News
Heart of Gold
The round robin story written to complete Heart of Gold begun by the wonderful and dearly missed Nikilicious is being updated again. Yes the story IS complete. Meg was updating but the duties with the brand new youngin' has kept her from updating the story here. I offered to update the rest and so I am giving you the next 5 chapters to whet your appetite for the story once again.
Beginning tomorrow, Feb. 25th, 2010 I will post a chapter a day until the whole story is up.

If you haven't read this story yet this is a great time to indulge. Some of our better writers contributed as a gift of love to a darling peer who left us much too soon.

Enjoy,
Kathleen

--Pfeifferpack on February 24, 2010 08:53am 0 Comments
Spamming on the tagbox

Hello everyone. As those of you who frequent Elysian Fields often would be aware we've had a bit of a problem of late with spamming on the tagbox. After trying several other avenues it became apparent that removal of the tagbox was going to be the best option. Temporarily. 

When it returns it will be in a slightly different format but hopefully it will make it harder for people to spam us.

Until then the Elysian Fields LiveJournal can be used for communication between members of our community. You can find it HERE.

Apologies for any inconvenience. 



--Amy on October 23, 2009 04:57pm 0 Comments
Saying Goodbye to one of our own

 

Nikki Hartley, known to many as Nikilicious, passed away this afternoon in UK time.  Please take a moment to pray for this incredibly brave lady-only 29 years of age--who leaves behind her husband Joshua and their four year old daughter. Nikki, may you at last know peace and release from pain.  We will miss you so very much.



--Megan on September 20, 2009 04:56pm 6 Comments
Accessing Adult Material

Since 95% of the emails we receive is about accessing NC-17 and/or AO rated stories, I thought I'd AGAIN remind all readers of our Terms of Service.

You MUST HAVE AN ACCOUNT REGISTERED WITH ELYSIAN FIELDS TO ACCESS ADULT RATED STORIES. Registering an account is free; you are not obligated to contribute fiction upon doing so. After registering, please go into the tab under "Account Info" labeled "Edit Account Information." Toward the bottom of the screen, you will find this:

I am of the age of consent in my locale to view materials with adult content.  I realize that by agreeing, the normal warnings for stories with adult content will be by-passed. Yes No

Please make sure you have done this BEFORE emailing the mods, as it becomes clear to us that the Terms of Service are being ignored or bypassed by readers. This is a basic rule at Elysian Fields and has been since we opened.

If you are still having trouble accessing adult material after having registered and submitting verification of age, please DO email the mods. That is a valid concern, and we are happy to help.



--Holly on June 04, 2009 03:13am 0 Comments
We're back!

First of all, my apologies for not alerting you all sooner as to why the archive was down. I was only able to alert you all that the site was back via the admin console once the site was accessible again. I should have emailed you all via the yahoo group or posted on the LJ group sooner but it slipped my mind.

*fingers crossed* nothing like this happens again, but just in case I would recommend you join the LJ group or the yahoo group so we can contact you with updates.

Elysian_Archive @ Livejournal HERE

Elysian_Fields @ yahoogroups HERE

Happy Reading!



--Amy on May 06, 2009 11:35pm 0 Comments
Spark and Burn Awards - Round 5

The winners for Round 5 at Spark and Burn Awards have been announced! Congratulations to all of the authors who won. 

Many of the winners archive here at Elysian Fields, so an extra congratulations to all of you talented people. 

To the reader's on our archive, if you have not read the fics that have won... DO SO! You won't regret it. And don't forget to review.



--Amy on April 11, 2009 07:44pm 0 Comments
Ratings

Authors -

When rating your stories, please bear in mind the following: graphic sexual scenes deserve an NC-17 rating. If you're going into detail - meaning vivid descriptions using technical or slang terms to describe body parts - you can forget the "R". We do understand that accidents happen, and some stories might be given a lower rating by mistake in haste to get it published. Please make sure you look over EVERYTHING before hitting submit, especially if you're an author who has earned automatic validation. In those cases, since the mods don't see it before it posts, we hear about it from readers who unwittingly stumbled upon material for which they were not looking.

