I’m not a Buffy/Angel shipper. However, I read something recently that compared the Buffy/Angel relationship to the Bella/Edward one. Just as I thought, “Well, that’s not right,” I realized that it was a concept I may have entertained subconsciously. That’s really not fair of me.

For one thing, I’m not familiar enough with the Twilight series to really know what Bella and Edward are about as a couple. For another, I’m guessing people who ship Buffy/Angel don’t see Buffy as any kind of wilting violet damsel, which is what I assume is Bella’s deal. I haven’t read much fic for the B/A ship, but that can’t be what’s going on, is it? I mean, why would anyone bother to ship Buffy with anybody if they’re going to be satisfied with a super traditional romance heroine? Wouldn’t it be easier to just ship some other character?

I like Spike with Buffy in part because he seems to really appreciate her fierceness and strength. But doesn’t Angel also admire those qualities? Like, a lot? Or, is it the Bangel fandom consensus that he’s more attracted to her goodness and mercy?

Maybe the ship seems more heteronormative on its surface, and that’s why the Bella/Edward comparison is out there. But how deep does that heteronormativity ever go with Buffy? Not very with Spike, I’d say. Not successfully with Riley. Is it really so different with Angel?

I do see Buffy and Angel as two Alphas (as reductionist as that term is) and figure that’s an issue that’s got to come up in post-S3 Bangel shipping. I mean, if the ship is going to float on, she can’t stay 17 forever, so right there things are going to change, amirite?

Can anybody enlighten me about the kinds of issues that are unique to or typical of Bangel fic? Particularly later season or post-series fic? I’d love to know the kinds of things that set it apart from other ships in the Buffyverse fandom. Without, you know, having to read a bunch of it. I’m probably asking the wrong crowd, but y’all have Vast Knowledge, so I thought I give it a shot.
 

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Spring has been busting out all over! Every Wednesday in May (at least until today) has brought a new baby into my life!

( Succulent babies below the cut... )


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I started this post a couple of weeks ago, but it got eaten, and I've decided to do multiple short ones, rather than one long one. Here comes the spam!

First, thank you, thank you, thank you to whoever nominated my work for the 26th round of the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction Awards!


The stories nominated are:

Flesh and Bone (Spike/Buffy), Best Comedy
Let Nothing Ye Dismay (Spike/Harmony), Best Quickie
Travels with Spike and Dru (Spike/Dru, what else?), Best Series

All of Spike's canon romances are covered in my recent stories, it seems. Good on me. (I'm not counting "that one time" encounters as romances. Angel and Anya must do a bit more to make the list.)

It's very gratifying to know that someone out there is enjoying my fic enough to make the effort to nominate it. If you want to make an author's day/week/month, there still time to nominate the good things you've read lately. Noms close on May 31st. While you're at it, check out the excellent stories that are already on the nominee list. You're bound to find something yummy that you missed!



This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/24105.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

You are probably aware, but the rarewomen stories are up! Woo! Master list here, and a more complete list of fandoms here.

A lovely writer, Teaotter, wrote me the most gorgeous and thought-provoking S5 Joyce fic, which I can't pimp enough:

losing farther, losing faster

Go! Read! Comment if you love it! Bring a hankie! Then check out the other goodies. Yum!


I contributed something, which I suspect is of limited appeal due to super small fandom, although it is a crossover with BtVS, so who knows? You can read it at AO3, but for consistency's sake, I'm also including it in my journals. I've written another crossover with these fandoms, Two Faces Have I, which I think might be more successful, since it uses the POV of the Buffyverse character we know, while this one uses the POV of the character that is outside the 'verse.

Title: From the Mouth of Hell to Hoppers 13
Author: Rebcake 
Rating: PG13
Word count: 2400
Fandom/Characters: Love & Rockets "Locas" crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Maggie, Hopey, Penny, Izzy, Giles, Xander, Faith
A/N: All credit to Jaime Hernandez for his characters. ♥ Oh, and Joss, too.
Summary: Maggie and her friends are going to spend the afternoon by the pool, unless the "earthquake" from up north puts the kibosh on things.

