News Archive

  • 179 weeks
    MSPiper’s “Autumnfall Change” [Royal Canterlot Library]

    You might want to keep a whiteboard handy for today’s story.


    Autumnfall Change
    [Sci-Fi][Slice of Life][Human] • 8,419 words

    Magic and technology may have pierced the void and blazed a path between the realms, but that was the simple part. Adjusting to the changes that follow can be far more daunting.

    Yet despite the complexities involved even in basic communication, Serendipity has found friends to talk to among humankind who can cheer her up when she’s down. And occasionally inspire her to bursts of ingenuity unhindered by such trifles as foresight.

    Read More

    6 comments · 9,133 views
  • 193 weeks
    TCC56's "Glow In The Dark, Shine In The Sun" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    A villain might just have a bright future in today's story.


    Glow In The Dark, Shine In The Sun
    [Equestria Girls] [Drama] [Slice of Life] • 27,035 words

    Despite all attempts, Cozy Glow still hasn't been shown a path to friendship. No pony has been able to get through to her, and she's only gotten worse with each attempt.

    Reluctant to return the filly to stone again, Princess Twilight has one last option. One pony she hasn't tried. Or in this case? One person.

    Sunset Shimmer.

    Can Sunset do what no pony has been able to?

    Read More

    10 comments · 9,337 views
  • 195 weeks
    The Red Parade's "never forever" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Today's story never says never.


    never forever
    [Sad] [Slice of Life] • 1,478 words

    Lightning Dust will never be a Wonderbolt. When she left the Academy, she swore she'd never look back. When the Washouts disbanded, she swore she'd forget about them.

    Yet after all these years, against all odds, she finds herself here. At a Wonderbolts show. Just on the wrong side of the glass.

    Read More

    20 comments · 8,131 views
  • 200 weeks
    Freglz's "Nothing Left to Lose" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Don't lose out on today's story.


    Nothing Left to Lose
    [Drama] [Sad] • 6,367 words

    Some things can't be changed.

    Starlight believes otherwise.

    FROM THE CURATORS: One might be forgiven for thinking that after nine years of MLP (and fanfic), there's nothing left to explore on such well-trodden ground as changeling redemption — but there are still stories on the topic which are worthy of turning heads.  "Though the show seems to have moved past it as a possibility, the question of whether and how Queen Chrysalis could be reformed alongside the other changelings still lingers in the fandom's consciousness," Present Perfect said in his nomination. "In comes Freglz, with a solidly reasoned story that combines the finales of seasons 5 and 6 and isn't afraid to let the question hang."

    Read More

    26 comments · 7,541 views
  • 202 weeks
    Somber's "Broken Record" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Today's story puts all the pieces together.

    (Ed. note: Some content warnings apply to this interview, regarding current world circumstances and mentions of suicidal ideation.)


    Broken Record
    [Drama] [Slice of Life] • 7,970 words

    There has never been an athlete like Rainbow Dash. The sprints. The marathons. The land speed record. She held them all.

    Until she didn't.

    Until she had only one left... and met the pony that might take it from her...

    Read More

    11 comments · 5,347 views
  • 204 weeks
    jakkid166's "Detective jakkid166 in everything" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Missing out on today's story would be a crime.


    Detective jakkid166 in everything
    [Comedy] [Human] • 15,616 words

    "Every pony thing evre made would be better if it had me in it."
    - me

    I, Detective jakkid166, will be prepared to make every pony fanficion, video, and game better by me being in it. All you favorite pony content, except it has ME! And even I could be in some episodes of the show except cause the charaters are idiot I'm good at my job.

    The ultimate Detective jakkid166 adventures collection, as he goes into EVERYTHING to make it good.

    Read More

    171 comments · 9,616 views
  • 206 weeks
    Mannulus' "Sassy Saddles Meets Sasquatch" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Today's story is a rare find.


    Sassy Saddles Meets Sasquatch
    [Comedy] [Random] • 5,886 words

    The legend is known throughout Equestria, but there are few who believe. Those who claim to have seen the beast are dismissed as crackpots and madponies. Those who bring evidence before the world are dismissed as histrionic deceivers. There are those who have seen, however -- those who know -- and they will forever cry out their warning from the back seats of filthy, old train cars, even to those who dismiss them, who revile them, who ignore their warnings unto their own mortal peril.

    "The sasquatch is real!" they will cry forevermore, even as nopony believes.

    But from this day forward, Sassy Saddles will believe.

    Read More

    16 comments · 6,203 views
  • 208 weeks
    SheetGhost’s “Moonlight Vigil” [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Take a closer look into tonight’s story.


    Moonlight Vigil
    [Tragedy] • 3,755 words

    Bitter from her defeat and exile, the Mare in the Moon watches Equestria move on without her.

