Thursday, February 18, 2010

FandomFluff: Twidom Hoopla


Twidom Hoopla



By:
Hoosier Mama


Hoosier Mama here reporting to you direct from the Heartland with all the news that is news in the Twidom. Without further ado, here they are, the big stories for the newly begun year, 2010…

With the third biggest fanbase on the site, you’d think they’d want to keep us Twifans well-fed and happy…

The fine folks at fanfiction.net have struck again, doing their best to keep the World Wide Web “Disney-esque”: clean, pure and smut-free. (Yeah, good luck with that…) I know it’s their site and it’s their prerogative and it’s a touchy subject and it’s never going to be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, so…I’ll write no more.

Two authors (of High Anxiety and How to Save a Life) discovered a new level of angst this month: the “I-want-to-rip-my-own-head-off-to-keep-from-enduring-anymore” level…

What’s with all the super angsty chapter updates lately? Yikes! As if living through this endless, dreary winter isn’t bad enough, a lot of our favorite authors are kicking us in the teeth with bitter breakups and unforgivable actions. Authors! Take pity! Stop the madness!

Personally speaking, part of me wants to quit reading because I can’t handle anymore heartfail, but I absolutely love these stories! I know I won’t stop because I need resolution, but I also need a break from all the angst. I need a strong dose of levity and some heart-pounding romance for balance. Luckily, I recently fell into Work in Progress (in one word: hysterical) and Hide and Drink. (It’s Twilight from EPOV if Edward’s control over his thirst wasn’t quite so good; it’s dark, sensual, and yes, romantic …in a macabre, twisted way.)

Scientists prove internet addicts are more depressed than non-internet addicts. (Could it be due to the recently discovered high level of angst in Twifics?)

From the U.K., The Guardian online reporter Adam Gabbatt writes that scientists at Leeds University have learned that internet addicts are more likely to suffer depression than non-addicts. Hold the phone! Addicts are depressed? Who knew? Ya think maybe that’s why they became addicted to something in the first place? It makes them feel better? They couldn’t possibly be using the internet to escape from depressing, joy-less lives could they?

The article also said that “internet addicts spent proportionately more time browsing sexually gratifying websites…” Holy smokes! Is that the real reason we’re all addicted to Twilight fanfiction? Because we’re all perverts “browsing” for sexual gratification? I feel like I’ve been caught watching porn by a bunch of nerdy guys in white lab coats.

Sexually gratifying websites? OK, so maybe some fics could be considered to be sexually gratifying (for example, all the fics no longer available on ff.net… *cough, cough*) but every one of us could come up with a list of fics that are popular and have little to no sex at all. These stories are about the chase, the sexual tension, all the drama that leads up to…well…sexual gratification. Hydraulic Level Five, The University of Edward Masen, and The Cannabean Betrothal are all filled with UST. No Twifans in their right minds would read them to be sexually gratified. So maybe we’re not all perverts…at least not all the time.


And finally… Ms. Kathy’s efforts raise over $75,000 for Haiti Relief. Proof positive that though scientists believe we’re “sexually gratified” perverts, Twifans are also bighearted and generous

Kudos to Ms.Kathy for her Twifans for Haiti Author Compilation. If you missed it, the compilation is 1795 pages of yummy one-shots, out-takes, etc. made possible by the contribution of 260 authors. It’ll keep you happily reading for days; I guarantee it. According to the Twifans for Haiti website, over $75,000 has been raised. Thanks Ms.Kathy, for giving us Twi-pervs the opportunity to show the world we may be perverts--but we’re good people too, doing our part to help others in need.

So that’s the Twidom news as I see it for the newly begun year 2010. Did I miss a major news item? Let me know! In the mean time Twifans, keep practicing your 3 R’s: reading, ‘riting and reviewing.

This has been Hoosier Mama, reporting.


A/N: Thanks OlgaNYC for your words of wisdom, your rec’s, and your friendship. Your PM’s were sparkles-like-diamonds sunshine during a depressing, dreary week.

5 comments:

  1. That's wonderful what you all do in the fandom world. Power to the people! Good job Ms. Kathy!

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  2. Ms Kathy is amazing...that is a huge amount of money!! The stories were amazing-what generous authors!!
    I too recently found hide & drink...what a find. I want to kidnap that Darkward & keep him for myself.
    A great underrated story, not really fluffy, but funny as hell, is Over, Under and Through. Lauren Mallory explains her backstory & takes New-moon era Bella under her wing. Suddenly you'll want Lauren as your new BFF! It was updated today & my mouth was hanging open in shock.(I don;t know the author, so no bias here, I am just dismayed to see it has so few reviews)

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  3. I'm glad you're enjoying my story, Work in Progress! This whole article makes me happy. :)

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  4. The Fluff update on TLYDF – WIN!!!

    Hoosier Mama – Thank you so much for bringing such important and not-fluffy issues to the attention of the Twidom. Ms. Kathy’s fundraising efforts were amazing and I, for one, am proud to be a member of this empathetic, bighearted, generous, intelligent and yes, sometimes perverted Fandom.

    Most of the house-cleaning FF has been doing lately can be attributed to the efforts of a group of malicious 18 year old boys with too much time on their nerdy little hands. They call them self a “Literate Union” and run a forum that organizes attacks of other FF authors. http://forum.fanfiction.net/forum/Literate_Union/61196/ Check out their philosophy as well as their fiction “hit list” to see if you or your favorite authors are on it.

    I find it amazing that the same people, who think financial markets should be left alone to self-regulate, also feel that FF needs to be censored. Where are your priorities, people?

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  5. Hide and Drink is my newest pleasure. It is such an interesting take on how Edward could have reacted to a singer if he wasn't the golden boy of angst. I couldn't put it down, but yet I was equally disturbed. It is very well done.

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