State of the Scribe: January 2024

This is exactly the 71st month I've posted a patreon calendar. Almost but not quite six years of writing fanfic, sharing all these ideas with you that would otherwise stay trapped in my head. I couldn't begin this post, and the beginning of a new year without expressing my profound thanks to everyone who keeps supporting me. Your help, big or small, is the only reason I'm still able to write fanfiction. Thank you, truly.

I've said before that I don't know how much longer I'll be able to write these. That's truer now than it ever was, as I leave the casual, hobby world of paying my rent in college behind, and transition to boring adulthood. But I renew the promise I've made since my first days on Fimfiction--anything that I post to that site will see its way to the ending. If I start posting chapters, you can know with confidence the story is safe to read.

I'm going to be brief about the updates this month, before getting a little retrospective about what happened in 2023 and what's next. That's easier to do, since there aren't any new releases coming. This is more of an update on what's already happening.

On Fimfiction I've got two stories updating weekly--Shattered Pentacle, and Beyond the Veil of Sleep. The latter of those follows a batpony trying to save the bat tribes from extinction after the failed lunar rebellion, exploring the vast reaches of dream magic now that their princess is gone.

Meanwhile, Shattered Pentacle follows human versions of our familiar ponies, cast in the role of mages and other magical creatures in the World of Darkness. We follow Lyra as she discovers her magical potential and explores the grim hungers lurking beneath the world, and how to fight against them. This story got the weakest reception I've seen in a long time--not that I'm terribly surprised, given it's about humans on a pony fanfic site. But it has an amazing cover and I'm going to show it off one last time before moving on:

That said, my Patreon will continue to be the refuge for stories I might not finish, or I will but will take considerable time. That's how Beyond the Veil of Sleep began, a story that will see its way to a conclusion at last after over three years in the making. It's the same for Second String, though that story will likely not cross the finish line before this year is out.

I've continued to post my non-pony stuff on my Patreon for free for the last several years as well, since Genfic doesn't exist and (let's be real) isn't likely to ever exist. But there are changes afoot, changes that won't be seen in this month, but hopefully will appear soon after. Until then, there are currently two stories updating regularly on my Patreon that remain free for anyone to read.
You can even click the "Join for Free" link on the front page, and get updates about those chapters just like my paid supporters do.
The two stories I'm updating weekly on there right now are Spirits of Change and Forerunner's Child.

Spirits of Change is a pokemon story, set in a world inspired by His Dark Materials. Every person has their soul outside their body in the form of a pokemon, which reflects their true nature and dictates their position in society. The world is run by a cabal of noble families with mythical daemons, who oversee the lesser pokemon with rigid laws and ruthless dedication. The story follows Hayden, youngest child of a family of eevees, who accidentally settles as a Mew instead of a little fox. The results are dramatic, upending his life and everything he thought he knew. https://www.patreon.com/collection/108522?view=expanded
Forerunner's Child is newer, a story set in the same world as Message in a Bottle first started--where humanity has reached to the stars, colonizing all the universe with slower-than-light von nuyman probes. These probes land on a new planet, create humans suited to live there, and imprint the minds stored by ancient explores.

Forerunner's Child follows a colony made entirely of children, as a new explorer must uncover its secrets before she's subsumed into the strange colony. https://www.patreon.com/collection/216543?view=expanded
Both of these stories can be read for free weekly as they update, and will have full versions posted as pdf and epub when they're finished. Just check the patreon to read them on their update days: https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe
Lastly, there's the list of monthly stories to go through. each of these updates just once a month, but they'll come to fimfiction once they're finished:
Second String follows a star football quarterback who ends up unexpectedly in an Equestria that the Storm King conquered during the events of the MLP movie. If he ever wants to see his home again, he'll first have to liberate the conquered land.

Then there's Legio IX Hispania, following the travails of the lost roman legion all dropped into Equestria. How will they react to a world filled with magical creatures? Probably not well.

Then there's Hand of the Ancients, a take on "Equestria is really Earth in the far future where all is not as it seems. Ponies descend from a vast and ancient lineage, one that inherits the dangers of all their ancestors' sins.

We also have Digital Effigy, continuing across many months towards its conclusion. A story about consciousness and death in a world of digital immortality.

Family of Chaos follows a strange pegasus named Hurricane who has been around for much more of Equestria's history than most. When Discord briefly escapes containment in stone, she ends up discovering more about the god of chaos than she bargained for.

Then there's Rescue Process. This one is a Human in Equestria story, involving many of the staples my past readers will expect. Transformation, a little TG, pair of humans have to bumble their way to rescue and hopefully find a way home. But the Equestria they're in isn't quite like the one we're all used to--this one has been dealing with transformed humans for a long time, and isn't pleased about it.

No new stories coming this month, as you can see. But this will be the last full month of Spirits of Change, so expect some big news with that slot to come. Still working out what to put there.

In the meantime, thanks again to everyone for all your support! I'll probably release another blog this month to reflect on the year's writing, but I don't have time to write that at this second, so...

Comments

[dapple26]

I have been reading your work all this time. It is some of the deepest science fiction and fantasy I have ever read comparable to the works of the greats like Auther C. Clark. I have always wondered when you would start writing professionally as I have no doubt your works have the potential to be spectacular.

[Oreng Pingvin]

Although I'm not a fan of your stories, I'll take my hat off in respect

[FanOfMostEverything]

I'm deeply grateful for all the incredible work you've written, and however much you have left in the tank. (And hey, I'm able to strike a viable work-pony balance... just not at anywhere near your level of output. )