Back from holiday... here's my upcoming writing schedule · 3:33pm June 24th
Took the past two weeks off and spent one of them in Vegas. Unlike last year, I didn’t win at the poker tables—in fact, my luck was uncannily bad at times—but I also didn’t play that much for that very reason, sensing luck was not with me and to play then was to invite larger losses. Over the years, I’ve learned to follow the advice of Kenny Rogers when it comes to cards:
The critical and best-known stanza is, of course, this:
You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealing's done
In the end, I walked away and will await another day. Another trip where I’ve got a better chance. So instead of gambling I spent the bulk of my trip just hanging out, enjoying the amenities of the Vegas Strip in general (food and ambience) and The Mirage resort in particular, which is unfortunately being shut down for good next month. My favorite Vegas resort will be replaced with a Hard Rock Cafe casino and hotel complex that will include a giant guitar-shaped casino hotel building where the current Mirage volcano is (which I hate the idea of, because the volcano that was an iconic location of the strip, giving free fiery ‘eruption’ shows every night.)
It sucks to me, but that’s not what you’re reading this blog for...
You want to know what’s coming up with my stories. Well, there are several things in progress, not the least of which are new chapters for Feathered Hearts: Continuation and Chronicles and Midnight Rising. Both are well along and I hope to have at least one done in the next ten days.
With regards to C&C, I’d like to give a shout out to reader Vokuros, who wrote me a very nice PM late yesterday praising the story. He made my day—or actually, my night since I was already in bed at that point, checking fimfiction on my smartphone one last time before going to sleep.
Feedback like his is what keeps me and other authors wanting to write more. So more you will definitely get. The next C&C chapter is at 8800 words and rising, and will once again incorporate large amounts of text from the original story’s chapter 11 as our heroes work out the strategy and tactics they’re going to employ against the Cloven. It will not be adult again, but expect a surprise ending after the War Council meeting concludes and I finally come back to an older plot point readers have been repeatedly asking about.
As for Midnight Rising?
That, too, is well along and I’m borrowing heavily from the original version, but also amping it up considerably from what it was before. Lemon Zest is now even worse than she originally was, and Midnight’s punishment of her will thus be worse (but deservedly so) as well.
Other stories
I also think owe readers of Eros a new chapter before too long, so I’m at least starting to think about that. But I’m not going to consider working on it until these two in-progress chapters are done. I’m also finally restarting work on my long-languishing anthro novel, which is the second book in my completely original Dominion Academy series, the first book of which can be found here:
Sorry to repeatedly plug it...
But it’s the only one of my works I can actually get paid for, folks. Aside from the very favorable reviews I’ve gotten on Amazon for it, prereaders Silentwoodfire and AJ_Aficionado can also vouch for the quality of that, and I thank them for volunteering to read the second book in the series as well.
I’ve been ignoring it for two years now, so my fimfiction works will be sharing writing space with that for a while. If you’re into M-rated anthro and like my M-rated stuff here, feel free to give that one a look. It’s definitely a lot more serious in tone and not so out there as Unleash the Magic or Eros, but a fun ride all the same.
More updates and teasers will follow as we head towards and into July. In the meantime, for my American friends especially, stay cool in this hot weather.
I will do my best not to melt like Undyne The Undying. RIP to the Mirage and its iconic volcano; it sounds like what they're replacing it with will be absolute garbage. No effort to create anything unique and interesting, just a serialized, zero-risk, generic guitar shape.
Now, friend, this suggestion of mine is a bit unorthodox but hear me out. I know you like desert and you like glitz and glam. To put it simply, you are a man who enjoys the finer things in life. But do you need Vegas for all of that? Let's face it; Vegas has been going downhill for years. You need a new flavor, a new challenge!
You need a hotel that looks like a giant horse's ear!
bouygues-construction.com/sites/default/files/20916600030a2547_28.jpg
But what is this marvel you might ask? I present... The Yyldyz Hotel!