Basically I got as far as Oxnard and the engine fell out of my car. And that was literally, so I ended up washing dishes at the fabulous "Ladies Night" club for about a month and a half while I tried to pay for the repairs. Nobody really bothered me or spoke to me there until one night one of the male strippers called in sick and no power on this Earth will make me tell you the rest of that story.

—Xander, talking about his post-graduation summer in The Freshman, BtVS Season 4

( Maggie Chascarrillo was fixing the pump for the motel swimming pool when the quake hit )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/23931.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

First of all, Happy Birthday to the extra-delicious thedeadlyhook! Also, thanks to the kind soul who extended my paid account on Dreamwidth! Wow! So very kind and generous! I'm about to get all sloppy and tell everybody in this bar that I love them, because you are so nice!

Today is a good day because I have apparently finished my rarewomen assignment on time (to my utter shock) AND I've got this for y'all:

A new chapter of my Buffyverse San Francisco story/travelogue just in time for seasonal_spuffy! Will wonders never cease?

Title: Fire in the Soul (4/?)
Author: Rebcake 
Rating: PG13
Word count: 3370
Pairing: Spike/Buffy, but also quite a bit of Dru, though not in this chapter.
A/N: Thanks for the quickie beta by MiAmor. Some photos contained herein are copyrighted as noted. NOT comics compliant.
Summary: A few years after Sunnydale’s spectacular demise, Buffy and her crew are getting on with their lives in San Francisco. A not entirely unwelcome blast from her past (Spike! It's Spike!) blows into town, but he’s brought more than the generally allowable amount of baggage with him. 

Previously: 
Chapter 1 on LJ / Chapter 1 on DW — In which a "chance" encounter leads to strong language and less-than-adult behavior. Also: animal magnetism.
Chapter 2a on LJ / Chapter 2a on DW — In which Dawn makes her feelings known and Buffy tries not to.
Chapter 2bc on LJ / Chapter 2bc on DW— In which Buffy gets on with her Sunday, which naturally ends up being weird.
Chapter 3 on LJ / Chapter 3 on DW  — In which Buffy checks in with Giles and has another bizarre vampire meet up.

New today:
Chapter 4 on LJ / Chapter 4 on DW — In which Buffy possibly overthinks things before she and Spike try that new-fangled “communication” thing.


( Spike wanted to talk. Buffy was terrified... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/23645.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

Hey you guys!  xela_fic wrote a lovely comment fic for a prompt I left her, and it is too fantastic to languish as a comment! It's got AtS S5 Spike aggressively drowning his sorrows at a bachelorette party, with hidden tragedy lurking just under the surface. C'mon, you know you want to read it! Here you go:

[Fill] Another to Forget

Follow the link. It'll be fun.

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/23445.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I've posted very little lately, and nothing remotely personal since Valentine's Day. So, lest you think I've disappeared or given up, here's what I've been up to:

( Real life has been just packed!  )



This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/23132.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

If you're not interested in parsing the comics, I don't blame you a bit, and this is probably not going to be your thing.

People who do read the comics seem fairly happy with one point in this issue: Spike came clean about his feelings for Buffy. To her face, even! Possibly.

( I'm not that thrilled... )


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There's been a lot of love on my f-list lately for The Gift. You know, the season 5 closer of that classic television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer?( I can see why, but I have a minority opinion... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/22546.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

Awww! Love is in the air, and all over my f-list! Thanks for the lovely hearts, bellas! You make mine go pitter-pat. *smek*

I'm heading down to the Gallifrey One (Doctor Who) convention in a few days for some mother/daughter bonding with McDiva. Huh, you know, with a little effort, we might be able to pull off the Amy-River combo, cosplay-wise. Gorgeous, willowy mother (her) to rather less willowy — but still spunky! — daughter (me). It could work! I'll broach the subject and see if her eyes detach from rolling too much. I'm eagerly anticipating spending time with Miss Jane Espenson, Mark Sheppard and his da, and little Amelia Pond (Caitlin Blackwood), among others.

Will any of you be there? Drop me a line and we can squee over coffee!

