Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fandom Of The Month



It's officially 'Charmed' month here at FFAA!

Centring around the lives of three bewitching sisters, 'Charmed' introduced us to the magical Halliwell clan way back in 1998.

For eight years, we followed the lives and loves of Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Hollie Marie Coombs), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) and Paige (Rose McGowan), four gifted witches, known amongst the supernatural community as the 'charmed ones' - the most powerful witches in existence, and each with their own individual powers.
Prue is able to move objects merely with her mind, Piper has the ability to freeze time and Phoebe has visions of the future, whilst youngest sister Paige - half white lighter and half witch, joined the show in 2001.

Focusing on their constant battle against evil, their often complicated love lives and the tragedies they faced along the way, the emphasis on the sister's sibling bonds gave 'Charmed' a delightfully family orientated appeal.

With exciting storylines, tragic love stories and an array of weird and wonderful demons, monsters and celestial beings, 'Charmed' continues to delight and enthrall audiences with it's spell-binding drama and humour.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Friggin Awesome! It's FAGE 3Some!

Click on poster to enlarge

FAGE 3Some


It’s time again for the FAGE gift exchange. This is our third FAGE and has been fondly nicknamed FAGE 3some. Okay I just named it that and I hope it sticks.

What you need to know.

Signups start on August 15th. You have a month to decide whether you are up for the challenge as the signups will end on September 15th.

Please only sign up if you are confident you can write a short story or one shot by the ending date. I have a whip but I don’t like to use it to chase down people who don’t complete their stories, I’d rather just use it for fun.

Deadlines for stories to get into Beta’s will be November 14th and will be returned to you no later than the day before posting which will be November 22nd.

Okay now here are the Rules:

Fandoms: All fandoms are welcome. You may ask for a story written in any fandom but you must be willing to write in whatever fandoms you ask for.

Please also be aware that there may not be someone to write in every given fandom so if you are asking for something other than twilight, please give me more than one option to try and match you up as perfectly as I can.

Prompts: Please make your prompts are as vague as possible. Give a situation not an exact storyline. Prompts with too much detail will result in an email from me and a light flogging.

I.e. - Bella and Edward meet and fall in love over donuts (Wrong!)

A couple meets in a donut shop (Right!)

Pictures prompts are welcome, as are song titles or lyrics (one or two lines).

Length: 9 inch minimum. Just kidding. Stories must be more than 1500. There is no maximum but the entire story must be finished by the posting day.

Betas: you may use your own beta as long as she or he is not participating in FAGE as an author.

So now you are asking, “How do I sign up?” Well I’m glad you asked.

There are three things we need.

Beta’s

If you are interested, we have a simple test we would like you to take to be preapproved to sign up. You can find the test and the details on where to send it HERE.

FAGE sign up’s will start on August 15th, so make sure you get your test back in by then so you can be ready to sign up!

Author’s

If you wish to sign up as an author, copy and paste the below and send to Vampiremama1@gmail.com

Authors of all ages are welcome; I just need to know if you are under 18 so I know not to send naughty prompts your way.

FB name / Penname:

Email address:

Are you over 18?

A link to where we could find some of your work:

What pairings would you like to read?

What fandom will you write in?

What fandom do you want a gift in?

Three or four fic prompts:

What pairings do you PREFER to write?

What pairings do you absolutely REFUSE to write?

What genre/theme would you absolutely refuse to write?

Pinch Writers

Apparently my whip isn’t always as scary as it should be and we have people drop out or unable to complete their gifts, if you sign up as a pinch writer you will only be assigned if someone drops out. You will not receive a gift of your own but you will have my undying gratitude, which is gift enough, right?

Send your willingness for this to Vampiremama1@gmail.com


Thank you and I look forward to all of us having another awesome and successful FAGE.

