estepheia | FANFIC AUTHOR APPRECIATION WEEK

FANFIC AUTHOR APPRECIATION WEEK

March 6 through March 13

Post to your LJ each day at least one of your favorite fanfic authors and why you love them, their work, and why they need more appreciation.

Previous posts: Day #1, Day #2, Day #3

I didn't get round to writing recs for two days in a row, so this post is somewhat longish. Several people seem to have lost steam, or they reconsidered the whole thing, thinking that memes like this are too painful for the authors who fly under the radar and don't get mentioned. I can only say that I always appreciate rec days and memes. Of course I hope that someone will mention my fic and I squee like mad when it happens, but I am just as interested in who recs whom. I am lazy, but if an author gets mentioned often enough I may check out her stuff even if she/he writes pairings other than the ones I favor. As for the pain of not being mentioned: it happens. It's the same with awards. I don't get nominated a lot and sometimes that hurts, but I try to suck it up. (Although nobody who knows me well will ever accuse me of being really good at sucking things up.)

Anyway, I'm putting my recs behind a cut this time. Post #4 covers Spuffy authors, Post #5 covers S/X authors. Post #6 I'll have to postpone till later today. It will be a self-centered love fest in which I simply list a few stories written for me, because hey, I appreciate that the authors spent their time writing something for me me me!

Post #4

In my mind the words Spuffy and smut will always be inextricably linked to the name

nautibitz. I particularly like Close Encounters, her collection fo S4 UST stories in which Spike and Buffy almost have sex. I like these stories because while they focus on S/B they inevitably have wonderful Scooby moments. For some reason Spuffy works for me only in a Scooby frame of reference. Which is why I'll never read stories in which Spike and Buffy get into a car and drive off or ar the only post-apocalyptic survivors. Just doesn't float my boat. But give me good Scoobie friendship and then some Spuffy (or Spander or Spangel) smut on top, then I'm a happy happy camper. (For that same reason I like

poshcat's fic. She gives great Scooby dialogue.)

Another great Spuffy author is

cousinjean. I like Future Imperfect, but my favorite is Perfect World. I read her fic at AAS, because I seem to be unable to navigate her own site. All I find are Dancing Lessons and that universe does not interest me.

But my absolute favorite Spuffy series of all time is the Bowiehabarata-Series by

mustangsally78 and

rivkat. It's long, funny, plotty, and it's hot - and the authors were not afraid to bring in original characters and use them. This is what the official tie-in novels should have looked like. :-)
(BTW, I met Mustangsally in Tampa, and I enjoyed every minute I got to spend with her)

This is of course a subjective list. There are huge amounts of fantastic Spuffy stories out there. I picked these authors because they mix hotness with humor and adventure. I admire and appreciate authors who are able to mix genres.

Post #5 - S/X authors

I already mentioned

eliade and

mpoetess in previous posts. Another favorite S/X author is

witling. I have to admit I like her LJ riffing better than her acclaimed Modus Vivendi. The Boglescat-series is fantastic, and her new series The Magic Number rocks. I like stories that leave Spike and Xander their manly dignity. IMHO there's a lot more schmoop in a reluctant and grudging gesture of kindness than in tears rolling down the characters' faces or emphatic declarations of undying affection. I am a schmoop addict, I want emotional commitment, but for me to really make me squee it has to be embedded in believable behaviour.

As for PWPs and kink-driven S/X stories, I admit to reading them, mostly with a feeling of curiosity, but they never make my stomach twist in that wonderful hurty or tingly way that a good, well-crafted h/c orplotty fic can. I like it when S/X manifests as a string of tiny shiny moments that are embedded in snark and/or plot. Snark rocks.

I recced

shadowscast's London Calling the other day - definitely a favorite now. Also

kimberly_fan's It's Just a Jump to the Left is a good example how smut and plot can be combined. Brilliant fic. Right, I have a few more authors to mention briefly:

juliatheyounger's We're not Gay. We're Just Friends. Who Have Sex. is marvellous, but her other S/X stuff rocks as well!

anniesj wrote a lovely Spander series that is set in S4. Shrift's Loserville rocks. My list wouldn't be complete without

circe_tigana. I truly love her No Power on Earth. So even if she never writes another S/X fic, this fic still makes her an S/X writer in my eyes.

As you can see, most of my recs are a bit antiquated. That's because I don't have a lot of time to read these days. If you go to AAS and click on the S/X pairing you find most of my favorite stories. If you're a S/X fan you probably know them already, but hey, there's no harm in rereading them, right?

PS: I've probably forgot to mention several authors. No offence intended. My memory is a very scary, untidy place, that's all. :-)