Octaves of the Heart Interview with Yahtzee

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Octaves of the Heart Interview with Yahtzee
Interviewer:	Octaves of the Heart
Interviewee:	Yahtzee
Date(s):	early to mid-2000s?
Medium:	online
Fandom(s):	Buffyverse
External Links:	online here, Archived version
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Octaves of the Heart Interview with Yahtzee is posted at the Buffy website Octaves.

For others in this series, see Octaves of the Heart Interview Series.

Excerpts

When and why did you start writing BtVS/Ats fic? What was your first story for the fandom and what do you think of it now?

I began in 1999. I had watched BTVS before then, off and on, but I did not actually become fannish/creative with it until ATS premiered. Once ATS hit my bloodstream like adrenalin, POW! I was off and running. That said, the first two stories I wrote were BTVS stories; the first was "Acid Test," in which Xander takes a long, strange trip. I think that story holds up pretty well -- it jumps around a LOT in time, but handles the jumps fairly smoothly. I don't think I understood a couple of the characters as well as I later came to, but I don't think anybody's tremendously off.

You've written for other fandoms...what appeals to you about the Jossverse? Now? Nothing. Then? The idea of the supernatural and the real colliding with each other for both humorous and horrific effect. Large, strong ensembles of characters that provided fascinating individuals and relationships. Angel without his shirt. ;)

Would you feel comfortable talking about your own favourite story and why it's your fave... Well, I can't really name one fave. There are different moments and elements that I enjoy in different stories. Phoenix Burning was the most fun to write, because I was just OVERTAKEN by this idea and ate, slept and breathed it for three months, all of which felt like an amusement park ride. Then it got such a great response, which really spoiled me! I find myself most emotionally moved by The Quality of Mercy because I felt like I really connected with each character's particular pain and strength -- even Riley, whom I hated before writing that story and subsequently became rather fond of. I am particularly happy with the scene where Wesley goes to church with Gunn and his family; I don't know if it works for everyone, but for me, it's a blend of comedy and emotion that genuinely gets to me. I think the one that I'm happiest with, results-wise, is As Time Goes By. I felt like it was fair to both B/A and A/C, and I worked really hard to make the "Casablanca" pastiche turn out right. I don't know if anybody notices, but the story's in black and white (TRY and find a color in there!), obeys the Hayes Code and switches POV at points in the story where the settings shift in the movie.

Thoughts on the fandom in general... I'll miss it a lot. But I loved the shows' themes more than I loved anything else -- any characters, any actors, any pairings -- and those original themes have become lost. So it's time for me to go.