In the case of stories that WILL be NC-17, go ahead and give it the higher rating. There doesn't have to be graphic sexual content in every chapter for a story to merit an adult rating. It's preemptive and considerate of your readers. 

To those authors with automatic validation: remember, this is a privilege, one we can revoke if we receive too many complaints. You earn this privilege by demonstrating you understand the TOS and have consistently contributed above-par submissions. If a member is found to be abusing the privilege, it goes away, and we'd rather have more authors posting than waiting for the mods to police their activity, especially if they're known for exceptionally stellar work.

On a similar note, if a mod ever contacts you pertaining to your work, or a problem we've stumbled upon (a TOS violation, a missrated story, etc), please respond in a timely manner. In these instances, five days is more than fair.



--Holly on February 08, 2009 06:37pm 0 Comments
Policy Changes

There are a few things that need be addressed, based on recent letters the mods have received.

We're going to come out and say it: we are not a perfect archive. We strive for perfection, yes, but we do make mistakes, and over the past few months, we've made them in an abundance. The mods have varying schedules; the most active mods live not only in different time zones, but different hemispheres, therefore coordinating to review submissions in great detail is not only time-consuming, it's near impossible considering the submission ratio we receive on a daily basis. For this reason, we've been a little lenient in what we've validated. Our personal lives have interfered with the way the archive is managed; this is our fault, not yours, and it will be addressed immediately, involving a full revamp in how we validate to make it more thorough and manageable. However, to do so, we need some help from you.

 It has come to our attention that a variety of fics violating the Terms of Service were validated. Again, this is NOT the fault of the writers —it is entirely on our shoulders for not being thorough or checking in with each other before validating whatever was in our submission box. However, we are not going to negotiate or amend the TOS to accomdate the fics currently in the archive. The process will be a long one, but necessary in order to maintain the integrity of Elysian Fields, and play fair with the authors who are already following the rules.

 Here's what's going to happen. The mods are going to pick through the archive as it stands based on varying reports we've received from readers. If we find a story that needs addressing, we WILL contact the author to alert them to the problem and give them the opportunity to remove it (we won't be so presumptuous as to ask them to change it, but that option is, of course, available). If the story is not removed or we have not received a reply within 5 days, the mods will take action. The process will begin immediately, though given our conflicting schedules, as previously stated, it will be a long process we don't expect to really get underway until the beginning of the year.

 What can you, the author, do? Refer to the TOS. If you have any questions — (ex. "Does my story violate any of the rules?") —please do not hesitate in contacting the mods. We will look over the story in question and respond within 24 hours.

 We understand this problem is one we allowed to happen, and the blame is ours and ours alone. We are not punishing any of the authors who published a story in violation of the TOS. We, the mods, should have watched the submissions more carefully. We should have scrutinized every entry. We accept full responsibility for what has occurred, and while we are incredibly apologetic to all our authors and readers, we expect full cooperation.

 The next major issue is the following: in corresponding with the moderators, there have been select instances of disrespect from authors or readers. The following is NOT addressed to members who have written us regarding pennames, passwords, and accessing stories; we understand the aforementioned (and other like-problems) can be frustrating, and are therefore very understanding to any letter we might receive concerning these issues. However, there are select instances in which authors or readers have written to the mods and, after receiving an answer they didn't like, become argumentative. It's perfectly fair to have a differing opinion; we merely ask you to remember that, yes, while this archive is open and free to the public, it is so because we, the mods, pay for the space and, even with our blunders, manage its content. It is at our discretion what we do and do not want at the archive. There have been mistakes, and we're owning up to them now, but we do ask that your letters remain professional and respectful in tone, as well as the understanding that disagreements are allowed, but when it comes to the archive and its content, the mods have the final say.

 We desperately want to maintain a friendly atmosphere at Elysian Fields, and we understand the blunders on part of the mods and the clean-up process we are now undertaking might make that difficult. We are NOT above approach, so if you have any questions, comments, observations or so on, PLEASE drop us a note. We WILL listen, we WILL respond in kind, and we WILL do our best to accommodate your needs. We just ask your respect and cooperation in turn.

