, lol! And her writing is so consistently strong and often hits that lovely balance of sweet and funny, that besides my no-read list, I will gladly try out anything she posts.

Are there any fics you've read that have changed the way you view a character or episode?

Yes! Too many to name them all. But… *goes to reference my Excel of favorited stories, cuz I’m a total nerd who made one of those*… Can I name 4? I’m gonna name 4, that are here on SAD:

Tempting Fate, by sabershadowkat: This is an interesting AU series envisioning Spuffy coming together in a totally different way, starting in s3. Not only did it open my eyes to what fic could be as an early reader, it also cemented the idea for me that Spuffy would eventually get together no matter what that journey looks like.

Sandcastles, by MissLuci: This one’s actually a featured story right now, so go read it! This sweet little fic made me think about ‘As You Were’ differently, it made me reflect on the amount of rage and depression that Buffy is dealing with in s6, and it made me wish Buffy had way more revelatory dreams about Spike in canon!

The Wind Beneath My Wings, by slaymesoftly: I don’t want to give too much away, but slaymesoftly makes an interesting choice in this fic about Angel and the Shanshu that I never would have thought of. The story also highlights the differences between Spike and Angel and provides a unique take on a post-NFA story.

Undeniable, by Chelle: I personally don’t headcanon that Spuffy slept together during the last night before the Chosen battle. BUT Chelle did a version that made it so realistic and delightful, that I had to concede it as a possibility for that fade-to-black moment.

Author of the Month for February 2023, violettathepiratequeen: 

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I started watching in February 2020, because I had some friends at the time who just kept constantly pointing to it as their favorite show, even though I’d never heard of it before! I went into it knowing nothing except for a handful of random things, including that Buffy’s primary love interests were named Buffy and Spike. What’s so funny to me now is how sure I was that between Angel and Spike, one had to be a vampire, and one had to be a werewolf. I never got into Twilight but surely that was the formula, right? Once Angel was revealed to be a vampire, I was all set for Spike to be a werewolf, and it took me a minute to grapple with the fact that they were both vampires, lol! 

Anyway, I was hooked on the show, and Buffy herself, from episode one, though I actually didn’t like Spike at ALL until “Becoming Part 2”, I wasn’t receptive to the idea of them as a couple until “Who Are You?” and I finally PROPERLY started shipping them to the ends of the earth during “Fool for Love.” But I binged both shows in the span of four months (which ended up being the lockdown months, not that I could have known that when I started!), and obviously I’m now part of the fandom and it’s become a whole lifestyle for me at this point.

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

So I’m fairly new to the fanfiction game just in general; I avoided it for so long because of the stereotypes and bad rap that it often gets… until I realized that I’d been writing fanfiction in my head for the things I’ve watched since I was a child. The “Violetta” in my username is an OC I created to enter every fiction world I’ve ever loved, and to become part of the universe and interact with the characters and create new stories with them, and she’s been with me since I was eleven (but if inquiring minds want to know, the “pirate queen” part is just because that was the first thing I thought of when I made my A03 account a few years ago). So once I had THAT epiphany, in 2017, it was like a bottle uncorking and I couldn’t get stories written and posted fast enough.

All of that was way off topic, so back to the question. I wasn’t sure if Buffy would be a fandom I wanted to write for… until I watched “Fool For Love.” That porch scene changed everything for me, and I knew it’d only be a matter of time before Spuffy fanfic consumed my every waking thought, and oh my gosh I have never been more right about anything in my life. I resisted it until I’d finished both that show and AtS, but then churned out my first Spuffy story, When Buffy Knew, which was a small series of missing scenes from S7 of the moments I am SURE Buffy knew she loved Spike. And my next completed fic was When Spike Knew, which was, unsurprisingly, a series of missing moments from S4 and S5 during which I know he must have fallen in love with her. And now I don’t even write for any other fandoms anymore. This is it for me, until the well runs dry, which I hope will be a long time from now!

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

I have sort of an answer to this in my current bio, and so without completely blathering any more about my life story than I have already by naming all the ways they’ve meshed into my psyche so comfortably and effortlessly, let me just make this simple and copy and paste some of that here. Buffy and Spike mean the world to me, and that's all there is to it. I love them to bits, every part of them, and I dimly remember having other characters who were contenders as my favorites, but now it's clearly these two. She keeps me strong, and he keeps me sane. There's a lot of media out there that represents poor mental health, and I used to cling to them and feel seen by them... but I think this show is special in the way that it shows it, but doesn't wallow in it. It doesn't embrace the darkness, and it doesn't coddle the weakness, but gives room to feel it and work through it, and then rise above and overcome it, and I never knew how much I was missing that in shows until this one! 

I love Spike and Buffy because they try. I love them because they’re both light and darkness, and live in both. I love them for having so much of the same pain and problems, a century and a half apart and opposite sides of the coin, but with so much connection underneath. I love that they’re so strong and tough and brave, but still soft and sensitive when they’re permitted to be. I love that they strive for goodness… Buffy especially, she never compromises her values, and her ideals may be reshaped but they are never sacrificed, and Spike works against his very nature to become someone worthy of being close to her.

