Pony Stories 614

Amazon’s ebook self-publishing arm recently changed their payout rules to only do direct deposit. Or at least that is what I vaguely remember from the email informing me about it. The important bit is that I had to switch my payout option from a check mailed to me to a direct deposit to my bank account. The check had a 100 buck lower limit, they would hold my earnings until I hit that before sending a check out. Since I hadn’t gotten there yet I hadn’t gotten a check yet. Direct deposit, however, has a much smaller lower limit and so they sent all the accumulated money I’ve made from people buying/renting my short stories. Turned out to be around 35 bucks. Not bad, considering that is for the last few years. About ten bucks a year. Given that I had gotten a payment a long while back for around 20, that means I’ve probably made approximately 50 bucks total from my writing. The one-a-month sales have dried up though. More motivation and/or guilt that I need to put out more stuff.

• The Instruments of Our Surrender by Cold in Gardez
• The Duke Abides by GrassAndClouds2
• Pillow Talk by Mistress Spectrum
• Canterlot’s Guests by JKinsley

The Instruments of Our Surrender by Cold in Gardez

Slices of life, kinda? I did like it and would have liked more in the flashbacks. To see more of their life. Some of it is the aforementioned desire for longer stories with more meat to them. So, recommended but keep in mind it is just a little vignette.

The Duke Abides by GrassAndClouds2

A non-canon Lunaverse story apparently written a while back when though it was just posted semi-recently. I still find the idea of canon fan fiction something that twists my brain. Not canon to the source material mind you, but canon to a Alternate universe that itself is quite divergent from the source material. I get an author having their own version of the source, can or not, that all or most of their stories are set in. The idea of a multi-author AU that has strict canon/non-canon lines just still puzzled me on some level. One of the main strengths of fan fiction is the ability to disregard canon of source material after all. Not to mention it apparently is a nice flash point for interpersonal conflict.

Anyway, the story itself was enjoyable. Characters were all interesting. Not quite caricatures, but certainly very strong thematic narrowness to everyone. I do think this author is quite good with characters and plots as well as one of the best writers at blending musical style song numbers into his stories. Not that this one had great examples of that, but even so they were functional and did not detract from the story. In any case the story has a criminally low number of views and should get more attention than it has gotten.

Pillow Talk by Mistress Spectrum

This needed to be twice as long. Or start later into the story. Not in a good way either. I will now spoil the story:
“Back from your talk about ancient evil stirring with Princess Celestia, darling?”
“Yes Rarity, but you don’t have to worry. Hey, ever thought about having foals?”
“Sorry I didn’t tell you before Twilight, but I am physically unable to have foals.”
“That’s sad, but we will always be a family.”
The end. Seriously. They don’t get to talk about their feelings on the subject, why either might want foals, nothing. Or even why Rarity being barren has such an impact when they are both female.

Canterlot’s Guests by JKinsley

So, parents are apparently named Star and Crescent Sparkle, leaves Spike behind when she goes back to Canterlot to spend time with her parents. This story certainly is not waist deep in the fandom zeitgeist on several subjects. Also she stays at a hotel instead of with her parents. Then again, I did the exact same thing when I visited my family for Christmas two years ago, so can’t throw stones there.
Anyway, the story is functional enough. Several touching moments. Felt like it dragged, especially in the first half. Just felt long when I know it wasn’t.