Happy October! For this month, Dusty and Getitdone are our Scoobies of the Month, and here are their interviews! Hope you enjoy them...
October 2022 Commenter of the Month, Getitdone:
How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
A good friend of mine in high school was Buffy-obsessed. (This was late 90's, when the show first aired.) She talked about the characters and plot points incessantly, and it always seemed like a show I could get into, but I never committed. (For all of you folks running around wrinkle-free right now, TV watching required much more discipline before the days of DVR and streaming!)
I noticed it was available on Hulu a few years ago (2018, maybe?) and decided it would make a good summer binge show. I mostly watched it in the background while I was doing other things, but somewhere around mid-S4 (think, like, 'Something Blue' era) it caught my attention and wouldn't let go of me. By the start of S6 I was a total Spuffy goner!
The unfortunate part about this is many of the major plot points were spoiled for me. I knew about Dawn when she showed up. I knew she was gonna kill Angel. I knew Buffy was gonna die in The Gift. I don't remember my friend mentioning much about Spuffy, and to this day I'm terrified to bring it up to her because what if I find out she's actually a Bangel fan? Then we can't be friends!! 
When and why did you decide to read fanfiction for the show?
I've always been one to poke around in fandoms after I consume any piece of media I really enjoy, and that usually involves some casual fanfic exploration. After a couple of obsessive rewatches, I started perusing AO3 and fanfiction.net for Spuffy stories. The 2020 COVID lockdown combined with grieving the loss of my dad sent me deep down this particular rabbit hole, though, and I stumbled upon Dusty's first fic, Safe.
Holy. Crap. 
That fic grabbed me and has never let go!
That discovery led me to a treasure trove of Spuffy fanfiction. I've never experienced such high quality and quantity in any other fandom before! Being part of a community like this one that encourages me to embrace my obsessive shippy-thoughts has been an amazing experience for me... I'm pretty sure you'll never be rid of me. (More than two years later, and I'm still here telling Dusty all my thoughts about all the things!)
Why do you love Spike and Buffy?
I think what I love most is the wide spectrum of dynamics their relationship covers. I think this is why people are still writing about them to this day - whatever mood you're in, you can find a Spuffy-era to match. And of course, I think we all love the idea of someone like Spike who is just wholly dedicated to loving Buffy for exactly who or what she is (and the chiseled cheekbones, British accent, and bad-boy persona are just icing on the cake!) I also love Buffy for all her strength and all her flaws, and I think she's just so deserving of Spike's worship.
What words of advice would you give other fans who comment or are considering maybe commenting on fanfiction?
This first piece of advice is one I'm still working on... I've always felt like if I'm going to comment I have to say something meaningful. So I've read a lot of things without commenting - not because I didn't enjoy them, but just because I didn't feel like I had anything worthwhile to say about what I read. As I've become more entrenched in this community, though, I'm slowly learning that not every comment has to be a complex literary analysis. I'm trying to do a better job of just thanking and appreciating those of you who are pouring these stories out for me to read through my comments. (And for those of you who are subjected to my dissertation-style comments, well... sorry about that. Sometimes I have things to say.)
Secondly... the best comments are the ones that roll in around 3 am. 
(I also want to suggest you try swearing in all caps when you're very excited about something, but I'm not sure all authors actually appreciate that, so take that wisdom with a grain of salt.)
October 2022 Author of the Month, Dusty:
How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
In 2015, I was really into an Outlander story analysis podcast and I loved the thoughtful discussion and emphasis on story craft so much that I had to check out the hosts' other podcast show which was about Buffy. It's no longer available to listen to or else I'd recommend it, but that's the reason I decided to give Buffy a shot. I had judged it by its title for many years and never tried it. Then to my surprise, my husband noticed me watching it and was excited to join in, so it became a thing to do together! Soon enough we were naming our daughter Willow!
When and why did you decide to write fanfiction for the show?
