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lilydalexf · 4 years ago

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Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with bugs

bugs has 40 stories at Gossamer. They mostly focus on Mulder and Scully, but there are also some goodies featuring Reyes and Doggett. I’ve recced some of my favorites of her fics here before, including The Link. She also co-ran WhyIncision, a fun, smart X-Files mailing list that dissected fics like a book club. Big thanks to bugs for doing this interview.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?

Not really. While I was still in high school, I started watching the then 20 year old OG Star Trek and became a Trekkie of a sort. Starlog magazine, James Blish novels and the other novelizations, and while I was working as a library page, I found fanfiction one day among the periodicals. Who knows how fanfiction ended up as part of a library's materials, but there it was, this tattered mimeographed collection. The fic that had the most impact on me was one where Nurse Chapel wrestled a giant alien snake to save Spock's life.

So when I got into XF, one of the first things I did was look for fanfic, knowing somewhere out there, Scully was wrestling a big snake for Mulder.

That experience showed me the power of fandom, that even without the internet, how the second generation of Trekkies joined the original group to advocate for the franchise to be revived. I remember sitting in the theater for that first awful Star Trek movie, choked up with what we'd done.

Tragic backstory way to say, no I'm not surprised that a well-produced show like XF would beget future generations of fans, and that they'd be chewing their way through the fanfic archives still being maintained.

What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?

I'm so grateful to the fandom. Literally formed the life I have today through the confidence it gave me. Many of my friends to this day are 'pocket friends' from the various fandoms I've been in, and the longest friendships were formed in XF. I learned how to write, both technically and finding my voice. I learned how to think analytically, more than any college courses.

The two most important things I took away were, write for yourself first and always, and shit ain't that damn important. In the end, it's a TV show.

Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?

YIKES. I came in at the Fight the Future summer hiatus, so the waning days of ATXC, then we moved to mailing lists, right? Yahoo Groups was in there somewhere. Finally message boards. Live Journal rose up at the end of the run which began to fragment the fandom even before the show ended, along with the migration off our individual websites to Archive of Our Own, fanfiction.net and such. We went from group discussion platforms to 'come look at my blog for my thoughts'. It was different and I didn't particularly like it, but in the end, when I came back to fandom for a new show....I had to get a Live Journal. That's the most interesting part of fandom, that a platform doesn't mold a fandom; we use the platform and when it's no longer useful to us, we abandon it en mass.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

I've touched on that a bit, but to elaborate, I'm glad I started in the XF fandom. It had such high standards and I hope that I maintain those standards for myself to this day. These days, I don't usually have a beta reader, but that took a couple hundred posted fics to get to that point.

Having seen the same exact flamewars and divides and squabbles over and over, seen how the taste of 'fame' can drive someone to be rather unpleasant, has given me a much more 'whatever' attitude. It's sort of comforting when joining a new fandom to know what's going to happen next in its natural progression.

What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?

There's a meme "I have a type," and XF definitely had that type, but it just took me a while to get there. I was away at college then working on the road when the show started, and wasn't home on Friday nights most of the year. My mother has always been a big sci-fi fan, so she actually was watching before me. I don't like scary things, and would leave the room if it was on when I'd visit her. I was home for Christmas when Christmas Carol/Emily aired and I remember standing tentatively just inside the room so I could flee if necessary, and watched Scully go through the wringer, and ranting, "What the hell is this? Why are they putting that poor woman through this!?" I also saw how the show was doing the big ship tease, and I was like, uh, I don't have time for this. Even by my 20's, I'd been done wrong by so many shows that I'd become bitter. But the first film trailers suggested they were actually going from UST to RST, so I figured I could give 2 hours of my time for that. And yeah...but I was hooked, and WENT TO BLOCKBUSTER AND RENTED THE VHS TAPES TO CATCH UP....this interview is making me feel very old.

