Author's Notes For HSS · 5:36pm Nov 19th, 2018
IN WHICH IT TOOK FOREVER
Hello there and thank you for taking the time to read Her Shimmering Sunset. With this story, my attempt at writing romance comes to a close. follow me past the jump for more ramblings and inside scoops.
As my longtime followers may already know by having kept up with these blogposts, I originally wrote this story in August of 2017, during my "Computer Is Shit" induced hiatus. However, as time went on, I realized how much the story was an absolute failure as a finale to an arc years in the making. I wrote Recovery not long before that and simply sat on both stories as I kept finding little tidbits to add before the arcs' respective finales.
FUN FACT: I rewrote Her Shimmering Sunset quite literally from the ground up, to the point that I didn't even look at the original draft as I worked over the last couple of weeks.
I'm tempted to post the three parts of the 2017 draft in future blogposts so y'all can see exactly how shit it is compared to what I finally put out today.
I finished the first two chapters of HSS a couple weeks ago but got stuck on the final chapter because I had no confidence in myself to write sexy-time. As I said before, it took a unique cocktail of legal drugs to jolt my brain enough to actually finish. And even then! In the first draft, I accidentally forgot to have Rarity smack Sunset over the head 17 times with a blunt object -- y'know, the thing I've been alluding to the entire goddamn arc. Good thing I caught that mistake. It required rewriting a good chunk of the beginning, but I think it was worth it.
Sunset Shimmer is a fan of Judge Judy. I think Ms Scheindlin probably reminds her of how she wishes Celestia would act whenever real idiots come before her throne.
I really hope I was able to get across the feelings and emotions I wanted in this final story. A conscious decision was made to not go too far into the sex -- partly because I have no faith in myself to actually write truly smutty things, and partly because that's not what this arc was about.
PS - While I did allude to it in earlier stories, I had Rarity turn 18 (rather than 17) mainly to satisfy the censors. But, I've also established that the Mirror-world has a mandated "Year 13", similar to the British Sixth-Form. In other words, a post-Senior year where students choose the track they want to take. Crystal Prep doesn't actually have this -- they're University-track only.
Fluttershy is still the oldest of the five Equestria Girls, being a couple months older than Rarity. Pinkie is the youngest, almost a year younger. 'Shy was held back a year; Pinkie started early because, as I've mentioned before, she's the smartest of the group even if she doesn't act like it.
I've had two people ask me about the cover art. To be honest, while I could say it here, I already gave credit in the story's long description, so I won't repeat myself. Let's just say it was the EXACT piece I'd been looking for for months. I finally decided to just image search it last night. Sure enough it was one of the first entries to pop up.
I wish there was more good Sunsarity art. This piece plus a few by &XYZ are the only ones. Gives me a sad. But, that's what happens when I hitch my wagon to an unpopular ship.
So, I've completed another arc. Sunset and Rarity are together and happy. I have no plans to continue this storyline. If YOU want to continue it and make them do the nasty, I can't stop you.
I'll be publishing another story tomorrow -- that's Tuesday November 20th 2018 -- a followup to One Does Not Deny A Lady. Unlike that insanity, however, this upcoming one is 100% non-canon. When you read it, you'll understand why. I may go dark after that just in keeping with the spirit of that fic. Although the fact that it's almost Thanksgiving here in the United States is also a factor.
I actually do have two more stories in need of tweaking, that I've been sitting on for awhile, so I might use my time to polish those. Stay tuned.
Thanks again for your patience. I hope it paid off for you.
Peace out!
Oh wow. That fic you were talking about....
Wow. I can actually imagine Sunset acting like that.