Reports of my demise may be somewhat exaggerated · 4:28pm Jul 31st, 2014
Hi there, folks!
So, uh, despite appearances, I'm not actually dead. Shocking, I know, given my rather long absence, but true nonetheless. I've actually been kind of avoiding logging in, because I'm more than slightly ashamed at the fact that I haven't yet produced the followup to Outside the Reaching Sky that I'd promised waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when.
There's a load of excuses for that. I was in a gaming group for quite a while and I was devoting a lot of my creative energy to that. Heh, my character sheet was a Google document that was over a hundred and fifty pages long and nearly a hundred thousand words. (RPGs: SRS BSNS) But I have been working on it, off and on. The problem is, it's kind of intimidating; Reaching Sky was pretty well received, and I can actually bear to read it, which makes it kind of a hard bar to clear, and I often get discouraged by my own expectations and wind up working on something else.
Bleh. I typed up a bunch of apologetic stuff just now and deleted it, because it was whiny. The essence of what I was typing was that while I am still working on it, I don't have an ETA. It might never be done.Then again, I might get hit by a bolt like I did with Reaching Sky and have it done in a few months. I wouldn't count on the latter, though. Sorry if this disappoints anyone.
Great to hear it, I really enjoyed your stories. An update is better then silence, and I think most people understand that writing is tough. Take all the time you need (but not too much :p)
OtRS is among my top 5 favorite stories on this site. On my favorite stories page I have it listed right next to Past Sins, Harmony Theory, and The Best Night Ever.
You have no idea how cool it is to hear you are still planning the sequel, even tentatively.
You're alive!
Well it is kind of like the song,
except you have to find the story in you.
Yaaaaaaaay!
Actually, as much as I adored Chitin/Reaching Sky (it's in my set of fanfic recommendations that I give to people who are dubious about the entire concept of fanfic to prove to them that there's real literature to be found in the genre), I didn't know that you were explicitly planning a third story - I just sort of vaguely hoped to see one someday. I occasionally would check your "last updated" date and just sigh wistfully in a generic sense, thinking that a fine author had lost interest in MLP altogether and gone on to something else without leaving a forwarding address. So feel no sense of obligation or broken promises or anything like that. I'm just glad to hear that you're still around. :)
Hell, I'm just pleasantly surprised to know you're even working on a sequel, even one that may never get done.
.....Time to reread Outside The Reaching Sky.
Any sequel you do to Reaching Sky will necessarily deal with very different issues (how ponies become a part of the galactic milieu.) I pretty much exclusively see them explored in crossovers with stories like Mass Effect, and this universe is a lot more freeform, so you have a lot more room to experiment. In other words, you have no obligation to write something as good as your last story! So long as you don't retread old ground and go in circles, you'll still have created something valuable.
Cool, I'm looking forward to reading it if you end up publishing it.
I really like all of the stories that you've published here, is there any other place that you publish non pony fiction that you would care to share?
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I think I had, like, one story on fanfiction.net that was a Star Wars story. I don't publish most of what I do, just throw it away when it's done.
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Yup, it'll be very different from Reaching Sky. I'm actually planning on something dealing with trying to figure out who was behind the Siege, which may be beyond my skills. We'll see.
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Did that myself recently; it's about the only thing I've ever written that I'm willing to reread.
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Hopefully it will get done, but I can't make any promises.
Thank you.
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Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy my work!
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I'm certainly going to try!
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Sorry, I just don't want to get anyone's hopes up in case I find my reach exceeding my grasp.
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Why, thank you. I'm delighted you enjoyed it!
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I am sorry about the silence; I'd had surgery a while back which took me kind of away for a bit, and when I got back I was a bit ashamed of having been silent and not produced what I'd sort of promised, so I wound up just kind of... staying silent. I'll try not to do that again.
Chitin and Outside the Reaching Sky were amongst the first fanfictions I ever read, and I was almost awestruck by them.
They're still amongst the very best stories (including published novels) I've ever read.
When I saw the blog post, it kinda jammed my brain for a bit. I recognized the user picture and that it was important but I just couldn't make the connection until coming to a "holy shit" realization.
Glad to see you're back to any degree. While I wasn't expecting a sequel at any point (even before 'ya 'dun went and disappeared) the idea that it might be possible at all, all but made me pass out on top of pre-Bronycon jitters.
Edit: Now I'm gonna have to re-read those stories again, just 'cause of how long it's been.
OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh! You're alive! Happy day!
I just want to say that Outside the Reaching Sky is probably my favorite poni story ever! If you do end up writing a sequel to OTRS you would please me to no end! 
Buuut...if you decide that its not in the cards for a sequel then i would be ok with that. 
Either way WELCOME BACK WOO!
2332152 We love you.
:Karazor blog post appears:
...Who was this guy ag...
:memory click:
Just want to say, OTRS is probably one of the best stories I've read on this site. As far as other fan fics are concerned, I'd rank it next to FO:E, or Past Sins, which I already rank above many published works. Not only was it well presented, the world-building was some of the best I've seen anywhere, and the last few chapters were some of the most emotional writing I've encountered in my days.