And it’s been a long time since I’ve seen two characters who care, so much… Buffy for her friends and family and all the people of the world she tries to save; Spike for his mother and Dru and Dawn and Joyce, and then both for each other. That kind of unbreakable love, that isn’t just passionate and romantic (though with a very healthy helping of that too) is just so rare to see, and probably so difficult to portray in the media, and that, like everything else about them, is just so unbelievably inspiring.

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

Train to Nowhere. This wasn’t even a contest… I had to really think about my other two choices for this list, but this one is so very special to me. It wasn’t prompted by anything other than an image that randomly popped into my head of Spike and Buffy just lazily riding a train similar to the Hogwarts Express, and I was obsessed with figuring out how they could get in such a situation, while staying within sight of canon, as I like to do! I cranked the whole thing out that weekend, which is unheard of for me— to have an idea pop into my brain and immediately execute it. I should maybe do that more often, because this is still my best received one-shot to date, and I adore it and its dreamlike feeling so much, and I haven’t written anything since that I love quite as much. 

Unconditional. THE most self-indulgent piece I have ever written, and if you’ve read it and know what my absolute favorite things in a fic are (canon fix-its, angst, sleepy cuddles, Buffy caring for Spike, and a happy/hopeful ending) then you will understand why. I was only following a loose prompt for this, which was “walk through the fire,” but otherwise I just wrote exactly what I wanted to write without setting any rules for myself. I called this “Cuddling w/o Plot,” and I got comments calling it things like “cuddle or die” and “loving him back to life” (actually I’m pretty sure that one was Dusty!) and, yeah, I didn’t think I’d ever write something that I would consider a comfort fic for myself, but this one definitely is!

Restful Souls. This one came about because I got a comment on a different story saying they wanted to see Spike really read the riot act to the Scoobies when he came back in “Touched,” and I took that as a challenge, especially because I don’t like character bashing, and wanted to see if I could point out everyone’s faults without it becoming that! But then, of course, we were too close to some of my FAVORITE scenes in the show, in my FAVORITE season, and I ended up just writing the remainder of those episodes in a sweeter and more fleshed-out way, while staying somewhat in the realm of canon. And I actually took the time to try and make it good, and there is not enough of a perfectionist in me to do that to every story, but for this one I really did, and was happy with the results!

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

Find your happy place, and don’t ever leave! Okay, that’s bad advice, of course you can leave if you want to, and you should try new things, as with anything in life! But with fanfiction there is VERY little pressure to do anything you don’t feel like doing, and it’s such a wide and diverse world that you can literally do anything and there will be an audience for it, so stay with the things you love to write anyway! On the technical side, my pet peeve is always if a character's voice sounds off, because I think that more than anything can make or break a fanfic, so, keep those voices fresh in your head; keep the show on repeat in the background if you have to!

And I feel slightly hypocritical saying this when I only send about half of my stuff to a beta, but a beta is really invaluable. They’re another pair of eyes to catch stupid mistakes, they’re an outside perspective to tell you what isn’t coming across as clearly as it did in your head, and really they’re your first mark of approval on a story. I know I stress way less about how my stuff is received if I’ve already had a beta give it a thumbs up!

From bruskiboo:

Is there anything you would want commenters to know from an author's perspective? Are there any types of comments that especially make your day?

Well, mostly commenters should know that UGH you guys are everything, you mean so much to writers, and no matter how humble we try to be, we ARE writing to make a connection with those who are reading, so thank you for being there to confirm that the connection was made! Please know that we adore EVERY single comment, no matter the length, and your reactions to our stories mean so much to us. On the flip side of that, know that your words have an impact on us. Remember that authors have written stories that they love, so, just being careful and respectful of the work that goes into them, and staying aware of the vulnerability authors exhibit through these characters we all love (not just Spuffy!) goes a very long way!

But for the record, on this site I’ve been properly spoiled by you guys in the comments, so thank you so much for that! Also, any comment that mentions an emotion I evoked in them (smiles, tears, laughs, melty puddles that need caution signs) makes my day. Every. Single. Time.

I always love to hear about different authors' writing processes. What's usually the start to your stories, and then how do you typically build from there? Do you ever get any curveballs from your muse or the characters along the way?

I really like having something to launch off of, so challenges, events, prompts, tropes… that’s my favorite way to start a story, because it’s like, okay, I’m given a couple pieces of the puzzle, now let’s find all the rest of them! (It’s what makes fanfiction such a comfortable place to live in, too, and why OF sounds so daunting to me, much as I want to write it.) But when I’m NOT starting off with any of those things, my stories are born when a single snapshot appears in my head, and I just have to find out how they got there, and what happens next. If I was an artist of any kind I would totally draw that one snapshot and showcase it as the thing the rest of the story was born from, and I think that would be really cool, but alas, all I have to offer are words. I already said what my Train to Nowhere image was, but as another example, Unconditional came from the image of a desperate and exhausted Spike collapsing onto Buffy’s bed, and I had to craft a reasonable scenario for why he needed her bed specifically, and why Buffy let him have it.

