I'm Floored! · 7:18am Jun 10th, 2013
Thank you.
The reception to “Forever Young” far exceeded anything I could ever hope for. I admit it: I thought the story was pretty good, and the feedback from my pre-readers encouraged me, but no parent ever finds his own child ugly. My index finger hovered for a long, uneasy while before I gathered the courage to click “Submit.”
Somehow, readers found my story and took a chance on it. Thanks to all of you willing to give it a shot. A fair number of you liked what you saw. Comments arrived in abundance, sharing both the good and the bad of what readers found. Thanks again if you took the time to comment, regardless of whether it was to deliver praise or brickbats or even just an underwhelmed “meh!” An honest reader appraisal is a gift from the gods.
Along with readers and commenters, I have some other people to thank. First is C-Puff, whose marvelous image inspired my story. Writing is easy when a picture narrates a story to you in the Royal Canterlot Voice. I merely took dictation, but there were things I managed to leave out. The /fic/ community and its Training Grounds, as in times past, generously extended its help in identifying and repairing my story’s deficiencies. Three individuals must be singled out: Comma-Kazie, Telaros, and p0n00b. Without them, “Forever Young” would be but a pale shadow of the story it became.
A final note: There are people waiting (and waiting) on me to comment on the story’s slant on immortality. I’ve not forgotten you. Upcoming travel plans are not helping, but another blog entry is next on my things-to-do list. Hang in there with me.
You did the heavy lifting mate, I just gave the occasional nudge. The reception is well-deserved. Here's looking forward to many more!
Nit-picky over the littlest of emotional tweaks as I can be, I'm glad all the time spent on this much overdue story was finally met with the—and much deserved—attention it got.
Hopefully I'll have written something of my own by the time you've returned to kill some time. Hope your vacation goes well, and have a safe trip!