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/22511.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I didn't do a fic roundup in January. I blame all the time I've spent in the dentist's chair. *mumble*root canal*grumble* So here's a belated list of the fic I posted in 2011:

( Well, would you look at that... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/21878.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

( My Favorite Vampires... )

Also, does anybody know how to find that vid of Spike set to the Count’s “I Love To Count” song? Funny, naughty stuff…
ETA: It's Cybermintz's award-winning "The Song of the Count", but I still don't know how to get to something I can watch and chortle over. :(

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/21619.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

And yeah, this is gonna be a short entry.

( The positives... )

( The neutral... )

( The (mostly local) politics... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/21500.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

Yesterday was my day at noel_of_spike! I had Big Plans, but the month of December has been a flat-out run. I made 60 dozen cookies, had a root canal, a sick husband, a sick kid (not at the same time) and the second highest-grossing month of the year for my business. Among other things. Now I am in the land of no WiFi. So I didn't get to do all the fic I had planned. However, I do have some Xmas silliness for your pleasure!

Title: Let Nothing Ye Dismay
Author: Rebcake
Rating: PG13
Word Count:  350
Pairing: Spike/Harmony
Summary: It’s Christmas Eve in Season 5, and Harmony is inspired to deck the halls.

Follow the link to noel_of_spike:

“What the bloody hell is that?”
This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/20941.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I may be getting a bit excited about the holidays this year! Some of you look forward to Yuletide, but as it focuses on small fandoms and I am pretty much still all about the Buffyverse, it doesn't tempt me much. However! It looks like there could be an alterna-Yuletide that would include infrequently written Buffyverse women, and that sounds perfectly festive to me! Follow along at rarewomen!

It's nearly time to sign up for noel_of_spike, but you can weigh in with your preferences now. I also just discovered another seasonal gem, btvs_santa, which is a Secret Santa fan work exchange community. Go! Make a wish!

But the fun doesn't stop at year's end! winter_of_faith is accepting sign-ups right now for dates through January, and a Wishverse ficathon is being planned for late winter/early spring over at wishverse_fic.

After a fallow summer, it looks like I might actually finish off this year and start the next awash in fic! What could be more jolly?

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/20615.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I am supposed to be doing lots of productive things today, but instead I have a catch-up post! Yay?

I did a fic for the sb_fag_ends "Something Wicked" challenge. I'm hoping to get another one in tonight, but it's a holiday, so who knows?

Title: Flesh and Bone
Author: Rebcake
Rating: R-ish
Word Count:  725
Prompt: Skeleton Army
A/N: A slightly more mundane take on the threat of Mortiflex. Season 6.

Mortiflex was taking over Sunnydale...

I did a very silly (but not classy) Spike/Sally fumetti for littlespikes, 'cos we absolutely need more BtVS/Nightmare Before Christmas crossover material, even if it's no good. Right?

It's Classic Recs weekend over at buffyversetop5 and I managed to get in a couple of rec lists: Body Swap Fics & Funny/Sweet Entries from Seasonal Spuffy

I also am thrilled to report that some kind person nominated a few of my stories for Round 25 of the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction Awards! Specifically, the Mr. Gordo/Miss Edith story No Regrets has been nominated in the Comedy and Unconventional Pairings categories, and Tales of the Cold 'n' Tall Creamery — short stories about Jhiera, princess of Oden Tal, her "girls" and their AU move to Sunnydale — has been nominated in the Series category, which I think is pretty funny. I guess I ought to add a few chapters...

Looks like I've been semi-busy. Have a great holiday, everybody!

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/20456.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

New today! Another chapter of my set in San Francisco story/travelogue! NOT comics compliant. 

Title: Fire in the Soul (3/?)
Author: Rebcake 
Rating: PG13
Word count: 4150
Pairing: Spike/Buffy, but also a bit Dru-ish
A/N: Beta’d by snickfic, and reviewed by MiAmor. Some photos contained herein are copyrighted as noted.
Summary: A few years after Sunnydale’s spectacular demise, Buffy and her crew are getting on with their lives in San Francisco. A not entirely unwelcome blast from her past (Spike! It's Spike!) blows into town, but he’s brought more than the generally allowable amount of baggage with him. 

