...I think I'll start the "Spotlights" from now on like this to guarantee a bit of suspense. Who's it going to be this time? Well, with no further adieu...
...This "Spotlight" is on Sam Lincoln, simply known as "sam" on this board. He has written fanfics from other shows, but I want to focus on his 'Daria' ones only.
Sam strikes me as an all-genre 'Daria' fanfiction writer from what I've read of his works so far, 'shipper, comedy, suspense/melodrama. Let's look at his fics, but remember, as a general rule, you'll have to read them yourself. I'm only in the business of skimming them.
"Bouncing 'Round the Room", what sam writes is his first 'Daria' fic, introduces a new character and student to Lawndale High, Dave Wylie. He's sarcastic, witty, and dresses something like a geek. He also likes rock music. Perfect match for Daria or Jane, right? WRONG! Guess who he makes a beeline for? Hints: She's the complete opposite of Daria (on the surface, that is), and her name starts with a "Q". Oh, did I mention that Dave also comes from a filthy rich family (CINCGREEN's lamenting of everyone being rich in Lawndale comes to mind for some reason, but who am *I* to write that? ;D ), but has a sad story to tell, despite his wealth? In addition, sam provides us with his take of this "Q" girl's rather deep reactions to Dave. Dave will appear in some more fics later. Does this constitute a continuum, I wonder?
"Babylon" is truly a 'shipper saga. The location is London in the future, Tom Sloane's wondering aimlessly, trying to figure out what to do with his life, with some rather--interesting--friends. Guess who suddenly shows up to complicate (or to possibly clarify) it? *Her* name starts with a "D".
"Busted Stuff" to me is the beginning of the dark clouds that are forming in Jane and Tom's straining relationship, pre-"Fire!" and "Dye! Dye! My Darling!". Sam's writing here is very much on canon, even with Mr. Wylie's appearance, and could fit right into the show.
"The Stone" is sam's darkest fic--with a very nasty, twisted, and sick villianous character, and has an "X-File"-type of overtone to it. I'd call this a 'shipper/horror/melodramadic one, but mostly horror and melodrama. There's a somewhat "controversial" scene involving a ventilation duct (according to some reviews I read about it, but it doesn't involve anything horrible). If you're squeamish about this genre, but can still tough it out, I'd suggest you read this fic *early* in the evening, as opposed to...
..."The Torture of Chalkdust", which is as light-hearted and funny as "The Stone" is dark. Yes, it involves a bit of chalk, but a lot of summer-type of heat, and illusions. At first, I had to re-read some of this fic to gather what was what, but then I understood the goings on. It could also pass as canon on the show.
"The Song that Jane Likes" is exactly what sam writes about this fic on his website (www.cosmic-hippo.org/fiction.html): "Yet another post-IIFY Jane fic." That is, Jane's attempt to recover from the events of "Fire!", "D!D!MD!", and "IIFY?", by getting a new boyfriend. Wait 'till you read what she gets involved in to get him. Dave Wylie is here as well, with more of his relationship(?) with this "Q" girl.
"The Space Between", a 'shipper and canon fic, is perhaps (to me) one of the most wittiest and thorough examinations of the Daria/Tom dynamic out there. It's a very well-thought out one, with strong Season Five overtones (Think how Daria's been mostly in her relationship with Tom here. Does the phrase "emotional see-saw" register?). Sam also features "Q" with a strong dose of Elsie in this fic. I like how sam relates Elsie with her brother, one of a handful of authors who've explored this angle (alchemist and Thomas come immediately to mind), since the show's writers left us utterly clueless as to who Elsie could've been had she starred in an ep or two.
Overall, sam is a good writer who presents a varied but through picture of Daria, and other characters as well. Oh, and he seems to have a good knowledge of how computers work in his posts. ;D What do YOU (and the writer himself) think? Thanks.