). I want to tell you all about where I've been, what I've been up to, and share my journey with you guys. You were all around for some of the best times, and I felt it's only right to open back up again andDusk is a terrible, awful, no good, very bad pony... · 9:28pm Dec 22nd, 2015
I have apologies to make to all of you. It's been close to six months since I had any activity here on the site, and even less for my friends outside of FiMFiction. I feel I owe you all an explanation and my deepest, heartfelt sorries. I am still alive, if just barely by now. These last few months, I sort of bit off more than I could chew with life. I took eighteen college credit hours in an attempt to rush my graduation, all while working full time at between 25-35 hours a week, amongst other responsibilities, and I inadvertently killed any semblance of free time I had at all. My daily schedule went between school and work, work and school, barely leaving me enough time for life stuff like eating and sleeping. I ended up struggling through these past few months, and now that I've finished with school for the semester and have a moment to breathe, I realize just how long I've been gone without any word or anything.
So to all of you, I am sincerely sorry. I've gotten numerous well wishes and outreaches from many of you to check in on me or try and reach me, and I just completely put all of them out of my mind. I did not mean to intentionally ignore any of you or brush anyone off. I got every single message, but me being scatterbrained, I more or less couldn't even keep track of staying in touch with anyone. So to everyone here, I am very sorry and promise to be more active and no longer overwhelm myself like I did. To my friends I talk to outside of FiMF, I promise to be more active in our chats and get back in touch with all of you. I'm a terrible friend, and I know it, but I'm hoping I can salvage some good from this mess.
So, from this point forward, I vow to be more active and open with everyone. In doing so, I have two announcements to make: an explanation for my lack of work and a roadmap of the future of A Soldier's Memoirs.
My Lack of Work
My lack of work isn't actually a lack of work at all. It's more of a lack of Skyfall work. Some of you already know what I've been up to, since I've talked to you about it and shown you some of the fruits of my labor. In September 2014, I was commissioned by a personal friend in my local brony group to write him a Fallout Equestria novel. Since then, I have been hard at work on that, and am currently up to just above 200,000 words. That is where the bulk of my writing has gone to over the past year. However, he and I have come to an agreement that I need to step away from the project for a little bit to work on my own stuff before I burn out completely. I could feel it coming, and I didn't want to lose my spark for writing entirely, so rather than struggle between two projects, I will be focusing solely on A Soldier's Memoirs moving forward.
A Soldier's Memoirs' Roadmap
It ashames me to see that I haven't updated anything for Retribution in a year. This hiatus ends today. I've spent the last several months running through the plot of A Soldier's Memoirs in my head and on paper, trying to get the story to go a way I'm satisfied with. As of writing this, I have most of it ironed out in my mind, all I need now is the will to write it. I've made some decisive calls regarding the future of the saga and where I want it to progress, and what I'm willing to share with you is the following:
1. A Soldier's Memoirs will have only two more stories in it: Retribution and a finale, which currently has the running project title Apex. This is very subject to change depending on the overall story when I get to it. I have decided that none of the other little stories I was going to do in between them are truly important enough to stand on their own, and will be shortened to appropriately fit the major points into either Retribution or Apex. This means both stories will be longer and more in-depth with he continuity rather than having one or two smaller stories in between them (I'm expecting around 200,000-ish words for Retribution and between 200- to 300,000 for Apex). I've also adjusted the rating system for Retribution and Apex. Both will now be labeled as Mature. For the longest time, I've skirted the line between Teen and Mature rating, and while I don't intend to go much more graphic with anything, this gives me the wiggle room to have creative freedom without worrying about if I'm overstepping a boundary. Don't worry, nothing is going to change about my current style of writing.
2. I have set rough deadlines for myself for when I'd like my work to be completely finished, finalized and wrapped up with a nice little bow. The current deadlines are June 2016 for Retribution and Summer 2017 for Apex. Of course, if I get done sooner, they'll be out sooner, but I'm aiming to not take any longer than those dates. I've wasted enough time doing nothing, and it's time I buckled down and gave you all what you've been so patiently waiting for.
Again, I am so very sorry to everyone, and starting today I atone. Thank you all so much for your support, patience, and understanding.
— DQ
If wherever you study works like Fordham and CUA, isn't that like six courses? For me, that's a full year of courses in the course of just one semester.