Previously: 
Chapter 1 on LJ / Chapter 1 on DW — In which a "chance" encounter leads to strong language and less-than-adult behavior. Also: animal magnetism.
Chapter 2a on LJ / Chapter 2a on DW — In which Dawn makes her feelings known and Buffy tries not to.
Chapter 2bc on LJ / Chapter 2bc on DW— In which Buffy gets on with her Sunday, which naturally ends up being weird.

New:
Chapter 3 — In which reports are made, scents are smelled, and sights are seen, pleasant and otherwise. Click here to read on LJ.


( It turned out the earthquake wasn’t that big a deal... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/20025.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I've got a few more chapters of my story/travelogue for seasonal_spuffy today! Set in San Francisco, but NOT comics compliant.

Title: Fire in the Soul (2bc/?)
Author: Rebcake
Rating: PG13
Word count: 4100
Warnings: A bit Dru-ish
A/N: Beta’d by snickfic, except for a section added later, which was reviewed by MiAmor. Some photos contained herein are copyrighted as noted.
Summary: A few years after Sunnydale’s spectacular demise, Buffy and her crew are getting on with their lives in San Francisco. A not entirely unwelcome blast from her past (Spike! It's Spike!) blows into town, but he’s brought more than the generally allowable amount of baggage with him. 

Previously: 
Chapter 1 on LJ / Chapter 1 on DW — In which a "chance" encounter leads to strong language and less-than-adult behavior. Also: animal magnetism.
Chapter 2a on LJ / Chapter 2a on DW — In which Dawn makes her feelings known and Buffy tries not to.

( In the continuation of Chapter 2, Buffy gets on with her Sunday, which naturally ends up being weird... )

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/19596.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

Okay, so imagine I'm air-kissing you all just like The Doctor. *smek, smek* Are you getting it? Great! Air kissing is normal, right?

It was my birthday the other day, as well as the birthday of a large number of very cool fandom folks!

Happy birthday abelina! brunettepet! snickfic! and spuffyduds! Not to mention the not-so-much-around-anymore lauratd, _sharvie_, and kathylovesspike! It's an amazing line-up, isn't it? Makes me wonder if there was something in the water...

Many f-listies sent wonderful greetings my way, all of which were very much appreciated. slaymesoftly, green_maia, and 2maggie2 sent me some festive v-prezzies! petzipellepingo, louise39, itsayamsham, and eilowyn made delightful birthday posts! To top it all off kerkevik wrote a drabble just for me — Tears of a Witch — and coalitiongirl had a baby! (Join the massive birthday club, BBCG! You're gonna have a blast!)

In RL, I went to the opera, saw some super-theatrical klezmer, got to watch The Doctor air-kissing some more, and had some dear ones over for cake! Because I'm all about the cake and the kissin'!

Whew! So eventful! Now I am buckling down to get some content together for my seasonal_spuffy  day later this week, and prepping the house for a passel of out-of-towners! My comments may be on the light side for a bit...

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/19387.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

Newish Spuffy writer puddinhead  (aka thepuddinhead) has started posting the sequel to Yours, William and it is already a gripping, ripping yarn! If you, like me, have a big ol' yen for historical time-travel fic that has fun characterizations, a little action, a little sex, and a lot of culture-clash, well, you should be reading along. Ms. P is a history teacher, but clearly the kind that knows how to make the dusty olden days come alive on the page.

If you want to jump right in, the premise of Yours, William is that post-series Buffy asks to go back in time to pre-vampire William, and ends up in the body of one of his household staff, without slayer powers, but with all her memories intact. Wackiness ensues, romance blooms, someone finds his inner badass a little earlier than anticipated, obstacles are faced and overcome, and when the time comes, Buffy decides to do the honorable thing. My Elizabeth begins with the happy couple boarding a boat for their new life in America, but something nasty awaits them in the cargo hold. In just three chapters (so far) there are old enemies, new enemies, new friends, the challenges of Victorian-era ocean travel and etiquette, and it looks like things are going to take a major turn soon. *anticipates* The prose is lean, the vision clear, and it's a heckuva lot of fun.

You can read My Elizabeth on LiveJournal, Dreamwidth, TheSpuffyRealm, or Elysian Fields (if you're a member).

