I didn't start writing fanfiction to get favorites or followers. I could pretend it was art for the sake of art, but frankly I've always had an overactive imagination and strange habit of documenting what it produces. However, many of those stories or ideas stopped halfway. I've got folders full of plans, chapters, ideas, but no complete stories. When I published the first chapter of the Dresden Fillies, I wasn't sure I would finish it. Sure, I had all these great ideas, and there was that scene I was dying to write, and so on. But the simple truth is that I had those thoughts at the beginning of every project.

What changed this one was you guys. I was, and still am, blown away by the support and love you guys have for a silly crossover that by all accounts shouldn't exist, much less work. Within the first few chapters, I quickly realized I had to finish this. It was a fear of reprisals your dedication that made me complete 'Strange Friends'. Those folders are still full of ideas, I come up with them far faster than I could ever write, but now there's a chance they'll actually be written. These days I'm looking over projects I abandoned years ago, wondering if they're any good. Wondering if I should try picking up my pen again.

And it wouldn't have happened without any of you.

Somehow, the simple phrase 'thank you' doesn't seem like enough.

But enough of the maudlin stuff, I also like to thank my editors and pre-readers:

     Silentcarto, the man who has been with me since almost the very beginning. He always fixes my errors, points out odd pieces of dialog or descriptions, helps me keep everything in the story running on an even keel and never gets much in the way of recognition for all he does. He also isn't afraid to tell me when I screw up, which is an invaluable asset in an editor.

     Fried195, he's always there for chapter/story analysis in addition to reviewing my work at ungodly hours of the day and night.

     Coandco, has a mind like a steel trap and catches errors that I've missed after five readings. Had I any work ethic of my own, I might envy his immense dedication.

     SA, was always willing to talk and explore story themes/ideas, often to tangents I hadn't even thought of. His tragic accident involving those coconuts and the blender left me crying for days.

I didn't really prepare anything for the occasion, but I do have something interesting to relate, at least.

Recently, I was reading a book of short stories by Harry Turtledove (an excellent author) and found a short fantasy called 'Honeymouth'. It's about a man who by all appearances shouldn't be chaste enough to ride a unicorn into battle.  Though quite a bit is suggested, the story certainly wouldn't warrant a 'mature' rating. The following are Turtledove's thoughts on the story.

"Honeymouth" is the only unicorn story I've ever done. I take a certain modest pride in noting that it's one of the raunchier unicorn stories ever written.

Perhaps that was true then. I rather doubt it would even enter the same ballpark these days.