Story Launch: Pale Throne

Tomorrow is ye day.

My new web novel, A Hero Past the 25th: PALE THRONE launches on Royal Road with a customary Prelude chapter.

You know the drill. This is the seventh major instalment in the series, which began on Royal Road 4 years ago. Whether you're a newcomer with dry clothes still on, or a weather-beaten adventurer, I hope you'll, eh, enjoy the story. 

We meet fun new friends along the way, whose profiles will be posted here on Patreon as they become relevant in the story. I have two ready, but if there are other characters you'd like to know more about, then feel free to make requests. I'll try to deliver.

As a side note, I should tell you here that I won't be reading any comments posted on RR during the run. So if there's something you really want to tell me or questions to ask, or anything, you can contact me either here, or my Twitter.

Not because comments are bad!

Comments are always good! Don't get the wrong idea.

Just, we've been getting steadily more readers and more active commentary too, and during the previous run they already became something of a distraction. 

Like, a reader might ask a completely harmless question, but I tend to take an unreasonably long time thinking about it. "Should I answer this?", "how should I answer it?", "what should I say?", "what is the most appropriate response that doesn't only needlessly highlight the artificial nature of the story", and so on, round and round—when I really should focus on triple-checking and polishing the next chapter for publication.

Especially towards the end of the book, when I'm getting tired already, the temptation to reply something snarky gets stronger, and that's just not good at all. 

Yeah, that's entirely my personal problem, so I'll work it out in my own way. And I will read the comments after the full story is out.

I hate missing all the cheerful thumbs-up comments and insightful thoughts on the side, but I hope for your understanding.

RR has the option to lock comments too, but I think that would send the wrong kind of message. Word is free! We're not talking about censorship. I've never deleted a comment I didn't like and never will, even if it were against the rules. Just, I need some focus. 

This is a pivotal part in the series. Everything has built towards this moment. 

Wouldn't want to mess up anything because my mind was elsewhere.

Further on a related note, last week I spotted some threads on RR forums about readers reporting typos/other blunders, and what is the proper site etiquette related to this. Some users seem to feel that if they're not thanked every time they report a fix and given the maximum rep points (goddamn it), they are not appreciated or wanted.

I hope they were kidding.

Now, I know some of you guys like to do this and I also know I don't always respond to your reports. I mean, I try to thank everybody at least once per book for helping clean up things, but I feel replying to every single such comment is mostly only creepy, like yandere-creepy, so I've refrained.

I had imagined being heard and seeing the correction implemented was enough for a reward, but not everyone thinks the same, apparently. The author's attention and account rewards are also greatly valued.

But even if I don't have the time or energy to respond to every comment, I want to stress this doesn't mean I don't read them or care.

IF I've unwittingly offended any of you by being unresponsive or not giving enough e-fame points (I keep forgetting the system exists), or otherwise given the impression I detest the sight of you, then all I can do is say sorry.

I assure you, that impression is entirely mistaken! You're all cool!

Okay, what else? What else is there to say? 

I think everything that actually matters is said and done.

Once again, I wrote 100% the kind of story I wanted to write. No compromises.

Not a safe story, not always a pleasant story, but hopefully a story that will let us view life with a new appreciation when it's done.

So get your popcorn, hot cocoa and warm blankets ready. 

And maybe a pack of tissues. 

It's the flu season, after all.

And enjoy the purely honest "director's cut" of Pale Throne.