Rated 5-stars, covered with the finest threads the East has to offer and located in the Kopetdag mountains in Ashgabat City, Turkmenistan within spitting distance of Iran, you can sit in the lap of luxury starting at a mere 410 dollars per night! No really, the rooms look amazing! Now, the gambling isn't the best here — Turkmenistan is a fundamentalist Islamic state run by a political dynasty of dubious legitimacy left over from the Soviet Union. But think about it... the spectacle of thousands of white marble buildings surrounded by grinding poverty, political oppression, breathtaking inflation caused by corruption, and the everpresent threat of secret police stashing you in some godforsaken gulag until they send you on the first international flight out at your expense.
On second thought, maybe give it a few years until the carnival freak show running that hellhole makes some progress towards adding actual sights to see in their whitewashed, sun-bleached open-air sarcophagus and stops being North Korea in the desert.
I trust you'll find a different resort in Vegas in the meantime.
Sorry to hear you had no luck this vacation.
Thanks for all your efforts, looking forward to future content ♡
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Whereas the Mirage volcano was unique and never really got old. This ain’t progress, fam. At least it appears that they’ll save the old building, if reskin it. I really hope they at least keep the beautiful pool and atrium, but even if so, I won’t get to see them again until 2027. Fuck.
Lay it on me!
Hmmmm....
Gesundheit.
A bat city? Then it’s in thestral lands? I’m SO there!!!!
Aw. Talk about a letdown!
Can’t I Just walk through the ruins of Chernobyl and take a grainy selfie with the Elephant’s Foot instead?
Whoa. Truly an experience I’ll always remember! And one I arguably won’t find anywhere else this side of North Korea!
I certainly like the desert, as well you know, but... somehow, I’m just not finding this too tempting.
In the same mid-strip location? There are a few possibilities: Harrahs’s, Linq, Caesars Palace, and the Venetian along with Treasure Island, the Wynn and Encore, but what I liked about the Mirage was it was midrange in terms of price and amenities, which was perfect for me. Everything else around it is either too cheap or too expensive, though Treasure Island might be close in terms of price. I should have checked it out more while I was there. Oh well.
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It’s okay. My budget was necessarily more limited this time and I didn’t play that much anyway. I was there mostly to hang out, so that’s what I did.
More is on the way! And thanks as always for your comments.
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If only...
You don't sound enthusiastic!
Seriously, if it wasn't for the common sense reasons not to go, I legitimately would love going there. Dead serious. There is quite literally nothing else in the world like Ashgabat. I find a lot of the locations there uplifting. Like a giant movie set to some alien Dune civilization.
It's been nicknamed "North Korea in the Desert" though it should be noted there's been no reports of suspicious deaths reported by Westerners visiting the reclusive nation. A couple of people did get conked on the noggin though and deported. The worst part is the highly conspicuous presence of secret police that will be with you at all times outside of the hotel itself. It is stereotypically Soviet bloc treatment and you will hate it in short order.
And that's crazy, right? Ashgabat is filled with gorgeous architecture and things to see but almost nothing to do, unless you fancy a dip in a swimming pool. The city is set up to be this lovely if rather offbeat tourist city but they hate to have anyone there. Turkmenistan suffers from the same sort of mono-focused economic structure that Saudi Arabia has where oil and gas are funneled into a lavish construction industry that exists to create "trophy" buildings rather than anything useful. As a result, the common people languish while the elite thrive.
But I could write an entire essay on Turkmenistan. I have to cut myself short here. Suffice it to say, this place has been a fascination for some time.
You can get a similar experience visiting Abu Dhabi with a lot of the same downsides but easier access and less danger. You'd probably hate that too, seeing the shocking displays of stupidity on display with lavish hotels that lack indoor plumbing -- yes, really! -- and ostentatious displays of wealth devoid of taste. Also extreme environmental degradation. On the upside, you might have sex with something there which is not going to be the case in Turkmenistan where the citizenry are kept hidden from you.
I will never understand what possesses people to want to travel the world. Just stay home, I always say.