1. Yes, I know its been a while. I've had this typed up for a while, but schooling and other things just kept getting in the way of my editing it so that it fits in with the storyline, as it was written before I started posting to FiMFic and writing in sequence. Hopefully breaks like this shouldn't happen anymore. School's almost out and I'm making a firm resolve to start typing more. As always, I love all sorts of criticisms (constructive more than deconstructive) and hope there will be a good amount. So, please - comments on the story are appreciated!

2. I've added the "Dark" tag to this story, after reviewing the latest chapter. It is dark in nature, and by looking at the way I've laid the other chapters out so far, there will be just as dark/darker moments. Not consistently, but enough. Not to mention the brief instances of bloody violence/gore (Twilight's Dream/Bull Run). Let me know what you think of this change, and if any others should be done to the rating/tags.

3. I'm in the process of writing another fic, one that I've actually typed a chapter on. It's a different concept, it's an Albumfic based off this indie group but the story itself is about mountain climbing. Similar to stories about Everest climbs, but not quite the same. Lots of romance, tragedy, action, drama, danger, and frostbite to occur. My usual two pre-readers I find are getting less reliable with getting back to me when I need them to, and I'd like this particular story to be pre-read before I start posting. If anyone's interested, either comment on the blog post or shoot me a PM. Greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

American Tuesday

Yeah, I know, it's been like two weeks since an update. I feel terrible, and I apologize. The end of school is coming near, I've got a speech to write, finals to study for, and my stuff I do regularly at my house, too. Lately, I just haven't had the time or the willpower to write 2.2. But, I don't give up on a story this easily. Especially this one, which I have many good plans for. Expect an update...to be honest, I don't know when. Before the end of May, definitely.

Again, I apologize. Thank you to whoever is still hanging on.

Cheers,

Tuesday

I LIED!!

There is no intermission story.

There won't be an update Wednesday or Thursday.

I know, I know...you're probably pretty ticked. I hope that having the new update NOW instead of two days from now is enough compensation.

Looking forward to a great Act 2!

Cheers,

American Tuesday

So, yes, I've chosen to take a bit of a break between Acts. Gotta lot of stuff on my plate and I want to have things kinda organized going into this next one. It's gonna be a bit of a doozy.

There may be more work put out tonight or tomorrow - if I do, it is NOT part of the second Act, and will be labeled as such. It'd be just a brief "Intermission" as I'd call it - a short update that takes place between the end of Act I (July, 1861) and the beginning of Act II (March, 1862). It wouldn't help the plot at all, but would be a short, comic relief aside just to keep the people busy with reading and to quench my lately-happening Northern Aggression thirst. You'll all see if and when it is put out.

Expect the break to end either next Wednesday or Thursday (U.S. East Coast Time, for everybody reading on the other side of the International Date Line). On that day ,the first update of Act II will be posted.

Cheers,

AT

Okay, I have to throw this one out there, especially because she's so damn awesome. Currently, she is fighting for my number one pony spot, which has been teetering between her and best pony Twilight Sparkle. That may change, soon, of course. But, I digress...

Happy Birthday to Ponyville's Premier Party Pony, Pinkie Pie!

Well, that's that. Act I is finally complete. After about a half hour of eating, derpin' around, and figuring out what song I'd have on loop while I typed, I've typed out 1.9. And with it, I've completed what I estimate to be about 25% of Northern Aggression. (The song was "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - I needed an epic guitar solo for this ridiculousness, though right now I'm listening to "I'm Tickled Pink" by Jack Shaindlin (I'm a Fallout 3 guy)).

So, I will now demand from my readers what I demand from my friends who fall so willingly into my trap (erm...I mean, volunteer for a nice read) - feedback! I know you've been getting back to me like good readers do (Thanks!), but now that the Act's over, I want some of your feedback on not only 1.9, but things in general so far. I like to have a connection with my audience, and while the work is still mine, I was told a while ago by a friend of mine (Cenarls7) that "The writer is God of their own domain...but, like any religion, the reader may choose to follow it, and they may not." (More or less). So, that's why I'd like it! To make the next installments even better!

And while I'm at it, why don't I whore this thing out? Tell your friends! Tell your non-brony-but-Civil-War-freak friends! Let them know that there will be a set break before the next Act begins, and they still have time to start reading and catch up! Or, don't. But choice #1 is preferrable.

Wow. I...I must've really wanted this update out. I started writing at around 7:00 pm (where I live) and it is currently 11:00. I published only 15 -20 minutes ago. That's close to four hours of straight writing. At 12 pages (I use MS Word, I tend to count length in pages, rather than words), it was certainly about a 4 hour work thingy. According to the word count, it's around double the length of the next longest chapter. Wow... I sure wrote a lot. My shoulder hurts like a b**ch. So do my eyes. I even decided to put all my separate word documents for each update into a big one for Act I - 55 pages! That makes Northern Aggression the longest thing I've ever written! Neat-o.

