Robinverse has basically blown up in my face, and I now have authors who previously were interested running like hell the other way because I made the mistake of making overt the fact that magic has subtly existed all along.
I promised I'd continue to post Becoming Robin here, and maybe I will eventually finish posting it, but for the foreseeable future, I'm going to step down as a TopShelf author.
People continue to ignore that the whole "magic" thing is meant to be expansive - as in optional. It's designed so that if you don't want to write a story involving it, you can completely IGNORE it, but its mere existence is apparently enough for most people to just assume that it's the same thing they've read in every other story (with a couple of exceptions. They know who they are, and I thank them for their continued support)
I knew going into this that not everyone would like it, but when I've got potential authors telling me they're jumping ship because of it, then I know I've screwed up, and I need to take a step back.
I'm sorry everyone. I just need some time to step back and re-evaluate things. I'm not going to point fingers, nor am I going to jump down anyone's throat. I've done enough of that already and for all the wrong reasons. You can find my last comments to find where I've apologized publically for that already.
This isn't about what's been said or by whom. This is about me taking a step back to figure out where I fit in, if I still fit in. I'm sorry, but I can only take so much. I'm only human.
I will continue to work on the Robinverse website and stories, and I'll post what I write there when I feel it's ready. I'm sorry, to those I've offended, to those who will think this is for attention, or to those who will be hurt by this, but it can't be helped.
It's up to Ashleigh and others if they want to continue posting their Robinverse stuff here, including ESWS. She has as much say about where that is posted because we're equal partners in its writing, so that's up to her entirely.
I'll still be around. I'll still read, press the Good Story button, and I might even comment once in awhile, but as an author, the camel's back is broken. Sorry everyone.
Zoe
Comments
hugs, dear
I'm sorry you're taking this step hon. much love and many, many hugs.
Dorothycolleen, member of Bailey's Angels
Say it ain't so, Zoe!
How I feel about the magic revelation is irrelevant. I do regret that you feel you have to step away from active participation on BC. I understand it, but I regret it has happened. I hope it is a short-term recess, please come back soon.
Karen J.
* * *
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. - Winston Churchill
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Re: Taking a break
Zoe
I have always looked forward to your stories, I know I am going to enjoy reading a story when it has your name as author.
Julie
Zoe, I'd just like to second
Zoe,
I'd just like to second this post. I might not comment that often after stories but I've always really enjoyed your stories
Magic?
Zoe, I've often ranted that the use of magic is a poor excuse for a weak story line or lack of talent. That's a broad brush and unfair to the many that have used it and used it well in tales that are primarily magic related. My rant was in respect to stories that just needed an excuse to get to the juicy bits so needed a quick and dirty premise to get there.
There have been magnificent stories like the harp player and the epic battle between good and evil that followed, great use of magic.
Then there is the subtle magic you are talking of. It's little things most people are not aware of that happen just outside the corner of your eye, usually overridden by our rational mind where our subconscious rewrites it all to make sense of everything. Done right it is believable. Overdone and it is like that fanfic in the Gabyverse where everybody became a member of the royal family and it was one huge party. It was big fun for awhile and then I had to give up when my blood sugar spiked.
I hope they give you another chance and trust in what you do based on what you have done so far, not their fears.
We don't question...
...when faith and spirituality and the manifestations thereof are introduced into stories, seeing them as almost 'acceptable' world views with which we hold an identification or at least a familiarity. What we seem to have come to expect is a much more overt presence of the supernatural via magic; the subtleties of some stories almost seem to be lost on us. A prayer and the accompany answer answer might be blithely accepted , but something as 'quiet' as benign magic seems lost.
I do hope that we all take into consideration that the universe 'belongs' to the author. Some seem to be accepted more readily than others when it comes to the leeway allowed in artistic expression, and that's too bad, since Zoe and Ashleigh have proven over a very short period of time that they can write with anyone at any time, so to speak. I hope we can extend to all authors the courtesy of allowing them to write what they will, and rejoice in the expressions in which they find fulfillment of expression.
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Amen Drea!!!
[email protected] I saw hints of magic or otherworldliness from the very first chapter of 'Robin'.
If others didn't catch that, it's okay.
We've all been blessed by the creative force that is Zoe.;)
(DarkKitty Too!);0
Love And Hugs,
Jonelle-Elise
[email protected]
I might have overreacted - I don't know
... And really, I won't know until I've had time to clear my head. This has been an awful day for me all around anyway. I had a rain-wrapped funnel cloud soar over my house today that, thank God, didn't drop in any populated areas, but a law enforcement officer of fifteen some years reported seeing it when he was just west of my house.
