Alphabet Weekends
DrivingEdward
Edward
Cullen, Dick for Hire
How to
Save a Life
iambeagle
la-geologia
MrsSpaceCowboy
The year was 2009, I believe, and I’d just finished reading the Twilight stories and stumbled upon fanfiction. Like many readers then and now, I came to Twilight fanfiction in search of more. Yes, more! We were all looking for something that went beyond the fade-to-black that we had all become familiar with. Well, ask and ye shall receive! the-glory-days wrote this little story called Alphabet Weekends, and boy, did it offer the readers more. I feel like she was one of the early authors to pave the way for the AH (all-human) universe. I and many other readers had followed the AU universe of Twilight, because of a sexy sparkling vampire, but now we were being introduced to a whole new world!
Alphabet Weekends offered an intriguing and unique friends-to-lovers storyline, and it was told over a period of twenty-six weekends. These weren't ordinary weekends, either. The author allowed us to get to know her characters, Edward and Bella, as they explored their sexual desires through a series of encounters all determined by the drawing of a letter from the alphabet! The characters took turns each weekend coming up with various scenarios which they'd play out with each other. The author was quite creative and adept in keeping each weekend fresh, and sexy, and hot, and downright dirty! As a reader, I know she kept me guessing which letter would be pulled next, and I never had any idea what to expect. She did a fabulous job of creating a world for these friends-to-lovers that encompassed humor, romance, and a little drama. She allowed us to get inside their heads to see exactly what was going on, and we were able to grasp just how affected Edward and Bella were by each other... although they did their best to hide it from each other, thereby creating a delicious mix of raw sex meets whollycrapwahtishappeningtomei'mfallingformyfriend!
In addition to creating this unique story, she was also on the front lines of pairing a music playlist with each chapter. I'd never seen that done before. Her ability to find just the right music was uncanny. And oh, how it added to the feelings and emotions we were getting from her characters. the-glory-days has written several fanfiction stories, participated in contests, and won numerous awards for her efforts by always bringing her unique style of writing to the table. Alphabet Weekends and her other works have been highlighted articles that range from Perv Packs Smut Shack (back in the day) to The Southern Fanfiction Review. Her story was translated into several languages, including Spanish, French and Italian. the-glory-days was truly groundbreaking in the stories she chose to write, and I wish she was still writing for us today. Her stories are still on Fanfiction.Net. Check them out! Do yourself a favor, and start with Alphabet Weekends. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and while you're reading it, you'll notice some missing letters. But don't worry; she gave us a wonderfully salacious outtake which should satisfy your curiosity.
Our fandom is full of amazing, supportive individuals. I think we’re second to none when it comes to cheerleaders; those who stand behind us or alongside us to encourage us to keep going. I’m confident in saying the fandom wouldn’t be the same without the support of those who cheer us on and work behind the scenes to make our stories the best they can be. I’ve been so very privileged to work with many of these amazing people in the last few years.
Some, though, go above and beyond just reading for typos and inconsistencies. If you’re lucky enough to have worked with Pamela Lorraine, a.k.a. DrivingEdward, you know what I’m talking about.
Chances are you’ve read a twist or turn she played a role in crafting. Behind the scenes, a few of us call her the Plot Master. To me, she’s one of the fandom’s most treasured assets. She’s part of so many pre-reading teams, even she sometimes has a difficult time keeping up with all of them. Especially, when you consider she works with some of our beloved authors who have gone on to publish original fiction.
But you’d never know it.
Whether you’re writing the next “Top 10” fic or a snippet from a Facebook group prompt, she’s there to cheer you on and offer her input if you ask it of her.
She and I had mutual acquaintances but had never really interacted, even if I had seen her name on some of my most loved fics. We finally crossed paths back in early 2020 when I had an open spot on my pre-reading team for the story I was writing at the time.
I don’t think I was prepared for the force that is Pamela Lorraine.
She added so much more with her suggestions and thoughts and “What if you…?” ideas. But what I treasure most about those early interactions is that those limited conversations grew into a beautiful friendship. And, really, that’s what it boils down to. Pamela offers so much of herself in what she does for the stories she pre-reads that you can’t help but form a bond with her.
The question then becomes how do you acknowledge someone like that? Someone who gives so much of themselves and is there to bounce around ideas and entertain plot points that skirt what’s expected and what’s too far? How do you show your appreciation for the time and dedication given with zero hesitation?
You say thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you do for the fandom, for our words, for the stories and characters we’ve created.
Pamela, when I count my blessings… I count you twice.
Who Doesn’t Love a Good Dick?
By belladonnacullen
Would it be an exaggeration to say Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire changed Twilight fanfiction? Nope.