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

I've always been a shipper and have no shame in that, as I think forming and maintaining a relationship is the most conflict-ridden enterprise humans can attempt, and thus is the most challenging thing to write about. Like many fanfic writers, I'd 'told stories in my head' ever since I can remember about the characters from books, shows and movies. It was just a matter of then writing it down for the first time.

After I was sucked into the show and it was still the summer hiatus, I got on my first computer, dialed up that screeching modem, and went on Netscape to search for that fanfic I knew had to be out there from my Trek experience a decade ago. Like many people, after inhaling much of the delicious fics out there, I decided I can do that. I'm someone who's very methodical on my approach to something new, so I studied what worked/what didn't, the expected formatting, got a sense of the culture I was entering, acquired a critical beta reader, so when I actually submitted the first chapter to AXTC, I was calm and confident.

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

I watch from the sidelines, with a vague little smile on my lips.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

Yes, I have. Battlestar Galactica had a lot of Philes, but it was still a big step away from the very organized fandom in X-Files. Plus, with so many characters, there could be lots of little groups focused on their favorites. Same in the Downton Abbey fandom. Just a different dynamic.

On the other end of the spectrum, one of my most popular fics is in the Silence of the Lambs fandom which I've never been involved with any other fans or their fandom, if it exists. It just sits out there on fanfiction.net and chugs along with the reads. My current fandom is The Doctor Blake Mysteries which is tiny but mighty--the saying is, we're six people and a shoelace. It's shown me that it's not the size, not the 'fame' possible, but the passion that makes a fandom.

Sadly, at least at this time, I don't think there will ever be an experience like The X-Files heyday. It was such a golden moment of the rise of internet and home computer use by the general public, a large generation of educated women having the time to participate in fandom, and there wasn't the amount of 'noise' that is distracting us all now. I'm so glad that you're doing this exercise to record our thoughts. We've already lost so many of the OG folks. My first beta, Janet Caires-Lesgold; Trixie, way too young; Shari, also too young; Brandon D Ray, leaving his family too soon; and many more.

(Posted by Lilydale on March 9, 2021)

#old school x #xfiles fanfic #xf fanfic #xf fanfic author interviews #bugs

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youreallyshouldtalkmore · 6 years ago

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50 Ways to Stress_ Part 3

This takes place after Book 2: The Lion and His Lamb though you don’t necessarily have to read that story to understand this on. Though there are references to things that have happened previously in this series.

Summary: One of Shuri experiments goes horribly wrong and chaos ensues. And Prince N’Jadaka is right in the center of it….

As usual you can see all the parts listed for this series, along with other fanfics in my Black Panther Masterlist.

Disclaimer: Nothing really, Erik will be Erik so use of the N-word. And I wouldn’t read this at work, as I find it funny and you probably don’t want to burst into laughter and have everyone looking at you like you done lost it. lol

Already established Erik/Reader with T’Challa/Nakia

Part 3

That night was a problem….

At first it was decided that you and your mini-husbands would make camp in the room that has been given to you to keep him in. Read that as an holding cell. However Erik refused to sleep there and has all streamed down to both of your bedroom. How you managed to get almost 50 Eriks into the room was beyond you. And where all of them were going to sleep….

You couldn't think about it.

You also couldn’t think about how to find around 50 five year old pjs on short noticed for all of your husbands and there was no way you were going to help wash up 50 of them.

You had gone through your usual routine although you quicken it. Upon exiting the bathroom, you almost quivered at the sight of so many mini-Erik around the room. Your bedroom was spacious but right then it looked like even it would be too small.

With a sigh you headed to bed and got in pulling the covers over you. You watched in amusement as a bunch of random Erik started entering the bed after you. You knew better than to offer you help or say anything.

All the Eriks were going to take whatever corner or floor or even bathtub they could. Extra blankets and pillows had been brought out. Before entering the bathroom you had to monitor and break apart one fight over a pillow. Your suggestion of sharing the pillow had been met with almost ludicrous looks. So you left them too it….

“Is everyone settled?” You asked.