After finishing the show I found out about the comics and read those (just the Buffy ones) and I loved all the Spuffy! I remember reading S11 thinking that this storyline would be really fascinating if it was fleshed out a little more (comics only have but so much time/space). I was curious about what Spike and Buffy's life living in a prison trailer together with him feeding from her would BE like. It sounded stressful! And kinda sexy... 
So I thought surely there's tons of fic out there about this (I had written fic for another fandom a long time ago so I knew of fanfiction in general). Sadly, I didn't find anything in that setting/scenario at all! So I thought hrmm if I want to see that, I guess I'll have to write it. So that's how I essentially began writing fic before I even started reading it. I've been playing catch-up ever since.
Why do you love Spike and Buffy?
Because they are the whole package. They inspire greatness in each other. Everything they share, they well and truly earned it. They're hilarious together. They're viciously honest with one another. They're full of passion and fireworks and that BIGNESS about them only makes their soft moments all the sweeter. They're an endlessly fun pairing to write because there are so many versions of their relationship and their individual levels of growth to play with. Each season gives you wildly different potentials and outcomes.
Which three fanfics that you’ve written are your favorite? Why are they your favorite?
Oh my. Okay. That's hard. I really love them all. I'm always most over the top in love with whatever I'm working on currently. I can't help it. So I'm unabashedly obsessed with The Time We Had right now. I love the sweeping epic romance of that one. The unpredictability and how I can throw them into any situation at any time and it works because TIME TRAVEL is endlessly fun. I love The Fairytale because I think it is so funny and absurd and it was such a wild idea that I was laughing my way through as I wrote it because who would give Angel an actual Pinnochio nose?! That's so stupid, but whatever! We're going for it! And that was so different for me to just play and have fun with a story and take things a little less seriously. Then I'd have to say Gray because that story felt like all of my favorite things tumbled into one story. It had chapters of fun and lightness. It had the angstiest angst I could imagine. It had my favorite Spuffy to write which is established Spuffy, but with heaps of conflict to keep it interesting. And at the same time, they never lost faith in each other, which was so beautiful and, to me, what real love's about. And OH it had Angelus and Drusilla and a sassy adult Dawn! I just had all my cakes with that fic and they were delicious. 
And I'm realizing now that I just picked my fics in reverse order of writing them, so make of that what you will...
What words of advice would you give other fans who write or want to write fanfiction?
Have fun and don't agonize over it. I think some people get really twisted up in the perfection of their stories, to the point where it's daunting to start, daunting to keep going or to finish. To the point where you invest so much time into something that when it's criticized or doesn't get the enthusiastic response you were hoping for, it can be really crushing. I know it's hard not to sweat the details because sometimes you have to sweat the details for a story to work! But generally, readers will happily go where you take them. If you're having FUN telling the story, I think readers really feel that! It's also important to note that what works for someone else might not be what works for you and that's a-okay. No one is doing anything the right way in fanfiction. Just their own way. So try not to compare or doubt yourself. If you're here and you're making something you love, then you're doing everything right.
--Sandy_s, Chelle, Dusty, GillO, Megan on 10/02/22 02:43 pm 8 Comments
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!
--sandy_s, Dusty, Megan, GillO, Chelle on 09/03/22 07:03 am 10 Comments
We’re so excited to host our first month-long event! 
Fics, art, and video edits will all qualify, so long as the submission is new and ties into the theme “Sunnydale After Dark.” The theme is intentionally open-ended and we are eager to see how it inspires everyone differently!
Awards will be given for writers, artists, and commenters.
To participate and earn your sparkly award graphics you must:
- Post between Sep 1-30. (Multi-chapter submissions do not need to be finished within that time frame.)
- Click the “Scooby Celebration” checkbox when you post.
- Label any banners with “Sunnydale After Dark - Scooby Celebration 2022.”
Writers, your fic must not be any longer than seven chapters (for seven seasons of Buffy!). The goal here is to create lots of finished works!
Graphic artists and video editors, we’ve created two new site categories called “Graphic Arts” and “Video Arts.” Graphic artists can use the image embedder. Video artists will need to use the “source code” button to embed videos hosted elsewhere. In Youtube, for example, click “share” and then use the “embed” code.
