Journal Entry # 3: "Planet Hell" Complete · 5:23am Dec 30th, 2013
I am writing you all to let you know that as of a few moments ago I have completed the first draft of Awakening's indirect sequel, "Planet Hell."
It's quite a bit longer than I imagined it would be, and it's taken me an entire year just to reach this point and, frankly, all I want now is to relax for the last few days before I head back to college and reflect on the experience. I wish I could say more about it at this time, but the vision has changed so much since I started out and the most I can say is that I advise any of you who might read this in the future not to have any expectations. During this last month I've written more everyday than I thought was possible, but at no time did it feel like a burden as it did over the summer.
All that said, the road to the final draft is still a ways off. A lot changes over the course of a year, and there's a lot of issues with continuity, voice, plot, theme, bullshit, and things on virtually every level that I want to change (that I know already that I want to change) before I hand it off to my editors. I feel like this piece ultimately achieve my goals: a fic that takes the bar Awakening set and raises it again. That said, I want to temper these words with a bit of caution about hype. For one, this piece is not what it seems to be and will violate your expectations if you have any, just as much as it did mine. It will in no way be perfect, and it will undoubtedly be just as flawed in its own way as Awakening was by the time of its posting (which will be sometime, most likely a week or two, after season four completes). I have more editors who've agreed to help me with this piece than I did back then, but one-half of the duo who helped me make Awakening what it was is still MIA, and I cannot help but feel a bit nervous.
Whatever else might happen and whatever the future may hold, I can say now without a doubt that unless I am struck down, book two will be coming out.
Lumina still isn't in it, and it's still about the Elements of Loyalty and Kindness, and still has an entirely new cast (save for one character). It's an indirect sequel set during the events of Awakening itself. However some major events of the first book are revisited and seen from a different perspective. It's 20 chapters long and has a bigger word count than the previous book had, but I can't tell what that number actually is yet because I haven't bothered to count.
It's getting the romance tag for sure, and it might even get the dark tag.
I'm not going to mince words, I'm really depressed right now and this is one of the first things to make me feel genuinely happy.
Yay! I'm supernervouscited!
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This make you happy?
fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/078/d/d/octavia_and_whooves_cello_war_by_artist_apprentice587-d4t8mmd.jpg
Or this?
static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131110171456/mlp/images/b/ba/FANMADE_Adorable_Fluttershy.png
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D'awww, Fluttershy, thank you.
This somehow pushes the smell of FluttershyxRainbow to my nose. In the age of spaceships, the actions primarily bound to a burned planet, set in a post-apocalyptic scenario. Geesh, my nose.
But seriously, this begins to sound way more different to Awakening than I expected it earlier. I see myself more curious about the connections between the books than the upcoming plot itself right now.
Also, I just wanted to say if you need someone to pre-read or edit or anything, well:
images.wikia.com/undeadfanstories/images/6/69/I-volunteer-as-tribute.gif
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Sounds great. I'm looking forward to reading this when it is done.
Solo, if you are talking about Samurai (who is likely the other half of the original duo, myself PROBABLY being the half that is still around), well... I believe he may be gone. The last time I heard of him, he was going to be entering surgery dealing with is heart. At first, he seemed to get out of it well enough, but then he went completely silent. It's been like that for almost a month now.
I fear the worst. I'm sorry Solo, but as always, you know I'm ready and able. It will be like old times huh?
Yeah, old times.
That's great to hear. I been hoping for a sequel soon.
I can't wait!
All I know is that the wait will be worth it.
I have been waiting for this... I loved how you managed to have Lumina carry the whole of Awakening, without having it be boring at any point. The romance tag I digg, the dark one is not unwelcomed... as long as it does not provide some weird twisted dark-romance romance.
I'm really looking forward to this fic. Keep working on it!
I'll expect the unexpected.
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Less post-apocalyptic and more straight on apocalyptic in a Blake-ian capacity (god that sounds pretentious). On your second point, the plots are interwoven, but parallel. The connections run deep.
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Yay! I could always use more help. I'll let you know via PM when I'm done with the next draft and when I could use some pre-reading. It might be a little bit, though.
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What, did you think that there was someone else other than you and Samurai who put in more hours with me on "Awakening"? Yup, that's you.
Now, I had heard that he was in the hospital, but that was some time ago and this is the first I heard about just how dire his situation was, or potentially still is. I suppose that, if he's gone, then I'll mourn his departure for three days time and then turn to celebrating the time I spent with him. The lessons he taught me are still with me and in many ways he'll never truly be gone.
That is, of course, assuming his health took a turn for the worst. At this point I don't know what's become of him with any degree of certainty. I'm going to attempt to contact him and reach out to some of his friends and see what turns up.
I am, however, still looking forward to our future work together. You put in just as much, and probably even more, work into helping me as he did. Although I suppose it won't be like old times; it will be like new times.
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He's a great guy, so no wonder you two produced something as great as Awakening. 
Sweet, sounds great, I'll do all I can to help! Also, I didn't know you know Garnot!
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Well, there were really three of us, but Garnot and Anonsamurai helped with the editing and post-production. I was the author, obviously, but I did have help along the way.
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As most great authors do, of course. Nice to meet you, too, and I hope I can be of help as well. I'm a major literary and sci-fi geek so I'll make sure it's your usual quality before posting.
Oh goodie! I get to
dissect the shit out ofhelp out again!denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw3036-13296752782935.jpg
Whatt's the point of setting the story thousands of years into the future if you still are going to put character from the present MLP continuity?
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A lot of that you're just going to have to wait and see on, but more or less the same reason why Twilight and Celestia were in the first one.