You got mostly affirmations until you realize one exited the bathroom and was marching towards the bed. He practically hopped up in bed. There was an Erik that was snuggling up to you but that Erik pulled himself away.

“Erik!” You cried as he pushed his other self off the bed.

“What did you do that for?” You asked leaning over to make sure that Erik was okay. That Erik was rubbing his head and muttering curses. He looked up as if he was going to challenge himself but the Erik that pushed him glared down.

It had become quite apparent to you that there seemed to be a lead Erik among the 50. Now you could never tell if it was the same Erik but you seemed to think so. He seemed to lead and be more like your Erik.

“He was in my way!” the Erik that pushed himself off snarled.

“Erik, that is….you…..” you trailed off.

“Don’t care. He was in my spot!” Erik cried before diving under the covers.

Since the bed was big enough there were other Eriks on the other side of you as well as one already sleeping like a baby at the foot of the bed. That one didn’t stir during the commotion and had a blanket and was hugging a small pillow. You thought that one was so cute. Something you knew that Erik would kill you for saying even if you were his wife.

“Alright now are we settled?” you asked again and got affirmations.

A snore-snort came from the one that was already sleeping.

“Good!” you chirped before clapping your hands and the lights turned out.

You snuggled down, laying on your back. The other Eriks on your other side all huddled up into you as you did, making the the Erik that pushed himself off glare at them.

“Calm down and go to sleep, my love.” You murmured.

Erik sucked his teeth.

You couldn’t help the tease, “Are you jealous of yourself?”

Erik growled but didn’t say anything. You risked raising your arm and placing it around him bringing him into your embrace.

“Woman, are you trying to cuddle me?”

“Hush and go to sleep, my love. Would you like me to sing you a lullaby?” You knew that you might have gotten into trouble but you couldn’t resist.

“I will stab you.” Erik said though he didn’t have much heat behind his words.

You laughed softly, “Don’t worry, N’Jadaka. We will get through this. Now go to sleep. I’ll sing….”

By the second day, entire palace was alerted to the fact that there were a gaggle of Prince N’Jadakas and to be on alert. High alert.

Just about all of the Dora Milaje had to be all hands on deck to make sure that not one mini-Prince got into something they shouldn’t. The second day was a bit more lax….you were a bit stressed trying to keep your husbands occupied.

This usually boiled down into playing some army picture that you hated. You got a screen and sat in in front of you so that it blocked the view. You didn't need nightmares though all the screaming and yelling didn’t do you any favors. However all the Eriks running around playing army did keep them occupied.

But trying to keep 50 mini-Erik’s fed was a colossal nightmare. He was pragmatically eating through the storage.

You thought about ringing Shuri for an update but you didn’t want to interrupt.

And by the third day you were practically drowning in stress. You never realized that dealing with 50 mini version of your husband would be such hard work.

And never let it be said that Erik Stevens wasn’t high maintenance. Because he was, however split into 50, 5 year old versions of himself made it all the more worse.

Couple that with his own increase in boredom and anger about being in predicament did not make for him to be good company. He was grouchy and moody and it tested you patience thoroughly.

You tried to remain calm but it was hard.

You and T’Challa were glaring at Shuri. Even through the Kimoyo beads, the Princess could feel the weight of both of your withering gazes. She thought she did right ringing both of you at the same time for a 3-way conversation. At least she could get it over with at one time.

“I’m sorry, you wanna repeat that?” You asked calmly.

“I said, I’m afraid it’s going to take me a little bit more time.” She said before rushing forward, “I have the prototype but it’s still a little...wonky. I will spare you the specifics Big Sister, but I’m confident I can fix this….it will just take a little longer than I thought.”

“Explain it me then.” T’Challa voice was calm but an edge to it.

Once again, the technical jargon flew over your head but you watched T’Challa nod. “Cousin Y/N….what she says is valid. As much as we want this fix, we don’t want to make it this worse by rushing.”

