State of the Author, October 2020 · 8:03am Oct 3rd, 2020
More than usual, the internet is melting down right now over #2020 news, so let's talk about something different. Me!
I'm not dead! Though you might be forgiven for thinking so. As mad as this year has been, it's reduced my drive to ... do anything, really. I'm working a day job, which thankfully is well insulated from coronavirus. I'm dragging myself out of the house for Search & Rescue, and playing in a weekly tabletop roleplaying game that at least is keeping my muse engaged. (It's an ensemble-cast superhero RPG that's giving me a ton of fun characters to work with. Lord Howell — a starwolf supersoldier who joined the team after the interdimensional invasion she led got stomped flat, and who has been fighting her way through a painful redemption arc and a tempestuous accidental relationship with the team leader — has been a definite highlight.) Writing, though? Zip.
Which is why it's so exciting to finally have some news to post here again! It's nothing big, I'm afraid; just a few dozen words per day. But it's something!
You might recall that, over on Twitter, I run a parody pony account by the name of @ShiftOnSecurity. I've been keeping the account live since the end of the show, posting a goofy mix of equine and infosec content as the whim takes me. But now I'm posting a regular little experiment in ongoing micro-content — an interactive fiction thread driven by reader polls.
Come join in!
That's you?!
Glad you're not dead! Sorry about the drive-sapping, though.
Hah, and glad it sounds like that RPG's been being fun. :)
And I'm not on Twitter and have no plans to join, but I hope this project goes well!
(Oh, and a happy belated birthday to you too, then!)
edit:
I did just pop over there and take a look, though. It looks fun. :)
Good to hear from you. Thanks for keeping us posted.
honestly kinda been wondering if you didn't dead D:
Ah, so it does live. Good to know.
I know that saying you aren’t dead in blogs is normally meant to be lighthearted humor, but this year it’s become incredibly reassuring to know that. Stay well.
Glad things are going well for you. :)
Being not dead is a good goal for this year. Congrats.
We must protect horizon at all costs; he's the most important chang pony author!
I've been seeing that! I should probably muster the attention to vote, it looks like fun.
Are we coming back from the dead now? Is now the time for us to rise?
If it helps, you're far from alone in this. We're all in survival mode this year, and it's not easy to be creative under the circumstances. Muses return in their own time, but I'm sure you know that already.
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Thanks. Good to hear from you!
Any chance of an update for Hard Reset 2: Reset Harder? I remember that you said in a blog post the other year that you had three-ish chapters written but not yet posted, but admittedly 2020 has been a hellish year for productivity of any kind
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I'd vouch for that, Hard Reset 2 has been one of my favorite stories.