The Marshmallow Ranch Gazette (Patreon)

Volume 2, Issue 19

Tuesday, October 10th, 2017

Howdy, patrons!

The nights are getting chillier, and the dark is coming earlier. Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING is popping up in stores, and I'm feeling the inexhorable call towards sweater vests as the days progress. Even though we're still having 80-degree-plus days here at the Burrow, I think it's safe to say that autumn is here. How exciting, this is my favorite time of year!

I love everything about fall -- the changing leaves, the plunging temperatures, the parade of holidays on the horizon. For an introvert like me, it also provides really handy excuses to hole up in my burrow a bit more often, chilling out with my husband the dragon and a nice mug of tea (or glass of wine). I hope that this fall is truly relaxing and enjoyable for all of you, or at least not TOO wet and terrible!

"Boundaries" pre-writing is coming along steadily, but slowly; I hadn't anticipated how long it would take to get to know these characters so I could construct a plot less likely to swerve off the rails. This is the first time I've done extensive pre-writing for a story, so I'm bound to be slow -- which I'd be more comfortable with if I weren't so keen on making sure that the JSC was up and running again as soon as possible.

I'm not sure if I've said too much about "Boundaries", so let me do that here. I'm conceiving it as a fairly long-running project to dip in and out of; the ultimate plan is to write three "episodes" a year, which altogether will make up one "season" of the story. If this takes off, then each season could be bound in a REAL LIVE book with additional stories, art, etc., but let's not bite off more than we can chew up front.

The quick pitch is "Zootopia-meets-Star-Trek", with a good dose of macro, muscle growth and hyper thrown in. The crew of the SUAS Starcarver is one of the first scouting vessels for the Society of United Animals, a utopian civilization relatively new to space travel. Now that they've colonized their solar system and cracked interstellar travel, they would like to see what else is out there in the cosmic neighborhood. Of course, space is far more surprising than any of them give it credit for, and almost immediately they must deal with a threat that puts their entire mission in jeopardy.

In addition to telling a good erotic story with an ensemble cast, I wanted to use "Boundaries" as an opportunity to marry a few different genres -- like furry, science fiction, solarpunk and even elements of Afro-futurism. I think more than anything right now we need more fiction with a hopeful look at the future, one that sees us as capable of pulling together for a common cause that isn't defeating a shared enemy. I'd like to present a world where a dizzying array of varying animals can learn to do more than just tolerate each other's differences, but appreciate and celebrate them. Star Trek, at its best, highlights so many ways to live one's life and presents each of them with consideration and compassion. It's what I'd love to do here.

But first and foremost, I want to tell a story that's entertaining and titillating. Hopefully the sociopolitical commentary will be baked well enough into the premise that it forms an undercurrent to the action. Then again, this is my first crack at this; things might change depending on the needs of the story, the whims of the author, or the demands of the characters. :)

So that's the dream for "Boundaries". If all goes well, the serial will premiere later on this month; I'm really looking forward to introducing you folks to the cast!

Until next time, buckaroos!