Would it be an exaggeration to say Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire changed my life? Not at all.
Would it be acceptable to call yourself a Twilight fanfiction addict without having read Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire? Not a motherfuckin’ chance, as the Dick himself might say.
FL95, aka FictionFreek95, aka Jo, first posted Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire in 2009, back in the early days of Twilight fanfiction. It was the golden era. Breaking Dawn had finally been published, and suddenly, there was no new Twilight content to look forward to. Diehard fans scoured the internet for something, anything to quench their thirst. The more imaginative among us started posting alternative endings, filling in the fade-to-black scenes, and trying to erase Reneesme from our minds. And before we knew it, Twific jumped from canon vamps to AU-all human.
Even though there were no limits, most of us who read Twilight were pulled in by drama, angst, romance, and UST. Fanfictions of the day leaned in. Looking for 400,000 words about will they or won’t they, followed by 200,000 words of mature content? You had twenty regularly updating stories to choose from! Don’t get me wrong, I also devoured this content like it was cool spring water and I’d just spent forty years in a desert.
But The Dick dropped something new in our laps: an Edward Cullen who was irreverent, witty, and goddamned funny. The Dick was film noir turned into Twilight fanfiction, with a lot more swearing and loads more leather and laughs. The Dick was Twilight fanfiction like only Jo could write it.
Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire is the story of a Washington, DC-based private eye investigating the death of an old friend and navigating a city full of corrupt cops and politicians while coming to terms with the skeletons in his family’s closet.
From the very first lines in the fic, you knew this was Twific like you’d never read before. As Edward Cullen, or The Dick, as this Edward Cullen will heretofore forever be known, effortlessly thwarts a holdup at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, he manages to be both humble and cocky at once, as well as definitely capable. He takes out the would-be thief with the same ease he picks up his take-out.
Of course, every film noir, and every Twilight fanfic needs its love interest. The Dick meets The Swan about halfway through chapter one…
"You did that shit on purpose."
She turned her head slightly but continued to leave. "I don't know what you're talking about."
I grabbed her by the arm, which was very toned by the way, and spun her around. She looked a little stunned at first, but seemed to swallow it down. "Yes you do...you fucking came here to ruin the photos, didn't you? Not to...intro-fucking-duce yourself. You sneaky...little..."
"Mr. Cullen," She said, pulling her arm out of my grasp. "You would do well..." she stalked toward me, forcing me to walk backwards. "to watch..." she put her hand on my chest "your fucking..." I stopped when I got to the wall and she leaned in so that she was about a dick hair away from my face, staring at my lips. My tongue flicked out instinctively, licking them. "mouth." Then she looked me in the eyes.
Holyfuckinghell that was hot.
She turned on her red 'fuck me' heels, and left me standing there. Dumbfuckingfounded, awe struck, and with a raging hard on that would probably poke holes in most strong surfaces had I been near any of them.
"Bella Swan by the way," she said over her shoulder. "I'm your new competition. The Mayor says hi."
The Swan is The Dick’s new nemesis he can’t shake and, in all honestly, probably doesn’t want to shake—unless it’s in his bed, in a naked kind of way. As criminal mischief unfurls around them, The Dick and The Swan join forces with the help of a tech whiz named Jasper and his brother Emmett, the only good guy on the DC police force. There’s also a whole cast of secondary characters that come to life on the page, that The Dick learns to appreciate in an entirely new kind of way by the end of the story.
Also by the end of this story, Twilight fanfiction was changed forever. Edward could be imperfect like we’d never seen before; sarcastically snarky and self-deprecating.
Also by the end of this story, I’d found a friend for life. Jo, Amy (troublefollowsedward), and I wrote a series of stories centered around the kids in our fics that launched a friendship and writing partnership that’s survived to this day. It’s something I’ll forever treasure.
Like all Twlight fanfic of this era worth its weight in salt, The Dick made his way into original fiction. While Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire can no longer be found on fanfiction.net, you can still find his sexy, snarky, self-deprecating humor in Jackson Stiles, Road to Redemption. If you missed out on The Dick, do not stop, do not pass go, and get yourself a copy immediately. Because who doesn’t love a good dick?
It’s been over a decade since I went down the rabbit hole and joined the Twilight fanfiction world, so when I was asked to write a tribute to unholy.obsession and the story How To Save a Life that was one of the most reviewed and read stories in 2010—the golden year, as I personally refer to it—as it was the year most of the classics where written, a time before some of the most known stories today went into the publishing world. It got a few awards and nominations when it was a WiP, so it was an honor to accept to write this.
