Children of the First

Hello all,

PLEASE DON'T STAB MY FACE! I'm really sorry it's taken so long to post anything... at all. I suck. I'm trying to suck less. So here's a relatively recent correspondence (that is now outdated in some ways) with CotF reader virulent Goblin. Thanks to vG for agreeing to let me post it!

VG: I still check your site every so often. I see you haven't updated in a while - is everything okay? I use the alias virulent Goblin for my comments, just so you know, and I think your world is interesting, unique, and well written. I hope you haven't stopped for good.

AMcG:

Hi, sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Honestly, I think I put off replying right away because I was embarassed that I've been so neglectful for so long. Though, I probably should be.

Ah, virulent Goblin you are. I always enjoy your comments and general web-proximity. It is partially because of you and a couple of other readers and friends who keep poking at me to write CotF that I can honestly say I'm not abandoning it forever. The other part of that is that I really like the world, too. (Thank you, by the way, I'm glad you like it--I have so much fun coming up with it, it feels really good to share it with people who want to read it.) I may wish I'd done certain things differently from time to time, but now I know a little better and overall I like how it's progressed.

With me, in the big picture, I think everything's okay. I just have a lot on my plate right now. I had to buy a new car because my old one died, and I have to have one for work and tutoring. So now I have car payments to worry about, which means I have to work more for money, and both my jobs are fairly demanding (though I have gotten a promotion at one and a raise at the other--the only reason I could buy the car at all--which is nice but also reminds me that I'm putting that energy into something that I don't reall want to be doing.) On top of that, I'm taking the GRE on the 23rd, so I've been studying for that a lot, and my girlfriend just moved away to school, so that's been tough too. Unforunately CotF had to take a back seat, but I'm always hopeful that something will give and I'll get back to it. I have been writing sone poetry, but I have to do that for several reasons.

I don't know if you wanted to know all that or not, but I wanted to give a real answer since I took so long doing it.

Thanks for writing and for keeping hope alive.

Rock on. \m/

-Alex

So I took the GRE and broke up with the girl, which frees me up somewhat. (I did fine on the GRE--not as well as I could, but right on the "acceptable" line.) I have been writing poetry and I've been reading a good bit, but I think CotF still seems a bit daunting. I am trying to get over that. In fact, I'm going to work on it today. I would love to publish a chapter a day--or five chapters a day, for that matter--but it's just not feasible right now.

I can't tell you all how much it means to me and how much I appreciate your continued support and simple fact that you care whether or not chapters are being written and/or published. Thank you all so much. Hugs and Kisses!

Rock On. (do it)
\m/
-Alex

Wow, I struggled to get this one done. I don't know whether it was a string of bad circumstances, this chapter in particular, or just that I was due for a rough patch with writing, but something was off. Oh well, it's written, and hopefully the next thing's easier.
On another note, we're only two dollars away from a bonus story—hopefully soon!

Thanks for reading (with incredible patience) and, as always, Rock On.
\m/
-Alex

Damn, this one took as long to edit as it did to write. Anyway, here it is, hot off the presses.
Thanks for reading. Maintain rocking status. \m/
-Alex

Chapter 23, right on schedule!

This is my second chapter without the benefit of an editor (aside from myself, of course) or even a first reader, so any feedback will be much appreciated. Of course, I can always count on Pan to catch my typos, but I want to hear what you all think—aside from that I'm a pretty crappy speller.

Thanks for reading, guys. You are metal. Continue to rock. \m/
-Alex

Well, there we go. Finally. Sorry I forgot to post it yesterday. I forgot everything yesterday. This is a long chapter that follows straight from chapter 21, so you might want to start from 21 again... Since it's been so long since it was posted... Sorry about that. Thanks for reading and for being so awesome and patient and awesome.
Rock on. \m/

Finally. Writing hates me right now, and I've got to say, I'm not too happy with it either.
Rock on. \m/
-Alex

Sorry this is going up so late. I was trying to work out how I could format it to look like it was from a scroll or something, but it was taking too long and the way I was trying to do it would have involved a big picture in the post, which would be a problem for a number of reasons. I may still edit this over the next few days, but I wanted to get it up on schedule, so here it is!
Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone had/is having a happy holiday season.
Rock on. \m/

So here's chapter twenty, right on schedule... at 3 a.m.
So, holiday stuff: I'm going to try to do at least one or two regular chapters between now and January 2nd, with bonus stuff going up on update days that lack chapterage (or chapterosity, if you prefer).
Thanks for reading!
Rock on. \m/

So if you were following the twitter, you might have heard that I was on schedule and this chapter would be up yesterday. Well, I was half right. I was on schedule, and even though I wrote this yesterday, my new two-chapter-a-week schedule dictates new chapters will be on Tuesdays and Fridays (or the early morning of Wednesday and Saturday). With that in mind, I restrained myself and saved it for today. I am keeping to the schedule. It is good. Expect it to continue. Woo.

Thanks for reading, everyone, and special thanks to those of you who have reviewed CotF at the Web Fiction Guide (I will update the bonus points shortly).
Rock on. m/

So chapter 18 is finally here, all the way in from the Fiction Farm. For those of you who haven't heard via twitter or the blog, I recently finished out my last semester at Tulane University, and anxiously await my diploma. That means (hopefully) more time to write, which means more CotF: more chapters, more art(?), more stuff in general. Yay!

A couple little commercial things:
If you haven't done so already, you might be interested in stopping by Built of Rag and Bone, my new blog. It has things!

Also, if you've liked what you've read and want to help Children of the First keep growing, spreading the word is a great way to do that. Why look, I do believe that's a digg badge, isn't it? Why yes it is!
Oh and a StumbleUpon button as well? What are the odds? (both are for CotF main page, not the chapter.)

Thanks for reading, guys.
Rock on. \m/