As for sequels, I'd have to say you can do no wrong. Even if a sequel doesn't match the original, that's a step down that would still be above 90% of the stories on this site, what with the world you've set up. I want to hear more about Twilight and her friends dealing with interstellar politics. I want to see the fallout from the events of OTRS. I want to see what happens to Admiral Peters, I want to know more about the Tazaft, I want to see how (or if) the council reacts to the discovering of parallel universes (thought I could easily believe it if Equestria kept silent about that), I want to see more of the veteran mane 6.
You made an amazing world in that story. You don't need to worry about surpassing it, although if past performance is any indication, you probably will.
Honestly, Outside Reaching Sky was everything I ever wanted in a high tech future fic: Badass ponies, the rest of the mane 6 not dead due to the cruel ravages of time, and not so grimdark it's depressing.
Whatever you put out I'm sure I'll enjoy.
Cool. Very glad to hear that you're still with us. As for the story, personally I say don't worry about it. Don't get me wrong - it's a great story, and I'd love to see what comes next. But you also wrapped it up on a good note; I'm already satisfied with the engrossing tale we have.
So follow your muse, and don't worry about where it leads. If we eventually end up with a sequel, great, but I'm sure any and all points in between will also be wonderful.
Good to hear you are still ok.
Don’t sweat it if your muse isn’t cooperative on a sequel. The story is already one of the best on this site. And indeed one of the best I have ever read.
Not that I wouldn’t absolutely love to see a sequel, or indeed any other story from you.
Wow, I had given up hope that you would ever come back. I appreciate that you're being frank about the story, and about how it might never actually get done; but hey, if TwilightSnarkle could pull it off, so can you!
He's alive!
Here's hoping.
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I'm delighted you enjoyed them.
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I'm going to try, but I've been trying for a while now, to be honest.
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Aw, thanks. I love y'all too.
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I'm definitely intending to do more exploration of the Council, both their internal workings and how ponykind interacts with them. The Tazaft too, though there's a bunch of Council races you haven't seen yet that I want to get into the story.
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Thank you, I'm pleased that you liked it!
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*nod* Good advice, and something I'm planning on following. Part of why it's taking so long is that I don't want to force it and wind up with garbage!
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Aw, thank you. I'll try not to disappoint!
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Yeah, I'm trying not to make promises I can't deliver on.
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Like I said, I'm gonna try!
And thank you to everyone; I'm a little overwhelmed and sincerely flattered by the level of response I've gotten from this blog post.
Well, that's the thing with fanfiction. Take too long and you might lose readers to other interests, but too fast and your readers will complain about the quality.
I'm sure you can find a nice medium when your muse hits.
Also, one thing us commentators like to do is pick at a story. We can't give feedback if there isn't anything to give feedback on.
Meh, don't worry about it. Writing should be fun, as should be everything else in the fandom. One other thing thats fun though is compleating something and sitting back while everyone else oogles ate the amazing stuff that is done. Reguardless, try to have fun
Just know that if you do publish something, I _will_ like it. I have low standards when it comes to pony scifi.
Cheers
I have reader's block on Reaching Sky.
Both Dread Chitin and Foul Light are among my favorite stories, but I am having trouble just sitting down and reading Reaching Sky.
I guess it's just a mood thing.
Oh well. Even if you're not guaranteeing anything, it's nice to have you back. Some decent stories for you to read around here too if you haven't been.
Time for a celebration!
[youtube=0i3Aa9NlxCk]
Don't worry, nothing matters because your back.
Nice to see you back, and good to hear your plans for the future! Though, I'm still hoping for a sequel or something to a Foul Light Shines, which is still one of my two favorite Warhammer Crossovers. :P
My favorite author returns! Now I don't have to stalk you on other forums anymore!
Good to have you back! Be it writing or otherwise.
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I've been either distracted or writing other stuff lately, though at the moment I'm working on catching up to the developments in the BattleTech setting. (Which frequently involves me sitting here with my mouth open and my brain going what did you do?!
)
*nod* Know how that goes, though for what it's worth, I think Reaching Sky is the best thing I've written by a considerable margin.
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I pretty much have to be in the right mood to write, which is part of why I write so slow.
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Haven't had any brainstorms for a Foul Light followup, but you never know!
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Aw, thank you!
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Hahahahaha, Spacebattles, right?
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I love how they worked the original C&C installer into that. Great moment for those who'd played the original.
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Thank you!
Well, being able to read your stories are a privilege, not a right. Besides, we can understand if other things get in the way of writing and the three you've got up are fantastic enough, so while it may be saddening, the possibility of the story never being completed will not be too much of an issue.
Still, I was unaware you said you'd make a followup and the news is music to my ears. Er… beauty to my eyes. Whatever. I wish you luck in writing it.
And welcome back, you magnificent bastard
.
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Aw, thank you. I really do hope to have it done someday!
Can we have a progress report?
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He went an disappeared again, as he figures out what to do.
It's been close to a year now... Should we give up hope?
I just decided to reread the stories again. Well if you are reading this I am just another fan still holding out some hope. Good luck.
I did say somewhat exaggerated.
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You write good horse words. Whenever you come back, I think a lot of people will be happy about it. Like me.
At least this post gives me hope that your current year of absense from this site might just be from you intentionally not logging on, instead of your death or something. Well, hopefully.
So, how's it going?
:)