There will be a new checkbox that can be marked for art submissions. This will allow you to bypass the minimum word count requirement typically associated with stories.
We are eager to turn this into an archive that supports and showcases all types of Spuffy creators. Obviously, this platform was designed for fanfiction. So if you’re an artist and encounter any snags as you attempt to post your artwork, please reach out so we can troubleshoot together to make this a seamless process in the future! We’re hoping to refine the site and make it even more art-friendly in the future.
We’re looking forward to seeing how the theme inspires everyone this September. Thank you for helping this archive flourish with your enthusiasm and participation! We’re so very grateful!
Love,
Your friendly neighborhood SADmins. 
PS,
Don't forget to look out for the brand new event skin co-designed by Grief Counseling and Dusty because they just do everything together now it seems. It will be called "Sunnydale After Dark" and it is a VIBE. Also, please show Grief Counseling your appreciation for the hilarious graphic up above.
--Dusty, sandy_s, GillO, Chelle, Megan on 08/29/22 05:36 pm 8 Comments
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!
--sandy_s, GillO, Megan, Chelle, Dusty on 08/14/22 04:15 pm 18 Comments
We decided we wanted to do something extra special with Scoobies of the Month! One of the things we loved that is somewhat lost about fandom are the stories that members tell about how they came to love BtVS and in our case, Spike and Buffy. So, we thought that one way to add to the history of fandom is to have our Scoobies of the Month do an interview about their history in fandom! Eventually, these will be archived here like the stories and art and comments from our community, but for now, until we have the space figured out, they will be in the Sunnydale Press!
So, without further ado, here are some words from teragramm and Slaymesoftly, Sunnydale After Dark's first Scoobies of the Month!
August 2022 Commenter of the Month, teragramm:
How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
It was after 9/11 in 2001. Everyone was watching "comfort TV" (Friends). I wanted to watch a girl kick the bad guy's butt. So between the first run shows on UPN and reruns on FX, I caught up pretty quickly.
When and why did you decide to read fanfiction for the show?
I'm not sure it was a conscious decision. I think I found fanfiction looking for show spoilers and just fell down the fandom rabbit hole. I remember somehow finding Livejournal and all the authors on LJ and the rest is history.
Why do you love Spike and Buffy?
First of all, I don't think I have ever seen a couple on TV with more raw sex appeal. Aside from that, it's the little thing that always got to me. How they fought side by side like a well-choreographed dance, how he would throw her a stake (or her throw one to him). How he never spoke to her like she was a child and the unspoken language between them, how one glance said so much.
What words of advice would you give other fans who comment or are considering maybe commenting on fanfiction?
Your comments don't have to be long or even profound. Just speak from your heart, and maybe mention a part of the story that touched you or tickled you. Try to say something besides "more please". Remember all positive comments are welcome.
August 2022 Author of the Month, Slaymesoftly:
How did you come to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I've always loved vampires and always gave any new show involving them a try. Didn't see the movie, but after I read some glowing reviews about the show (witty, fun, etc), I wanted to see it. First few years I had to catch it if and when I could as we didn't have much in the way of TV and I was dependent upon being somewhere I could see it. But I saw enough to know I wanted to watch more of it. As soon as we got satellite TV reception, I began watching in real-time as well as playing catch-up for the first few seasons to fill in the gaps. Because, obviously, I was hooked immediately. Not, of course, because of the vampires, but because of the wonderful writing and acting. Spike's arrival in season II was the icing on the cake.
When and why did you decide to write fanfiction for the show?
