Nothing Left To Say But Goodbye

Thanks For The Memories

The Wenches are in mourning. Sort of. This is a bittersweet moment for all of us. While we were devastated to hear that our home away from home, Sookieverseblog, was going to be closing up shop now that the book series that brought us together has ended, it became all too real when our favorite mods announced the forum was closing on the 15th. 


We're fine... really.


The forum where we first got to know each other.



Where we fangirled over everything from books, to tv shows to Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd. 



Where we cried tears of happiness, sadness, disappointment together. 



We squeed with excitement and anticipation together. 



Moaned about it when our hopes were crushed. Wondered what the f*** some writers were smoking when they were writing what they had. 



Shipped the same couples. With all our hearts!



Freaked the f*** out while trying to calm each other down.



Shared all the shocking twists and turns our little stories brought us.



We stuck together in the face of all the craziness that wasn't OUR brand of (awesome) nuts. 



Talked about our real lives interfering with our MUCH more interesting online ones. We shared it all. From the small, day-to-day, mundane stuff, to the monumental "keep your fingers crossed for me" stuff. Is there any topic we left not discussed? We could count on each other for comfort when a favorite fictional character wasn't behaving the way we wanted them to. We reread and analyzed everything together.



We always had more than one shoulder to cry on, many who shared our woes when it came to the characters we all loved. We laughed together. We cried together. And as it all comes to an end, we rode the wave of supreme disappointment it brought with it together. 




It's no secret how we met, and what the ending of the Sookie Stackhouse books meant to us. And how absolutely betrayed and disappointed we felt with the ending (initial reactions here, review here, and post-drama post here.) But more than anything, outside of the books, it's the end of an era for us. In the face of everything, the books hardly matter. We found a world much more beautiful and accepting than the one we were reading. We forged friendships that will last a lifetime. We found minds that work like ours. Hearts that yearn for the same things. People who see the world in the same way. And that, in itself, is something we would all read the books, crappy ending and all, ALL over again for. Some things are worth suffering for. And we found that at Sookieverseblog. 

So here's to the people who brought us together, a thank you for everything from each of us. For a place we came to call home, where we felt like we could be ourselves, a safe haven in the crazy world of Internet trolls. And where we found each other. Thank you. You are amazing.


Standing ovation from the Wenches.



Barb:

Thank you so much for...well, just for everything. It's not melodramatic to say that the day I stumbled into your place my life changed. You created a place that was safe and embracing, where I felt more myself than anywhere in my real life. Where people are every bit as honest, and foul-mouthed, and encouraging, and critical-thinking, as I am, where I found the most amazing literature of my adult life, where I found my soul sister and a group of friends who I adore beyond measure. CH may have introduced us, but you nurtured and protected us, raged and celebrated with us. These books may have been the reason that you started your blog, but it is so much more than that. You created an AMAZING thing and I can't thank you enough!


Angela:

SVB has had an amazing impact on me. Thank you, SVB, for creating such a fantastic blog and forum that allowed me to interact with so many like-minded people. The friends I have made via the forum I truly treasure, and many of them have become a part of my everyday life. Without SVB that would never have happened. Thank you for the memories.

Merit:

The SVB blog, apart from being amazing, was my first glimpse into this kind of thing. I knew nothing about the blog world, never knew it was there. I found the site by googling True Blood after watching the first 2 seasons. SVB stood out among all the other sites I read online, and I lurked there for a few months, until I felt secure enough to join it. It was a real pleasure to find clever, witty minds with whom I could share my love for books and all. SVB, its wonderful moderators, and especially its founder, Tina the great...and you my friends...opened a new horizon for me, completely new!!! And I am so grateful for it. I had the best time there, worked my mind, found new books, and met all these wonderful Wenches. A huge thank you to Tina and to all of you around there.



Shau:

All I can say is a BIG THANK YOU to SVB because I got to meet wonderful women from all over the world! The books ended poorly, but the blog will always be the most wonderful feature of the SVM fandom.





