State of the Scribe: May 2025 · 11:00am May 1st
Hey everyone!
Today’s a huge day for me, one I’ve been waiting on for way too long. I finally published a book!
Realistically, I should’ve done something like this way sooner. I’ve had a dozen novels that are entirely my own content, ready to post whenever. But I’ve never been willing to pull the trigger until now. I know these calendar updates are typically pretty pony focused, so I’ll not spend too much time on it. I’ll get the details out, then move on to the standard.
I’ve already mentioned the book before, so I’ll be brief. Forerunner’s Child, written in the same universe as Message in a Bottle. It has a similar premise, as a story that’s tackling the consequences of using AI for space exploration. The story follows a near-future astronaut who wakes up in a strange colony and a strange body, with a mystery to solve. A lot like Message in a Bottle in that regard. Though instead of ponies, this colony is populated by children, kept eternally frozen across thousands of years.
I’ve already written the whole series, which are in various stages of editing. If you’re reading this, the first book is available right now! The easiest way to get it is on amazon, which has the ebook and a paperback/hardcover. Check it out: https://www.amazon.com/Forerunners-Child-Children-K-J-Miles/dp/B0F4J8ML46/
Because of their policies, I’m not allowed to sell the ebook through other means. I do have physical copies on my store, though those won’t ship out quite so quickly. My plan would be to collect a batch of orders then ship them out all at once. But if you’d like a physical copy and don’t want to give amazon any cash, my store page is here: https://starscribe.net/products/forerunners-child
It was important for me to get an audio version for accessibility—because of my schedule these days I tend to listen to more books than I sit down to read. However, the cost of getting that professionally recorded runs into the several grand, which just isn’t possible for a little book I’m publishing all on my own. One day hopefully I’m a big enough author to afford an expense like that, but I can’t yet.
In the meantime, I’ve turned to 11labs for help with an automated reading, to fill the gap until my career is at the point I can afford a VA. This is a high-quality audiobook, well beyond anything possible with homegrown tts. I’ll have to update this listing with a link to where you can get it. Pretty sure it will be on Spotify, though I’ll probably make a youtube link as well.
I love how great the book looks. I hope some of you will enjoy the story too. It’s a complete narrative, but starts off a wider series that plays with more of the core concepts in the remaining 3 books. And hopefully, many more stories to come in that world.
If anyone enjoys it, I can’t tell you enough how much it would mean to me if you left a review on Amazon. For an indie author like me, those star ratings are worth their weight in gold. They’re a mark of authenticity, showing the world that this is a real story that delivers on the promises it makes, not some piece of cheap crap.
Along those lines, if there are readers who want to check it out, but can’t afford the ebook, drop me a DM. I’d be happy to send you a review code that will let you get it for free.
This is the last time I’ll mention the book from here out. I may make brief mentions of the later books when they publish, but I probably won’t make a big deal about it. I’m not trying to waste your time if you’re just not that into scifi (or non-pony scifi). I get it.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
I’ll be brief here after wandering on so much about my other projects. No new stories to announce this month, but there is something big to share! New Way Home is making its transition to fimfiction! This is one of my long-running stories, and I realized the likelihood that I would successfully complete it increased dramatically if I started publishing it more regularly. It has a ton of art across its chapters, so I think that will be pretty special.
Other than that, we’ve got the same ongoing stories. Quarantine is easy to space out when there are 5 weeks, since it just becomes every-other. Then there’s three ongoing stories—sequel to the book I just published is in the editing phase. Then there’s Celebi Like them, the third story in the mythical pokemon TF series (Mew like me, then myths like us). Lastly, another pokemon story: Another Day at Unity, the anthology compliment to Spirits of Change.
Looking at my schedule this month really does feel like going the way of the rest of the fandom, lol. I remember when I’d fill nearly every day with pony content. But I’ve written so many pony stories now I’ve only got a few ideas left that demand to be told. When they’re done…
Well, I’m glad scifi and fantasy generally are so rich with cool things to write about. I’ll never stop writing, it’s core to who I am. But as to what I choose to write about, that might see changes.
Thanks for anyone still reading with me. My journey isn’t quite over yet, but I can feel the road running out. When it’s gone… who knows? Maybe a rocket?
-Starscribe
Ongoing Stories:
· Quarantine, our vote-driven story about magical pony diseases and unfortunate transformations, is still rolling strong. If you're not voting yet, now's your chance to influence how Elliot's story unfolds. https://www.fimfiction.net/story/568477/quarantine
· For Pokémon, Celebi Like Them is first. Quinn's traveled back into the mists of distant history, with no sign of how to get his body back (or how to save his girlfriend) https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-celebi-121255137.
· Another Day at Unity continues to explore aspects of the Spirits of Change world that were out of scope for the main narrative. Visit strange new locations, meet all kinds of weird Pokémon. available right here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-day-at-115556555
- Ravana's Shadow: Sequel to Forerunner's Child. Mysteries unravel on a child-run colony far in humanity's future. https://www.patreon.com/posts/92942140
- Legio IX Hispania, our historical journey into the question of what if the lost Roman legion ended up in Equestria, unravels here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-legio-78027950
- Accidental Sunshine: Changeling discovers ponies, but can she learn to master friendship before her deception is discovered? https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-105351764
- New Way Home is the story of when accidental human arrivals to Equestria are discovered by some very unfriendly creatures, and they're forced to fight for survival: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-story-rescue-94115163
Grab copies of my books: https://starscribe.net/
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe
Come chat on Discord: https://discord.gg/fZ2Y5KgbN2?event=1275614019373498368
Sweet! I have a long flight coming up so I grabbed a copy to check it out.
Been a long, long time since I've read Message in a Bottle but I presume there is no required reading involved?
I had pre-ordered Forunner's Child, and it popped up on my kindle this morning! It's next on my reading list, and I will definitely leave a review!
Just ordered a physical copy of Forerunner's Child. I cannot wait to read it!
5843530
Incredibly grateful!
5843516
No required reading. It's more that it has similar setting elements. IE: Forerunner as a character (and some of the other human colonists we see in Message in a Bottle pop up throughout the series.
5843653
Thanks! I wish it wouldn't take so long, but I'll get the books shipped out from my store as soon as they arrive!