Where did you get your avatar?

Retired MLP fan, just giving well wishes to my favorite writers of this site.

I just want to say how much I loved your MOAT story. To this day it's characters and the manner by which it's main protagonist used and viewed magic echoes still in my own creative endeavors.

Hoping to read a novel from you one day.

Your eternal fan,

Ebon

2647496
I have a google doc where I copied the entire synopsis into, figuring it might one day get deleted from your blog, and I wanted to save it in case I ever wanted to read it again

2652516
You know, before i read this i was determined to wring this information from you.. As 'unrefined' as the last stories were i just don't like leaving anything unfinished, and that all makes sense in a way. Kind of put closure to the first version while, if possible, raised my hopes and expectations for the new one. Thanks

2651853
It's funny, the balancing act between simply rewriting the story in a more condensed and refined form versus exploring new things is something Ive been struggling with recently. A lot of that is owed to the fact it's taken this long and still haven't put anything up. Just a few days ago I was talking with my editors and bouncing some things back and forth and I managed to land at a place where I had to erase a large chunk of the finished first arc and start over. But things are moving forward and the stuff that survives is more and more starting to look like a diamond.

Well I have no problem addressing some of the questions and things relating to the old story that isn't included, though I will try and avoid spoilers to leave in a few surprises.

Dolor and the soul eater thing was a last minute ass pull from my side that wasn't a part of Karon's journey as I'd planned it before. It was partly because I wanted to head into edgier territory and partly because filling Karon up with alien spirits he had to share his soul and mind with was fitting for the aspect of mind games and identity the story was riding. It made the final (or would have made) confrontation in the third story much more impactful since he had to face down all the souls he had within himself as they were used against him. Inspiration wise I hate copying things but there was a lot of influence from the Mask of the Betrayer expansion of Neverwinter Nights 2.

Trixie's and Karon's relationship was interesting mostly because it was a relationship of equals in a way, even though it started with Karon as the superior then lead into Trixie outshining him, and would have led to her final death in the third story at the hands of the Big Bad. As a narrative tool the reason for her death was supposed to reflect a failure to understand the lesson that served as the driving force of the third story which Karon ultimately learns at the end and leads to his salvation. But their relationship was supposed to display this benevolent back and forth between their respective developments showing how it was mutually beneficial for both of them despite them being both so similar as well as opposite in nature. But ultimately, Trixie failed the test Karon eventually passed since she allowed her old traumas to rule her.

Promise's relationship with Karon was just plain fun and writing her was probably the most entertaining part of the stories ever since her conception. I won't say more but it's obvious Feather is going to remain in the new version, and you'll have even more of her than before.

And no, the ultimate goal the four old stories was leading up to wasn't the birth of a new god but a legacy. It was a complicated web I planned with the narrative but it was to culminate in Karon dead but having redeemed the villain of the third story (another trickster) and have her be the first of a long line of tricksters running around the universe setting things right trickster style based upon the understanding that Karon's life had ultimately led to, and then passed on.