Thanks to everybody who's been following, and I hope you continue to read even further. A blog about the next updates should be coming along soon, so check back frequently.

Cheers,

American Tuesday

I'll make this quick: Haven't really had any time/access to type the new update. It shall be put up by Monday night at the latest, I can guarantee you that. Hopefully. And if not, everyone gets one free internets.

Again, I apologize for the wait. This is a pretty big/action-packed/epic update, and I want to be able to sit down and type it all the way through for max. quality.

Cheers,

American Tuesday

Of course, as soon as I admit to a schedule I've been making subconsciously, I have to break it.

This is mostly because of time. I've been helping out at my high school's drama, and frankly, haven't had any time to write. So, I have absolutely nothing written yet for the next part of the story. Not to mention that this is compounded because this really neat-o one-shot idea came into my head, and it's all I could really think about.

Argh, sometimes I hate my brain.

Tomorrow will be better. I'm taking a day trip down to Washington D.C., since I like to visit my nation's capital every now and then. This means a 4-5 hour car ride (traffic permitting) EACH WAY. That means 8-10 hours in the car.

So, I'm taking my notepad I use occasionally, and using the free time to write. Whether it be the update, this one-shot, something. Either way, it will be a productive car ride. Along with my reading of Fallout: Equestria on my Kindle, and the possibility of watching the MLP episodes I have on my iPod. But, my notepad never runs out of battery. I'll probably be doing that during the first ride, when I can see.

So, expect...something early next week. Not to mention I have a day off Tuesday, so yes, DEFINITELY early next week. It'll either be a chapter update, the one-shot, (probably the update first), or, hopefully, both!

Sorry to keep you waiting even longer, and sorry if I also added to your list of bad happenings on this fair Friday the 13th. My apologies.

Could be worse, though. You could be being chased by a hockey-mask wearing machete-wielding drowning victim. But, who goes to camp nowadays?

Cheers,

Tuesday

Finished the next chapter today and published. So proud of myself that lately I've been able to keep a schedule!

Speaking of scheduling, I pretty much have the rest of "Act I" figured out. 1.8 should come around on Friday, and the end to Act I, 1.9, should come around on Monday. As you can see, I've managed to keep a two-day break in between updates.

Doubtful this will continue for the rest of the series, though. It's ridiculous typing as much as I am now, and I'm gonna need time to figure out the scheduling and general layout of the next parts. Expect later acts to be more organized, instead of the different, not-necessarily action-packed ones and drama they are now. Also, expect more action. They're just getting settled in, so, this first act won't be as action-packed as the latter ones.

Also, chances are after I publish the final chapter of this act, I'll be taking a break. About a week or so. A chance for me to relax, and figure out what my next move is. I've worked hard, at least I think I have. I've done more work on this thing than any other work I've written, with the exception of one 40-some page horror story (not-pony related).

Glad I finished today. Now, I can celebrate my birthday without pressure tomorrow! I'll probably still be typing, but I can afford to take a break tomorrow, unlike Thursday. Which means I have the option to spend my birthday in peace. Which means cake. Cake that isn't a lie, like most cakes nowadays are.

Also, today marks the beginning of the hundredth anniversary of the Titanic's maiden voyage! (A topic I've been obsessed about for I would say about 8 years now.) It would've left Southampton, England this morning. Happy Titanic week! Remember those lost!

Cheers,

AT

I'll use this break between updates to type out another blog post. And believe me, this one is IMPORTANT.

So, a good personal friend of mine, Cenarls7, along with other personal friend Flutterguy12, have been proofreading and giving me feedback for pretty much everything I've ever posted on here, save for the last few updates of Northern Aggression, due to length and time. I want to thank them both for all their help and support in everything. Without 'em, you wouldn't have the stories that some of you are really enjoying. I'd recommend all of their pieces to you. And by "all", I mean the one story they each have so far.

Now, Cenarls7 has recently become a huge factor in my writing career, as we are going to start collaborating. Some of you might've read "Serving...Equestria?", which is an insane story with a great setup and fantastic plot twists. (http://www.fimfiction.net/story/16679/Serving...-Equestria%3F <--link to story). But, over the course of the last couple days/weeks, we've been talking and it's been settled - we will collaborate on at least one piece together. You see, Cenarls7 has awesome-tastic ideas that really take off and keep a reader hooked, while mine don't necessarily grab everybody aren't always the best or smartest of concepts. I make up for this with my writing ability, which he and I both agree is pretty decent. So, the setup? He gives me ideas and requirements for stories - I type them out.

Prepare for the most epic thing you will ever read on your computer screen, cause its coming. Chances are, on a third account - but it will be coming.

I just wanted to let everyone know of the upcoming story (I'll keep you posted on when that'll arrive), and again, I want to thank both Cenarls7 and Flutterguy12 for there constant support and editing. I recommend Cenarls7 "Serving...Equestria?" and Flutterguy12's "The Biggest Racetrack" to everybody.

Cheers,

AT