 Thank you, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.



--EF Staff on November 15, 2008 03:54am 6 Comments
Seven Seasons Spuffy Ficathon!
Three of Elysian Fields’ admins—Megan, Spikeslovebite, and myself—run an online community via Live Journal called Seven Seasons. Originally opened as a way for authors and artists to express Spuffy love through the seasons of BtVS, it has been at a standstill since the conclusive round.

Until now.

I’m here to announce to all Spuffy authors that Seven Seasons is once again open for business and is now hosting a FICATHON. If you’re not familiar with ficathons, I encourage you to head over to the community to see what all the fuss is about. I know many of you might not be on live journal, and therefore think you have no means of participating. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. If you find the ficathon interesting and want to participate without the inconvenience of signing up for LJ, feel free to contact me (holly.hangingavarice@gmail.com) or Megan (megpf27@gmail.com) with a brief email indicating you’d like to participate. YOU CAN POST YOUR ENTRIES HERE! We’ll have a special category established for ficathon entries.

This is a great way to get your muse into a playful mood. Please, head over and give the ficathon a glance. We look forward to seeing your work!


--Holly on September 04, 2008 08:47pm 0 Comments
Featured Fics at Elysian Fields

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING CATEGORY SEARCHES.

When searching for fics here at Elysian Fields the Reclaiming the Divine FotM category has always been empty. This category was specifically created when we opened the archive as a way of identifying Fics of the Moment (FotM) or featured fics. But nothing was added.

Until now.

All past and present featured fics have been added to the Reclaiming the Divine FotM category. So if you want to search specifically for any stories with the red or blue rosettes next to them you can now find them all in one neat place.

This is a locked category and only moderators of the site can add fics to it. Authors, if you were wondering why your fic was added to a new category now you know!

Happy Reading!



--Amy on July 12, 2008 01:48am 4 Comments
Accounts

We've had a lot of emails over the last couple of weeks in regard to accounts at Elysian Fields and I just wanted to set a few things straight. 

  • You do not need to be an author to have an account at Elysian Fields. Just sign up for an account via the register function at the top of the page.
  • You do need to be over the age of 17 to access NC-17 and AO related materials at Elysian Fields. No exceptions.
  • New authors to Elysian Fields are validated before any content will appear on the archive. It is a standard measure that most Spuffy fanfic archives take.
  • We do want new authors to post their work here and we will offer assistance to encourage you do so. If you are in need of a beta you can find a list of them HERE at Elysian Fields.

We encourage all members to become active participants in the Elysian Fields community, and you can do so simply by leaving a review. The Elysian Fields livejournal community is another way for members to connect and you can find the community HERE.

Please, if anyone has any further questions don't hesitate to contact us.



--Amy on June 20, 2008 09:56pm 0 Comments
Elysian Fields back online

In case you hadn't noticed, over the last 24 hours or so the archive was offline. It was incredibly frustrating, so apologies to anyone who tried to access the site but couldn't.

Apparently the archive has become too popular because we reached our bandwidth limit (basically we had too many visitors over the last month) so our account was temporarily frozen.

It would have reset itself on the 1st of June but we didn't want to keep people waiting. We've upgraded the account so hopefully this won't happen again.

As a precaution, so we can email you if there are ever any issues with the site in the future, it would be really great if everyone could sign up to either a) our new yahoo mailing list, or b) become a member of the LJ community for the archive. 

Yahoo Mailing List: HERE

LJ Community: HERE

Thanks, welcome back and happy reading!



--Amy on May 28, 2008 01:05am 2 Comments
Spark and Burn Awards - Round 5

Nominations have opened for Round 5 at Spark and Burn Awards . If you have a favourite fic (or ten) then head on over and nominate it. There is more wonderful fics on this very archive than you could poke a stake at that are very worth of a nomination, and I'm sure the authors would appreciate the recognition!

So head on over and nominate your favourite authors and stories today. Just please make sure you read the rules.