Natalie:

This is a Sad day! It was because of this wonderful forum that I met a lot of my sisters in books! You were the first book home I had...and you won't be the last. Thank you, my friends.

Anne:

First of all, I have to start with the biggest thank you of my life to Tina and all of the other mods over the years for maintaining such a wonderful site. True Blood/the SVM was the first fandom I was really involved with. You guys gave me such a great place to start, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Through the forum, I was also introduced to scores of new books, both UF and not. My TBR list is now miles longer, thanks in part to the forum and its members.

Most importantly, SVB introduced me to the most amazing group of women a girl could ever hope to meet. First through the forum, and then on Facebook, and now (for some of them anyway) in real life, these ladies have become some of my closest friends. Without SVB and the forum, I would never have met them, and my life would not be as enriched as it is now.

So thank you, Sookieverseblog, from the bottom of my heart, for introducing me to fandom life and, more importantly, for bringing these amazing friends into my life. I will be eternally grateful to you. You will be greatly missed.



Donna:

Through the Sookieverseblog, I met so many wonderful friends. I spent many hours reading the intelligent, thought-provoking, sometimes humorous posts of both the moderators and members. I would like to thank SVB for her love and dedication to the blog. I have humongous respect and admiration for her. Thanks also to Serena, VikingLover, krtmd, and MASpencer for all their contributions. (I've spewed so much coffee over my poor keyboard!) It's been a pleasure, ladies. I hope our paths cross again.



Amanda:

I want to thank Sookieverseblog from the bottom of my heart. When I was crazy obsessed with SSN, they were there for me to make me laugh or let me rant. I found so many friends there, and I will be thankful to Sookieverseblog for the rest of my days for everything and each and every friend that they brought into my life.



Beta:

The fact that the site will be taken down soon is way sadder than saying goodbye to Eric (& the old Sookie). If it wasn't for SVB I wouldn't have gotten to know so many amazing women out there all over the world, and I want to thank you for that and for all the awesome posts and discussions that you guys wrote.

Veronica:

SVB indulged my desire to analyze everything to death, steered me to the best Skarsporn (I've got to rescue my avatar!), and introduced me to so many places beyond Bon Temps (Dublin, Caldwell, and the Impala to name a few). SVB was the most supportive and welcoming online environment I've had the pleasure of being part of, and that was all due to the admins and the wonderful people who were part of it. I can honestly say my life is better today because of SVB, and I wouldn't trade the friends I've made there for a thing. SVB will always be the best part of my Bon Temps ride.

Kat:

SVB was a home away from home for me, and I discovered it at the perfect time. Right at the beginning of my obsession with the SVM, True Blood, and Eric Northman (hello, Sunday Skarsporn!!) I found myself logging on every day to laugh and cry with an insanely awesome, smart, wickedly funny, brilliant, and friendly bunch of women. I've made some lifelong friends because of SVB and I will forever be grateful. No matter what the next obsession is for me, I truly don't think that anything will ever compare to the home SVB created for all of us. I will never ever forget it, and I will always smile and recall some great times and conversations whenever I think of SVB. Thank you for everything!!

Gloriously mad.
Zee:

It does make me sad to see SVB come to an end. Where I found people just as "mad" and "rabid" as I was. It is a great thing to be sitting at home alone in front of a laptop screen and yet feel so "not alone." Feel connected to people oceans away. Tina created and maintained a true online Utopia there at SVB, and no online fandom will ever compare. So I will just thank you for giving us the most wonderful world online, with the most wonderful people. No matter what, we've always had each other's backs, and I've loved the solidarity, the sisterhood. You did a wonderful and rare thing. So thank you. Nothing will ever take that away.

Kathi:

The SVB has enriched my life immeasurably by widening my horizons—connecting me with wonderful people from around the world, steering me to new genres and books I would never have found on my own, and enhancing my enjoyment of every single new discovery. The posts were award-worthy (why don’t we have blog post awards?), sharp, smart, and funny as hell. (I had that same problem Donna did with spitting drinks out on the keyboard.) The company was divine. Thank you so much for all your hard work. I mean it, I know it was very hard work, but you always made it look like fun! I will never forget the great times and talks we’ve shared, and I hope we all continue to visit each other on the interwebs.




