Suddenly... · 6:37am Apr 23rd, 2018
Something delightful happened to me! Loganberry posted a thread asking for people's favourite female authors. https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/804577/favourite-female-ponyfic-authors I checked out a few of the recommendations, and found several that I liked, but most especially Chatoyance, who is entirely new to me, and whose "Caelum Conterrens Est" absolutely floored me. It's the sort of story I'd probably not have bothered to read just from the blurb, but having someone else recommend it led me to go and see, and ZOMG! It's hard SF about Ponies, and written at a professional level. I'd not be a bit surprised to see a work like this in Analog magazine. It does tend to engage one's imagination (and somewhat eerily) as well when, while reading a story of a near-omniscient machine intelligence trying to influence someone through entertainment, one begins to notice all of these odd character traits, and just plain quirks (Nong-Shim noodles, and a pillow to hug and hold between one's legs while sleeping, e.g.) that one shares with the protagonost. That sort of thing's by no means reproducible from reader to reader, but in this case, it worked very well for me.
So, I ought to have been over the moon, and in some ways I was, but... I have this, obsession, maybe - I'm not really sure how you'd classify it, but I have this feeling that all through my life, I've found wonderful things after all the excitement was over, like arriving late for the party. And, when I finished the story, and went to see what else she had, there on her front page was "All works are now complete. My time writing pony is over". Here I was again. A magnificent cache of stories to enjoy, but too late to be a part of the excitement, too late to have it be new to me while it was new to everyone else. I didn't cry. I'm used to this by now. Objectively, it probably doesn't happen to me any more often than it does to anyone else, but I feel it keenly. I hate to see things end, especially when I feel like I missed out. I'd imagine that everyone has these little things that they feel more keenly than others. This happens to be one of my major ones.
I added her to my watch list, primarily to bookmark the account so I could find it later. You can guess where this is going, I'm sure. About a week later, she popped up with a new story! I got to read it from the beginning with everyone else, and discuss, and speculate, and just be part of it in every way! And it happened while I was still brooding over having missed the fun. I am just ridiculously satisfied at the moment.
PS: And, having stopped to read the final chapter before I posted, I am way more than satisfied. I am moved.
It's pretty easy to be late to the party with pony fandom. Most of the early FiM fandom was a fad, so there are a lot of great artists who are no longer with us. But there are new artists all the time to pick up the slack.
Very happy to be of (indirect) service! I'm glad this turned out so well for you.
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This is true, yes. Thanks!