~SPYKE RAVEN~ For her outstanding body of Angel-related work.

Including At Last Too Long Denied, possibly the singular most original piece I have ever had the pleasure of reading...and I cannot say much more for fear of spoiling it for you. I can, however, give you this... "He was mine from the moment of his conception. They all are. But hewas unusual in this - that even then he knew who I was, and sought me in the womb."

Read, weep. Weep some more.

Then go on to enjoy Painting The Sun, which looks at William's turning by Angelus in an entirely unique and horribly disturbing light. " 'Padre...' was his last gasp and Angelus absorbed it with a kiss, sucking dry air and retching blood into his hungry heart." Think it sounds familiar? I *guarantee* you have *never* read a Becoming fic like this one.

Lyrical Clarity is as close to pure poetry as prose can possibly come. " 'My turn,' smiles the vampire. Proceeding to show him the true pleasure pain of dentate. "

And the glorious Metamorphasis is chocolate covered cherries for the brain. " My hands tremble as they fist in his hair, tremble as they watch him, contrast light-dark, light-dark, fucking United Colours of Benetton.."

This woman does not just *write* dark fic, she paints it. And if you can come away from any of her works without being swayed to her power, then you my freind, are undead.

So to Spyke Raven...CONGRATULATIONS WOMAN! YOU ROCKED MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE!

::Visit Spyke Raven's site:: :: Read other Angelfic by Spyke Raven:: :: Tell Spyke Raven she kicks all ass::
 
 

February is the month of love, and I love me some Jess. This month's award goes to Jessica Walker, for her inspirational vamp-centered fics.

When I first met Jess, less than a year ago, she was strictly a het kinda fic writer. You'd never know it from reading her current works. Whether it is her Angel/Wesley series which began with Controlled Circumstances and have thusfar gone on to include CC Version II, Fractured and Unacceptable Risk, or her dark and twisted menagerie of pain and pleasure The Preshow Trilogy, Jessica captures the darker side of Angel and his Hyde like noone else out there today.

Her imagery is astounding, her turn of phrase unfailingly poetic, and her ability to create conversation so spot on with every character she deigns to pen, that Joss himself should be envious.

Her entire body of work should be required reading for any author entering the realm of dark or slashfic. And even thought this is an Angel-centric award, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that as far as Spike authors go, she reigns Supreme.

But there is one fic....ahhhhhh...

Everyone knows the theme. Spike gets chipped. Spike goes to LA. And yet, in her hands, it is as if noone has done it before. In fact, if I could choose ONE fic by ONE author that I wish I had written myself, it would be To Take You In.

If you can read it and not laugh, whimper, moan and cry in turns, if at the end you are not a staunch A/S shipper, not a Jess worshipper, then my friend, you are a souless demon ((without benefit of a really cool coat and high cheekbones)). This fic is what fanfiction is all about.

So go read Jess. Go lavish her with praise. And if that's not enough, check out her sites.

Debase The Beef Canoe

Blood Screaming

I promise. You'll know why I love her.

Happy Valentine's Doll. No axe murdering for you.
 
 

This month the award goes to someone with artistic talent to spare. The QUEEN BEE of slashy websites, the favoured darling of the technoamish masses seeking favors, this chick has created more spinning, moving, glowing, blinking parts of more websites than anyone I know. And she brings a level of enthusiasm, creativity and skill to each one that belies the fact she must be bored silly with all of us going "Av, can you please..."

But that's just a small part of why Av earns the March Spinning Griffin Award. Yea, she kicks ass with manipulating naked Angels. Yea, her website ((Eternal Nightcap, in case you've been living in a crypt with a blinding chip in your head for the last year)) is quite simply, THE quintessential Angel/Spike site, complete with witty sarcasm, lustful prose and some of the godamn fall over and die laughing funny maniped pics and things to do. And yea, I worship the digitally optimized ground this woman walks on.

But there's more to Av than the visual arts.

Avarice started writing slash.. maybe a year ago? And she has become a force to be reckoned with in the worlds of angst, smut and ongoing plot device alike. No mean feat.

