Hi everyone.
Firstly I’d like to apologise for the extreme delay in getting these winners out. As most of you will appreciate, real life does often intrude on net activity or anything considered a hobby, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes. All of the entries, as normal were absolutely amazing, and judging was really difficult - again. Once more, I’d like to thank you all for your patience, and continual support of SDFA.
During this past judging season, a few realisations have come to me. One, is that some tend to believe that I have started doing this, and, am therefore obliged to continue it for the sake of those who have come to rely on me doing so (for want of a better explanation).
To this, I can simply say no. I’m not obliged. In point of fact, I never was. Shadows & Dust was originally an archive put together by myself for my own enjoyment. It was only through seeing that not many places awarded actual fiction, as opposed to websites, that myself, and a friend decided to start SDFA. For fun, for fiction and to give something back to those who write in this continually changing and inspiring world of fandom. Not once, until recently, had I ever regretted building the sites, not once had I ever thought that what I did wasn’t fun.
For those of you who are unaware, during my time in fandom, I have gone from using basic design to pretty advanced design for my sites. All of this was self taught. I didn’t have an existing knowledge of programs, html, or even graphic design. My first layout for Shadows & Dust was made using backgrounds from Microsoft Word, and uploading using Front Page and IE. All of the graphics you see here today, and all but three layouts (the first two- courtesy of the talented Wajoma, and the Winter Wes theme, designed by the marvellous PSUbrat) were created and implemented by myself. All awards were made in my own time, all fics formatted and uploaded, and even occasionally re-beta read in my own time. And all for the fun of doing it. Believe it or not. Even the financial side to running a site is my own, and not once have I ever asked for donations, contributions, or anything aside from perhaps a little understanding and maybe a comment in the guestbook.
During this time, I have become a mother of two lovely young girls, holding down various full time jobs, the current one of which is most taxing on my free time, as I’m working anything up to 54 hours a week. Additionally, I run ten sites, admittedly and most regretfully at the moment, neglected more than I’d like; extensively mod at a graphics forum, and also take A Level college classes, driving lessons, and eat and sleep.
I’m not playing for sympathy, merely stating the facts.
To be hounded after two days of not having winners up - is just not acceptable. That deadline extended to nearly a month - I could have condoned complaints coming in now. Only once before has SDFA ever been delayed by more than two days, and in eleven rounds in three years, I don’t think that’s too bad.
To be thought of as an “obligatory” party in the running of things is downright presumptuous, and quite frankly angers me. To be seemingly seen as someone who has no life, and nothing to do with her time other than to update a website or ten, as opposed to a person is actually quite deflating, particularly when said person does as much as she can with the time she has.
But I digress. And I have come to a decision that has not been easy to make. My first thought was to sincerely apologise, rush the judges for decisions, and just get the awards up and over with - I didn’t do that because it would take away from SDFA the quality that everyone has been accustomed to since we opened, and that’s just not on. From the get go we’ve been about producing the best - hell - if we don’t think anyone out of a batch of 20-30 nominees deserve an award, we won’t hand it out, we’ll cancel the category that round. That’s what we do. We find the best. I didn’t want to change that.
My second thought was to put SDFA on hiatus, I’ve done a short hiatus before when judging was delayed, but felt that one now would just become indefinite, and that again, is just not cricket.
So I was inevitably left with one choice - to close. Shadows & Dust and all that goes with it, including SDFA has been a part of my life since I found Fandom. It’s brought me friends, and acquaintances that I would never have had without it. If I closed, could I bear it? Wouldn’t it just make everything I’ve worked on, worthless? Yes. It would. So I’m not closing, but I am doing this.
From this round on, SDFA will consist of three rounds a year. A Beginning, Middle and End, which comprise of two months of nominations and two months of judging in each. And unless I suddenly find more time, it will stay that way until it dwindles out through lack of interest.
If you don’t like it, you can comment on the guestbook, or you can just not visit. It’s as simple as that really. I don’t’ want to sound rude, but if you can’t abide that long a time frame between rounds, then I’m sorry, but that’s your decision. I’ve made mine. Aside from going six monthly, this was the best I could come up with. It’s this or close down. And I don’t want to close down. However much I may have been aggravated by comments here and there... I really don’t.
There’s a new layout and much more already uploaded for your perusal. Don't forget that you can send suggestions for categories, layouts and whatever else you come up with in through this form at this URL:
http://www.shadows-and-dust.co.uk/SDFA/suggest.htm or you can just email me at sdfawebwench@shadows-and-dust.co.uk with whatever you have to say.
So, without further a do... The winners of SDFA Round Eleven are....
The Angelic Award - Best AtS Fiction CANCELLED - NOT ENOUGH NOMINEES
The Anguished Award - Best Angst Fiction The Subtleties of Wants & Needs by missmorganpryce
The Believe Award - Best Original Character Re-Entry by sockmonkeyhere (for the character Paloma)
The Bite Me Award - Best Spike Fiction Tell Me Again by Annaluna
The Brevitas Award - Best Short Fiction Feline Repose by Venus Blue
The Caritas Award - Best Song Fiction Closer by Purplefeen
The Champion Award - Best Heroic FictionCeleste the Vampire Slayer by Fleur
The Chosen One Award - Best Slayer Centric FictionCeleste the Vampire Slayer by Fleur
The Dazzle Award - Best Conventional Shipper Fiction The Subtleties of Wants & Needs by missmorganpryce
The Endurance Award - Best Long Fiction Beyond Expectation by Talula
The Ensnared Award - Best HP/ BtVS or AtS Crossover CANCELLED - NOT ENOUGH NOMINEES
The Entangled Award - Best Jossverse Crossover Remember When by Ashlee
The Entwined Award - Best Crossover Daddy Dearest by Keith Collins
The Erotic Award - Best Female Slash Fiction Beyond Expectation by Talula
The Exotic Award - Best Male Slash Fiction In Nomine Patris by Trekker
The Intrigue Award - Best Plot Re-Entry by sockmonkeyhere
The Journey Award - Best Series Celeste the Vampire Slayer by Fleur
The Library Award - Highly RecommendedTell Me Again by Annaluna
The Metamorphosis Award - Best Episode Stealer The Subtleties of Wants & Needs by missmorganpryce
The Moonlight Award - Best Romance FictionTell Me Again by Annaluna
The Nummytreat Award - Best Spike/Xander FictionCANCELLED - NOT ENOUGH NOMINEES
The Only Me Award - Best Minor Character FictionUnholy Requiem by Kitty
The Portal Award - Best Character HistoryDepressed There by Tania
The Seduction Award - Best PWP Beggars Banquet by Elen
The Seer Award - Best POV Special by DarkWiccan
The Slay Me Award - Best BtVS Fiction Whispers of the Past by BarbieGirl
The Spirit Award - Best Poem CANCELLED - NOT ENOUGH NOMINEES
The Stake Me Award - Best Spike/Buffy Fiction Remember When by Ashlee
The Sundown Award - Best Dark Fiction Pinch Me by Tania
The Thrill Me Award - Best Drama Here Is Gone by Terri
The Thunder Award - Best Action Depressed There by Tania
The Voice Award - Best FeedbackCANCELLED - NOT ENOUGH NOMINEES
The Wonder Award - Best Unconventional Shipper Fiction Then & Now by Kat aka KallieRose
Shadows- Judges ChoiceIn Nomine Patris by Trekker
Dust - Judges ChoiceHere Is Gone by Terri
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