Well, that year just happened. · 8:52pm Jan 1st, 2013
I seem to remember sitting here more-or-less this time last year, having just posted Chapter 4 of A Bluebird's Song, wondering where the whole thing was going to end up. That was back when I was expecting to get it tied up in under ten chapters, and then probably drift away from the world of fan-fiction.
As it turns out, that didn't happen. I've ended up writing nearly 300,000 words across 4 stories this year, and I honestly can't think of a better way to have spent far too much of my time. You guys are amazing, and the response to all of my stories, and particularly to Bluebird, had just been phenomenal. Equally, I honestly never expected to see one of my stories on Equestria Daily, although in all likelihood it wouldn't have even got close without the help of two very awesome people (I'll get to that in a moment).
In all honesty, if you'd told me a few years ago that 2012 would be one of the best years of my life, and a good part of the reason for that awesomeness would be because I'd spend a lot of my time writing about the romantic escapades of pastel cartoon horses... well, suffice it to say that I would have been skeptical. And yet, here we are. The MLP fanbase is still a thing (was there ever any doubt?) and it's looking to stay a thing for a good long time, which is alright with me.
Now, I'm not a huge fan of listing huge lists of awesome people, because the great majority of people on here are awesome, and I'd inevitably forget to mention a lot of people who definitely deserve a place. However, it's new year, and I can't resist. Not exhaustive, but I do have to say this: Rainboom_Dashie, many thanks for your tireless translations, for allowing our Russian friends to read Bluebird and Under the Aurora, and also for that song.
Dianwei32, Vurtax, and an awful lot of other people, thank you for sticking with Bluebird until the end, and for putting up with my hideous inefficiency when it comes to responding to messages. Remedy, thank you for being awesome to talk to, and for actually presenting Derpy as a real character for a change.
Steel Resolve and Jot Jiggety Jog, if either of you are reading this, thank you for reading my stuff, and for writing Green and Ribbons and Lace, respectively. Also, curse you for making RariShy my OTP with those stories! Actually, as afflictions go, a RariShy OTP could be a lot worse. 
Finally, Shadowsreached and NATOstrike; all of my thank yous for being amazing proofreaders/editors, and fantastic people. I salute you, and present you with infinite cookies. (May contain Baby Applejacks.)
A final thank-you to you, if you ploughed all the way through this wall of text.
Happy new year, and pony on, everyone.
Happy New Year
Happy new year to you too.
) that one will always be one of my favorite stories(somewhere in the top 5 I think).
And also thank you for writing Bluebird, although I still haven't checked out your other stories(there's just so much to read
It's been great, really. Bluebird and still going with your other stuff. Keep up the great work, and Happy New Year. Cheers.
Happy New Year Ardensfax! It's stunning to think about you sitting last year, writing A Bluebird's Song, thinking it would be fairly short and your only foray into fan fiction - it's exactly how I felt when I started writing, too. Funny how stories can take on a life of their own, surprising even the people writing them.
I think I speak for us all in saying we're glad you didn't wrap it up in 10 chapters and move away from writing. Thanks again for the inspirational talks and showing how captivating a fan-written story about cartoon ponies can be. 
When I joined the site I expected to just read a few one-shots and move on somewhere else; you kept me hooked here indefinitely, and I have a feeling I'll be spending 2013 much like you did 2012.
And, of course, if you want to chat, rant, throw out ideas, etc, my mailbox is always open! 
Keep up the great work, and I'll keep checking the site every 30 minutes to see if you've put up any updates or anything.
Happy new year Arden. Btw, I still wanna see more Raripie from you.
Happy New Year! /)
Happy 2013 to you too!
Hm, thanks for giving me a little push into this fandom. A Bluebirds Song was the second fic I ever read, and you gave me some advice where to continue to within this fandom, heh.
It was very appreciated back then (just 3 months ago :o ), to see a response from within this fandom itself, beeing new and all.
And now, I'm logging onto this site every day to check out what is going on, hm. 2012 was an interesting year indeed, the last quarter of it included ponies for me, who would have expected that.
Anyway, so, again, Happy new year, and, thanks for putting up great fics on this site! :)
M
Happy new year, you are among the bests.
Haha
The way you put it:
that just made my day!
Besides, Bluebird was an AMAZING story, setbacks and inefficiencies aside. I honestly have trouble picturing Twilight and Rainbow with anypony else because of you, but I'm okay with that.
A happy new year to all!
Happy New Year, here's to another great year of poni poni ponies!
Thank you for being so awesome, for such good writing anf for all these exciting stories! Happy New Year, James, and many happy days and nights to follow! And ever since the show creators are more and more fan-oriented, all of us - pony readers, writers and musicians gonna have a whole bunch of inspiration to make our own artwork, stories, music et cetera! And I really hope you'll keep your amazing work sharing alll those stories, feelings and thoughts. Well, PONY ON!
670411 I'm in the same boat! I can't imagine them with anypony else now, but I'm totally fine with that!
I have to thank you again for A Bluebird's Song. It was absolutely stunning, and has earned its spot as the the number one book I have ever read (I read a lot, for those who doubt me).
746038 Haha! I never put a book down before I became a Brony, but now? Unless I'm in class or playing a video game, I'm most likely reading...
746910 What do you mean unless you're in class? That's no excuse! Unless you're in high school, or middle school.
747289 I'm in the final stretch of my Senior year, I'm pretty sure that's a fair excuse.
747328 Eh... depends on what your school is like. I'll take your word for it.