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The Choice
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My first story to be published in the Neopian Times was a short story entitled The Choice. It is about a Lupe named Dale who has to make a decision between taking glory for himself or helping out a friend. The Choice got little response from the readers. I got a few neomails of congratulations, but not more than two or three. Still, this story set me on the road to success, setting the tone for many of my short stories to follow.
The Window
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My second story to be published was another short story, The Window. This story is about Sayda, an Aisha who found comfort in a solitary window in her parlor. It, like The Choice, is a tragedy, and it was my first short story to focus on symbolism. I loved the artwork that TNT drew for this story! The response from the readers was pretty good, with several neomails. I really liked this story, although the ending could have been a little bit better written.
Lao and the Legend of the Sun
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My first series, and first happily-ending story, to be published was Lao and the Legend of the Sun. Lao is a Shoyru from Shenkuu who travels on a merchant ship to Mystery Island, where he becomes involved in an ancient myth to save the sun. I only received one neomail about this story. It was probably my least favorite of any I've written, but it was my first series, and it boosted my confidence a lot.
The Heart
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The Heart is a short story about an Ixi named Sepia who wants nothing more than to buy a Faerie paint brush. However, her friend Gloria wants one just as badly. This story centered entirely on the symbolism of Sepia's glass heart, and I felt very proud of my "surprise" ending. This was the first story to receive a lot of mail. I got a LOT of fanmail about The Heart. Many people just neomailed their congratulations, although several others did not quite understand the story. I also got many letters about writing a sequel -- a first for me.
Afternoon Tea
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Afternoon Tea was my second series. It's about Afton, a Gelert who receives a spectacular new job. As she continues to be promoted, however, she struggles to save her friendship with a Bruce named Darren. I really loved writing this story. It was one of my favorites, and the art was spectacular! The readers liked it as well, and I was proud to be published next to sarahleeadvent and sytra, two acclaimed Neopian Times authors.
Those Dark Eyes
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Those Dark Eyes was the sequel to Afternoon Tea. It picks up where the previous story left off, and Afton is searching for a new job. She meets a new friend, Rovan, who offers her an interesting position at his company. This was one of my favorite stories. I loved the characters, which is why I chose to use them again, and I thought the plot was developed very well. The readers seemed to like it, although I didn't get a lot of neomail, but I'm still very proud of it.
The Time to Listen
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After a long break from the Neopian Times, I finally got my short story The Time to Listen published in Issue 301 (just missing Issue 300!). It was my first 1st person narrative, and was about a young Techo who makes an incredible discovery on his first day of Neoschool. Like all of my previous short stories, however, it is a tragedy. Overall, I got very few neomails from readers about this story, and I was not surprised. Many people who reviewed the story agreed that it was slow at the beginning and rushed at the end, so overall it was probably one of my least-well written short stories.
Being Me
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My next short story to be published was Being Me, the emotional journey of a Neopet who tries desperately to be proud of her uniqueness and individuality, but realizing that she is only isolating herself from the world. The reader response from this story nearly tied that from The Heart! I got a lot of neomails from people saying that they loved the story and could really relate to my main character, which is what I had set out to accomplish. Yay!
Where Neggs Come From
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My first comedic short story was Where Neggs Come From, the tale of a Neopet who will do anything he can to get a free negg from the negg faerie. I didn't get a whole lot of neomail from this story, but it was considerably more than I used to get for my other stories, and that showed that I was becoming a more established writer. Everyone who did write said positive things, and I was glad that I was able to make people laugh instead of cry.
Three Hundred Seconds
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Three Hundred Seconds was, obviously, intended for Issue 300, but it was rejected. However, I enjoyed writing the story so much that I submitted it again, the story of a popular singer named Claire and her struggle with her identity. This story got great reviews, and I was very happy with how everything turned out. Many people commented that the last line was brilliant, and that the format of the story was really good. Overall, a success!
It Rained
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It Rained is the first short story that actually underwent several revisions and a lot of editing. Normally I'd write, reread, and submit, but I took extra time trying to make the story of Drew and his friend Andra as poignant as possible. The reader response was actually not that great for this story. I got few reviews, and though they were stellar it seems that just not many people actually got around to reading the story.
kthxbye
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kthxbye was a spur-of-the-moment work that I completed in just a few minutes and submitted, with no expectations to get it published. To my surprise, the story consisting only of neomails that represented growth and support was chosen to be in the Times. This story was received surprisingly well by the readers! I got many neomails and great reviews, which shows that flowery poetic writing isn't the only way to write a good story.
Ultimate Decision
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My first series of over four parts was Ultimate Decision, the story of Renelle, a maid who makes one mistake that leads to circumstances worse than she could ever have imagined. I poured as much emotion into this story as possible, and I think it could be considered my first longer, full-fledged work as an author. The readers were very supportive of this series. Many people commented on the realism of the character and the depth of the emotions. I accomplished what I set out to do. This series was a coming-of-age for me in writing.
Love, Imagined
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I wrote Love, Imagined as a very subtle short story. It involves a young Zafara named Staella trying to escape the angry atmosphere in her house by playing with plushies. Her games with them provide an alternate reality, in which she can feel loved. This story received good reviews. Some said that it was a bit too short or subtle, but all said that it was emotional and sad. I was very happy that some people said that it evoked a response in them, which is what I always strive for.
