To All My Readers Who Have Borne My Neglect With The Patience Of Job

It has been a while, hasn't it? Okay, that is one HELL of an understatement. I have been neglecting the various stories that I have started over the years (2005-2008). I've said it before and I'm admitting it again.

I regret it. But unfortunately, there is nothing that I can do about it. It is out of my hands since I don't have the power to alter the flow of time. My time is VERY limited and VERY precious. And I have to prioritize. It's not that writing isn't a priority of mine - it IS - but other things come first and foremost.

I am not a professional writer, writing for money. Writing is a hobby of mine - one of several actually. And frankly, my academic development now takes the utmost precedence over any hobby. No one in their right mind would choose to engage in hobbies when life makes demands of them the way my life has been making. I want to return to the Good Old Days, when I wasn't just passing courses with one or two distinctions - but excelling at ALL of them. And that takes TIME and effort.

I am really flattered that so many of you keep asking about updates, even after so much time has gone by. I really wish that life was different, but it ain't. As it is, I'm so strapped for time that I find myself having to actually use Microsoft Outlook to plan my days down to a T. Can you believe that? I've never really had time management skills, and before now the mental lists of to-do things I used to keep in my head were enough to get by. See how tough the situation has become?

Let's see. So far the story list is -

 

Multiple Part Stories

~ Say You Love Me (21 Chapters) (Incomplete)
~ X-men: Alchemy (Formerly known as XXX-MEN)(31 Chapters) (Incomplete)
~ The Choice (4 Chapters) (Incomplete)
~ Phoenix: Death Wish (5 Chapters) (Incomplete)
~ Gone But Not Forgotten - Trial (1 Chapter) (Incomplete)
~ Bartender - Trial (1 Chapter) (Incomplete)
~ Hell Hath No Fury - Supernatural Fic (2 Chapters) (Incomplete)
~ Gemini - Supernatural AU Fic Trial (1 Chapter) (Incomplete)
~ Dear John: Oh How I Hate To Write - Supernatural Letter Fic (2 Letters - Letter Series)
                                                                            (In Progress - each part is a single letter)
~ Witchblade - Male Version Fanfic Trial (1 Chapter) (Incomplete)

 

Single Shot Stories

~ Canada - X-men Fic (1 Chapter, but may have a sequel) (Complete)

 

Stories On Trial (Not Currently Posted)

~ Psy Factor - Trial Science Fiction
~ Love Is Blind
~ Forbidden Fantasy - Final Fantasy 8 Fic (1 Chapter, Part of Chapter 2)

So there's a lot pending - and as said I write for my own enjoyment first and foremost. Sometimes people write and ask me why it is I can find the time to write new stories when I have existing ones that are incomplete. The answer, is simple. I was in the mood for it, so I went with the mood to see where it would go. Today's trial might be a finished multi-part story someday. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for a particular story and won't be able to do a fair job of it.

When I write something, and post, I decide to share it with you. But when people email me "demanding" to know the progress of their favorite story, demanding an update, accusing me of wasting time, telling me how the story should be written - writing becomes a task and is no longer enjoyable for me. And as I do not get anything out of it other than enjoyment...you can see how it does nothing to motivate me to write.

I am flattered that people read my stuff, eagerly anticipating the next chapter of a story the way they might look forward to a new episode of their favorite TV show. Really, I'm honored that the flow of emails questioning me about "when's the next chapter coming out" haven't stopped.

But every now and then I get an email that makes me wonder whether the person has next to no life and is just waiting around for authors to post new chapters to his favorite story (I'm not being sexist there - no girls have ever sent me bad emails). Well, if those people don't have real lives to live - I do.

I have recently received a few emails regarding my XXX-Men Series (It will in future be titled X-men: Alchemy). These emails suggest that I have been making excuses. For instance, that I do NOT have the story all planned, and as a result of no planning the story isn't going anywhere. And that I have been wasting people's time.

One - I DO have it ALL planned out. And as proof of that I'm working on documenting the story and posting that file. It will have ALL the plot points down...one read and these doubters will know ALL that is to come and will see how foolish and uninformed those claims were. To the other, understanding readers (overwhelming majority) - don't read cuz it goes waaay beyond spoilers.

I do not waste anyone's time. If you choose to read an uncompleted story online - you do so at YOUR own risk. If you don't want your time wasted, then read only stories that are already completed. Not the works in progress. I am so not a professional writer - they often have to quit their jobs to find time to write. I can't quit school, my family life and friends.

I write for me first and foremost (repeating this is good since it might get through some people's skulls). As such, I do not appreciate people pressuring me for sex in my stories. I fell for that and tried to please people a couple times in XXX-Men. I won't do that again. My aim was to write a version of the Marvel comics verse where people of alternative sexualities could feel comfortable. There's more to ANY lifestyle than SEX. In the mainstream Marvel verse there are sexual references - but no overt PORN. I will NOT be writing PORN anymore. If you have a problem with that (overwhelming majority want plot) then you know - don't waste your time.

And another thing. With regards to the pairings I write about. It's okay to express your opinions about them. But please don't anyone tell me something like, "I think you should split John and Julian up and have John get together with...." I will not. Someone told me to do that with Phoenix: Death Wish. First of all, I chose Julian because he appealed to me. Two, if you look around in X-slash fic you'll find lots of Slashy Logans and Scotts and Remys and Bobbys and Warrens etc etc. I wanted a fairly original take - and I like Julian (and he's important for other details too). Don't tell me who to pair with who.

In closing I repeat - I write when I feel like it and when I have time. As a side, if I feel to post online, then I will. There are a lot of great authors out there, I'm sure, that update regularly - check them up if you have all this spare time on your hands.

PS - This is not a "hate address". I just needed to set the record straight, and posting this announcement is the best I could do at the time. This will not apply to most of you - you've been really kind and encouraging and know how to accept that my life is complicated. This is for the few bad seeds. Now I gotta go - I have a test next week I gotta study for. Laterz.

About the X-men: Alchemy documentation, Nifty doesn't allow Microsoft Word documents. So it will be posted on my group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phoenix_587). I don't have the time to remove all the bulleted points and convert them to simple html and post on Nifty. And most everyone has access to Microsoft Word I should think.