    Read More

    1 comments · 4,842 views
  • 210 weeks
    Unwhole Hole's "The Murder of Elrod Jameson" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Today's story is some killer noir.

    [Adult story embed hidden]

    The Murder of Elrod Jameson
    [Dark] [Mystery] [Sci-Fi] [Human] • 234,343 words

    [Note: This story contains scenes of blood and gore, sexuality, and a depiction of rape.]

    Elrod Jameson: a resident of SteelPoint Level Six, Bridgeport, Connecticut. A minor, pointless, and irrelevant man... who witnessed something he was not supposed to.

    Narrowly avoiding his own murder, he desperately searches for help. When no living being will help him, he turns to the next best thing: a pony.

    Read More

    14 comments · 5,329 views
  • 212 weeks
    Grimm's "Don't Open the Door" [Royal Canterlot Library]

    Today's story lingers like the curling mist in a dark forest.


    Don't Open the Door
    [Dark][Horror] • 13,654 words

    After an expedition into the Everfree Forest ends in disaster, Applejack and Rainbow Dash take refuge in an abandoned cabin until morning.

    This is probably a poor decision, but it's only one night, after all. How bad could it be?

    FROM THE CURATORS: "I don't care much for horror stories," AugieDog mused. "But this one does so much right, I found myself really impressed." Present Perfect thought it was "simply one of the best horror stories I've ever read," and Soge agreed "one-hundred percent" that "this is pitch-perfect horror from beginning to end."

    Read More

    8 comments · 4,645 views
Mar
2nd
2018

Author Interview » Norm De Plume's "As Horns and Halos Surround You" [Royal Canterlot Library] · 3:05pm Mar 2nd, 2018

(Ed. Note: This week, we say farewell to Chris, who has been with the Royal Canterlot Library since its inception, and give a big hello to FanOfMostEverything, who has some formidable horseshoes to fill!)

Give in to the temptation of reading today's story.


As Horns and Halos Surround You
[Slice of Life] • 4,809 words

Rarity’s little Temptation ends up on pins and needles. Literally.

With her shoulder-devil out of commission, other Temptations pop into her life to pick up the slack from their fallen sister.

FROM THE CURATORS: The recent "Make Rarity Not Garbage" contest produced quality stories up and down the line — such as this fun and imaginative romp, which finished outside the top three but caught our eyes with its creativity regardless.  "The big memorable thing here is obviously the concept," Soge said in his nomination.  "It's a fresh take on the idea of autonomous consciences, and one that feels distinctively pony — the kind of effortless worldbuilding that seemed to be more common during earlier seasons."  Others agreed: "The concept is so wonderful, it pretty much bulldozes all other considerations to the side," AugieDog said.  "What's here is great fun, though, and the characters are spot on."

A large part of that was the way the story used its premise to reflect on canon.  "I love how the little shoulder devils we meet reflect not only the characters but the Equestrian setting," AugieDog said.  "Yes, Twilight's Temptation keeps wanting her to make more use of her alicorn powers, but toward benevolent ends — or at least as benevolent as publishing academic papers can be — and Fluttershy's is still celebrating the way Fluttershy stood up for herself during 'Fame and Misfortune.'"  AugieDog wasn't the only one appreciating the way this story looked from a fresh angle at the characters we know and love.  "It is a very comfy kind of fic, but with enough substance to it to keep me interested," Soge said.  "It explores its theme admirably, and ends up making some really nice considerations about the Mane 6 and their lives."  And Horizon had similar praise: "The side characters stole the show.  I laughed out loud at the fate of Twilight's Temptation."

That entertainment value was one of our most frequent compliments.  "This was fun!" Present Perfect said.  "And it taught me that stories where what's metaphor for us is common reality for ponies are my favorite kind of ponyfic."  So it was a bonus pleasure to find the story not just entertaining but educational.  "Googling the story's subtitle taught me that little good and bad sprites like this are a part of the Islamic tradition," AugieDog said.  "The things one learns from reading Ponyfic!"

Read on for our author interview, in which Norm De Plume discusses equine homecomings, Canadian musicians, and scimitar-flinging fairies.


Give us the standard biography.

I’m 41, Canadian, and an original G1 fan.  8 years old, sitting there watching colourful ponies like Bow Tie, Firefly, Medley, Glory, and probably worrying my parents.  (“The boy’s watching girls’ shows!  Why does he want pony toys?”  Joke’s on them.  Now that I’m in my 40s, I have all the ponies I could ever need.)

I’ve been through a few fandoms.  Started off writing my own terrible stories in G1 from about ‘93-‘97, then moved to Sailor Moon fandom briefly.  I joined the anime multiverse for a few years, writing for a friends’ fanfic series that flung his own self-inserts around like chew toys.  Then, after college, I joined the Harry Potter fandom in 2004 just in time for the Goblet of Fire book markdown (Whee, 50% off!).  That lasted until 2011 when rumblings reached me of a new MLP series taking the internet by storm.  Once I saw it, I knew I had to come home again.