My characters I’d say are fairly obedient; they go where they need to and they sit when I tell them to and they don’t wreck my outline too badly. But sometimes they’re having a heated, or deep, conversation, and they start branching off into topics all by themselves and I frantically check my notes like, what the hell guys, don’t go off book on me now! But I love them, so I usually let them have whatever they want, even if they’re completely rewriting scenes, or just bypassing them completely. 

However if my muse throws curveballs at me I just start a new story like a responsible adult.

Are there any tropes that you haven't written yet and would love to try sometime?

I submitted “fake dating” as a prompt for the White Elephant event, because I love reading that but thought I would never write it, and then as soon as I submitted it I was like, who am I kidding, of course I’m going to try my hand at that some day! I’ve also made some notes for a Randy and Joan fic, and I have a challenge saved that calls for an amnesiac S2 Buffy, so the memory loss trope will be well explored by me, eventually. 

Some more Spuffy specific tropes on my to-do list include Feral Spike, Buffy falling in love first, Dawn jumping off Glory’s tower instead, and William, of course! (My ideas doc is absolutely staggering under the weight of all my notes and snippets and plans. My brain runs faster than my fingers, as it turns out.)

Whoever nominated me for author of the month, thank you so much, it made me very happy! I'd also like to thank my dearest honeygirl51885 for handling my anxiety like a champ when I asked her to read over these answers before I submitted them, lol!

Time for the first Scoobies of the Month for 2023! Hope y'all enjoy them. :o) We decided to make the interviewing each other thing permanent but also voluntary (because pressure is of the bad). This month, both Scoobies chose to send each other questions! 

Commenter of the Month for January 2023, VeroNyxK84:

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer? 

First of all, I must clarify that I’m from Italy and in my country BtVS first aired in 2000… don’t even get me started on the delay and the extremely poor dialogue translation/adaptation—that’s a very sore spot to this day. I could rant for hours, so I’ll drop it. 

Back to the show: I kinda had a rocky start with it. At first it had been recommended by a classmate in high school, so I remember tuning in one night and they were airing “The Pack” (1x06). The whole thing with the hyena-guys eating the principal upset me so much that I had trouble sleeping and I vowed never to watch that thing again. I stayed true to my decision and I almost forgot that the show ever existed for a while. 

Cut to… spring of 2004. I happened to stumble a few times on TV ads announcing a marathon rerun of BtVS S1-S5 to be aired in the afternoon with daily episodes. This marathon was supposed to introduce the release of the final season.

I don’t remember exactly what pushed me to give it another try… but I did and I was a goner almost instantly. I was quite late to the party, but I joined a couple of fanforums and avidly read news and info about the show and episodes as soon as they aired (my go-to site at the time for everything BtVS was an Italian website called “Buffymaniac”). I watched the whole marathon which left me heartbroken (the last episode they aired in September was “The Gift”) and craving for more. During the summer I had started buying the S1-S5 DVDs to rewatch (meanwhile discovering about the poor dialogue adaptation and the unjustified heavy TV censorship) and eventually I also bought S6 because the channel decided not to air a rerun for this season. Since they’d announced S7 for December and the DVDs went on sale in October, I bought S7 too and finally caught up with the show. I also rewatched when they aired it in December even though they basically aired it at night (11:30pm wtf?). Italian TV butchered this show in every possible way, but the fact that many people grew to love it so much despite their poor treatment speaks volumes about this TV masterpiece.

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

I don’t know if I can call it a decision… it sort of happened by chance last summer. I’d started following a couple of BtVS/Spuffy accounts on IG because of some incredible art that popped up in suggestions and some day one of those accounts published a story with a link to SAD saying it was a new Spuffy archive. I clicked on it mostly out of curiosity, did a quick tour of the site and scrolled through some stories. I bookmarked it, then in the evening I started reading a couple of stories and I just kept coming back every day for more. It was a trying moment in my work and personal life and I truly needed to take a break from problems and worries… so that’s when I found my happy place in fic reading and after a couple of weeks as a guest reader I decided to register because I didn’t want to lose track of some great stories. Then I admit it took me a while to muster the courage to start leaving comments—I’m a very shy and reserved person and apparently the whole “hiding behind a screen” deal does not take that away, at least for me—but now I enjoy writing them as much as I enjoy reading the stories. 

Reading fanfiction is still my happy place, and I never miss my daily appointment with SAD: it’s a part of my morning routine before I start working… and whenever I manage to squeeze in some more reading!