Vampmama (Aka Officer Spread 'Em)

Monday, August 8, 2011

Author Spotlight - ZenOne



If you Google the word ‘ZenOneNess’ it translates to ‘words of wisdom, a oneness with yourself and surroundings, and a tranquillity with teaching and learning, alike’. For me, there is truth in the name when it is applied to my fellow Ficster ZenOneNess, for since knowing her I have learnt she is all of the above as well as a constant source of positivity, loyalty, and gentleness, with an ability to love all and everyone, with such unlimited abandon.

ZenOne is a truly lovely person, and this translates into her writing, as well as a tender vulnerability which makes you love, not just the story, but the author too.

The fact that she dedicates her days to fulfilling her title as ‘Officer Porn Pusher’ by keeping us entertained with numerous hot pictures on the FFA Pic Spam wall, and by constantly helping to keep the Updates page, well ...updated with the current Fanfic updates, is why I jumped at the chance to do a write up on ZenOne when she was voted the FFAA Author spotlight of the month for August. She really is justly deserved, and when you read her fanfics you will see why.

My first rendezvous with ZenOneness was when I received reviews from her for my own fics. I found her so endearing I quickly accessed her FFN profile, known there as ZenOne, and started to read ‘My Chiropractor Roomie’;

Summary; Bella's back hurts. Can her new roommate Edward the chiropractor help her, and will they behave, or are they naughty to the bone?

Well, let’s just say they have some real smexy times once Edward get’s his hands on her. You will find your inner perv when you read this fic, because all you want is for his underwear, hands and lips to keep going lower whenever he gets near her. I crave a backrub every single time I read a chapter update!

ZenOne then entered the first round of FAGE (The Fic Awesome Gift Exchange) and wrote ‘Love Bug at the Vamp bar’, for which I was asked to beta:


Summary: Edward is working as a bartender, one dark and rainy Friday night. Jasper is pouring his heart out to him just as a brawl breaks out. Will all hell break loose, or will Edward and his brothers get bitten by the love bug? Lemon.

This was fun to read, and ZenOne well executed the use of the prompts given. I smiled as I read this, as you will find yourself doing a lot when it comes to ZenOne, as she always coaxes them out of you through most of her writing.

Now, I’m not being cruel when I say most of her writing, I am merely leading up to the next story by ZenOne, and one that will never make you smile (unless it means a certain Aunt Bitch gets her comeuppance)!

Summary: They say first love lasts forever. Edward was my first love. We met in secret, and he was the balm that soothed me from Heidi's abuse. He waited for me patiently always, no matter what. Our love was eternal. Nothing could change that.

Meet Secretly, Await Patiently, Love Eternally’ is one of the most heart-wrenching fics I have ever read, and I cry everytime ZenOne sends me the next chapter to beta. I cry for the heartache endured by Bella as she loses her mother, then her freedom and finally her father. I cry for the innocent love and compassion bestowed upon Bella by Edward, her forever faithful and loyal Best friend, and I cry for the abuse Bella must live through at the hands of her Aunt, who really is the epitome of pure evil.

The fact that ZenOne can write a sexy, smut filled fic like ‘My Chiropractor Roomie’ as well as ‘The Maid who stole his heart’ and then switch to a fun filled one shot like ‘Love Bug at the vamp bar’ and finally break your heart with ‘Meet Secretly’ and her wonderful first fic ‘Promises’ shows just how talented ZenOne really is.

Her heart shines through in all her genres, either with a smile, with a little loving or with a fic that denotes how hard it is to survive life and yet stay sweet.

I am happy to know her. Congratulations ZenOne on being nominated and voted for as FanFicAholics Anon Spotlight Author of the month. May the light shine on your fabulousness, and I hope all who find your fics, stay in love with you as I have.

Claire Bloom

Note: The Chinese logo at the top of the page translates to Zen One.

On being asked what they thought of Zen, here’s what a few members had to say.