Oh wow... I discovered fanfic about the show (something I had no idea even existed until I went searching for info about Spike and the actor who played him) pretty early on and began reading everything I could. And read and read and read. By the time season six rolled around, I'd read mind-bogglingly good fan fic (basically lived at All About Spike for a very long time.) as well as some mind-bogglingly bad other places. I felt a crying need to "fix" season VI, and scribbled out a short fic in which Spike tried to leave Buffy. Turned out he wasn't very good at it, and she didn't want him to go, so.... It was pretty awful, and I had to work at it for a long time in order to make it actually work as a story (at first it read more like a screenplay for an episode than a story meant to be read). I also learned that, as much as I thought I was going to be writing about Spike, I spent more time in Buffy's pov. It was interesting, and I've no idea now how long I fiddled with it until it felt remotely like something I might have read on a fanfic site. I'd been reading at Innamorti - a very small archive with a mix of very, very good (Lizerrbeathan, for instance) and some more pedestrian stories. I thought I'd send it to the owner and ask her if it seemed like an actual fic that someone might read. She was very sweet and said if I got a beta, she'd be happy to archive it. By that time, I'd actually written quite a few more short fics set in season VI (determined to "fix" it!), so after I got a quick reminder of the importance of proofreading, and some reminders of punctuation and grammar rules that I should have remembered from 8th grade English, I resubmitted it. I really had only started out writing for myself to make things work out better for Buffy and Spike, but finding out others would actually read what I wrote, I ventured to post a few more on there, and suddenly, presto! I was a fanfiction author! Once I'd begun, the ideas just flowed and instead of spending my down time at work reading, I was spending it scribbling in a school spiral notebook. It's been downhill from there!
Why do you love Spike and Buffy?
Well, Spike.... he just intrigued and attracted me. Vampire freak, remember? That attraction is what brought me in to begin with, and it just grew as his character added layers and changed. And Buffy was just so awesome. Quippy, perky, and capable of kicking butt. My kind of girl. LOL TBH, as far as her romantic life goes in canon, I was on her side wherever she was in it on the screen. If she loved Angel, I wanted her to have Angel, if Riley seemed like a good fit, I wanted her to have Riley. But, at the same time, I was still loving Spike, and reading so much fic about the two of them... Yeah. They were perfect together. By the time Spike fell in love with Buffy in the show, I was already there from having read so much fanfic and having settled on that pairing being my primary reason for reading.
Which three fanfics that you’ve written are your favorite? Why are they your favorite?
My personal favorites? TBH, it changes all the time. LOL Some of my favs were because they were fun to write, some because I set myself a challenge to write a particular theme or style and feel like I managed it, and some just because I like what I did with the two characters, or with all the characters. Um, if I have to pick three.... Sunshine and Shadows, What if I Loved You?, and To Save a Lady. Ask me tomorrow, and it could be three totally different ones. LOL Or, ask me specifically which are my favorite sexy stories, or my favorite relationship stories, or my favorite angsty stories, or..... Yeah. They're all flawed and they're all my babies. Some are just babier than others. :)
What words of advice would you give other fans who write or want to write fanfiction?
LOL Have a beta. And be realistic about your own skills. If you think you need a reminder about the rules of English grammar, look for someone who knows them (who may not be your best friend, just FYI). If you aren't sure about your plot idea, run it by a couple of people and see what they think (friends are fine there). But, mostly? Just start writing. It might take a while to find your comfort zone, but it can't happen unless you just do it. If you've got an idea you like, start putting it onto paper. The more you write, the more you will find yourself enjoying it, and the easier it will become.
--sandy_s, Chelle, Dusty, GillO, Megan on 08/03/22 06:31 pm 13 Comments
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
--GillO, sandy_s, Dusty, Megan and Chelle on 08/02/22 02:30 pm 5 Comments
Hello dear members!
Based on everyone's extremely helpful feedback, our friendly neighborhood vengeance demon, D'Hoffryn, has been hard at work behind the scenes to make this archive better and better on the daily.
Here are some things he's been up to in July:
- Every story now has a button to share it to Tumblr or Twitter
- Co-authors can now be selected from mobile devices
- Co-authors also appear together in the Top Lists
- The Donation page is now functioning
And the biggest addition is that the commenting feature has received a major upgrade! The previous commenting system was clunky and it was easy to lose entire comment threads but difficult to respond to responses. Even typing such a sentence makes me feel icky and gross.