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

Let me start with a confession: I had a short-lived Bangel phase. Said phase started to waver during S2 (keep in mind that I watched S1 and S2 in the span of a month and a half, so the ‘short-lived’ is quite literal here) mostly because I found Spike and Dru to be vastly more interesting (I also had a deep fascination with Dru) and Angelus was so wickedly good that after him the mere idea of Angel just flat out bored me. Sorry. But the final nail in that B/A coffin was hammered in the day I was researching Spike and I accidentally stumbled upon some pics from “Something Blue”. My reaction was something along the lines of: Wait… WHAT? When? How? OMG who cares, I’m sold—GIMME! And that’s the short story of how I abandoned the Bangel ship and never looked back—and suffered throughout S3 hoping for Spike to return soon-ish after 3x08. Ah, I was young and naïve! 🤣

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 unbearably 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. There are so many “versions” of Spuffy and just as many reasons to love them, although their snarky and banter-y ‘I love to hate you’ trait is still my biggest weakness and something I’ll never get tired of reading. 
They’re both very passionate and stubborn, which shows when they clash—or engage in bedroom activities while inevitably missing the bed—but they can also be soft and tender, and those are probably the moments I cherish the most because they’re so rare and precious and it’s a side of them they don’t show very often. 

I love them because through their many hardships they reached a level of mutual understanding and growth that was truly beautiful and touching to witness. They inevitably drifted apart but found their way back into each other’s life, cementing the bond they'd built and almost destroyed with the strongest adhesives: trust and acceptance. 

After quite literally seeing the best and worst of each other (shamelessly quoting Spike here) they became each other’s rock, sticking together through thick and thin and defying everyone’s judgment. I love when Buffy is fiercely and openly protective of him in the face of Giles’ betrayal; I love when Spike is fiercely and openly protective of her in the face of everyone’s betrayal. They're an unshakable team and they're fearless in their alliance. 

I love that they’re so in sync that sometimes they don’t even need to speak because a glance between them tells a whole story. 

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.
Last but not least, I think we hit the jackpot with the actors who portrayed them: their undeniable talent and on-screen chemistry made Spike and Buffy the iconic characters and couple that we’re still celebrating to this day with their perfect imperfections.

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

When writing a comment I think it’s important to tell the author what you liked most about their story and how it made you feel. 

I found it might be useful to jot down lines or scenes that struck you in a special way and mention them in the comments. Did something make you laugh, or maybe even cry—either happy or sad tears? Let the author know! Maybe it was their intention to convey specific feelings and they’ll be happy to know that they succeeded. Did you connect with the story or a character because of some personal experience? If you feel comfortable talking about it, share your experience and how it affected your feelings when reading the story. Did you appreciate some details, like a small gesture, a smile, etc… even if it seems small or ‘unimportant’ to you, don't ignore it: I believe that if it caught your attention and/or stirred up your emotions it’s always important and the author will surely be pleased to know.

Bonus Tip: I found it useful to enable email notifications when my comments get a reply: it’s easier to keep track of author’s responses and keep the conversation going if needed.

Last but not least—Remember to always be honest but also thoughtful and respectful—there’s constructive criticism, which aims to encourage improvement, and there’s something entirely different (and hurtful and useless) which is bashing. Personally to this day I’ve only had positive experiences with commenters on SAD, who have always been super kind, supportive and welcoming, but I know that sadly it happens pretty much everywhere on the internet. 

Remember that behind every story there’s always a real person with feelings, most likely a job, a family… and that they took hours from their free time writing that story for you and everyone else to enjoy—so if that story brought you happiness in any way, consider letting the author know, even if it’s a very short comment telling them just that: knowing that their story made you smile might put a smile on their face as well. 😉

Questions from bookishy:

What BTVS episode do you feel is an underutilized starting point for fic?

Before answering I feel the need to point out that I’ve been reading fanfic only since July 2022… so please keep in mind that my knowledge of the incredibly vast FF library for this show / pairing is quite limited. So if my answer leaves you with a “Gurl, I’ve read no less than 50 fics with that starting point” feeling… please bear with me, to this day I’ve only read one (1).

The episode in question is “Dead Things” and more specifically the infamous scene with the brutal beating that gets sweeped under the rug and treated as if it never happened, even with Spike showing up at Buffy’s BDay party the following episode all battered and bruised. I’m still baffled to this day by how they failed to properly address this scene, which has so much potential, imo. 

This particular thought has been inspired by “Undertow” written by Niamh. If you missed it, look it up, you won’t regret it. 😉

What are your go-to comfort fics in the Spuffy fandom?

I confess I don’t usually do the “re-read” thing… I’m more likely to have go-to comfort episodes, and I do have quite a lot of those, for a bunch of shows. 

Anyway, if I had to name a few fics that could work as comfort fics for me… just off the top of my head I’d say “Last Christmas” and “Ties to the World” by honeygirl51885, “What Willow Saw” by violettathepiratequeen, “Hands” by Chelle, “Christmas Without You” by Dusty and "Seeing You" by Grief Counseling—they’re not mentioned in a specific order. 

