Of Side Projects and Phoenixes · 7:32am Feb 18th, 2014
Hail to you, stranger.
I'm sure you've noticed that I've not updated Jericho in an uncharacteristically long time. Why is this? Well, that's because I had a crazy idea and began working on a side project; that is, the writing of a full-length fantasy novel. It hight "Phoenix Fire", and some intrepid readers might recall me speaking thereof a while ago. See, it came into my hands as an idea and a world that I was fascinated by but that never reached the light of the day. Terribly incomplete, yet also with its own world and a history for me to mess with, I accepted stewardship over the world of Phoenix Fire, promising to give it the honor and respect it deserved in the form of a novel written in my tone of voice. It's a light fantasy novel (meaning not as magic-heavy as, say, Dungeons and Dragons) and is told from the point of view of the only character I know how to write, Jericho Amadeus Faust as he crosses the Glasslands and chases a dragon into the east. Have a sample of the work, which is how the story itself actually begins.
Curiosity.
In short, without this most suicidal of feelings, no one would be so stupid as to see a mighty dragon flying eastwards and think, “Hey, I should totally follow that across this ash-and-glass-filled desert, because that makes sense.” But that was all okay, for I’d done stuff like this twice before, and it had only ended in tragedy twice. Of course, I’d never seen a dragon before, but when I saw that silvern behemoth tearing through the skies, spewing flames and roaring so loud it shook the very earth, I knew that I had to follow it.
It's written in the same style wherein I speak in real life.
Now, what does this mean for Jericho the worst story you ever laid eyes upon? Nothing, really. Amacita, my friend and editor, got me to agree that once I finished the first third of the book, I would return to finishing up this part of Jericho. And, after a few weeks of working thereat, I finished successfully the first third of Phoenix Fire, clocking out at just under 30k words. I'm quite proud thereof, but you can expect more Jericho in the coming weeks, because I love you guys, and you're all masochists who continuously read the crap I spew forth.
And remembers kids, don't do drugs. Or I'll find you...
* slowly puts cocaine away*
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Good man...
Ah-ha! I knew it! You have been writing another story! You literary harlot....how could you?!
Just kidding, I'm actually pretty excited to hear (read?) this.
(Especially that bit about you being convinced to continue writing Jericho). 
Just from that little snippet above, I can tell it's going to be every bit as grand, and probaly even better than, Jericho. I look forward to reading it when it's finished....or crumb by crumb, if you decide to torment us with more tantalizing tidbits along the way 'til completion. 
Also, congrats on completing the first third of your next tale.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
oh my gosh
Please, O wondrous creator!
Couldst thou giveth more information as to this Phoenix Fire story? Far as I can tell, it is a non-pony story, but if Jericho is in it, is it the same Jericho? As in, formerly unicorn pony Jericho? any other info?
EDIT: May seem like a dumb question I asked, but I want absolute clarification.
Secondly, it's nice to see someone saving that Phoenix Fire idea, and I can honestly say you'd be the best one for it.
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Well, just because of the style wherein I write, the whole novel is perhaps more like a series of three direct-sequel novellas that count up into one whole novel. This is hopefully to be the first in a decent little series. I intend to at one points have a human Cards (not by that name) also in this story at some point, in a part of the series that takes inspiration from The Odyssey and Eaters of the Dead. Picture the cowboy gunslinger Jericho fighting monsters and raiders alongside 12 vikings to defend Princess!Cards uv Ŝikağën. That's my mental image. Well, minus how his world lacks any supernatural monsters, for the most part, of course. This is hardcore realism mode.
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To be precise, picture Jericho as he was in the werekind world, and that's basically how he is here, although a bit shorter (and more reasonable). He's still Jericho Amadeus Faust, a tribute to the name of Jericho in Jericho, and he's still basically a German cowboy on the wrong side of the world.
In fact, the very intro of Phoenix Fire I shamefully reworked from that of Jericho. Instead of ponyville, he is in the desert town of Mahb, where the women don't wear shirts of bras, but instead paint on upper-clothing, because it's weird. And instead of Lyra offering him a place for the night, it's O'een Offred, a single mother and possible prostitute who thinks Jericho might actually be the messiah figure of her religion, and her adorable daughter is Nenny "little Sena nine-Penny", who dislikes Jericho and is sure that he's evil. Thereafter, there's no true inspirational remnant, since i goes from tea-time with single mother and daughter to dealing with murder body thing that immediately goes to diplomacy with a hostile tribe/state from the West, and it just goes downhill therefrom 'cause this is me who's writing. For example.
Or, when diplomacy does as diplomacy does:
Yes, that is a shout-out line.
But like I said, it's a seriously dark tale in a cool and dark world, as narrated by the man Jericho himself, so you get it with humor.
Hell, I haven't read the last--what was it?-- four chapters of Jericho. I really need to catch up. As for the new story, I'll be overjoyed with it, just as long as he isn't a freakin' human anymore.
EDIT: Just read the above comments...
Fuck.
I for one am very excited for this. Jericho is easily one of the best stories that I've read in a long time. You, sir, a freaking amazing at writing. I've been following Jericho since chapter two, and I've loved every chapter to come out. From what I've read in this, Phoenix Fire is going to be absolutely amazing. Can't wait to read it!
I haven't seen this until today and the only thing I can say is as follows:
I for one, eagerly await this novel. stay frosty my Bekannte.
This sounds awesome.
Where will people be able to read this? Or alternatively how will I buy it and where once it comes out?
To borrow from Stephen King:
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You, I like you.
2021507 Thank you!
It's actually all your fault that I'm reading the Dark Tower books right now, so thank you for giving me a reason not to do more important things!
1849374 That makes me think of a turducken (3 things of awesomeness all combined into one another to make one big awesomeness).
Yay! Adorkableness returns 
(a rose by any other name... 
). Hm...I haven't even heard of "Eaters of the Dead," I'll need to look that up (as well as further into Esperanto..which I only know it as that because of Google Translate >..<). Which thank you for the introduction, it looks interesting so far. 
Hm...silly yet epic lol. 
I could totally see that scene done in a romanticism style painting. 
This is going to have a sort of different feel to it then it sounds like (obvious lack of pastel ponies aside), though with bits of the old intertwined. 
*edit* *doesn't know how to do the fancy name reply thing >..<*
Any updates on the progress you're willing to share?