A new chapter to Fine Steps has been added!
Here's hoping (although not promising) that future updates are slightly more frequent.

My company wants us to burn vacation time because apparently it's a liability on their books. With everyone WFH right now, nobody's taking vacation. So. I'm taking a few days off. If I don't get distracted by something shiny, I'm hoping to have a Somber Dreams chapter after I get back.

Depression:

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE (2433) – Can use in US, U.K., Canada and Singapore
Suicide Crisis Line: 1-800-999-9999
National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 1-800-273-TALK (8245)
National Adolescent Suicide Helpline: 1-800-621-4000
Postpartum Depression: 1-800-PPD-MOMS
NDMDA Depression Hotline – Support Group: 1-800-826-3632
Veterans: 1-877-VET2VET
Crisis Help Line – For Any Kind of Crisis: 1-800-233-4357
Suicide & Depression Crisis Line – Covenant House: 1-800-999-9999

Read More

It occurred to me that I have never properly acknowledged my editors and proofreaders.
I tell you, folks, were it not for their efforts none of my stuff would have ever seen the light of day.
(Whether that deserves accolade or condemnation is up to you.)

Without further ado, in alphabetical order, and hoping I have not missed anyone, they are:

Anonymous-Samurai-who-doesn't-have-a-FIM-account-to-my-knowledge
Blueshift

Read More

Hi! I'm Twilight Snarkle.
Some of you may know me as the author of a few crossover tales and my tendency to write sadfic/darkfic.
I am also a pre-reader for EQD.

Read More

Mah Freeends...
Well, enough Rebecca Black. As the image (and its credits) on Fine Steps has changed many times, now, I wanted to make sure I publicly acknowledged credit where it was due.
For the vectors of Snowdrop and Skyshine, I must give my heartfelt thanks to Wento. His FIM is here.

Read More

I've gotten a dozen messages asking to have the original 'April Fools' epilogue restored to Hope. I won't do that, but I will provide the text here if anyone wishes it.

For those of you who missed it, I trolled my readership with a little joke for about 24 hours on 4/1. If you've not read Hope, or don't want to 'spoil' the ending you've already read, skip the rest of this post.

***
***
***

Read More

"This is a stickup! Gimme all your money, or the pink pony gets it!" Pinkie brandished the strange metal cylinder threateningly, then pressed it against her head.

"No!" Pinkie shouted. "Don't worry about me! You need that money to save the farm!"

Spinning on one hoof, she yelled back. "Never fear, Pinkie! I'll get you out of this, and save the farm!"

"My hero!" shouted Pinkie from the gathering crowd.

Read More

A quickie today, and not directly pony related... necessarily...

My Favorite Things!

Carriage returns, regular indentation
Lines for new speakers, and good punctuation
Em-dash and en-dash and proper spacing
These are a few of my favorite things

Solid plot hooks and characterization
Dialogue, dialect, accentuation
Semicolons and the rhythm they bring
These are a few of my favorite things

Superscript, underlines, proper notation

Read More