Comments on: It Was On Fire When I Laid It Down

By: Marie

Marie — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:15:06 +0000

I was just browsing and came across this review posted quite some time ago … actually a lot of the runner-ups are fanfic writers … Yeah, I recognized K Hanna Korossy, too. But, Dawn Nyberg, also goes by Dawn N and she has written tons of SPN fic, man one of her stories on FFnet "Between the Shadows" has something like 1400+ reviews. I didn't mind the book, but have to admit I would have liked to have had some of the runner-up essays included, but it was nice reading them online when they were available.

By: Franzeska

Franzeska — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:06:47 +0000

I realize I'm rather late to the party here, but I just want to mention that DeCandido et al. strike me as the sort of people who have been, are, and will be fans of about 90% of everything in the relevant genres. I'm like this too, and it makes perfect sense to me that they'd write tie in novels or essays or whathaveyou about many different shows in quick succession. The idea that True Fans must stay true to one show rather than liking horror/sci fi/fantasy/CW shows/whatever in general is silly. (And, for what it's worth, Nevermore, Decandido's novel, struck me as kind of badly written with a horribly trite motivation for the villain, but it did demonstrate significant knowledge of the show.)

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:26:11 +0000

Dear Randy,

Thank you very much for coming by to join in the discussion. I appreciate you clearing up for your fan status, and yeah, your essay was a little dry for me, but I respect and support your right to express your love for Show in any way that you see fit.

Sometimes I forget that my fangirl squee/obsessive diatribes/analytical paeans are not the only way to be joyful over Show. It’s just that my experience has been exactly the way I explained it, with academics and professions seeming to come out of the woodwork just as things are going well, in an attempt to increase their visibility by validating something fans have been doing for years.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

By: Randy Jensen

Randy Jensen — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:02:41 +0000

I think I get why you’re not wild about my chapter. In part, I think it’s because I do have another agenda when I write. But it’s not to get tenure. Instead, it’s because I’m a fan of my field (philosophy) as well as a fan of Supernatural. If you want to accuse me of that, I’ll plead guilty. I do love the show. I never miss an episode. But I love the show as the kind of fan I am—and I write about the show as the kind of writer I am. I’m a weird sort of person, clearly, since I love philosophy so much that I’ve spent my life on it and moved to small town Iowa so I could keep doing it. I’m okay if you don’t dig my chapter, but I succumbed to the urge to say a bit about who I am and why I write, since that’s become part of the discussion. And since I've been obsessed with all manner of speculative fiction since long before I was a philosopher, I don't want to be seen as someone who doesn't care about what I love.

By: Randy Jensen

Randy Jensen — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:59:58 +0000

Hi. I’m one of the professors who failed to earn the title of a True Fan. Can I suggest that we academics who write about pop culture really aren’t mercenaries looking to capitalize on a show that’s hot at the moment? As someone else has said, this sort of writing really doesn’t help our careers. It might even hurt. And, at least in my experience, there’s not a lot of money to be made in contributing to books like this. In some cases, contributors aren't even getting paid.

Stay tuned for the rest….

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:03:47 +0000

Oh my, Tom. You and my sister both have the same thing to say. I'll confess, I have seen a few eps (the musical one, oddly), but without the continuity of seeing the whole series, a lot of the cleverness of it was a tad lost on me. I think at the time, I was deep, deep into Dark Shadows, which eclipsed everything else. I did see the movie in it's original run, if that helps any. : D

Regards,

Sylvia

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:52:48 +0000

I really enjoyed your review. But something bugs me : HOW on earth, didn't you watch Buffy (or Angel) ? You have to watch it. Maybe you will not like it but you just have to watch it. Buffy is to Supernatural/Sci Fi TV what what Louis Armstrong is to jazz.

By: RumblePie

RumblePie — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:49:40 +0000

You are always a smart shot from the hip. Never let the confusion shut you down. Just shoot and sort out the pieces later!

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:24:46 +0000

Dear Jamie,

And they'll get DARKER still, if I had my way. A veritable angstfest of doom and gloom and struggle and tears! Let it BEGIN!

Best Regards,

Sylvia,

PS. I'll be sure to check out your RPG, it sounds interesting! And if you're interested, I could recommend to you some very very good gen fic. : D

By: Jamie Chambers

Jamie Chambers — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:48:53 +0000

Sylvia,

No worries! I'm just glad that you actually enjoyed my piece, since it was written for the fans. I hope that also means you might check out the RPG — since I've tried to make it a fun and informative read even for the non-gamer fans. Even the visual design the book is meant to reflect the aesthetic of the show. (All of the pictures look as if they were paperclipped, stapled, or taped to the page.)

I just got done watching tonight's epsidoe. Things are getting awful dark this season!