So, in conclusion, just a HUGE thank you to Tina, Serena, VikingLover, krtmd, and MASpencer. You brought people from all over the globe together. You laughed with us, cried with us, inspired us, and were one of us. We would do it all over again, thanks to you. It truly was epic. 


I think we all know what we need to do now, to cheer ourselves up. (For old time's sake!)





* all gifs from tumblr.

Comments

  1. That was beautiful.

    *sniff* *sniff*

    Don't freak out. How many times did I see that phrase at SVB? I think I need to see it now.

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    1. I know Veronica :( I could ALWAYS count on finding some form of comfort there... always. Even if shit hit the fan (ahem ahem..recent events)... it helped. Sigh.

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  2. Ok so now you made me break down and cry! (((HUGS))) and thank you to everyone at SVB who made a wild ride a whole lot sweeter xxxx

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    1. *hugs* Kits! I cried too while writing this :( but yes, I really want to thank each and every one of you. You are ALL amazing!

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  3. Well F*CK, you guys. (Am I allowed to swear here...I don't know lol).

    You don't know how much it means to me to know that what started as a little blog for me to keep my musings ended up meaning so much, to so many.

    I can honestly say that the years spent running SVB were the most fun I've ever had online, and like you all I've made some wonderful friends. It really is so much bigger than those books, and I will always be so grateful that so many like minded souls found their way home to share this ride with me.

    Thank you so much, and thank you for this post which MADE ME FCKING CRY. :P xx

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    1. We've made you curse and cry...our job is done. LOL

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    2. Of course you can curse! Some of us are incredibly foul--and we like it that way. :-)

      I am so glad that we made you cry, hopefully in a really good way. It's been life-changing, SVB, and we're all crying today.

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    3. I think I keep some kind of lurker-wench status, I dunno. Not *officially* a wench, but still hanging in the same circles. However, I want to echo what everyone else said. I'm actually genuinely sad the blog will be coming down (I can't TELL you how many push-ups Sunday Skarsporn got me through!), even if I wasn't the most prolific poster. Also, I still laugh knowing I had to ask to join twice - because who the HELL would be joining up there without a SVM-themed username!?! XD

      So many memories shared, so many good books shared, so many theories, rants, raves, joys and sorrows... And it truly is the end of an era. I'm so glad I had the chance to know you (and to know that our circles intersect in several places - books, childbirth, and genital integrity FTW!), as well as to meet a great many of the women I now call my friends.

      Just to drive it home even more, I live in a "foreign" country - I moved here a decade ago. I have, at this point, exactly one friend who does not live in my house. I can't express how thankful I am for the friends I've made that live in my computer, and the ones I am lucky enough to visit every now and again. Thank you, SVB, for making a home for lost and wayward Eric Lovers - the people who read the words on the page and took them for what they were worth. I agree with Anne 100% - the day (okay, middle of the night, just after finishing DTTW) I stumbled into your domain truly did change my life, and for that, I cannot thank you enough. <3

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    4. The blog was awesome SVB!! I'm sorry it's closing but I understand why. I loved it there and I'm glad I found a place like that. ;)

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    5. Fuck yeah you're allowed to swear! :)

      I honestly don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough for everything Sookieverseblog meant to me. And the people it brought into my life. But I did try to put it into words in this post.

      And I am sorry I made you cry ;) but once again, we're all in this together. And honestly, I wouldn't give up a single second of being a part of SVblog for anything in the world.

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  4. Ugh, uguise!!!! I can't! I don't know what to say!!

    I'm glad we could have a vibrant internet home there for awhile and that everyone enjoyed it so much. The forum meant a lot to me personally as you probably could have guessed, I'm happy you guys could come together for other interests too. IT IS A TIME IN INTERNET HISTORY THAT WILL BE UNRIVALED.