Her four part To Sire With Love is a tale I come back to again and again for my loving/dominating smut fix. I am never dissapointed at its ability to make my toes curl into the carpet.

Her Crazy Gaelic Named Fics are a dreamy, creepy, lush peek inside the brains of our favorite vamps. Written with her deft pen and quick wit, they are a landmark to judge "Angel dreams" fic against.

And her ongoing REM series (not yet archived here) has progressed so beautifully that part 9 actually made me pound my desk in frustration at Angel's lunkheadedness. ((Which was after I realized I needed a cool shower following the flashback scenes...))

So Av, this month, for Excellence in Overall Presentation of Angel, the Spinning Griffin Award goes to you!

Congratulations grrlie! You have SOOOO earned it!!
 

::Read all of Av here:: ::Love Av::
 
 

This month the award goes to someone who probably never thought she'd end up being archived on this website..let alone get an award from me.

@Ducks@, as some of you may know, was once a staunch B/A 'shipper, the likes of which made my slashy upper lip curl in distaste.  Especially 'cause I always thought she wrote so damn well. And hey, being an arrogant bitch, I just kept thinking, 'man, o man, what if she turned those talents to the dark side of the Force???'

Luckily for us, she has.

And, OK,  can I just be frank here? She writes some stellar angst, lovely plot workings, and yea yea, alot of neato-keeno complex, tightly written, lyrical S/A/B too...but...you wanna know what I like best about Ducks' work? Shhh..Come closer I'll tell you.

((Whisper))

Her PWP kicks all conceivable ass. Noone, and i mean NO ONE writes smut like this girl does. She describes these males' bodies like she has personally touched every one. She has inner dialogue that makes me wonder if she really *is* a man. And her fuck-talk makes my spine sweat.  I double dog dare you to tell me that you can read any of the following without A) needing a cold shower and B) needing to lift your arms in praise to the Heavens on High that she is at last slashing our duo of gorgeous vampires.

Harry's AAA - Two vamps walk into a porn shop.....Tell me you've never thought about that. Yea right. And the thought of Angel in bondage doesn't make your knees weak? What the hell are you doing on my site?

Everybody Smokes in Hell - Spike-voice at its finest, knee deep in the pornographic moment-  "Hell, I think we've pretty much forgotten everything, because he turns over in my arms, and we're mashed together like... well... like two horny vampires mashed together. There really isn't a suitable metaphor for that. Legs all wound up, grunties rubbing like crazy, hands all over the place, mouths locked tight, tongues slippin' and sliding and Holy Jesus H..."

London Rain- Third person POV apres-Shanshu deliciousness- "All of life came down to this, didn't it? This simple act of pleasure and pain... creation and destruction... connection... all existence nothing but this in and out... slamming of pelvis against hips... tide of bliss building." Can you *say* Helloooo to that visual?

And if I haven't made you gasp GUH yet...

The Storm - The quintessential S/A hurt/comfort PWP. I'll not quote..you must read for yourself, and bring a cold compress. I but bow in humble awe to the smut contained herein. Can I get an am-eeen from the back row?

Ducks, long may you wave, girlfreind. Long may you wave. Praise be.

::Read Ducks:: ::Love Ducks::

I first met Tink when I started StA. I emailed her and asked if it would be OK to archive a story of hers...it was a two-parter she'd written with SabershadowKitten. She was a bit hesitant at first, but then she saw the archive.. and by the time we started talking, I for one knew we'd be budds. Here's a girl who adores the souled lug (almost ;}) as much as I do. And it shows in the timeless, eloquent style of all her Angel-centered  fic.

If you have any doubts about how much I adore Tinkfic, know this: I have read her pure B/A stories. And she has done such a magnificent job with Angel in them, I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. ((Ok, no, they're not archived here! Gimme a break!! Slashing the Angel! Slashing!!))

And when it comes to slashfic, Tink doesn't waste time with frills or frivolity . She gets right down to what she wants to say, and she says it in a way that  makes your heart skip. I knew I had to have her stuff when I read the afforementioned with SSK, He Wants To Fuck Me. This was actually one of the first slashfics I ever had the pleasure of reading. My brain melted, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, and soon after StA was born.

