State of the Scribe: March 2023 · 7:06pm Mar 1st, 2023
Hey everyone!
You can see the Calendar there. Before I get into it with any level of detail, I'd like to talk about the biggest new thing for me. I've been working out the details for this behind the scenes, but now it's finally ready, so let's jump right in.
I get requests for copies of my books from previous prints every few days. My old indiegogo projects eventually shut down when the initial stock runs out, and so people who want them are left totally unable to do so. Relying on Indiegogo for all that, and paying them what little margins are left over when the dust settles and I get to ship my books--that just seemed silly.
So it won't be happening anymore. I've created a little store! From now on, if you'd like to get any of my books, you can do so here: here: https://starscribe.net/
Behind the scenes nothing has changed--I'm still receiving every order and shipping them out from my little student apartment here. But there's no more depending on a third party for this thing.
I thought it would be a little lame to open the doors without anything new or interesting to show, so I've been working on something in secret! Check out this awesome book!
This represents the first half of Luna is a Harsh Mistress, ending at the end of Faith's chapters. I thought I'd go for something a little more traditionally science-fiction here, given the nature of that story. If there's demand, I can print the second half of the story as well. https://starscribe.net/products/luna-is-a-harsh-mistress-pt-1
Using this new system, I plan on making some of my more popular stories available in print--those that I wouldn't otherwise get to do a print-run for. There are still two projects waiting for those more conventional runs, Founders and Homebrew. After that, I'm not sure if I'll print more books. I guess we'll see how this one does.
I've been working on this for a few months behind the scenes, but I didn't want to offer it until I had one in my hands to check the quality. You know how it is.
Those who want to support me and get something tangible, feel free to check out the store! I'll probably include links to the from now on, but I won't harp on it going forward. If you're interested, you'll know where to find it. If not, I totally understand. Thanks so much for even reading this far.
Now, returning to our regularly scheduled programming. Frames of War will be concluding this month. The story probably could've gone on far longer, but I'm still happy with where it ended up. I love warframe, and it always bummed me out that there weren't more stories about it here on the site. Now there's at least one complete one.
Then we have Don't Bug Me, the story of an Equestria where every arriving human is always transformed into a changeling. The summer camp is still hanging on, despite great opposition. Many obstacles might stand before them, but they've already made it so far!
Words of Power continues with weekly updates, if only because we haven't run out the backlog yet. That's why you'll see it also listed as a monthly update further on. It will continue to exist in both places, until the weekly updates "catch up" with the patreon updates. That might take a little longer.
Spirits of Change, my Pokemon story about a version of that world where every human being's soul exists outside their body as a pokemon. The story is on my patreon free to all: [url=https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe/posts?filters[tag]=Spirits%20of%20Change&sort=published_at]https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe/posts?filters[tag]=Spirits%20of%20Change&sort=published_at
Similarly, Deep Below is a Splatoon story, exploring the fate of humanity and their return into a world now dominated by ink-based life. Explores lots of the same TF themes that most of my readers probably expect. Can read that one here: https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe/posts?filters%5Btag%5D=Deep%20Below&sort=published_at
Both of these will get full Epub/PDF releases as soon as they're complete. But until/unless we ever get a genfic, I can't post them here.
In my non-pony news, I'm well over halfway done with the trilogy I hope might be my first foray into published original fiction. First book is totally done, second one is 2/3rds of the way there. I plan on writing all three to completion, then rapid-releasing them. I'll update once I have more to share.
Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read these, or who does anything else to support me. None of this would be possible if it wasn't for you. Without the amazing support I receive, I would have started writing code a long, long time ago.
Last, we've got the monthly stories. The first chapters of these are open to anyone, and their full releases will take place as soon as they're complete.
Dreamlands explores what happens to the bats left behind after Nightmare Moon's defeat. We see their sorry state, and one bat who's determined to rescue her princess and save her kind. You can read the first chapter here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-45878879
Then we have Second String, the story of brave earth warriors recruited from a football match to liberate a storm-king conquered Equestria: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-in-78044865
Then of course we have Legio IX Hispania, a historical piece exploring what might happen if the lost roman legion had been lost in Equestria after all: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-legio-78027950
Other Helpful Links
Join My Discord! Lots of fun writing activities and other things: https://discord.gg/J8hq6MX
Want a copy of one of my books? You can see what I've printed and buy a copy here: https://starscribe.net/
To follow my behind-the-scenes, or updates from other stories that haven't gone weekly yet, visit my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe
That idea reminds me a bit of the golden Compass from Phillip Pullman. Did you or your pateron maybe get the idea from there?
looks into purchasing LIAHM
I liked that tale. Only question being is where shall I send it? If I ordered it in the next few days, how long until delivery?
I hate upcoming moves...
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I'll be waiting a few weeks to do the printing to see how many orders come in, then print the books. If you're moving anytime in the next month, I'd say hold off. I would not worry about me running out of stock anymore. That was a concern when I was a poor college student using the five dollars from the signatures people got to buy meals. Now I have enough resources that I can have overstock and ship them as they're ordered.
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Yes, in fact! I talked about His Dark Materials in the announcement post, but repeating that every time got repetitive. It's very much based on that, though I wouldn't call it a crossover, since it only takes the concept of daemons from his work. Nothing about Dust or the rebellion against the creator or witches or anything like that.
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Okay, ship to new address, then. Leaving Utah on the 20th for Texas.
Do have a page somewhere where I can download all of your completed Patreon stories? I am honestly interested in reading them all but its somewhat hard to find all the links to the pdfs.
If it helps any, https://offprint.net/ has recently entered open beta. They've smoothed out pretty much all the major wrinkles that were plaguing the alpha. You could upload everything there.
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I haven't made anything like that yet, but I should. I will sometime this month and include it in the next State of the Scribe.
I've started looking forward to Sundays so I can read the latest Deep Below! Wanted to let you know here since I can't post there.
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“TF” stands for “Tasty Freeze”?
I placed an order as soon as I learned of this. If part 2 is offered I'll order that one too.
I'd also be willing to purchase a physical print of your pokemon story if you decide to make one.