Most of them are recent readings tbh but there are at least three in this list that I read twice. So the concept applies. 😉

What non-Spuffy characters do you feel could use a little more fic love?

That’s a tough one. Once again, my answer might be affected by the fact that I don’t have an extensive knowledge of the gazillion fics that have been out there for decades… but out of my recent experience with writing her character for the first time, I’d say Tara. There was so much emotion and potential in her scene with Buffy at the end of “Dead Things”. I think she could’ve played a pivotal role as Buffy’s non-judgmental confidante with everyone else being so estranged from her. Hey, looks like I've found another underutilized starting point! Maybe?

Outside of the Scoobies I guess I’d enjoy seeing more stuff with Clem, he seems to be a nice demon-guy and he probably would make a good friend for Buffy and Dawn too, other than for Spike. 😊

Thank you everyone for making me feel at home here from the get-go.

Author of the Month for January 2023, bookishy:

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I’m old enough that I watched the first two seasons when it originally aired on the WB. I was immediately drawn in by the humor and the pop paranormal-ness of it all, and then became really impressed with the larger high-drama plotting, especially the “Angel turns evil” twist and Spike’s truce with Buffy.

Tragically, however, the next year I had something to do on Tuesday nights and couldn’t watch live anymore. Since these were the dark times before streaming, when I had to fight both my basketball-game-loving father and also the capricious nature of the VCR itself when it came to record things, I didn’t watch seasons three and four at all. (A decision that baffles me looking back, as it feels very well-adjusted of me to just delay media gratification like this!)

I didn’t start watching the show again until halfway through Season 5, when I was babysitting a kid who went to bed at eight, and caught “Crush” on TV, where Spike was of course not only no longer with Drusilla, he was chaining Buffy up and professing his love, which lit up the lobe of my brain I keep reserved for enemies-to-lovers media.

From that point I never missed another episode; I even got my first credit card the second I turned eighteen so I could order bootleg VHS tapes to catch up on the whole series off eBay.  

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

The first time I watched the show, I stuck to lurking on message and spoiler boards, then drifted away from fandom after it ended in 2003. In 2016, I watched the show again in full as part of a project I was working on, and was surprised when the Spuffy bug re-bit hard. At this point, I had dipped my toe into writing for and engaging in discourse for other fandoms that had waxed and waned, so when I saw that this community was still thriving, I went for it—and remain very glad I did!

Not only have I made great, talented friends, the BTVS world remains the best sandbox to play in, as pretty much anything you want to do? There’s a way to make it work, and readers who will try it.

Also, at some point I had inhaled practically all Spuffy content on the internet, including that only accessible via Wayback Machine, and ended up in a "If you want more content, lady, you have to make it" situation.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

 Spike and Buffy are essentially all the romantic tropes I love combined into one package. There’s enemies-to-lovers, but also a few personal ones I like to call leading lady + hot, semi-reformed lieutenant and oh no, he/she’s an idiot and I love them and the couple who banters together, stays together.

 But even beyond that, their dynamic has so many interesting edges to explore, and I love the quicksilver shifts that can occur in even a single scene because they both are such bundles of complementary contradictions. There are no two characters that are more fun to write together in a room, which is why I think we all conspire to trap them together in rooms so often.

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

Welll, Shot Through the Heart because it’s a multi-chapter fic that’s, uh, finished.

*coughs politely, avoids locking gazes with the elephant in the corner*

Unfavorable Odds because it began with such a wild premise and seemed counterintuitive to a lot of things that make readers excited about Spuffy fanfic in general. (“So, it’s extremely slow burn and also multiple Spikes and Buffies die, and I’m working in some stuff that traumatized me in the Buffy game for Xbox, circa 2001.”) The idea started with Elysian Fields’ “Big Bad” challenge—which made me start thinking about remodeling an unexpected character as a villain—but back then I was very good about not starting anything new when I had existing WIP. But the idea wouldn’t leave me alone for a whole year, and when EF’s next challenge was about Spuffy being “Trapped,” I decided that was the permission I needed.

My goal this year is to hit the completion mark on this, as it remains the most ambitious thing I’ve tackled, and I’m really excited about where it’s going.

Ex Magic, because it is a more serious premise for me and it’s always a challenge for me to settle into serious, angsty mode, especially when the subject of wanting to save a loved one from serious health threats often hits close to home. But this is another fic I am dedicated to finishing, and excited to see pay off.

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

For me, the pleasure from writing fanfic is that it’s designed to be resistant to the pressures that can come from other types of writing. It’s really about enjoying the creative process and the engagement of other readers who already love these characters right along with you. Concepts that would be hard to do anywhere else are absolutely doable in fic.

With any writing endeavor, there’s always going to be a temptation to bring Old Writing Friends like self-doubt or imposter syndrome or perfectionism or competitiveness or regret to the table, but don’t let them crash the party.

Questions from VeroNyxK84:

As a writer, what was most challenging for you when you started and what is most challenging now?

