Tuesday 30 November 2010

FictionAlley Is Kinda Sorta Back!

Well, except for fic submissions/story management. And the front page. But there's good reasons for that; we're still updating some aspects of the site. Fic submissions should be re-opened by Friday, and we're working on a revised front page.

You can get to the rest of the site via these links:

Keep Calm and Carry Wands on etsy

Limited Edition Pin
We have a small stash of pins left over from Infinitus, and they're on sale at our FictionAlley etsy shop through the holidays.
All proceeds from the sale of the "Keep Calm and Carry Wands" pins goes to our "New Year, New Server" Fundraiser; we're trying to raise enough money by the end of December to cover FictionAlley's 2011 hosting fees, which will be about $2300.
Right now, we only have about two dozen pins left, but if they're a big hit, we may do more...

Monday 29 November 2010

We're updating the site!

No, this isn't another bout of unscheduled downtime - we're updating some aspects of FictionAlley tonight instead!

We should be back up and working on November 30. For updates, visit this blog, which you can also find at http://fictionalley.blogspot.com/ or follow us on Twitter or LiveJournal.

Also, since there's seven months to qo before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two in movie theaters, is anyone interested in helping organize a group re-read of each of the seven Harry Potter books, starting in mid-December with one per month, through mid-July? Comment to this post or email us at help@fictionalley.org if you're interested in helping.

Friday 19 November 2010

Fansites Interview Composer Alexandre Desplat

SpellCast and FictionAlley were thrilled to participate in a conference call interview with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows composer Alexandre Desplat. Lena Gabrielle, composer of the fan-created musical production The Final Battle was FA's representative during the conference call; read the transcript here. Audio excerpts are coming soon.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Enter Our Deathly Hallows Contest!

Enter our Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 contest and you might win a Horcrux with a 1GB flash drive, a Ministry of Magic shirt, tattoos, IMAX tickets or one of the other fantastic prizes! Click here for contest rules, and to enter!

What did you think of Deathly Hallows?

Have you seen the film yet? Want to know what others thought? Share your review - or link to it - here, but remember, the thread is 100% full of spoilers.

Monday 15 November 2010

Join Team FictionAlley!

1. FictionAlley seeks Fic Intake Team members. A perfect fit for veteran - and aspiring - tutors from college writing labs, English majors and those who love grammar and Harry Potter. You'll work with other fic intakers to determine whether fics meet FictionAlley's grammar, spelling and Harry Potter requirements, let authors know when things need further editing and seek out fics and essays that you think should be hosted on FA. If you're interested in joining the team, take the quiz or get in touch with the Intake Coordinator at helpwanted@fictionalley.org.

2. Art Advisors - We're looking for artists who write well, to create tutorials on CG coloring, vidding, icon-making, crafts, drawing and painting. If you're interested in working with us in creating one or more of these tutorials, please contact artists@fictionalley.org.


3. Site Traffic Analytics - Will work with site administrators to review site traffic analytics and improve gathering process and results regarding same. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact us at helpwanted@fictionalley.org.

4. Mobile Application Development - will assist programmer in developing, testing and rolling out mobile applications. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact us at helpwanted@fictionalley.org.

5. Submission system update - We really need to update the fic intake and review system, as well as upgrade our vBulletin system for the Park. College credit may be available if you're a student and can get independent study credit for programming and/or design projects. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact us at helpwanted@fictionalley.org.

6. Podcast editor - will work as a member of the podcasting team in creating, editing and transcribing episodes. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact us at spellcast@fictionalley.org.

7. FAQ Maintenance - Will update and maintain the site's FAQ. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact us at helpwanted@fictionalley.org.

8. CafePress Coordinator. Will upgrade, update and create merchandise at FictionAlley's CafePress store. If you're interested in helping with this project, please contact Heidi at heidi@fictionalley.org.

9. FicNifflers - will select 1-2 excellent fics per month for spotlighting in FictionAlley's Niffling forum. Requires being well-read in the HP fandom and being able to compose a review/recommendation of at least a full paragraph with excellent spelling, punctuation, and grammar. If you're interested in being a Niffler, please contact us at help@fictionalley.org.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

The Final Battle Now Online

FictionAlley was a proud sponsor of the fan-created musical The Final Battle at Infinitus back in July; it was composed by Lena Gabrielle, with additional writing by Mallory Vance, and the entire cast, crew and orchestra was comprised of Harry Potter fans. Its debut performance took place after only a few days of rehearsals at Infinitus, and hours of work online beforehand, and is a testament to the vitality and creativity of larger-scale fan projects.

The entire musical is now online at their YouTube channel. Check it out - and stay tuned for a reprise of the show at LeakyCon in July of 2011! If you're planning to attend LeakyCon, you can audition for the cast or apply to join the crew.