TLC - Zen. Just the meaning of the word represents enlightenment, intuitive insight, and the rebirth when one’s sufferings are released. Our ZenOne possesses all of these qualities, and more. They not only show in her interactions with us daily, but they shine through in her writing. She covers all spectrums of storytelling. Whether she is writing alternate universe or all human, she can weave a tale of heartache and angst, or she can have your sides splitting from laughing so hard you might have a small accident concerning your bladder. She knows when to say things and how to say it, to make you feel every bit of the meaning and emotion from the written word. And I have stated before FFA Anon didn’t give her the officer title of Porn Pusher for nothing. Some of her written scenes make either my laptop or my phone screens stream up and even get me a little bit hotter under the collar where in some cases I have to take a cold shower…

As one of my dearest friends, and I mean if there wasn’t the Atlantic and two huge land masses between us, I would literally probably try to see her everyday if I could. As a person she exudes Zen-like qualities and where her strength comes from I have no earthly idea, but she’s inspiring and I might have a little hero worship towards her…but shhh don’t tell her ok. In the year and half or more that we’ve been bb’s, she’s been a rock for me and no matter what, she’s always there for me or for anyone else for that matter. And she’s not only a gracious friend but she also applies that as an author as well, because if she’s able to she replies to every last review that she gets and truly adores her followers.

Seriously I could gush all day and night and it would never be enough. Then I would just turn into a blubbering mess and no one wants to see a snot sniffling, puffy eyed, tear stained cheeks TLC…it’s not pretty, trust me. I love Zen and her writings and I am telling you if you haven’t read anything by Zen yet, go hurry and read NOW… I recommend you start with Love Bug at the Vamp Bar….

Lori FanFic - Love you Zenoneness Fanfiction! You write really well and you were the one who sent me here so ... Here's to you!

Mzb Stiffie McCarty - ‎Zenoneness Fanfiction is the reason i smile everyday... between the LOLcats and pretty boy pictures... i know that if i'm feeling down in the dumps i can rely on her :-D (and she likes to drool over sexy kellan with me)

Ashesatmidnight Fanfic - LOL cats, hot men....:D And i know she's an active member and admin, who always willing to help out!! :) you!!

Muriel Gaylee - she's a kickass sistah with the patience of a saint who showers all her ficstahs with attention and pic-porn!

Tammy Clarke - I don't have the most inventive words to use, but here goes. When I lost my dad last year, Zens email was the first one I opened up. Despite anything that was going on her end, she let is go and focused on me. Although we have never met, her kind words got me through some very difficult days and I appreciated them so much. She is always there for people, whether she knows them well or not and is truly a genuine friend to everyone. Love her to bits!

Aunt Bell - Awww. The lovely, extremely supportive, protective, and loyal Zenoneness Fanfiction. I can't say enough fabulous things about the gorgeous Zen.

Zen is always there with a helpful and encouraging comment, whether it be on your wall or within a group. *looks around* She seems to be everywhere! ;) Wherever I go, I see she has already commented or liked a post. If she hasn't by the time I get to a post, she is never far behind. Like I said above she’s extremely supportive.

Now, let's talk about her extremely protective and loyal nature. She is there for you in good times and bad. However, watch out if someone has wronged ya. She is always there, ready and willing, asking: "Do you need me to cut a bitch? " ;P Ahhh, Zen, ya babe!!! :D

VampMama - I have known Zen what feels like forever now. She left me some very kind reviews many a stories ago and we struck up a fast friendship. She is one of the most kind and caring people I know. Her enthusiasm for the fandom and for the people in it is rivaled by none. On top of that she is a wonderful author. Comedy or angst, they are all her bitches.

I love you Zen and you deserve it, BB!

Chaz/General – I’m not sure I could put into words how I feel about Zen, or say something that hasn’t already been said. I guess the one thing I truly adore about her is her fighting spirit. She stands up for what she believes in, but does it in a mature manner. There have been times that Zen and I have butted heads, (being admin for a large group, it’s expected to happen) but either one of us apologises or we agree to disagree. No matter what, we’re friends first and there’s power in that. I’ll be honest, I’ve only read a few of Zen’s fics, but what I have read is always fun, easy to read and easy to make banners for ;) My heart is her harp. When I read her stories, she plays it to chords only a great writer can.