How did you come up with your handle/penname?

It comes from Lorne Elliott, a Canadian folk musician, standup comedian, radio host, and rival to Adagio Dazzle for wildest hair.  He once joked that his pen name would either be Norm De Plume, or B.S. Elliott.

Who's your favorite pony?

Applejack!  It did my heart good to see her in G4, but she was there mostly because her and Spike’s trademarks were the only ones Hasbro hadn’t somehow lost over the last 30 years.  It took me a couple episodes to get used to the ack-cent.  And the *hat*.

Now, I say Applejack is Best Pony, but who do I write most often?  Rarity.  Rarity is so different from Best Pony, it’s comical how often I do fics with her.  I can’t help it.  Rarity’s the one who steps out for new experiences, who doesn’t rely on routine or get caught in a rut (Applejack’s Day Off), and who pitches the most marvelous fits.

But I gave Applejack Fancy Pants to date, to love, and to move in with.  That means I love her the most.

What's your favorite episode?

At the moment?  “Rock Solid Friendship”.  I appreciate Maudelina Daisy Pie more here than I do in any of her other episodes.  Although once the show makes a Limestone Dirtnap Pie episode, that will take over top spot.

What do you get from the show?

A connection to my first fandom.  I wrote G1 fanfic back in the mid-90s in high school, before the internet was invented.  Twin red and black unicorn OCs along with my super-powered humanized self-insert.  Dear God, I was such a teenager.  

Now, 7 seasons later?  I get the joy of watching fanfic writers get Jossed with each new episode.

What do you want from life?

Chacun a son goût.  (Hey, lots of people would like to see me be more bilingual.  Don’t know what their problem is, since I already speak French twice a year.)

I’m a collector.  That’s a dangerous thing.  What we want most is what’s next on the list, that piece that *isn’t* in your collection but you know is out there.  This is followed closely by the hope that when you’re all done collecting, someone else will take all this crap off your hands for more than you originally paid.

Why do you write?

If I didn’t write, I’d be an editor.  Writing is preferable because at least I can yell at myself for the crap I come up with.  When I yell at other writers, it doesn’t go so well.

What advice do you have for the authors out there?

After 222 RCL posts, there isn’t much I can say that previous honorees haven’t covered.  Other than “Don’t listen to me, I’m an idiot and a hypocrite” (See above: yelling at other writers).

Still, if you insist, and if you take writing fanfiction seriously (although not to the point where you are ‘Writing’), don’t rest on your successes.  Because you will go back to that success in a month or two, and immediately every flaw and bad word choice will smack you in the face.  You will want to fix everything right then and there.

Remember that feeling and put it towards your next effort.

And for God’s sake, be original.  Safe, tried, and easy will get you popularity, but fame is fleeting.  Pride and a sense of accomplishment will go much, much farther.

What inspired “As Horns and Halos Surround You”?

I’d saved this idea for a special situation, and the “Make Rarity Not Garbage” contest run by The Barcast team was ideal.  I like shoulder angel/devils overall.  Kronk’s from The Emperor’s New Groove, Good Excel blowing away Bad Excel and being arrested by Police Officer Excel from Excel Saga, etc.

There’s a sort of expectancy that, if one appears, the other is close behind, because there’s balance.  So what if illness meant a shoulder devil didn’t show up one day?

The original inspiration was a ASMR video where a woman doctor produced a Conscience and Temptation from the viewer’s ears (not seen on screen), but the thought that they were part of a physical, medical procedure, originally struck me as a starting point.

My first concepts rarely reach fruition in their original form, and while I pinged various “Critter combos” with other fic writers, the story took shape where Rarity received a loan of other Temptations.  The first draft felt like a bunch of “Here’s Rarity’s next friend’s devil, doing things she doesn’t agree with!” and it was only when I envisioned the shoulder critters as a union executive that the final product made some sense.

Why make the various Temptations we meet here not as wicked as the traditional “devil on the shoulder” we’ve seen for so long in cartoons?

Ponies are way higher on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  They pretty much start with ‘self-actualization’, as their full potential is embodied in a cutie mark.  The Mane 6 might even have reached self-transcendence, giving themselves to Equestria as Elements of Harmony.  Now how do you disrupt that?  I mean, obviously, you can, but I believe ponies are meant to be happy, so they’ve done a fairly good job at wearing down the diabolical schemes of their Temptations.

As Cold in Gardez said in Completely Safe In The Reference Section, ““Applejack is a complex pony with a wide range of interests and characteristics, Rainbow. Not only is Honesty her Element and primary value, but she is also a loving, hardworking and determined mare.“  The most temptation she’s succumbed to is kicking a snoozing Rainbow Dash out of her apple tree.