When I started out, it was just working up the gumption to post and join the “official” fandom conversation via sharing fanworks. (There is a GIF out there of a businessman standing by a watercooler laughing by himself as he listens to a conversation happening between his coworkers eight-feet away, and this remains my biography in GIF form).

Now, it’s pushing on through the middle parts of fics, which is always the time when I regret all the fictional choices I’ve ever made and all the pins I set up so Future Bookishy could knock them down.

Have you ever struggled with “writer’s block” and what have you done to overcome it?

Hmm. Yes and no. I’ve never faced a blank page and not known what to write—part of my problem is that stories tend to unfurl in whole the second I start putting them together—but my brain will sometimes seize up in editor mode and it will be hard for me to do anything other than perseverate over a single sentence or a stretch of paragraphs for an hour. It can sometimes last days or even weeks, and the best solution I’ve found is just to delete whatever it is I’m getting stuck on and start fresh as it’ll kick me back into “writing” mode.

Do you have one or more favorite settings for the setting of your stories?

Looking at the work I’ve posted, it popped out at me that I really love trapping them in places after-hours! Malls, bars, carbon-copies of Sunnydale that have been turned into a death arena, etc. etc.

It’s fun to let them explore new worlds together.

Hey all!  

Quick post to announce the time for our white elephant gift exchange! The most popular time voted on was.... *drumroll* 

Sunday, November 20, 3:00 PM EST

This event will take place on Discord in a new channel that will open on Sunday.  

If you signed up but are unable to attend the Discord exchange at that time, we will still email you your randomly selected prompt as your gift. Expect to receive that email by the end of the following day (Nov 21)! If you don't receive your prompt, please contact one of the admins.   

We are looking forward to spending the afternoon with you and enjoying all the stories and artwork that are created as a result!  

Oh, and did we mention that the incomparable Bookishy has authored a festive Spuffy drink menu especially for the occasion?! Yeah, we're excited for that, too. We're thinking the entire community might want to partake in one of those yummies this holiday season. Or two. Or three. Or, heck, try them all. Maybe not all at one time. But don't worry. Whatever you choose, nobody judges you here.

See ya Sunday! 

Happy November, fellow After Dark-ers!

The holidays approach! And as such, it’s time to reveal our next event. We’re very excited for this one. To celebrate the season we will be hosting a white elephant fic and art exchange!

What does this mean? How does this work?

Much like any white elephant gift exchange! (You can read a generic explanation of the tradition here)

Essentially, everyone who wants to create will submit a prompt as their “gift.” 

At our live gift-opening event on Discord, we'll all arrive for a fun time with our favorite party drink in hand (Buffy themed cocktails anyone? Tea for the Ruperts?). 

We will have all the gifts (prompts!) numbered and use a randomizer to select the gift-opening order. The first person will “open” their gift by choosing a number, and everyone will get to see the prompt. The second person can then choose to steal that gift or open a new one to reveal a new prompt. The third person can then choose to steal any of the revealed prompts or open a new one. Any time a gift is stolen from you, you get to open a new one! This continues until everyone has a prompt as their gift. 

Anyone who is unable to attend the live gift-opening session can absolutely still participate and receive a prompt, they simply won’t have the option to steal. The admins will email you your prompt after the exchange is complete.

Since we’d like all our creators to be able to participate, in either fic or art form, we ask that you keep your prompts fairly open-ended so that it’s translatable to word or art. Try to also keep in mind that we all have varying comfort levels of what we’re willing to create. 

Example prompt ideas:

• Buffy and Spike’s first Christmas spent together.
• Season 4 with a sassy Spuffy!
• Uh oh. There’s only one bed…

It will also be important to remember that when someone receives your gift, they won’t know it was your prompt and won’t be tailoring it to your specific tastes. When the story or artwork is posted, you’re welcome to reveal that the prompt was yours, but during the creation process, please preserve the surprise! And, of course, please always be supportive to all of our generous creators, whether the creation turns out how you anticipated or not.

The date and time of the prompt gift exchange will be announced after everyone signs up and submits their preferences for when the exchange should take place. There will be four options to vote on.

To sign up, please submit this form by November 15.

After the gift exchange, stories and artwork will be posted any time throughout the month of December. Commenters, betas, and banner artists will be eligible for their own holiday awards throughout this month. Betas and banner artists must contribute to one of the white elephant prompt creations. Commenters must comment 15x on any fics or art throughout the month of December. Awards will be distributed in January.

We cannot wait to host this event! It should be a really fun time for the whole community to connect and get creative! 

Cheers!

A slightly-delayed wrap-up post, on account of some of your Admin team having holidays/vacations. (I know – how dare they?) But the last few days have allowed the full glory (not Glory) of our first site-wide event to sink in.

Guys, you were amazing!

Over the month 24 individuals created fics, works of art and other wonderful things. And that’s not counting the banners, which I haven’t actually done yet, but will very soon. Of those creations, 22 were stories, some of them one-shots, some seven whole wonderful chapters long, and some in-between. There were ten stand-alone works of art in addition to these.

