100 likes for Feathered Hearts: Eros! · 6:23pm Aug 27th, 2021
Not a bad showing for a story that breaks the rules of most successful Fimfiction clopfics, for a) not being about the Mane 6, b) not involving ponies, and c) not being a second-person, anon-based futa or anthro fic; never mind the fact that I was borrowing another author’s story and characters for its basis. Then again, I already did that in Five Star Service and The Lawyer and The Unicorn, which were also quite successful over time, so that’s a good or bad habit of mine depending on your point of view.
For the record, folks, if I wanted to just churn out generic one-shots along the lines of what seems to make for popular stories, I could and probably would end up being much more popular an author than I am. I certainly enjoy anthro, having written a self-published M-rated novel. And I’ve done more than my share of futa at this point, as readers of my Unleash the Magic series can certainly attest.
But writing generic one-shots is not who I am as an author. I like writing stories that are epic and deep, and even when I tried to write straight clop, plot, worldbuilding and character development seem to automatically sneak in. I understand perfectly well that not everybody goes for this. So I’d give to give big thank-you to everyone who does and follows me. Your patronage is appreciated.
With regards to the last chapter release, I was very happy with the new likes it garnered--five since it came out. I was also a little frustrated with the initial lack of feedback, though more came late, for which I’m very grateful. I also made an editing mistake on the initial release of it, forgetting to properly format the song selections with my usual method. If you haven’t seen it since I fixed it, here’s what it was supposed to look like:
“Best… night… ever!” Chris proclaimed as Marco reached over to his laptop and on a whim, started one of his erotic mixes playing, which he’d last used on Tara a year earlier.
But it didn’t quite have the effect he hoped for. “And just what is this dweebiness?” Gilda groused from beside Tara. “Sounds like something I’d hear from a second-rate singer in a Las Pegasus lounge!”
“I must concur, Marco Lakan.” Giraldi told him apologetically. “That may do for ponies, but not for griffons.”
“Yeah, wrong mix, Marco,” Tara told him as she reached down to exchange a kiss with Gilda; their tongues dancing together deliciously for a moment. “You know by now these birds love battle, so anything you play should be based on that!”
“Okay, okay!” Marco grumbled slightly, throwing up his hands. “As it happens, I do have a few epic battle mixes I use when I need a little motivation. So let’s see… how about this, Gilds?”
“Much better,” Gilda granted, bobbing her head slightly as the beat began to take hold. “I guess you have some redeeming qualities, Marco Lakan.”
As AJ_Aficionado said in his latest comment--and thanks for the two old-school longposts, AJA!--yes, I was being a bit meta here. I made the initial music selection, but then realized that there’s no way in hell the griffies would go for that. So I changed it and incorporated my own thought process as to how they’d respond to the initial choice directly into the story.
As for when this continues... not right away, sorry. 
AJA and I have to get the next Firefly chapter out in time for its 4-year anniversary of September 1st, and I’m also working on a new chapter edit from the original Feathered Heart. And after that, I’ve let Unleash the Magic languish for too long, especially Nightmare Night. That will hit its anniversary on Halloween, and I’d like get this thing at least to its climax. But that will require work on both Midnight Rising and Nightmare Night, as it’s absolutely no secret at this point that the latter will end with a newly-freed Midnight facing off against pony-Twi’s equally powerful and sex-crazed alter ego, Eclipse.
So be patient, folks. The story will continue, and Marco will get everything that’s coming to him and then some. And for those of you who follow both the side and main story (which I assume is most of you if you’re seeing this blog), Marco’s missing laptop--and the video of the proceedings he took on it--will eventually be recovered. So they will learn what happened that night at story’s end. And after that...?
Well. That might end up being a bonus chapter in Eros!
Few would be so foolish to accuse you of playing to the crowd. Even fewer could claim to put as much originality and effort into your works. Congrats on 100 well-deserved likes!