X-Files Book Club

Welcome to xf_book_club, formerly xf_book_club.

What we do

We discuss X-Files fanfiction. This is a group for readers. Lively debate is welcomed; in fact, it is encouraged. Just don't make it personal. We're here to talk about the quality of the work, not the personality of the writer--or the critic.

Who we are

Just as it was on LiveJournal, our membership is moderated. Anyone who was a member at xf_book_club will be approved. If I know you, ditto. If you've changed your user name, send me a PM. If I don't know you, let's chat about it. Trust me, it is better to be safe than sorry. Anonymous comments are welcome but will be screened until approved by the moderator.

Make suggestions for discussion at the nomination post.

Comments on this post are screened. If you want to ask a question, this is the place.

It has occurred to me—somewhat belatedly—that there may be people in this community interested in another community I'm helping out with during the month of October: xf_is_love, aka The X-Files is Love Month.

We're...live. There are daily posts of fanworks by the members. We're rewatching all of season two, beginning today with Little Green Men.

There's a Halloween Candy Exchange and a new, Halloween-themed journal layout, custom-made by ruuger.

There's a Fanworks Wish List.

Halloween is a free-for-all posting day for all members of the community.


xf_is_love

I'll be providing fanfic recs for the episode posts, where applicable. And I know several people who are writing new fanfic for their claimed days.

The Season Two Rewatch Schedule is here, if you're interested. Otherwise, you can watch or join the community to see the daily posts as they go up.

Sorry for the late notification. I need a BAD MOD icon.

After a year's hiatus, The X-Files Secret Santa Community is reopened and sign-ups have begun. The gift exchange is open to fanfic, podfic, fanart, and fanvids; on the fic side, anything goes—all we ask for is a minimum word count of 750, that kinks are tagged, and warnings included. There is a new custom layout by scholarslayouts, so swing by and check it out.


xf_santa
The X-Files gift exchange for the holidays, signups end November 25!

We're having a month (and change) long celebration at xf_is_love for The X-Files. In addition to the daily posts, we're having a mini-marathon re-watch, starting today with the pilot. I'm including a few fic recs with each of my episode posts, if that provides an incentive to check it out.



This has been a public service announcement. I return you now to your original programming.

Normally, I am not one to use this as a forum to promote another community's activities, but this is a special case.

It's the last round of the Shipper Cage Match at the het_reccers community. Having narrowly squeaked past Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy in the fourth round, my beloved Mulder and Scully now find themselves facing the most popular het ship from the megafandom of the moment, The Avengers, Natasha Romanoff/Clint Barton. Just as I expected, the 50 vote lead we enjoyed over the weekend has evaporated. As of this moment, Mulder and Scully are ahead by only a half a percentage point, a mere handful of votes.

I'm not here to bash another fandom's ship. I'm positive the Black Widow and Hawkeye have a lot to recommend them. Superheros are superheros for a reason, after all. But Mulder and Scully were FBI partners for seven years, working together on a daily basis to solve crimes, taking on cases no one else could--or would. They worked tirelessly to uncover a global conspiracy whose aim was nothing less than the destruction of human life on earth. They were abducted and tortured by their enemies and suffered terrible personal losses as a direct result of their work. Whether other fans are aware of it or not, we know The X-Files was the mothership of internet fandom. We know Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are the reason fans call it "shipping."

I know, I'm preaching to the choir here. But if every person in this community heads over to the Cage Match and casts their vote for Mulder and Scully, Moose and Squirrel and The X-Files can still win this thing as I believe they deserve to do. (While you are there, if you have any het ships, you might like to check out the place. It's a fun, active LJ community). Voting closes October 30 at midnight EST.

EDIT: If you are not already a Live Journal member, please do not create a new journal for the sole purpose of voting. Use your Twitter account or your Facebook--whatever you use to follow this community should be okay, but don't create an empty journal. The mod has announced that those votes will be tossed out. If you have already voted with an empty journal, you could try PMing the mod and explaining who you are. Remember, we're all here to have fun.

The next post will be a fic discussion, and it will be soon, I promise.

When this community was first started by emily_shore back in December of 2007, we took turns posting and choosing the stories. Over the years, as she has taken a less active role here, there have been other members who have stepped into the breech and helped keep this place running. dashakay, dictatorcari, counterphobe, and leucocrystal are the names that come to mind. If I have forgotten anyone, please tell me so I can correct this immediately.

Most recently, amyhit has been the one to step up, post the stories and lead discussions. She has been one of our most vocal and articulate contributors for sometime now. Her enthusiasm is contagious and her commitment to the community unwavering. To my delight and good fortune, she has graciously agreed to formalize her position and accept the post as co-moderator of xf_book_club.

Today, on 10/13, we hit 200 members, 263 watchers, and I have no idea how many lurkers. Usually when communities hit a milestone, the mod offers up special treats to celebrate, but I'm afraid I have no such thing. I make bad icons, I can't write comment fic.

Recently at The X-Files Lost and Found Board, a community I mostly lurk at, someone suggested people tell their favorite quote from a fanfic. I thought it was a cool idea, so I'd thought I'd try to start it up here.

Mine is from "Synesthesia" by haphazard method, which you can read at Gossamer.

"I searched forever. Like a madman. And all I found was that a Ph.D and years of investigative training were completely useless. One day you simply reappeared in the hospital. The only thing I could do was sit by your bed and hope beyond reason that you heard me or felt me, and that you would come back to me."

Long story short, this is the quote that inspired me to start writing fanfiction.

Your turn.