But Tink doesn't "just" write smut, (although with smut like that,  that would be enough for us, Lord!) no no. Tink writes angst like nobody's business. 'Cause she's all about the Angelangst. Her Wounds Invisible Series  is one of the finest bits of AU ever penned. It sticks to Angel voice so closely you would swear she's writing canon fic...then you get to the A/S smut. :}

Two gorgeous examples can be found on StA. The first, Mistakes, is a deceptively simple peek at Angel being a total git. Look deeper.  This girl is writing Liam/Angel/Angelus, and doing it with such effortless grace, you might not even notice the hidden notes upon first read. Read it again. Then forgive Angel, as Spike does. The next piece is Broken, which has Spike being a git, and Angel forgiving *him*, followed by the hottest make up sex I've ever sweated over.

((link to entire WI series below))

And now, guys, I'm gonna break with tradition.... ~~Tink wrote the Fountain Scene in DOOUL.~~

You all know that Tink has written in the DOOUL verse with Jess and I. But we never tell who writes what in that series...we like the aura of mystery, and frankly, we're lazy ass bastards and can't be bothered sorting line by lines. But I had to tell you what Tink wrote here, because that water scene is  *by far* one of the most popular chapters we've ever posted. We got so much feedback on that bit we almost gave Tink custody of the whole bloody verse. Read All Wet.

Tink has also lent her mastery of pen and prose to Maayan, and together, they wrote the incomparably steamy and lush Carrying Winter. The Spike quips..the nakedincoherentAngel...the rain..the SEX...good god on a Harley the sex. ((whimper)).

Tink, I have one more thing to say. Next time I see Joss at some stupid shindig, I'm asking if he has a job opening. For you. All in favor?? AYE!

So congratulations Tink...this month's Spinning Griffin Award goes to you. Much deserved, ma petit belle, much deserved.

::Read Tink's Fic At StA::    ::Read all of Tink's fic::  ::Tell Tink she's a Ragin' pixie::

This month's award goes to someone with whom I have little in common. We don't run in the same circles, we don't lust after  the same characters, and we don't subscribe the same motivations to the characters we *do* mutually adore. In fact, we kind of met by argument. Most of our conversations regarding characterizations could more accurately be called debates.

Now let me tell you where we find common ground. We appreciate good, solid, kick ass fic. Don't matter if it's smut, or general fic, a small blather or a whole freakin' novel. If it's got the boys in it, and they are the boys as we recognize them, by golly then we're happy.

Te never fails to make me happy. Even when her fic is *painful,*  it's still achingly beautiful. She doesn't just turn a phrase, she whips its ass into submission. Her sex is scorching, her characterizations are dark, brutal and unflinching, and every story *means* something.

And, godamn it-after months of heated dialogue about the pairing, (you *know* the one) she went ahead and wrote an A/S piece that was nothing like anyone had ever seen or done before...and it *kicked my ass*.

No, her Angel and mine might not be the same guy. But they sure as hell aren't opposing either...For glorious darkguyAngel check out "Responsibility" Key line: "Everybody has a leash, somewhere, and I'm offering mine to you."  Oh. Guh.

&  "On You" : Angel chuckling now, softly. "You're stronger than I am, Wes. They would never have to fear you."

"Like I have to fear you."

"Yes. Yes, but please don't."

((Her Wesley is so damn spot on, Joss is jealous)).

For some of the finest PWP on the bleedin planet, go read "Gonna" ((yes, Im reccing an A/X piece..does *this* tell you how highly I think of the Te??)).  Who can resist this: "I'm going to fuck you. You can pretend it doesn't mean anything."
Godamn. Not me.

And for the most motherfucking brilliant work up of the (new) canonical Angelus/William, go read "Killing Will" : "I'm screaming inside like William. My cock is hard is steel."

Te doesn't get anywhere NEAR the recognition she deserves in the world of slash.  I started the SG awards to recognize individuality and unique contributions to the huge gamut of Angelfic out there. Noone deserves it more than Te.

Congratulations on the Spinning Griffin Award. Your style is unrivaled, and the fandom is better for having you.

::Read Te::  ::Worship Te::  ::Read Te's non-Angel-centric fic::