You nodded but you still couldn’t help but stare hard at Shuri, “I understand that. I don’t want you to create a bigger mess than we have. However as much as I may understand that, neither of you are the one who will have to explain this to the Prince. Or would either of you like to come down and do so?”

“That is time I could be working on the solution. Then he would get mad that I wasted time….” Shuri said.

She was well aware of being a coward right now but she did not want to face 50 mini Eriks. They scared her more than one tall grown man one.

“My King?” You asked.

“I have a meeting….:”

“You always have a meeting but thanks ya’ll. I can feel the support.” You dryly stated.

“We both know that Erik will respond far better to you than to either of us. Especially right now….” T’Challa said.

“Yeah, yeah….”

“Good luck, Y/N. If you do need me, you ring me.” T’Challa said seriously.

You gave a smile, “I know. Thanks. And Shuri….”

“Yes my beautiful Cousin-in-law, Big Sister…..”

“Stew it and get back to work.”

“Aye-Aye Captain….”

“Say what now?”

You gulped suddenly glad that you had instructed four Dora Milaje to be in the room with you when you broke the news. You weren’t entirely confident that the Erik’s wouldn’t turn on you.

“It seems that it will take a few extra days for Shuri to fix this.” You stated calmly. You couldn’t help but edge a little backwards so that a Dora Milaje was in front of you.

Erik looked up at you steadily, “How many more days?” he asked.

The other Erik’s were all staring at you almost too still and way to quiet. It reminded you of a scene out of a horror movie. You hated horror movies.

“Um, she didn’t say…..”

“She didn’t say. I see….”

“My love….”

Beepe---bepep e Beep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

You held your hands over your ears. You had never heard Erik so so much cussing in one sitting as much as he has done since this started. The other Eriks began raging and many started getting into fights with each other.

The Dora Milaje kept a close eye on them all.

“Erik..Erik!” You called, “N’Jadaka! Calm down!!”

“I will not calm down! That…..”

The cussing spree continued.

“She will fix it!” you called out.

“Oh, she better! If I’m stuck like this I won’t responsible for anything I do”

Even you went cold at the idea of Erik being stuck this way.

You clapped your hands together, “Hey, why don’t we watch that anime you wanted to see. Mr. Punchy or something….Or Dragonball Z!!”

You were relieved to hear the amusement in his voice as the other Erik’s stilled, “I think you mean One Punch Man, ma.”

“That one too.”

“You said you weren’t sure if you’d like it. Not enough pretty boys, you said…...Though how you think Dragonball Z has pretty boys is beyond me!”

“Hey now, Trunks, Android 17, Vegeta….” you began to list.

Erik snorted, “Vegeta? Are you serious?”

“When he isn’t being that much of a jerk, yes. Bulma married him! And then there is Goku who more a cutie pie than anything.”

“Here we be having fights and you be talking about how sexy they are until they have too many muscles and it turns you off.”

“I don’t need men looking like beefcakes you know. There is a limit to the muscles.”

The poor Dora Milaje in the room where confused as jack by this conversation.

“At least I don’t have to sit through Kamisama Kiss again….” A shudder went through the crowd.

You put your hands on your hips, “Dont you start with me one that….”

“And that horrid opening….”

You gave an indignant squeak, “That was a cute song! I loved it!”

“Well it’s not as bad as Wyoming!”

“Kiyomi!!” You cried, “….and you weren’t complaining when….. “ You bit your tongue and trailed off remembering your company in the room. You smiled and turned to them, “I think it’s safe to let ya’ll go.”

“Princess…” they chorus before marching out the door closing it behind them.

Erik looked amused at this and you glared down at him. Other Eriks began milling about.

You lowered your voice and hissed, “I don’t remember you complaining that night. You rather liked it.”

Erik shrugged, “Doesn’t change the fact that it’s trifling song…..”

You twitched, “I’m not gonna argue my point with a 5 year old. What anime are we watching?” you said.

#black panther #black panther fanfiction #killmonger x reader #killmonger

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