It's been that kind of an unnerving day for me. This place is supposed to be my home, my refuge from the outside world, and I don't know, things just struck me the wrong way today.
If all I've done is make an ass of myself, then I apologize. If I come back tomorrow and everything's better, then fantastic, but right now I just need to step back and evaluate my position.
I appreciate the love and support I've been shown. I really do, both here and privately, but I need to step back and sort things out, and see if I went wrong somewhere.
I hope that in a week we can all laugh about this, but I can't promise anything.
Thank you all for your support and everything. It really does mean a lot to me.
Maybe I'm just having a bad day. If I am, then I pray that it passes and I can just delete this whole damn thing and get on with my life.
Unsettling incidents
I totally understand how the funnel, especially a rain-wrapped one, can tend to disturb one's composure. Yesterday we had tornado touchdowns southwest of here, then severe thunderstorms, with a "minor" earthquake occurring in the midst of everything. Just about everything needed to rattle one's composure both figuratively and literally! I hope you can regain your equilibrium without anymore undue stress occurring. I suggest either a pint of chocolate ice cream or a big, thick chocolate bar.
Karen J.
* * *
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. - Winston Churchill
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Eep!
I'm just now reading Becoming Robin, having just finished chapter 31 of book two, and am eagerly awaiting reading through all the rest of the Robinverse. There have been subtle hints of magic at times, at least I noticed the spritz of lilac at scout camp as such, but nothing deus ex machina esque, all reasonable. If you stop posting here I'll be sad to see you go, because you really are "The Queen of Sweetness" and I enjoy Becoming Robin so much, but if need be I can add another site to my reading list, it would just be a shame to leave BC incomplete in regard to your stories, and especially breaking Becoming Robin Book Three off partway done, hopefully if you do this you'll at least make an addition to the latest chapter indicating where people can find the continuing story, so when this blog is no longer on the front page the information won't be lost.
But hopefully everyone will calm down and we'll laugh about this later, because you really do have great talent and you would be greatly missed here if you were to leave. Please, reconsider? Remember, it's a girl's prerogative to change her mind!
/edit/ If you do do this, would it be possible to put a link to the Robinverse website on the front page, where they have the Maddy and Tuck links? That would help people find you. /end edit/
Yours,
JohnBobMead
Yours,
John Robert Mead
Sigh
~Sighs~ I am sorry that this has happen I for one have truly enjoyed this and I have become excited with all of this. I don't care that magic is apart of it there is one thing that I can honestly say though. THIS STORY IS NOTHING I REPEAT NOTHING like all those other magical stories! There is no way this can be because you take nothing from those other stories for this to be like them in the first place.
Yours Truly
Arina
One of many fans
I agree
The MAgic in Zoe's stories have a difrent twist then the other stories. It dosen't bother me at all eather. There is nothing more frustrating then PEOPLE!
Love Samantha Renee Heart
Love Samantha Renee Heart
Magic
Zoe just so you know Magic dosen't bother me as I as a new Wiccan witch I know that magic is litterly around us ALL the time. As for in the stroies hey your story why should I or anyone else dictate how you should write YOUR stories. I love them eather way I'm not ashmed to admit I don't know magic as some others but I do know it exists in the real universe as well as the fictional one. The Magic you two wright about is diffrent in ways & the same in others but it is still very intresting. I'm sorry some people blew up at you to me Robin has never had Magic really in it but with Sarha things are a bit diffrent now as Sarha is a magical being and she has a reasion for being around & if magical things vreap up in Robin because of Sarha so be it. I love your stories ALL of them. So don't feel preshured to leave here becuse of a select few :( you may not really be a friend persay but just know that I do care about you things that go on around you. Just FYI Zoe you belong here as much as anyone else does maybe more so. So PLEASE I beg of you please come back to us :((
Love Samantha Renee Heart
P.S. I Love your stories & you as a person & I hope things get better for you.
Love Samantha Renee Heart
tears
Zoe,
as i am reading taking a break i have tears in my eyes,I have been checking in at Robinverse once a day to see what was happening. i haven't done any posting there for a week as i was busy trying to get my story sorted, you will always have my support here and on Robinverse.
Love and Hugs Roo
ROO
ROO
I WANT HEAD!!!!!!
Hi everyone Like being a sexy Crossdressing Male to Female & love all of ur Crossdressing stories.I happen to know thee is magic out there.How I know this u ask?It's simple,I am a REAL Wizard/Witch & have been one since the day I was born.My Father's Family are the Descendent's of Merlyn.If someone want to disrespect Zoe for talking abot Magic then they are nothing more then scum!!& if they have something to say,come say it to me Kagome/David Hiserman (On here A.K.A:Sweet-Girl87),But(My Wiccan Name:Shadow Dragon!!!!)