June 2016 Newsletter Posted!

[dawn_felagund]

The June edition of our newsletter has been posted on our website!

In this month's news, we welcome several new members to our group. I am also happy to announce that heartofoshun and I will be returning to present for a second year at the New York Tolkien Conference, this time as co-presenters (so that we have to be able to attend each other's talks) of "The Borders of the (Fictional) World: Fan Fiction Archives, Ideological Approaches, and Fan Identity."

Speaking of Oshun, she has authored this month's character biography on Thuringwethil. Thuringwethil has startled more than one first-timer to The Silmarillion, not because she's That Scary but because who expects vampires in Tolkien? However, as Oshun shows, the literary history of vampires is deep, and it is likely from this--not pop culture--that Tolkien was drawing when he created Thuringwethil (sorry, Bela Lugosi). Thuringwethil, like most of Tolkien's female characters, is only partly sketched, but that of course makes her all the more fascinating for fanfic writers.

If you're looking for something to read, the archive has been hopping, with almost four dozen stories and poems added and updated during the month of May. If nonfiction is more your cuppa, the Around the World and Web section features articles and new publications from both professional and fannish writers about all aspects of the legendarium and Tolkien fan culture.

If you're looking for something to write, this month continues the "Proverbs" challenge, which asks you to create a story based on one of Tolkien's many proverbs. For something a little different, we revisit the "Sibling Rivalry" challenge, which asks authors to write "an AU story where an original character--you!--tries to influence his or her canon sibling in some way or in which you choose a sibling to influence you." Around the World and Web has challenges, exchanges, and calls for papers from groups outside the SWG.

Many thanks to this month's contributors: Oshun, Rhapsody, and Elleth, and a special thank-you to Russandol for putting all the pieces together!

June 2016 Newsletter Posted!

[dawn_felagund]

The June edition of our newsletter has been posted on our website!

In this month's news, we welcome several new members to our group. I am also happy to announce that Oshun and I will be returning to present for a second year at the New York Tolkien Conference, this time as co-presenters (so that we have to be able to attend each other's talks) of "The Borders of the (Fictional) World: Fan Fiction Archives, Ideological Approaches, and Fan Identity."

Speaking of Oshun, she has authored this month's character biography on Thuringwethil. Thuringwethil has startled more than one first-timer to The Silmarillion, not because she's That Scary but because who expects vampires in Tolkien? However, as Oshun shows, the literary history of vampires is deep, and it is likely from this--not pop culture--that Tolkien was drawing when he created Thuringwethil (sorry, Bela Lugosi). Thuringwethil, like most of Tolkien's female characters, is only partly sketched, but that of course makes her all the more fascinating for fanfic writers.

If you're looking for something to read, the archive has been hopping, with almost four dozen stories and poems added and updated during the month of May. If nonfiction is more your cuppa, the Around the World and Web section features articles and new publications from both professional and fannish writers about all aspects of the legendarium and Tolkien fan culture.

If you're looking for something to write, this month continues the "Proverbs" challenge, which asks you to create a story based on one of Tolkien's many proverbs. For something a little different, we revisit the "Sibling Rivalry" challenge, which asks authors to write "an AU story where an original character--you!--tries to influence his or her canon sibling in some way or in which you choose a sibling to influence you." Around the World and Web has challenges, exchanges, and calls for papers from groups outside the SWG.

Many thanks to this month's contributors: Oshun, Rhapsody, and Elleth, and a special thank-you to Russandol for putting all the pieces together!