And you loved them! Between them they garnered 684 “Likes” and 863 Comments! And we cannot thank you enough for going to the trouble of leaving those comments – each one of them is treasured by the people who put time and imagination into creating all these amazing goodies in order to share them here. They are appreciated possibly more than some of you can imagine.

Thank you, everyone, for reading, writing, arting (what? It so is a word.), looking and just plain being with us here in our shiny new fandom corner.

You can find them all here. Or click on "Browse+", then "Events" to get to exactly the same place. So that's three links above.

As for the month of September itself, including our Celebration?

Wow! You guys did us proud! In September as a whole lots of you read, looked, commented and liked – an astounding 2252 comments all told, from 121 individual commenters.

Huge congrats to Grief Counseling and Rea for being our Scoobies of the Month! Please see below for their fandom history and answers to our monthly questions. We really enjoyed reading them!

September 2022 Commenter of the Month, Rea:

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

I don't really remember how I came to watch Buffy. It started airing in the UK in 1998, when I was 10. I know I would watch it, Wednesdays at 6pm on BBC2, but I only actually remember watching the episode Scared by Death - because I was indeed scared by Death. Then I moved to France and it aired much later there - 11pm or midnight. I didn't really like watching series I was already familiar with on TV in France as everything is dubbed and the voices are all wrong. So I stopped watching for a couple of years. Once the DVD boxsets were released, I got into the Buffy again and watched series 1-6 multiple times over. Since then, I've watched sporadically, using starting again at S1 and making my way through to S4 or 5 once every few years. My attention span can be pretty bad, which is why I don't often make it past S5. 

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

Late last year, I started another rewatch of Buffy. By the time the DVDs of S7 were available in France there had been ample time for me to read spoilers on how the series ends. And so I never got to the end of the Buffy as I knew S7 wasn't rated very highly and, more importantly, that Spike dies in the final showdown. Teen-me wasn't particularly interested in watching that and adult-me never got over teen-me's gut feeling. This time, however, I was going to get to the end of it all. So I grabbed a couple of yarn cakes, got crafting, and had the whole of Buffy play through in the background. 

When it ended, I wasn't ready to let go. I was... bereft? I felt incomplete, hollow, and wanted more.

I tried Angel but I couldn't get into it. I tried looking into the comics but they're crazy expensive. I tried scrolling through the Buffy subreddit and figured out pretty quickly that it's not a very nice place. The subreddit did, however, set me on the path of fanfiction. So I set off down that path and haven't looked back since. 

I've been reading fanfic for around six months now, and have read more in those six months than in the past couple of years combined.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

From the moment he arrives on the scene in S2, Spike dominates every scene he's in. He exudes raw sex appeal and hormonal teen-me never stood a chance; I was a goner. It helps that Spike has the most interesting and complicated story arc over the whole series. He is a fascinating character and that draws me to him. Also, I love his dark humour.

Buffy is a fabulous main character for the series. She's wicked sharp beneath her ditzy exterior. She's driven, determined to do what she thinks is best, but she's also compassionate and always trying to help. No matter what life is throwing at her, she's always doing her best and if she goes down, she goes down fighting. For teen girls, Buffy is a fabulous role model. 

And together? They are magnetic. Their chemistry is visceral, it's through the roof, and it makes for very compelling watching.

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

Writing is time-consuming and hard work, and writing fanfic for a series that ended more than twenty years ago is a passion project. We're lucky that so many talented authors are writing so many fabulous stories and then making them free for us to read. They deserve recognition. 

When you're reading an older story that's already complete, it's fun for the author to rediscover the story through your reactions to the chapters. When you're reading a WIP, your reactions help the authors stay motivated to keep writing.

Even if you don't have much to say, try to say something. Let the authors know that you're there, that you're reading, and that you're enjoying their work.

Share the love. <3

September 2022 Author of the Month, Grief Counseling

How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

My sister! She was well-known back in the day on LJ for her LDS Sparkledammerung Twilight parody under the name Stoney321. She wrote tons of fanfic and would talk to me about writing and this show “Buffy”. I missed it while it was airing because I was the same age as the characters on the show and partied every night, so I had no desire to watch TV in my late teens. She literally sat me down on her sofa in my mid-20s and said, “Beth. BETH. There’s this guy named Spike. Just… just wait.” And I did, and was immediately hooked, only to find out my then-boyfriend/now-husband used to adore that show, too! So, we binged that and Angel at the same time—her insisting that I watch everything in the correct airing order.

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

I used to write NKOTB fanfic when I was a child, so it’s only natural that this was in my future, haha! I’ve also always written stories. Writing is a huge part of my life. When the BtVS show-binge was almost over, so mid-season 7, I had all these feelings. And, again, my sister was like “Have you heard of Poshcat? What about NautiBitz? Read their stuff.” And holy crap, that was it for me. I busted out my word doc and wrote the dumbest thing on earth and I was so nervous. But it was the community that pulled me in and encouraged me to keep going, so I put most of the influence on the awesome power of fandom.

