estee

The Remainders Of The Day: Complete.

Just a little under 12k on this final chapter, making it into the longest segment of the story.  I could have broken it up, but...  I wanted to finish in one shot. 

(Surprisingly, one person did guess at part of the ending.  You never know what the Comments section is going to come up with.)

So at about 36k words in total, let's call this a mid-length piece wrapped, clearing that part of the queue and allowing me to consider moving something else into that slot.  ...

February Freebie: My Little Nix With Cupcakes At The Rainbow Factory

It's been hard to get into a writing mindset this month, and I finally decided to get things flowing with a piece of total 3600-word fluff.  As such, this is a certified No Charge in the post department, along with being the single most trolling title I could come up with on moderate notice.

For the rest of the month, we're mostly looking at updates:  Triptych, Anchor Foal, and a conclusion for The Remainders Of The Day. &...

Triptych: updated

About 7700 words on this one, and the bulk of them may not make anyone happy:  it was time to check in with Coordinator, and I understand if no one wants to stay in his office any longer than they have to.  But in this case, it was...  necessary.

That word pops up a lot with him, doesn't it?

So that's the (unofficial, as I never made a blog post) January update slate completed.   We'll discuss February in a few days, after I recover from having to deal with that ...

New one-shot: Conventional Errors (January freebie.)

(ETA:  For those coming in late, the story was revoked for not being sufficiently pony.  I've redirected the link to the new blog post where I pasted the story's content, and so that's why you're looking at Hank's studious expression:  the most recent image for Patreon's code to latch onto.)

This is the anti-Displaced (or at least, anti-Merchant -- the CDA is more towards anti-Displaced) story idea I mentioned in a recent blog post.  There's an argument to be made that it's...

Anchor Foal: updated

5400 words on this one, which is mostly focused on Fleur learning a little more about making her way around Ponyville.  When the next chapter appears (which won't be this month), we'll get a touch of the settled zone's nightlife and check in with Discord, who is -- also checking out some nightlife.  

(But not in Ponyville or Canterlot, because he's not that stupid.)  

(Yes, it may be possible to hear the screams of horror anyway.)

Tomorrow, in the name of not watchin...

The Remainders Of The Day: updated

6800 words on this chapter, which takes us through the storage unit inspection and most of the sorting stage.  The next (and likely last) chapter should focus on the sale itself, although I'm probably going to need at least a few lines for talking about the advertising.  And Mrs. Bradel is set to appear before the end, mostly so I can get the awkward dance of having her and Twilight in the same rough area.  Don't stand still too long or your tricks might wind up being copied... &n...

New one-shot story: Captains Crash

This is a pure 6K celebration of the Ducktales revival, along with being the first time I've ever written what could be argued as a more-or-less straight "X In Equestria" story.  The rest of the month will be Continuum pieces:  continuations on Triptych, Anchor Foal, and The Remainders Of The Day -- but sometimes, you just want to have fun.  This was written for a single reason:  fun.  We can go...

New One-Shot Story: Six Ponies & One Corpse

I've been in something of a dark mood lately.  (I blame the news.  A lot.)  And with BronyWriter's latest story, I found both a degree of inspiration and a place to channel that mood, expressing it as fairly literal graveyard humor.  It got me through today, and -- believe me, I am thankful for anything that got me through today without having to spend too much time paying attention to the news.  So thanks to BW for the inspiration which created a 5800-word stan...

Triptych: update.

About 8k words on this chapter to close out the month (and year), completing the promised posts from the blog.  Hopefully this piece doesn't start any Comments section fights. 

*looks at end of chapter again*

...and I'm kidding myself.

January will let this story continue, should wrap Remainders, and from there...  we'll see what happens.  What's going to happen now is a somewhat belated dinner, and then we'll all wave goodbye to 2016, which onl...

The Remainders Of The Day: updated

Just barely under 5k on this chapter, mostly because it wound up as a single extended scene.  I wanted to keep things between Rarity and Twilight -- so at the point their discussion truly ends, that's where the chapter cuts out.    I didn't want to pad it out and I didn't feel like it could be shorter (although I may not be the best judge on that latter), so that's where what seemed to be the natural length wound up.

Tomorrow, should all go well, there will be an update on ...

December freebie: "Why do all our new adversaries rhyme with each other?"

Ever have an idea so dumb that you had to write the whole thing just to get it out of your head?  I originally started to write this one out as a blog post, and then I realized it was too stupid not to inflict on as many people as possible.  Also given that how fundamentally dumb it is plus the fact that it clocked in at a mere 1500+ words, I wasn't going to put up a post charge for it.  But now it's out of the way and I can hopefully work on something else tomorrow. &nbs...

New story: Unstable Sale

This was the second-place finisher in the concept vote-off, and has gone up as a complete work:  over 13k on the word count, with no more to come -- although the events themselves are going to need some kind of sequel eventually.  And it's another one of the AU break points:  similar to what happened in Post Negative Comments Only, there's no going back after this.

I'm guessing there's going to be a fair number of downvotes on this one, and some will be from those who...

Your Hearth's Warming Eve present: they were six...

It's in the latest blog post.  Approach at your own risk.   Because I know a few people have been wondering about those who came first.  The original Bearers.  The sisters' group.

And for those willing to uncover the spoilered text?  There they are...

For the holidays, have a glimpse behind the curtain.   You just have to decide if you're willing to pull it back.    

Anchor Foal: update

Just over 5k words on this chapter, which was all it took to make things a little...  discordant.  And since I'm officially into the holiday now and can look forward to my (probably) coal, it's time for bed.  I'm not exactly going to catch Santa.  Santa can place a cardboard box around his body and disguise himself as a present.  How am I supposed to beat that?