The new commenting system is a more modern thread-like system. Authors and commenters can now reply to ANY comment. All of your own comments can be edited and deleted as necessary. If you do delete a comment that has responses, though, keep in mind that all those responses will be deleted as well.
We are hoping this new comment functionality helps facilitate conversation and grow community connection. Now, if someone comments on a chapter with something brilliant that you hadn't thought of, you can join in and discuss!
Authors, the "unresponded comments" in the Manage Comments section of your profile will only keep track of the initial comment made on the story itself, not all replies. The main story comment count, though, will count and track every comment, including the replies.
If you have any questions or encounter any errors or difficulties with the new commenting feature, please let us know! You will get the quickest response by going directly to the D'Hoffryn Support channel on Discord, but please feel free to comment on this post or use the contact us page.
Please remember as always, to be kind and courteous with your commenting. Let us all lift each other up and have fun doing it!
Happy commenting! 
--Dusty, sandy_s, GillO, Chelle, Megan on 07/24/22 05:56 pm 6 Comments
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! 
--Dusty on 07/02/22 06:07 am 17 Comments
Week 1 is in the books!
Sunnydale After Dark officially has:
- 231 Members
- 345 Comments
- 393 Stories
- 7,013,051 Words
It's only been a week, y'all! This is pretty amazing! 
We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the site so far. Thank you to our beta users who leaned in with testing out the site AND our new members who are using it regularly. We really appreciate everyone who has alerted us to issues, errors, and problems with the site so we can continue to make this place flourish.
Our techromancer, the great and almighty D'Hoffryn, is still tweaking and adjusting the site based on everyone's feedback. You can always get in touch with him via the "D'Hoffryn support" channel of our Discord! Feel free to contact any of the admin team with concerns as well. We may not be as helpful with the tech thingies, but we do at least know a guy. And knowing a guy is half the battle. 90% even!
Thank you again, so much, for helping us make Sunnydale After Dark the best experience possible! It's been a thrill for us all to watch this place grow and develop its own wacky and wonderful personality thanks to all of you. Cheers and here's to many more weeks of fun! 
--Dusty on 06/30/22 04:21 pm 12 Comments
Slayer, I'm home!!!
Welcome to Sunnydale After Dark where our motto is fun, freedom, friendship, and Spuffy.
Our hope is to make Sunnydale After Dark a welcoming, respectful environment that supports its community and encourages creativity. We will be learning as we go as some of us are new to running an archive, and we hope to learn from our mistakes. To us, relationships in fandom are key above all else.
As such, we welcome readers, writers, artists, and betas - everyone who enjoys the Buffy and Spike pairing and playing with them. Feel free to share creativity in any form that works for you. We ask you to avoid harsh criticism of other creators, fans, and sites. We believe that the world is a better place with more Spuffy love and more creativity in it.
We have a special event planned for the Grand Opening of the site! Please see this post for more information.
Please let us know if you need any help or run into any issues! You can contact us through the Contact page or the site Discord.
We are very grateful to D'Hoffryn for all the help on the technical side of things to make the site what it is so far and to Susan for getting us started. Thank you to Grief Counseling for the amazing BtVS-themed emojis and to the site beta testers for their diligent exploration of the site and for their suggestions that helped make the site sparkle and shine.
Thank you for joining us,
--Chelle, Dusty, GillO, Megan, and sandy_s on 06/23/22 03:21 pm 2 Comments
We want to especially thank every new community member of Sunnydale After Dark who helps us grow this site from the very beginning! That’s why we’re hosting The Grand Opening event. Everyone who participates in this event will earn a sparkly, shiny, sexy new Founding Member award in their profile. How do you get one of your very own you say?! Two ways:
Post a fic! Make sure you check the box during Add Story that says “The Grand Opening.” If you post more than one fic this month, please only mark one for the event.
Make 15 comments of 10 words or more between now and the end of the event on July 24.
Thank you for helping us build this archive. Your stories and your comments are what will make this fresh community the hopping, fabulous place we know it will be!
Much love,
--Megan, GillO, Dusty, sandy_s, and Chelle on 06/23/22 03:15 pm 15 Comments