The elephant in the room is unbridled_b's Forward to Time Past, against which all Buffy/William stories must inevitably be compared — and for good reason. Repeat after me: gold standard! Rest assured, puddinhead 's series is entirely different in scope and tone, largely because the Buffy we meet is in a much better place emotionally, and has chosen this journey for specific reasons, mindful that Spike was capable of selfless and noble action. For me, it's really interesting to see how much of a difference that makes.

You should also all be reading msjane's award-winning Time's Fool, a 40-years-in-the-future fic that just keeps getting better.

And now, a plea for HTML help! How do you put in both DW and LJ "user name links" in the same post? I've seen it happen in other people's posts, but the code is eluding me! I'd like to know before my seasonal_spuffy  posting day. *puppy eyes* Thanks, Snick!

Happy almost-Autumn, everybody!

This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/19092.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

I was happy and a little surprised to see that my funny little Superstar!verse Harmony story was awarded a pretty in the latest round of the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfic Awards! Lookit!



In my opinion, everything is even prettier with Gunn on it... There are some terrific stories on the winner's list, which you should go read if you haven't already. No surprise, many talented friends also won awards and I salute you all! I'm always happy to see the good stuff get recognition.


I observed September 11 by making sure to call my little sister. It's her birthday, you see, and ten years ago, when she lived and worked in lower Manhattan, she didn't get any birthday calls. Considering all the the horrendous events of that day, it might seem like a small thing to miss getting birthday greetings in the pre-Facebook era. And it is, of course. But, if I've learned anything from that day — and I learned precious little, I'm afraid — it's that we should cherish our loved ones at every opportunity. We'd lost our only other sister three years before, on Thanksgiving Day, and my family has had enough of this conflation of national celebrations and personal tragedies, and vice versa. (I urge whoever is responsible for arranging these things to keep that in mind. Thanks so much in advance.)

Here's to you, sweetie! In the past ten years you've weathered being on the evacuation line for both the Twin Towers bombing and the latest hurricane, completed your graduate degree, married a great guy, buried a parent, moved to Brooklyn, and had a beautiful and brilliant child*. If I had the power, I might wish you a less interesting life, but I'm so proud of all you've accomplished, and the way you've kept all your kindness and humor intact through it all. Happy birthday!

*I am aware that some of the people on my f-list think they have the "world's cutest nephew". Respectfully, you are mistaken. ;-)


This entry was originally posted at http://rebcake.dreamwidth.org/18566.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.

First, it's Intervention Week over at Fantas_Magoria, and not nearly enough people have weighed in on the Intervention Love Comment Cavalcade. Go forth and tell us who, what, when, where, and how you love Intervention! All types of love encouraged. You may also post links to your Intervention-related artwork, meta, and stories. I want moar Intervention in my life! Please give it to me. *puppy eyes*

Second, it seems that I've inadvertently become a co-mod of a community I never knew existed until a couple of days ago:


Cool, huh? I'm excited that a) it didn't get deleted, and b) that some of my awesome meta-writing friends might be prevailed upon to post and/or link there, so we have a one-stop place for heaping bowlsful of the good stuff! Go! Join!

Then, while I usually avoid memes, this one struck me as fun and informative. So you can read all about my romantic history as told through the lens of my various obsessions fandoms. Oh! The many mysteries revealed...

( Read more... )

snickfic  is hosting this fun thing:


If you click on the graphic above, you can still go make cracky prompts! Or, you can go to the Masterlist and just read All The Crack. All of it.

It finally got me to break out of my Spike/Dru/Buffy epic-brain and post a little fic. Woo hoo! However, I'm not linking directly to my story there, because there are typos. *hangs head* You can't edit commentfic once somebody has commented on it, alas. Who knew? However, if you want to read it, there's an (hopefully) error-free version at still_grrr :

Title: Battle's End
Author: Rebcake
Rating: PG13 (for a single naughty word)
Word Count: 190
Characters: Spike, Nikki Wood
Summary: Nikki fights Spike to a standstill — and a deal is struck.

The vampire's head was lolling against the floor...

*Heh. Does anybody get the Guild joke in the post title? Just me then?

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