Temptations have their pony’s best interests at heart, to the exclusion of all others, and if they’re to keep their ponies happy, they must adjust their missions somewhat.  Also, herd animals tend to be more aware of the other members, so Temptations can’t cause too much trouble, or you’re no longer part of the herd.

Were you familiar with the Islamic concept of the Kiraman Katibin before writing the story?

I was not aware of their origin before I began my research.  But naturally, the Noble Writers are Islamic, the angels who record the deeds of man to report to Allah.  Looks like the West went “Hey, yeah, good idea.  Let’s tweak that a little.”

The pony versions don’t report to any higher authority other than their executive councils.  The councils are voted on, and Honorable Recorders do get a day off to cast their ballots.  It’s when most pitchfork mixups happen, in the voting booth.

Have you considered putting together more Tales of the Noble Recorders?

The possibilities are endless, I admit.  Zealous Sparkle alone, the 2nd Temptation of Twilight Sparkle, is a pony I’d love to take a deeper look at.  Or maybe the Pie Family Recorders.

At the same time, I hate sequels (says the man who spent 20 months finishing the final third of a trilogy with Sirens, only to need an epilogue to wrap it all together. x.x) and who knows what I’ll do next.  

My main goal is originality, even when I’m flailing around knee-deep in 15K+ words of clop, and it’s hard to act like a movie studio and go back to ‘tried, tested, and true.’

Although if I did come back to the Recorders, I could commission more lovely critter art from JennDyLyon. :D

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Looking back at it, I’m surprised no one wondered just how Twilight procured a second Temptation.  If Honorable Recorders come in pairs, where’s the other Conscience that should be with that Temptation?  Do Temptations change appearance to match their pony if they get reassigned?  Or does one have to wait until a new Recorder is born/comes along on a baby’s laugh, like the Disney Fairies of Pixie Hollow?

[Offhand, Disney Fairies are tiny badasses.  Go watch The Pirate Fairy and or Legend of the Neverbeast, even the Pixie Hollow Games.  Zarina is a few inches tall, but can hold her own duelling Captain Hook in his prime and fling full-sized scimitars through solid oak.  Bad. Ass.]

You can read As Horns and Halos Surround You at FIMFiction.net. Read more interviews right here at the Royal Canterlot Library, or suggest stories for us to feature at our Fimfiction group.

Comments ( 10 )

Welcome, FanOfMostEverything

Bye Chris! Safe travels!

Fantastic clop author, one of the best on the site. Won't see that in an RCL nomination though.

What happened to Chris?

I always get so hype for Norm's stuff, and always without a clue as to what it will be. This is rare fic that goes on the fav shelf and gets a reread

Hot dog! Congratulations, Norm! :yay:

I've known Norm's work for quite some time, originally discovering his fic "A Rare Moment of Siren-ity" and from then on, I was hooked.

Norm has a way of weaving a tale by showing, not telling. Moreover, he's very creative in his execution as well as his ideas. Once he's captured a unique concept he truly believes in, he's not afraid to roll it around and polish it to create an exciting gem. The persistence truly shows, as he's able to sculpt a story around such innovative pairings and situations, such as in "Take With Food", the more risque "Apple Fancier" and of course, the adorable story showcased in this article, "As Horns and Halos Surround You". Admittedly, there were times when I was a little skeptical of an idea, such as Tree Hugger's presence in his latest, "So-Not-A Shy Girl After All". But as you read on, the idea makes so much sense, it becomes difficult to imagine the story without that special element! So hats off to you, good sir :yay:

What's refreshing is that Norm doesn't just write one type of fic. Though clop is his specialty, he's capable of stepping outside of that realm and weaving other types of tales as well. From his saucy fics to the Norm-al, Mr. de-Plume makes the extra effort by adding a nice dose of Slice-of-Life in the mix to give these characters some added depth, enhancing their personalities and actually giving a damn about the subject matter to create a very unique and refreshing experience unfound anywhere else on this site.

He's written a lot of stories but for me, "A Rare Moment of Siren-ity" will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first clop fic I was brave enough to plunge into. And quite frankly, the execution has spoiled me :raritywink:

Congratulations, Norm-de-Plume! This honorable mention is very well-deserved and I look forward to reading any new stories you've got cooking up inside that crazy yet wonderful mind of yours :twilightsmile:

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

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We don't actually know, beyond unspecified personal issues keeping him from devoting as much time to pony stuff as he used to. I suppose if he decides to disclose the reason for his decrease in activity, he'll do so on his blog.

This was a great story, and I'm pleased to see it get a little additional press with an RCL post.

Chris is leaving? Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. I still look on his review of my story as a point of great pride, and his work around here has been a great help in developing my skill as a writer. Best of luck, friend.

Anyways, congratulations to Norm de Plumes for the feature! I haven't had the privilege of reading your work yet, but this synopsis is interesting enough that I might just change that.

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