    And at least we'll always have our Holy A.S.S. laminated placemats. ;)

    Much lub. <3

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    1. Serena! Great to see you here! And it most definitely will be a time in internet history that will be unrivaled!

      We'll miss you guys!

      (But we will be keeping up with your GoT blog, Kissed By Fire!)

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  5. What can I say really, when you've said how I feel in this post. So much of what made SVB so special were the people who built a community there - and you Saucy Wenches were a big part of that. I had the best time - laughing and crying and raging and then laughing some more. Thanks to you all for being a part of the fun!

    Much love.

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    1. Thanks krtmd :*

      and I totally agree that the people were the ones who made it so special. I really hope we get to see more of you here too :)

      x0x0

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  6. I hope all of the SVB'ers pop in to say hi once in a while. In some ways, we've gotten to know each other much better than a lot of the people we actually know in RL. Funny how that happens...

    Much love to all. <3

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  7. Oh wow. Just wow.

    SVB was my first experience with fandom of any kind. (And probably my last, too. HOO BOY DID I LEARN THAT LESSON THE HARD WAY.)

    But I'll tell you what: I never in a million years could have predicted how much fun I would have. How many wonderful people I would "meet." And how many incredible friendships I would make... all of which I expect to last as long as the internet continues to exist.

    I'll miss this fandom LIKE WHOA. Really, I will. You're all fabulous as hell. Every last one of you. <3

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    1. I've joined a lot of fandoms since TB/SVM (cause I'm apparently just not smart enough to know when to quit, lol) and I've never run across anyone who's reviews I love more than yours back in the day, MAS! <3 - VPG

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    2. I really was a lot of fun!! And your reviews were amazing!!

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    3. MASpencer, I just want to say, your reviews are what first got me out of lurker mode into comment and participate mode. So you have a very special place in my heart :) thank you so so much. For all the humor and insight :)

      And, I want to say, I am honored that you commented on a post of mine!

      I'll miss the fandom and you guys a whole lot too.

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    4. Awwww, you guys. <3

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    5. LOL...it would seem I can't spell. What I wanted to write was that it was a lot of fun, and not I was a lot of fun! LOL is me :D :D

      Hope you visit our blog MASpencer!

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    6. MAS I have to say too. Your reviews were funny, insightful and just plain fantastic.

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  8. This post summed up our feelings perfectly. SVB was a fantastic place and this made me want to cry. I had so many good times there and found wonderful friends. To Tina, Serena, krtmd and MASpencer. Thank you so much for the memories.

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  9. I am legitimately crying right now because of this post and these comments. God, it seems like so long ago that I stumbled across SVB, long before there was even a forum available there, and found my very first internet home. I may have left that fandom behind me (and thank goodness for that with the way those books went and that show--urgh!), but SVB and all of the ladies (and gentlemen! We had a few of those there too!) from there will ALWAYS hold such a special place in my heart.
    Thank you SVB, Serena, krtmd, MASSpencer for all the wonderful times there!
    - VampirePamsGirl (Lisa)

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    1. My very first commenter.
      You will always hold a special place in my heart, Lisa xx

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    2. Aww <3 *hugs* Lisa. And I did not know that Lisa was your very first commenter SVB... that makes me teary :')

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    3. SVB, you made it happen again! Tears in my eyes! <3 <3 <3

      Being the first commenter at your blog is an accolade that I will always be proud of having!

      -Lisa

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  10. This post made me ugly cry. It's all true and I still love SSN for all the reasons you mentioned, crappy ending and bad book and all. I will always thank SVB for the great fiends I've made thanks to that place, the best books and TV shows. My most sincere and biggest Thank-You to you guys!

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    1. Completely agree Olga. It puts a lump in your throat that it is over.

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  11. This post was an amazing farewell. SVB will always be my absolute favorite blog! None others have ever come close or ever will. Thanks for all the memories guys. *sniffle*
    DeAnna Schultz

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    1. Thanks DeAnna. And completely agree about SVB being the best blog!

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