Even though years have passed since I read it, it’s one of those that stayed with me over the years and will forever be engraved in my mind. The story’s original summary was “Bella, Edward, Alice & crew. What's going on with Bella's new best friend's older brother, Edward? What exactly happened in his past that has turned the former golden boy into a shadow of himself?” It was a very catchy summary that turned into a long story with thirty-two chapters, a few outtakes, and over six hundred pages.
How to Save a Life has since been published as a trilogy under the name Broken: The First Fall, The Slippery Slope, and The Heart of Hope under the penname K.A. Cozzo. Unfortunately, these versions were pulled from the internet and can no longer be found today, but Karole Cozzo got a deal with MacMillan Publisher and still writes YA books.
How to Save a Life is a very angsty story. It’s canon, and the main characters are Edward and Bella, but we get a lot of Alice since unholy.obsession loved her. The story pulls at you from all sides; it’s a rollercoaster of emotions, and your heart will get them all. It’s one of those stories that will find its way into your soul, and it’s one of the reasons we love fanfiction.
It has big triggers for some readers, but it was written in very real way, making you understand the state of mind Edward had and see how he needed support from others to overcome this difficult situation he was in. The story will teach you more than you could ever guess. A quote I remember from the story being more personally significant is, “It is for you, it’s for me… it’s for us.”
How to Save a Life, is a top, must-read fanfiction, and I will always give a standing ovation to unholy.obsession for writing this fanfiction masterpiece.
To everyone that had read it or will after this, you or someone you know might be struggling with similar situations portrayed within this story. Please get that support and help. There is always someone who loves you, and you are not alone.
When I was first asked to write something about iambeagle, I'll admit I was very nervous!
You see, there are people in this fandom who have been fans of her work for over a decade. I, on the other hand, just became a fan a few years ago. And it got me wondering, is there a whole giant section of fic history that I'm going to miss out on delivering because I wasn't around? Will people judge me because I don't have any personal stories about her, seeing as we've never met?
Then I realized, maybe that's what I can bring into this conversation about iambeagle—newness. Because isn't the idea of something new a huge part of fanfiction? Authors might be in the middle of writing something when aI new idea siddenly pops into their head and they have to put it out there. Or as a graphic designer like myself, I try to keep everything that I make looking as original as possible. And as a reader, especially in regards to this author, it was such a delight to find iambeagle's stories.
The first story of hers that I read was A Heart Arcane, which had been recommended to me because I'm such an angst lover. Great story! It was so different and emotional, I just had to see what else she had written. Suddenly, I was introduced to plots I’d never read before and that really blew my mind! After fourteen years of reading Twilight fanfiction, I enjoyed connecting with a writer who brought something new to the table. And not just the drama, I found myself completely consumed by the humor she would write, like Don't Delete the Kisses. Over and over, from comedy to angst, she throws out these amazing stories! Each one had me sitting on the edge of my seat, because for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where the stories were going. And after more than a decade, it was refreshing to find fanfiction that's unpredictable.
I also became a huge fangirl of iambeagle on social media, as well. I found her post on Facebook and Twitter to reply to, and then began to tell her how much her stories impressed me. I let her know in my comments on FFn how I loved each chapter, character, and plot twist. And to my delight, she was really easy to talk to! Sometimes I had questions, and who better to respond than the person who knows all of the answers? Even when I get mad at her characters, signaling my own form of a virtual hissy fit, she'd be there to hold my hand. In her recent story, The Way I Wanted, this happens often for me, but she's very honest and makes no excuses about wanting to be true to the characters. It's probably one of the most angsty stories she's written, but she gives the reader faith in it. Because why wouldn't she? She always has.
So am I disappointed that I didn't find her stories earlier? Of course! But it's never too late to find gems like imbeagle in the Twilight fanfiction community. I can say without any doubt that out of the thousands of Twilight fanfictions I’ve read, From the Ground Up from 2022 is definitely in my top 10. So, if you haven't read any of her stories yet, it's never too late to start. Try something new. You won't regret it!
Picture it: San Diego, early 2015. There’s a thread in some group on Facebook, and one of the commenters turns out to be a bubbly, beautiful, bright, beaming Belle Clementine. Through some back and forth, she tricks me into meeting her and another local fandom person for coffee, and you could say the rest is history.
But like any good origin story, there’s so much to it than that.
For anyone that has had the privilege of meeting or knowing Belle, you know that she is the kindest, fiercest, most loving, and loyal friend you could ever have in your corner. I like to jokingly say that she is the purple glitter glue that holds this fandom together… but isn’t that true? Aren’t you a better person for knowing her? I have yet to meet a single person in this fandom that doesn’t like Belle. (I’ll fight anyone who says they don’t!)