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:25:16 +0000

Dear Jamie,

Thank you so much for coming by and clarifying this for me. To me, it was important because non-fans seem to talk about Show as an abstract idea, rather than with love or passion or affection, and official material often seems to be worked on by people for whom it is just another job. And with your explanation, which counts for a LOT, I stand corrected. You were one of the ones I wasn't sure of, or didn't feel sure of, so I really appreciate knowing for sure now. And really, it's only one woman's opinion….strongly stated, of course, but just one woman. : D

And I really enjoyed your description of your fannishness, yes, indeed, those are very much in keeping with a True Fan! I'm going to check out the link to your haunted escapades, as well, since I love to do that sort of thing myself. Never wrote it up though because I didn't get any paranormal activity at all! Not even a flashing light.

I'm glad you got the license for your game, I hope it goes well for you, and that it has been fun to work on.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

By: Jamie Chambers

Jamie Chambers — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:00:34 +0000

Hey there! I'm glad you enjoyed my essay, though I hope to correct your assumption that I am not a True Fan. I watched Supernatural from the very first episode in Season One, being as how I've always been obsessed with ghost stories and folklore—and even enjoy creeping around supposedly haunted sites every now and then: http://www.jamiechambers.net/2006/06/trip-to-hell...

Two weeks after the first episode, I ordered a season one promo poster off of eBay that we hung up in our offices, because I knew from that moment I would love to work on a game based on the show. It was our good luck charm, because after a year of asking we scored the license. That kind of dedication, and being willing to personally shell out money to get to work on official material should count for something, right?

I agree that my take on Supernatural may not match everyone's expectations. But I don't work on licensed material unless I care about it. I'm not part of the online fan community, but only because I don't have much time for that anymore.

It's a strange place to be considered not a fan just because I'm working on official material. Just understand that my love of the show is WHY I'm working on it! But hopefully I've earned a little more fan-cred in your book. Take care!

By: Silvia

Silvia — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:05:42 +0000

There was this one too, written and edited by fans, self published:
http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=E...

(yes, I do have an essay in there)

Thanks for your honest review of In The Hunt, I will end by buying it because, well, it's Show and Fellow Fans (even if not all), but I don't expect to read in it anything that I haven't read already in fandom by the same people I totally agree with WolfenM above, you were very clear about your focus and reviewed accordingly!

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:52:52 +0000

Hey, thanks for the kind words, and the links as well. I figured I was as honest as I could be, which would be better in the long run than trying to sugar coat it, and just being nice to be nice. Which helps the reader not at all, when trying to decide what to spend their hard earned money on. Take care, and again, thanks for the links, I'll be sure and check those out!

Best Regards,

Sylvia

By: Sylvia Bond

Sylvia Bond — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:45:27 +0000

I do not know. Sometimes it lets me, and some times…it does not. Very mysterious.

Maybe if you bribed the webmaster? : D

By: WolfenM

WolfenM — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:49:59 +0000

Be happy to! There's this one with Sera Gamble:
http://www.sequentialtart.com/article.php?id=345

And then the rest are linked here, on Mary's site:
http://maryborsellino.com/monkeywench/supernatura...

By: pinkraygun

pinkraygun — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:21:13 +0000

Wolfie – do you have a link to the interviews you would care to share? THX!

By: WolfenM

WolfenM — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:27:08 +0000

Good review; candid but fair, and thorough. For myself, I can see merit in not being a fan and writing about Show from an outsider's perspective, for a fresh view. Still, I see nothing wrong with preferring the essayists be more fan than not, too, as that means they are likely to understand things that may mean something complteley different to an outsider. There are certainly things that I have encountered in life that I saw very differently once I got inside than I did when I first encountered it! You reviewed based on what you want/expect out of this sort of work, which I feel is as it should be. If True Fan insights are what you want, then I don't see as anyone should give you guff over esperessing what you want as a consumer in your review — that's what reviews are for, by and large, and it seems odd to me for anyone to expect otherwise. If True Fan insights are what you want, of *coures* that's going to be your focal point! And I think you did a good job of letting others who feel the same know whether they will get what they want out of the Work.

By: WolfenM

WolfenM — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:26:41 +0000

Holy crap. I actually know two people in the book! O_O Mary B is a fellow Tart — she did a number of awesome interviews with writers, producers, and actresses on the show. You might not have liked her essay so much, but you might still want to look at the interviews. And I did some work for Jamie Chambers a whiiile back, for Dragonlance. Tis a small world. XD

(Will post more in a sec — how did you get intensdebate to let you post such a long post, Sylvia?? It won't let me! *pout*)

By: pinkraygun

pinkraygun — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:28:51 +0000

Lisa and I are new to Supernatural with the currently running season. We tried it at the beginning, but gave up about 4 episodes in.

Because of this, every time I read the name "Pastor Jim," the only thing I can picture is Christopher Lloyd's character from Taxi.

"Uhhhhhhhhh – Sammy! I goofed!"