--Amy on May 17, 2008 02:49am 0 Comments
Another underage author

It has been brought to our attention by several members that we had another underage author. Please pay attention to our Terms of Service when signing up for an account and submitting fiction.

ALL authors MUST be at least 17 years old to post, regardless of the rating of the story in question.

We would like to thank the members who brought this to our attention.

The author has been contacted and the matter has been dealt with accordingly.




--Amy on May 08, 2008 11:08pm 0 Comments
Regarding adult material

Over the past few weeks, I've received an abundance of emails from readers who, while over the age of 17, are unable to access adult material. Let me be perfectly clear: in order to read NC-17 and AO stories, you MUST have an account! This is a preventive measure Elysian Fields takes to ensure young readers don't access stories with mature themes. It is in NO WAY fool-proof -- we understand this, and I believe the bulk of our readers do, as well. However, by signing up for an account, readers acknowledge and accept responsibility for what they read. This site is and will remain a haven for writers wishing to explore mature themes, but we must also be responsible -- or as responsible as an archive can feasibly be, considering out limitations.

The admin is aware of the loopholes young readers can take to get around these roadblocks. We are merely taking an extra step -- a step other archives do not take. I apologize for any inconvenience.

You are in no way required to post stories by signing up for an account, though you certainly have the option. We encourage all regular readers of appropriate age (17 or older) to sign up for accounts, that way you are granted access to adult material.



--Holly on May 06, 2008 10:42am 2 Comments
New skin available

We have a new skin available. To view, go to the panel on the left-hand side of the screen and switch from "smile" to "soft." If you wish to switch skins permanently, log into your account, go to edit personal information and select it from the skin selector there.



--Amy on May 02, 2008 08:43pm 1 Comment
In relation to the previous news item

Several Elysian Fields members recently contacted the admins regarding the age of one of our authors. The matter was reviewed and resolved, and the author was notified.

The author was very understanding of the admin's policy and concerns. However, the author has since assured me that her birthday this last March placed her at seventeen and her bio information had simply gone un-updated. I am taking her word for it on faith, as there is no way to verify this for certain, and this site otherwise operates on the honor system.

If anyone has lingering concerns regarding this matter, don't hesitate to email me personally (contact info in my bio) or the site.

Thank you.



--Holly on April 18, 2008 10:02am 0 Comments
Please READ the TOS!

Last January, there was a modification to the TERMS OF SERVICE regarding the appropriate posting age for perspective authors.  This has not changed. ALL authors MUST be at least 17 years old to post, regardless of the rating of the story in question.

Occasionally an author will slip past the notice of the mods. For this reason, I thank everyone who contacted me and Elysian Fields with concerns regarding the subject of this post. The matter has been dealt with accordingly.



--Holly on April 16, 2008 07:00pm 0 Comments
Addition to the Elysian Fields TOS

There has been a very minor alteration to the TOS - a new rule which has been tacitly understood but now implemented in full. As some of you might be aware, an underage author has been floating a story around at least two of the Spuffy archives, something which has raised concerns among some in our community. Underage authors aren't exactly an anomaly in the fandom, but as this particular author was closer to ten than twenty, therefore action was taken. The Elysian Fields staff has concluded that authors should be at least seventeen years old to post here, as our site includes incredibly adult material. Access to stories with ratings G-R will remain open, and of course, we operate on the honor system when it comes to age. But for those authors who are open about being underage, we must take precautions as to not find ourselves liable for the material on this site.

What does this mean to you? Nothing much. We merely have implemented a new rule to ensure Elysian Fields is absolved should we become the target of angry parents. Naturally, we cannot help who may or may not become irate at what their child reads, but this does ensure that we have adequately covered our tracks.

Thank you, and happy reading/writing!



--Holly on January 19, 2008 10:20pm 5 Comments
Happy Birthday to us!

Elysian Fields is officially one year old today (the 1st of December). On behalf of my fellow co-mods I'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in creating and building our wonderful archive; readers, writers, lurkers and artists... all of you. Without you all the archive would not be the success that it is.



--Amy on December 01, 2007 11:19pm 3 Comments
Plagiarism

RE: Subject heading.