Belle is the biggest fangirl and cheerleader I have ever met. She’s so ridiculously positive that it brings a smile to this pessimist’s face just thinking about her. But she’s incredibly cat-like in her adoration; she’ll hunt you down, learn all your tricks, and then BAM! She’s reviewing all your stories and making you cry. Or smile with joy. It totally depends on where your emotional scale lies.
I had the joy of working with Belle during the pandemic on The Perfect Date Contest. Belle was so excited to be involved as a judge and took her role so seriously. As one of two secret keepers, it was hard to have conversations with her about the entries and not give anything away, but it was also very easy because I got to just sit back and listen to her gush about all the great stories. Because that’s how she is.
She doesn’t usually read WIPs, but every once in a while, she gets sucked in. She’s canon all the way, but an exciting banner or summary might make her question her own rules. And if you’re lucky enough to have a story that Belle reads, then you’ve seen her reviews. They are works of art all in their own way.
There’s a huge problem in this and many other fandoms, especially with FFn, of unregistered guest reviewers; the cold, miserable, downtrodden, and frankly rude, diminishing, and hate-filled speech that gets spewed onto our stories by people who are brave enough to type the words, but not brave enough to sign in and own them.
Like a knight in shining armor, on a strong steed, rides la-geologia with a review reminding you why you write. Belle has this amazing ability to gush and rave, tell you what an amazing job you did, but also succinctly explain what she loved about your story. In a sea of nasty guest reviews, be a Belle.
It’s really easy for me to say all this because we’re friends. You’re absolutely right. I would be nowhere and nothing in this fandom without her. I wouldn’t have the friends I have today without her. I wouldn’t have read half the fics I have without her recommending them. She convinced me to go to my first TFMU in 2016, and I haven’t looked back.
And if you’ve met Belle, you’re lucky enough to have a story to go along with it. I know this sounds more like a tribute to her and our friendship than maybe the impact she’s had on the Twilight fandom specifically, but that’s just the thing: in my opinion, there is no fandom without Belle.
Belle will tell you herself that she totally tricked me into being friends with her based solely on proximity. We live roughly seven miles from each other, and before the pandemic made Disney trips and AushaBelle dates super simple. Now, we settle for super long catch-ups on her front porch and soon-to-be movie nights in her backyard.
I could compile all the jokes, and memories, and facts that I know about Belle, but it would take forever to get through it all. So, I’ll hit you with the basics: She’s fierce and loyal. She’s the grossest friend I have, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. She is by nature completely, 100% not spontaneous. I mean, you need to clear it in her calendar like three weeks in advance before you try to plan anything with her.
She has a strange love of dinosaurs and hates the color red. She’s unsure of her own birthday, and she’s allergic to eggs. She likes a little bit of avocado with her black pepper and toast. She’s my style guru, and I want to be equally as nice and as savage as she is when I grow up. She’s the core of our girl gang and the wearer of flip flops year-round.
She’s purple.
She’s glitter.
She’s the glue.
She’s my friend.
It’s no secret that our fandom is ripe with amazingly talented authors. Seriously, have you ever done a blind fic dive into a new fandom? It only takes a couple of minutes to realize how spoiled we are in our little Twific bubble. One of those amazingly talented authors is no secret. She’s been sending us running to our phones/computers/tablets since she began publishing her stories in 2012. I am beyond honored to write this tribute for a Fandom Achievement Award to MrsSpaceCowboy.
Something that our dear Nan does so well is capture the intricate emotions of her characters. You feel what her characters are going through and can vividly see their surroundings on an almost cellular level. Whether it’s the feelings of high school ‘90s angst in The Give Away Girl to feeling as though you're walking down Beale Street hearing the blues in Rest My Soul, Nan is able to paint a picture which gives her stories so much depth.
I remember my first time interacting with Nan. I had submitted a story for the Heart of Country Contest back in 2013. Once all the awards were announced and we were allowed to reveal our identities, I published my story under my username. Then proceeded to have a massive fangirl freak out when I saw that I had a review from MrsSpaceCowboy. I had just finished The Give Away Girl and was in awe of her storytelling. Plus, she had just racked up all sorts of the contest awards with a one-shot that gave way to a little story called Down Home.
While her writing is amazing, nothing beats getting to know the woman behind the keyboard. From following her on social media and getting the opportunity to meet her at the Nashville TFMU, I can say that she is one of the fiercest and most incredible people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know in the fandom. She’s not one to mince words when it comes to the things she loves and believes in. The force is strong with this one.
In 2016, our girl published her debut novel, Higher Ground, and though it’s been a minute, I’m still crossing my fingers that we will see another novel from her soon. Until then, I’m going to keep waiting for a The Funcle update or any other set of her beautifully written words.
Nan, you are so beloved by our fandom. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor.
No comments:
Post a Comment