In Memory of Oshun

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was all rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise. In Memory of Oshun.

We are deeply saddened to inform our members and friends that Oshun passed away on September 6 after a long illness.

There are few people who shaped the SWG—indeed, the Silmarillion fandom—the way that Oshun did. As well as being one of our earliest members, her work on the Character of the Month series actualized our hopes of making the site not just a home for fanworks but for resources for Tolkien fans both experienced with and new to The Silmarillion. After taking on the project, within a few months, Oshun had transformed it from "a few paragraphs about a character" to monthly, scholarship-level essays, many of which won awards and all of which have guided Silmarillion readers and fanworks creators through to a better understanding of the characters of that text.

Equally brilliant were her stories, which were romantic, funny, and political and helped cement Maedhros/Fingon as one of the fandom's flagship pairings. Oshun unabashedly wrote slash at a time when it was unpopular (even dangerous) to do so in some fandom circles. She was one of many courageous writers who helped pull acceptance of LGBTQ+ folks into the mainstream in the Tolkien fandom.

But most of all, Oshun was a friend to so many of us. As people remember her, what keeps emerging is how kind, welcoming, and generous she was. Because of her prolific and impactful work as a writer, many people describe being star-struck by her but quickly discovering how warm and humble she was, eager to share fanworks and life with fellow fans. Her love for her family, her adventures as a journalist in Mexico City, and her vivid photographs of life in New York City were beloved by many, right alongside her fanworks.

For anyone who wishes to help her family with funeral and other expenses, we have set up a GoFundMe here. If you want to help spread the word, there is a Tumblr post here.

Oshun's obituary can be read here.

Posted on 5 September 2024 (updated 13 September 2024) by SWG Moderators

I am so very very sad to hear this news. Oshun was a titan in fafic, one of THOSE writers whose works inspired and entertained and educated. Her works opened the way to a more tolerant and inclusive fandom and as you say in your piece above, she was write about love between characters when it was frowned upon and banned on many sites. Work like hers made it acceptable and opened up the fandoms 'other' kinds of love. I remember when you had to write Slash as a warning. Now you wouldn't dream of it. Writers like Oshun did that for us. But also she encouraged other writers and was an appreciative reader. Her kindness was always evident in reviews, her enjoyment of others' work and her generosity. I was shocked to hear the news becasue her name is immense in the fandom. I know you will convey to her famly just how influential she was- they may not realise but I love her works and those will live on. Ziggy.  

I just found out this morning about the death of Oshun. She was a remarkable woman, dear friend, a talented and most generous writer, and one of the pillars of the SWG. May she rest in peace...