The Checklist

" ... Mirrors?"
"No."
"Plot twist report?"
"No."
"References?"
"Several."
"Characters unconscious?"
"Once, but not very important ... to the plot."
"Is your antagonist a feared king?"
"He is actually a liberator who cares for his folk."
"'Happy ever after's' and 'once upon a time''s?"
"No."
"Romance?"
(glares)
"Writer's block?"
"Yes."

(tears book)

"YOU! I'll give you 4 points out of 10, for bearing INTOLERABLE clichés. Now out with those clichés of yours! YOU better improve your stories, or I'll NEVER publish your work ever again!" ...! ...

Medals the Pony

Due to the sheer popularity of "pony books" on the Internet and TV, and his younger daughter's wild obsession with those "ponies", "horses", and their "caring girl owners", the author would like to have a go in his attempt to create a "pony book", spiced with chunks of humor ... 

TOTA - P2 - The Hero Sir Juste

Once upon a time, in a not-so-far kingdom, there lived a king. Upon discovering an old book that mentioned prophecies regarding his "lost" family in certain manorial farming villages, he then ordered some troops and physicians into these selected villages to encourage the locals to sign up for a royal blood test.

But only one of these villages had its reward. The Hero's father and his neighbors passed the test, and they and their families were forced to move to the Palace to live as princes and nobles. Their village was turned into a "free city", bringing in the dreaded wave of merchants and guildsmen to settle somewhere away from the manor, enough to be an annoyance for the locals.

The Hero, Juste, who was raised by the sneering Crown Prince Dukebox, forgot his father's heritage. Raised to believe that he will become an effective commander loved by the commoners (something most Princes were indoctrinated into before engaging military service or royal tenure), he became very arrogant and foolish.

"Tale of the Author - Part One - Beginning"

" ... The hero could not hesitate. The villain has confronted him at last, and without a word, aimed his poison crossbow at him. And the hero, blind in his pride, thought he could deflect his enemy's shots with his ancient sword, which he did as he ran towards the villain, hacking down several guards. But a few arrows penetrated through his armor, which he thought could always protect him: just a few inches towards his arch-enemy, the hero gasped and held his chest. The hero knelt down in his pain, allowing the villain a chance to quickly grab a knife, and 'finish' him. Later, another guard hurriedly arrived, saluted the villain, and reported that 'the treacherous princess has escaped, and now she is abducting our prisoners to be her slaves!' Without much ado, the surviving guards, the messenger-guard, and the villain himself then scattered to look for them ... "

"The Continuists and the Successionists"

Once upon a time, there existed two groups of fans, the "Continuists", and the "Successionists".

The "Continuists". as they were named, wanted the Story to expand on its original content; be it a little story about someone else in the same setting, a little backstory, an explaination; they wanted more depth into its little world, to improvise the Story.

Their rivals, the "Successionists", wanted more Sequel for the Story. They want to see it continue, regardless of background information lack: however, high quality, and no "irrelevance" is still a must for each new Sequel.

Never mind the Preservatists and the Casualies, which overlap these groups at any time. The Conties and Suxies are the most important belligerents here ...