I understand why you may believe your readers may be very upset with your lack of updates. Personally, I think you're being way too hard on yourself. Then again, I can relate. I know what it's like to get so wrapped up in your personal life stuff that you can't seem to find time to write or whatever. Though I never attempted to do as many college courses as you were doing in time at college and grad school. Honestly, I'm behind on reading so many stories here right now, I forgot about yours.
Now, that you've reminded me of their existence, I realize I really want them to start up again. So, I'm glad you're devoting yourself to that. 
I'm also glad to know where and for how long this A Soldier's Memoirs will keep going. I look forward to what you have coming down the pike.
He liiiives!!!!!! It's good to finally hear from you, good sir Quill. Now about the thing with taking 18 college credit hours *whacks ya upside the head* that was dumb! Didn't ya momma ever teach ya to not overload yourself? But it's good to hear you realized what you were doing. I can relate to overloading yourself to try and rush things, but it never ends well. I look forward to seeing more from you shortly.
And I shall be here, red pen at the ready, should you feel I am up to the task!
Of a Fallout Equestria story? So, you've just finished the prologue?
SWEEET
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That is correct, I did take six courses like a moron. When it came down to it, I was gonna be two classes behind to graduate in the spring, so rather than take those courses in the summer, I tried to take them both now and get them out of the way. Weeeeeell, it didn't work out so well. Lesson learned.
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You are beyond up for fixing the errors in my life.
Basically this.
Hey man you do you don't need to apologize to us :) besides I did 16.5 at Colorado School of Mines and AFROTC I know the struggle. on the other had I can't tell you how excited I am to see you back. I actually had to pick up (and almost finish) a Human spy/paramilitary series while this was on hiatus. Glad to see you back man!
Aim High; Fly, Fight, Win
)
Loud, Proud, and Legendary
(help I cant decide between the detachment motto or the overall AF one
You do whatever works for you, man. Glad you're able to figure your shit out and best of luck in any and all future endeavors, whatever they may be. (Especially if those endeavors involve shipping Fleet with everything that moves and some things that don't move.)
gald 2 have some insite to where one of my fav writers ben
but take as long as you need to
Hey, because you felt the need to write this shows how much you actually care about your friends and your fans and it's very touching! Your perseverance to do something with your life is quite inspiring as well! But Life is a balancing act as I always say. Killing yourself at work isn't going to help anybody. Neither is constant leisure time. Sure you knew that already . Good luck. We love you, you goof!
Imma just say I kinda know where you're coming from. The difference being that I could not handle work and 17+ credit hours of school. Certainly not in such a technical field.
So congrats on making it through the semester, even if it did involve far too little sleep, food, human interaction etc.
Good to have you back, hopefully no worse for wear.
Hey, good to see you're still around. It's alright, man, I had dropped my story for about 4 months and only recently updated with 2 chapters. I'll try to work harder over it next year. If you're still interested in it, have a look ^ ^"
And Merry Christmas :)
As soon as you mentioned College, it all made sense.
College (A So-Called place of higher-learning that tends to cost a large amount of money), otherwise known as a Time-Vampire
This malevolent being seduces its victims with the allure of better education, a shiny diploma that will advance their chosen career (though lately its been lack-luster in that department for many victims)
Though the initial symptoms might vary between victims all can agree to see their originally subtle period of dedicated time to College steadily increases until it seemingly takes up an entire day, leaving little time for other aspects like Study, or Work in order to feed the College habit.. Furthermore its been shown that it will harass its prey by making them go at odd hours for extended periods of time.
Only known cure: Successfully making it through the required period of time to attain the Diploma.
Dedicated scientists have been attempting to produce a means to combat this malevolent entity, but nothing has yet shown much promise in thwarting its ability to suck its victims dry of time.
I can only pray that you do not perish
My favorite series on this site and I'm so very happy to see you back to work
Don't rush it take your time. Best wishes to you friend, and I do believe a Reread is in order for me here as it's been over a year since I read these.
(and please for the love of god Mid and Fleet shipping pleeeeease. I know ya got yer own plans but boy do I love the idea of those two together)
I'm so glad you're back, Dusky!
*coughfavouriteauthorcough*
Glad to hear you haven't spontaneously combusted or anything.
Lots of love!