Surfacing

First, as is my tradition: If you're reading this, I'm incredibly thankful for you.

(I wasn't initially planning on including this with this post, but given the date, I figured I may as well.)

And here comes the update. 

I've been struggling my way out of a pit of depression, which isn't easy when combined with the ADHD. (I'd use some metaphor semi-anthropomorphizing the ADHD in an attempt to be clever, but I can't think of anything good nor can I pick a stereotypical one to settle on.) Dealing with it has been an ongoing process that I've been working on in some form for a long time. If it isn't obvious, this is the primary factor in me not having actually posted any gaming writeups or other material (aside from apologies) since February. (And to be honest, by now I'm so far behind on the gaming stuff I don't know if it would be worth trying to catch up even if people were reading it.)

But I'm not here to talk about that, at least not right now. Right now, I'm here for something I alluded to a while back -- a setting and story idea I've been poking at on and off. I've got a prelude and first chapter as good as I'm gonna get it on my own, and I'm reaching out in case anyone would like to beta read it. I don't know how long the whole story is gonna be, but what I'm ready to share so far is just under 10k words. If anyone would like to read it and offer your thoughts, let me know. There will be a short questionnaire attached for directed feedback, if that helps anyone out.

I don't have a proper name for the story or the setting yet, but I've described it as "a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid adventure story with both human and anthro characters on an alien world, kind of a mashup of themes and concepts from the Borderlands games and more traditional fantasy fare (particularly the modern era of Legend of Zelda games)." That said, for the record, a reader shouldn't have to be particularly familiar with either major influence to appreciate it. If folks read it and enjoy it (or at least willing to go a little further to help me out), I'd be more than glad to send further chapters as I go, in exchange for your continued help making the story the best it can be.

Also, I'm coming back after the initial posting to add in a brief elevator pitch for the story, if that helps... 

There's a distant alien world of magic and mystery, settled by an uneasy alliance of anthros and humans and carved up by corporations. In an expanse of territory dotted with ancient alien ruins, a couple of locals stumble onto a lost human explorer and through her become aware of a madman's plot for conquest and godhood. Explosions, gunplay, and other shenanigans ensue.

Just to make this clear: I'm not going to post this story here or anywhere else publicly. If I finish it, I'll pursue publication options, and if I don't finish it, I don't want the incomplete project slapping me in the face every time I open the page. I'm not trying to play on FOMO, and I'm not going to judge anyone for opting out. I'm just trying to handle all this with a little more thought than I have in the past.

And for the record, this isn't exclusive to friends and such. At some point I'll likely reach out more broadly, but regardless anyone who finds this and asks can get the opening to the story and offer feedback, and all feedback is welcome. I point this out because over the years, I've had multiple people tell me they don't say anything because they don't know what to say (that's what the questionnaire is for), or that I'm probably getting feedback privately from other people (which literally never happens) so I don't need it. If you're gonna give this a read, all I ask is that you treat it like you're the only person I'm gonna hear from.

I've posted this entry a couple of different places, so feel free to reach out in comments here, or anywhere you can find me on social media if you're interested.

Anyhow, thank you for your time. Happy Thanksgiving.