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- Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief
- Category: Fan Writers
A few weeks ago a newer Phile texted me and asked if I'd read "Seeds of Synchronicity" and "Diametrically Opposed" "back in the day." She continued to exclaim the stories were SO F*CKING GOOD and through her excitement, I was transported back to those days of pain in 2001 and 2002 while we anxiously awaited updates from this week's author. Meet mountainphile! She's been writing fanfic since childhood and her way with words is timeless. If you haven't read "Seeds of Synchronicity," that's your first mission as soon as you're done reading this interview. It's a long casefile that goes AU at the end of Season 7 and is a William-free zone. Mulder and Scully go back to Aubrey, Missouri, to "confront old demons and lay new ones to rest." It's as gripping to read now as it was when I followed it as a WIP.
While the "Seeds of Synchronicity" universe gets a lot of well-deserved attention, mountainphile's standalone stories are just as worthy of praise. "I Know You" is one of the sweetest post-Millennium stories I've ever read and the slow burn of it is so right for Mulder and Scully. Given that it's almost Christmas, "What Child is This" and "A Midnight Clear" will boost your holiday spirit. Mulder and Scully are living under assumed names in Colorado and their chance encounter with a little boy may have you reaching for a box of tissues.
We talked with mountainphile about inspiration, a little fanfic history, writing, and of course, The X-Files.
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- Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief
- Category: Fan Writers
This week's author was introduced to The X-Files with a little "unrest" and her writing style and sense of humor will leave you with unrest when you realize you've reached the end of her written library. Meet Defnotmeyo. Whether you're looking for a laugh, something dark and full of angst, or something a little more "adult," she's got you covered.
If, like me, you're dying for any interpretation of the images we've seen so far from Season 11, "Home on the Range" and "My Son" are exactly what you need. Both capture Mulder's spark in a way I didn't realize I'd been missing, and now need more of.
And one of my personal favorites is "Red Flag Warning." Set just before "Arcadia" in Season 6, it beautifully captures Scully's scorched-earth feelings post-Diana fall out from "Two Fathers/One Son."
We talked with Defnotmeyo about writing, inspiration, and of course, The X-Files.
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- Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief
- Category: Fan Writers
I was first introduced to this week's author through the XAPen list, but even if you don't remember that particular piece of fandom history you're probably familiar with this week's author anyway. And if you're not, you should be! Meet MaybeAmanda. She's a long-time author and fan of the show who has written masterful casefiles as well as shorter pieces that are a punch in the gut. All of her stories are well worth your reading time, but here are a few of my favorites.
"Running Lessons" goes AU after the events of Season 8 and is an amazing ride. The summary calls for "twists, turns, and we hope, the completely unexpected," and MaybeAmanda and co-author Spookey247 definitely deliver. I don't want to give anything away but you know a story is good when you find yourself yelling WHAT?! while reading. It's not an easy ready, but as the authors point out it is categorized as MSR so keep that in mind as you go.
This one is one of my favorite post-"Existence" fics out there. Short and sweet, but so "Mulder and Scully" it hurts. I keep thinking one day our heroes will learn to truly talk to each other, but "The Answer" perfectly captures that hesitancy and uncertainty from Season 8.
If you just straight up need a laugh, go peruse the XF Fanfic Cookbook. I remember looking through this back in the day laughed my butt off when I realized it was still there!
We talked with MaybeAmanda about writing, The X-Files, and longevity in a fandom that's now 24 years strong.
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- Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief
- Category: Fan Writers
This week's author once tried to 'Boldly Go' ...while writing fic for a different show. We're sure glad she beamed over to the X-Files fandom instead. Meet Mangokiwitropicalswirl! I'll give you extra points if you remember where the name comes from. Mangokiwitropicalswirl is newer to writing for our fandom, but has writing chops that go way back and it shows. While everything she's posted is worth your time, one of my favorite works is "How He Asked" which starts during the cancer arc and explores the times Mulder asked Scully to marry him. Yes, that's times, plural. It's thoughtful, and lovely, in a way that suits Mulder and Scully so well.
"Pine Bluff Variant" isn't an episode that comes up often in post-ep fic, but "Calling Bluffs" would be special even if the episode were as popular for post-eps as "All Things." The story looks at Mulder's distress after dealing with the Spartans and the fight feels so real you'd swear it was a deleted scene from the episode.
I think I've recommended a few WIP's lately, so please don't throw anything at me for suggesting another. But this is another that's worth the investment. "Paging Dr. Scully" is an AU set in Season 1 where Scully isn't with the FBI at all, but a doctor who ends up treating a "smart ass FBI agent" every few weeks. Scully finds herself dragged into Mulder's cases and I love this universe where despite being a doctor, Scully can't help but be intrigued by Mulder's mysteries. A recent tumblr post suggests a young kiddo with a resistance to bed time may be preventing more chapters at the moment, so if you know Mangokiwitropicalswirl in real life may I suggest volunteering to babysit so we can get new chapters!
We talked with Mangokiwitropicalswirl, about writing, process, and of course, The X-Files.
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- Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief
- Category: Fan Writers
This week's author is a long time Phile and long time author who stepped out of the fanfic world for a while, and we're sure happy she's stepped back in. Meet mldrgrl! With 86 works on A03 alone, mldrgrl's range covers everything from fluffy short works to in-depth pieces that will leave you asking to get off the feels bus, and if you love Stella Gibson as much as I do, be sure to check out mldrgrl's work from "The Fall" too.
I know, for some, the letters WIP make them run screaming in the other direction but I promise this one is worth diving into before completion. "Not Again" is an AU starting at the end of Season 7. What if Scully went to Bellefleur with Mulder and was abducted instead? Mulder's tension and fear leaps off the page and there's a point in Chapter 1 where I felt the wind knocked out of me right along with him. If you're an angst junkie like me, it's a great ride. We're at 13 chapters as of this writing, so head over and catch up.
If you like your fluff with a little hint of angst to cut the sweet, "Take a Memo" hits the spot. Set around the "I Want to Believe" era, it looks at one way Mulder and Scully try to keep talking. If casefiles are more your thing, "The Witness" explores the murder of a young abductee and the only witness to the crime. It's told in the style of a TV episode and touches on some pretty dark subject matter but is a great read.
We talked with mldrgrl about writing, inspiration, and of course, The X-Files.