State of the Author: Sequel-ish Sundries and Diamond Grades · 6:50pm Oct 10th, 2014

I think it was inevitable I'd eventually write additional material for The Last Human. Well before the midpoint of the story, I realized my worldbuilding had gotten out of my control and the story was outgrowing its Last Unicorn framework. There are many side stories that I'd be remiss not to tell somewhere at some point. I expected to write it, though I didn't think I'd write it so soon. Stories take place before, during, and after Last Human.

Thus, come September, I found myself in the beginnings of drafting a story about Ashling (who you'll remember from the last two chapters) because

A) I need to wrap up some loose ends. Namely what happened to Forget-Me-Not, the flutterpony.

B) Worldbuilding for witches is fun and fascinating. The question of how a witch— who are fully and proudly on the opposite side of good—functions in the magical ecology of the world ended up being a question I wanted to answer.

C) Ashling seemed to leave a good impression on people. Readers seem to want to read more or her

D) But most of all the little wretched witch wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried ten times to start on the fic I wanted to start and she wouldn’t let me so now here I am writing about this awful little girl and her awful adventures with this awful sword and generally being awful. Ashling is the worst and needs to let me live my life.

(However, in drafting this story it made me wonder I should write Star Swirl's further adventures in their own separate story. It would work better that way and stand on its own with its own audience. What complicates this are a few stories where he again encounters humans (or witches) and I have no idea where I'd put those. Probably with the Last Human collection.)

Expect it to go live in early November/late October.

PS: Ashling's story has a title, but the side-story collection does not. I'm open to suggestions.
PPS: Said collection will not be on a schedule and will update sporadically. Just warning you.

In November:
I'm starting (hopefully shorter) multichapter fic: Winner's Circle. A story about Diamond Tiara, cutie marks, and pageants. And Apple Bloom.
I've wanted to write a good story about Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon since before FiM season one ended. Diamond Tiara especially. She's a character who's rarely explored in the canon (understandable, most side characters aren't) or in the fandom (which is slightly more surprising) despite being arguably the only reoccurring villain in the show.
The only thing I've written (and published) regular old FiM canon was Moon and Thtarth so the whole thing's new and exciting to me.

Until next time, dear readers, I leave you with this corgi