I just found this very intense thread today. Sheila and Nan explain clearly some of my feelings, too.

<<So… has ANYONE? actually moved from one camp to the other?>>

Yes, I'd say that when I was young, I did enjoy deathfics, and my analysis of the reason is that I had not had enough life experience to know those feelings on a personal level. I no longer enjoy a "cathartic" feeling from such themes, in fact I shy from them entirely. Why choose to read more about sadness and loss when life's got plenty?

LaurieD