It has been brought to my attention that "For the Love Of Spike" was recently tagged as a plagiarized story. After surveying the evidence, the author has been removed and the story deleted. We don't tolerate plagiarism here. At all.

My thanks to those who emailed me regarding this issue.



--Holly on November 08, 2007 05:28pm 0 Comments
Spark and Burn Awards - Round 4

Nominations have opened for Round 4 at Spark and Burn Awards . So go nominate all your favourite fics guys, there are a gazillion wonderful fics on this very archive and I'm sure the authors would appreciate the recognition!

So head on over and nominate your favourite authors and stories today. Just please make sure you read the rules.



--Amy on September 27, 2007 05:39pm 0 Comments
Temporarily Suspending Anonymous Reviews

Hi everyone,

I know it's been a while since I posted the poll; we've decided to suspend anonymous reviews TEMPORARILY and work, in the meantime, to upgrade to a higher version of efiction which should have spam guard. We're tentatively setting the date of the upgrade within the next three weeks. The staff at Elysian Fields truly values its lurkers, and therefore hopes this solution will allow us both to do away with spam and keep our anonymous contributors.

So there it is: anonymous reviews have TEMPORARILY been suspended. We WILL be reinstating anonymous reviews once the site has been upgraded. If we believe the upgrade will take longer than the estimated three weeks, we will let you know. In the meantime, feel free to sign up for accounts to keep reviewing. If there is any trouble setting up accounts, please contact me at my personal email address and I'll see that you get registered.

We truly apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding, patience, and input while we address/resolve this issue.



--Holly on August 23, 2007 09:18pm 0 Comments
Spam Reviews (P.2)

We've gotten a large response to the question posed by Amy in regard to anonymous reviews. Unfortunately, the response has varied and while it was larger than expected, it did not proportionately represent the whole archive. Therefore, I have put up a poll on the Elysian Fields Community Journal on LJ. Please take a minute to vote. Our decision regarding anonymous reviews will depend upon the vote.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to email us. We did receive quite a few stories, one very long story which makes me in particular very reluctant to turn off anonymous reviews. However, as seen here and here, we do have a rather serious problem on our hands.

Thank you all very much for your patience and cooperation.

Click here to fill out the poll!



--Holly on August 03, 2007 09:45pm 1 Comment
Spam reviews

Quite a few authors here at Elysian Fields have been receiving spam reviews, the content of which is not pleasant. The problem is that the only way to stop/block these reviews is to turn off anonymous reviews. This won't stop anyone from reviewing a story, it would just mean that every reader would have to have an account and be logged in while reading to leave feedback. 

Before a decision is made we'd like to open the issue up for discussion. The essential question is, would turning off anonymous reviews bother/effect you? If so - how/why. 

Please reply to this news item with your opinion, or alternatively you can contact us via email. Thank you. 



--Amy on July 28, 2007 02:23am 4 Comments
New skin available

We have a new skin available. To view, go to the panel on the left-hand side of the screen and switch from "heroes" to "smile." If you wish to switch skins permanently, log into your account and select it from there.



--Amy on July 18, 2007 07:40pm 2 Comments
New Affiliate

I'd like to welcome Gillian to our list of affiliates.

If you're interested in affiliating with Elysian Fields, just drop us a line.



--Holly on June 29, 2007 12:47am 0 Comments
Awards!

Elysian Fields took home two awards from LSA. Thank you so much to whoever nominated us!



--Holly on April 12, 2007 08:41pm 2 Comments
AWARDS!!!

Elysian Fields took home TWO awards from Mandi and Yani's new Solemn Grace Awards! THANK YOU SO MUCH to whoever nominated our little archive!!!

Elysian Fields

Best New Site



--Holly on April 02, 2007 06:59am 1 Comment
New Affiliate

Welcoming our newest affiliate, Tranquil Daydreams!

tranquil button 

All affiliates/links/extras can be found here. Please don't hesitate to drop us a line if you'd like to affiliate and/or want your site added to our link list.



--Holly on March 20, 2007 06:34am 0 Comments