(I recently watched a Merry Gear Solid  playthrough.   This may have been a m...

New continuing story: The Remainders Of The Day

This was the winner of my blog post MVP vote-off, where readers had a chance to choose which new story concept they wanted to see most.  As it typically turned out, it's going to be on the moderately long side (probably 30k or less), and so this Patreon post represents the first two chapters:  12,788 words.   

I'm hoping to have one more update on FIMFic tonight, although I may wind up pushing into Santa's early hours in order to achieve that.  If I hear rei...

Triptych: updated

Just barely over 9k words on this chapter -- and so we close out the month.  In terms of accomplishing the hoped-for story writing goals sketched out in that blog post?  I failed.  But that one can be blamed partially on A Mark Of Appeal, with the ending taking so many more words than I'd initially thought it would.  My rate of production wasn't horrible:  it just wound up going on less stories than I'd targeted.  And I can at least say the exact sa...

Anchor Foal: updated.

A little over 8k words on this chapter, which should give its readers something to do for a little while.  The time has come to justify one of those character tags, and the meeting -- went about as well as might have been expected.  Also about as badly.

This month's target schedule has been somewhat disrupted, mostly because A Mark Of Appeal took more verbiage for its conclusion that I thought it would.  A lot more.  So I have to prioritize for wha...

A Mark Of Appeal: complete

I've wanted to say that for a long time.

So, for the record...  those last four words?  They were always meant to be the conclusion to the story.  It just took an (understated) while to reach them.  I often have final sentences in mind from the start:  it's everything in between which can be the trouble.

But now, the words have been said.   And with those words -- this story is complete.

(Say them for yourself at your own peril.)

...

A Mark Of Appeal: update

I've been thinking about how to do this.  It wound up being three chapters since the last post charge, and over 22k in words.  And...  I'm not sure anyone's noticed, but I've been trying to keep the charges per month down to a maximum of five.  Having people contribute money for my work is a honor.  I don't want to abuse it.  And besides, the holidays are coming up.  I'm sure people have shopping to do.

(If anyone thinks I'm being stupid about this, feel free...

Update: A Mark Of Appeal

 So I had originally thought this was going to be one more chapter, possibly two.  And it turned out to be at least two, and more likely three.  The lesson, in this case, is that sometimes characters do what they wish.  What they must.

Also, this was originally not supposed to be in the 11k word range.  But you know...  *sigh*  As the joke continues to go:  "Hi.  I'm Estee."

 We're still approaching the finish line on this one. &...

New Story: Suited For Terror

And we close out October with two uncommon events for me:  a holiday-themed item and what's arguably a short piece:  just over 4400 words.  (Who says I can't write short?  Everyone.  So let's call this...  relatively short?)  I did warn everyone that after the very extended effort on Unnoticed, the finishing kick might be a little lower on total word count.  However, with this piece...  well, there are times when both comedy and horror should be short...

Anchor Foal: Update

This is the first of two hoped-for holiday updates, both lightly themed towards October 31st.  If I can get the next one up before we officially cross into November, it'll be an intentional theme for a complete one-shot short story.  Having said theme link into this new 5k chapter was more -- inadvertent.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/342886/anchor-foal-a-romantic-cri...

New Story: Senior Living

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/351883/senior-living

The arrival of this one surprised me.  The concept, however, has been around for a while.  I put the cover image in a blog post some time ago, and stated what my concept was for it.  And today, everything just came together in time to put a just-short-of-8K-words result up.

It's not a 'verse story.  And even ...

New Story: Unnoticed

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/351460/unnoticed

As promised, this is Spike's first solo tale in the actual 'verse, and it...  wound up being more of a marathon than I thought it would.  We're talking about nearly 20k words here, so...  if the next few update chapters wind up being somewhat shorter, please consider me to be engaging in the very pony activity of trotting slowly after the...

A Special Offer From Shutterfly! an October freebie

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/351342/a-special-offer-from-shutterfly

I was having trouble getting into the rather dark mindset required for the still-upcoming Spike story, so I decided to clear the queue by writing something stupid.

Really stupid.

So stupid that there is no possible way I can justify putting up a charge post for it.

(The tank would ...

Anchor Foal: updated

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/342886/anchor-foal-a-romantic-cringe-comedy

It's a fairly long chapter:  over 9k words.  The first meeting between Fleur and Fluttershy required a little extra verbiage to get through all the awkward.

I've been thinking about asking for cover art.  It's not something I usually do on a story, but this one...

Triptych: second update

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/101769/triptych

"Do we always have to cut it so close?"

"Would you prefer your failure uncut?"

September projected update schedule:  met.

Triptych: updated

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/101769/triptych

One down.  If tomorrow somehow works out perfectly, one for the month to go.

For the record:  the Great Nearly War is the line which effectively launched the entire 'verse.   When the notes are sorted by date in the master file, it's Note #1.  It took me a long time, longer than it should have -- but the original foundation s...

A Mark Of Appeal: updated.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/131321/a-mark-of-appeal

Stupid airport run.  (Plus this wound up being a much longer chapter than anticipated -- just under 12k words.)

So in order to complete my projected/hoped-for/semi-promised monthly schedule, that leaves me trying to finish two chapters on Triptych in something under two days.

Possibly minus thirty seconds for desperate ...

The Elements Of Elements: update/new story

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/267226/the-elements-of-elements

As this particular title leads to an anthology series, the update is actually a tale in itself:   a Trixie-focused piece with just over 5k words, containing exactly one line of dialogue.  (If anyone's curious, it takes place before 0G Network Coverage.)  And as this story was written in privacy and silenc...