Why do you love Spike and Buffy?

I think a lot of us can relate to their dynamics. I certainly did. Strip away the supernatural elements, and it really mimicked what was going on with my relationship at the time. My husband had his own “redemption arc” where he completely changed his lifestyle FOR ME, which still blows me away, and he’s my little punk sexpot muscled man. I also killed a lot of vampires. :D

But Buffy and Spike are the perfect story. I love anything that makes you go back and forth on whether you support them or get angry by choices they make, when things are dark and ugly and someone still loves you through it. They’re layered. They’re funny. They aren’t cookie-cutter characters with bland personalities. They’re little onions with pain and challenges to overcome and so, so passionate, and no one roots for them, no one believes in them, but finally they have their Han Solo/Leia “I love you” moment that is so perfect, not sappy, not pandering, just perfect.

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

I cannot answer this question without banging my head against a wall in frustration. I have so many different genres of fiction that it’s hard for me to pick three. My opinion changes weekly! I’m very hard on myself and often have days where I think all of it is trash. I will say that I’m very proud of my one-shot The Longest Journey because it gives me all the post-series feels and is my personal Ode to the Spuffy OTP. I adored writing Milkshakes and Motorcycles, but I don’t think it’s my best... And I have more stories that I haven’t uploaded that I adore, too. I love comedy, I love angst, I love romance, smutty-smut-smut, and horror. I try to challenge myself to try new styles, genres and themes. I love that anyone wants to read them at all. If someone wants to know specific genres, I could probably choose them better.

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

Don’t write for anyone other than yourself. Don’t write for reviews. Don’t write for stats. Write because it’s something you need to get out of you, no matter how sloppy it might come out. And if you’re new to writing, get a beta. Don’t ask your best friend to read something. They will never be honest with you; they will never push you to be better. If cheerleading is what you need, then ask the BFF. But if you want to improve, get someone that will not only fix grammar but will tell you how to be a better writer. Ask another author you respect to give honest crit. That was crucial for me in my early days. I was doing so many things that make me cringe now (which is why my old stories are getting such heavy edits) but I had someone tell me very honestly where I was failing and though it stung to hear, in the end, it made me try harder. Take criticism with grace. Everyone has an opinion. Some are right, some are very wrong. But always consider that they’re telling you something that might push you to be a better writer. And most importantly, AUTO-SAVE YOUR STORIES. OMG, please, please do that. I have lost so many chapters because I lost power, or my computer shut down, and I didn’t save. Save, save, save. And if comments are what you’re after, then you better be leaving some for your fellow authors. 😊 Karma is real!

The September Scooby Celebration!

We want to celebrate our members and community. To do that, we'd like to celebrate as many Spuffy creations as possible! So for this event, we are inviting all authors, artists, creators and editors to participate.  

The theme will be "Sunnydale After Dark."  

We want fics! We want illustrations! We want poetry! We want video edits, photo stories, banners, manips, even comics! And we, of course, want to also celebrate our incredible betas and commenters as well. As long as they're new creations and inspired by the "Sunnydale After Dark" theme, in whatever way you decide, we want to showcase it!

More details to come, especially for you artists who are probably thinking "wha? huh? how?!"  

But for now...   

Writers, there will be a cap of 7 chapters. Any new fic 1-7 chapters long will qualify.

Artists, we are working on creating an entirely new category on the site and will explain in the weeks to come how you can post your artwork just like writers post their fics here on the archive. 

There will be unique awards for all types of participants. You are welcome to go for gold and win multiple awards by submitting creations in various categories.   

So get those wheels a-turning! The event will begin on September 1! Stay tuned for more! 

Hello, gentle readers! This is just to let you know that in addition to our presence on multifarious social media platforms, we now have a Twitter account of our very own, so we can tell even more people about our (and your) loveliness.

What's that, you say? Twitter is a dark and evil place, akin to the lowest depths of evil? Well, only if you want it to be.

If you're already a force for good (or trivia) there, why not give us a follow? We promise not to troll you.

@sunnydaleafter1

Love from us all

Hello, lovely members!

We would like to alert everyone to a new category just added to the site. It's called Sunnydale After Dark Debut, meant for fics that debut or update on Sunnydale After Dark before anywhere else.

We know a lot of members are posting their entire library of work on the site right now, which is awesome and just what we were hoping for! The more fics the better! But we also know that a lot of SAD-exclusive content is falling through the cracks. We're hoping this new category allows readers to find stories that they might not find anywhere else.

This doesn't mean the fics with this label will never be anywhere else, only that they're debuting here first. We encourage authors to post their fics anywhere and everywhere. We just want to highlight the SAD-unique content.

Special thanks to thenewbuzwuzz for making this suggestion! We appreciate everyone who takes the time to leave us feedback on ways to make this site even better.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled reading and writing!