Footprints in the Snow
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Footprints in the Snow is a short story about a young Lenny who makes the perfect snowman, only to have it ruined by an angry neighbor. It is fairly short, and pretty simple, but I really enjoyed writing it. This short story received zero fanmail, but I did get some great reviews on the NTWF. People enjoyed it, although many admitted that it was very short. Overall, it was received well.
Fate(Choice)
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My short story for the Christmas issue of the Neopian Times was Fate(Choice), the tale of a Bori named Noel whose friend Faye is launched into superstardom with her singing career. He tries to be supportive to his friend as she slowly drifts away. I got a couple neomails about this story, and some great reviews on NTWF. However, many people agreed that the ending was a bit anticlimactic. Since I feel that endings are extremely important, this gave me a push to focus more on the way I conclude my stories.
The Snow Pet Repairsman
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The Snow Pet Repairsman, inspired by an offhand comment by Sarahleeadvent, was a comedic story about a young snow Blumaroo who suffers an injury and has to call for a doctor. The characters were eccentric and the plot was simple, and it was fun to write. Some readers enjoyed this story, some didn't. It was just fun to write, and the reviews were mediocre at best.
The Kiss
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My short story for Valentine's Day was The Kiss, which told the journey of a kiss from one old Neopet to his daughter, including all of its stops along the way. I had the idea in my mind for a long time, but I was so late in getting started that I had to rush and complete the story in about forty minutes and send it in. Luckily, it was published in the Valentine's issue. This story received a warm welcome. It was not praised as my best work ever, but it was quaint and people enjoyed it for the most part. Overall, I was happy with it.
Falling Leaves
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Falling Leaves is basically a short story about short stories. I wanted to show where inspiration comes from, and provide a quaint tale of learning how to write. It was fun. I actually got quite a lot of fanmail for this piece, and I was astounded to realize how many people had been reading my previous stories. It is a good feeling to know that my work is apppreciated.
Beyond Neoschool: Spending Free Time
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My first ever article was for the April Fools issue of the Neopian Times, about how parents and owners could spend their free time now that Neoschools had been introduced to Neopia. I got almost no mail for this article whatsoever, and the reviews were decent but not phenomenal. I realized that I much prefer writing stories to articles after having this piece published.
Fine Line
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My second full-fledged series was Fine Line, a story about a Kougra named Alamor who deals with tough issues regarding his son. It was also the first story I wrote to include multiple protagonists; two others, in fact: Uva and Serenga, both of whom played large parts in the story. Writing Fine Line was incredibly stressful at times, especially when things just didn't turn out how I wanted them to, but it was rewarding in the end. This series was received very well. While the first few parts were slow, by the end I had received many Neomails and reviews saying how much people liked it. I was very relieved and happy to call the series a success.
Vinsetta
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Vinsetta was a series that felt like a short story, despite the fact that it was six parts. I loved writing it, the tale of a young wocky named Viena who encounters many strange things in the Haunted Woods one night. I was confortable with everything about it, and I felt that it was some of my strongest writing to date. It was an emotional experience, and very rewarding. The readers responded very strongly to the emotion of the piece. Everyone agreed that it was one of my best-written works to date. The plot was confusing to some, however, but overall the interpretations of the story proved to me that I was able to write something that can be adapted to others' experiences and points of view, which was a new and exciting feeling.
Cold
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Cold is a short story about indecision and hesitation. It sort of sprang out of nothing (I don't really even remember my inspiration for it) but it turned into an experimental and rewarding piece. This story got very positive reviews. It wasn't perfect, and it was quite short, but everyone seemed to really enjoy it. The risks I took in some of the style aspects paid off.
Umbral Waltz
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In an effort to try something new, I created Umbral Waltz, an eerie story about two Neopets, a record with a scratch on it, and heartbreak. Many people responded well to the story. They loved the haunting quality and the style of the writing. I was very happy with how it turned out, and how much the short story was enjoyed. It was another risk that paid off.
Investigations into Impossibility: Nigel
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In a change of pace, I decided to write an article about Nigel and all of his unrealistic, impossible equipment. While I didn't put the same heart into it as I would do with a short story or series, I still worked hard and thought about the concepts and humor in order to make it as fun a read as possible. There was a rather low response to this article, which didn't surprise me. People enjoyed it but I think it ended up being a little bit forgettable.
Media's Right Hand
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Media's Right Hand tells the story of an Acara whose job leads her to question herself. Ghosts, Zombies, the Brain Tree, and a haunting memory drive her to make a decision about the work she does. I really loved the concept of this story. The pace was a bit quick, and the main revelation could have been better developed, but overall I was happy with the result. The readers seemed to feel the same.
Cycle of the Moon
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Cycle of the Moon was my first twelve-part series, centering around the experiences of several Neopets as they prepare to celebrate the Shenkuu Lunar Festival, only to find that there is something lying deep beneath the surface. The writing process took me many months, but it all came together in my longest and most complex story to date. Readers were impressed with the story and how it pushed boundaries, and although there were a few places where it could have been better, most agreed that it was one of my strongest works and something to be proud of.
In the Shade of the Chestnut Tree
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