Dearest Readers,
There are three quick points I'd like to make before you continue, and I'll keep them brief:
1. This fic, begun four years ago, featuring Denduron, is officially complete.
2. All previous chapters have been reuploaded. No major changes were made, just minor corrections for grammar, sentence structure, and inconsistencies (several name mix-ups being priority).
3. If you're all caught up, feel free to skip ahead to chapter Twenty-Three: Impact. This is where the new content begins.
Those were the major points I wanted to get across. Everything else I have to say is low-priority, but I figured I'd put it all right here in one big author's note. If you want to know more about my writing plans, read on. Otherwise – enjoy the story!
So, it drives me crazy when a fan fiction writer writes half a story, disappears for ages, comes back, uploads two chapters, then vanishes again. That's why I decided to finish the ENTIRETY of Denduron and upload it all at once. No more waiting!
As you may pick up by the end, I wrap up Denduron while leaving the story open for continuation. I do have a general outline for the rest of this story including plots on four additional territories. Ideally I'd like to publish four more fics just like this one, all of similar length and complexity.
However, this will definitely not be happening any time soon. For me to continue, I'll need to re-read the entire Pendragon series and be willing to devote all of my writing time to the next fic. While I COULD do that right now, I'm preoccupied with something else. I'm actually working on an independent novel at the moment; I'm about 200 pages in and perhaps halfway done. I don't foresee being finished with the work before the end of the year, and that's a generous estimate given everything I have going on in my life. I'd love to continue with Pendragon, but frankly I've fallen in love with my new characters and I want to see them to the end of their story. Aria, Saint Dane, all the rest…they'll have to wait! ?
As soon as I am able to pick up this fic again I'll post an update and let you guys know. Also, now that I have experience writing a story of the length and complexity that I attempted here, I realize that it's just not effective to write and release it a few chapters at a time. I had to reupload the first half twice to fix mistakes I made throughout the story; I lacked the ability to make major changes that I felt would improve the story because of things I'd already published; and my characters – Aria, in particular – developed and evolved far more than I expected them to as I was writing them. So, next time I'll write the entire story before I upload it, as I did with the last half of this one.
I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with this fic to the end – most notably my most devoted reader and reviewer, Jay Foren. I was sure that when I returned to upload the remainder of this story I'd be met with relative silence. I figured most people would have given up on it and moved on, but I was surprised to find at least one person was still keeping an eye on it, and for that I'm sincerely grateful. I always fear that I'll fail to meet my reader's standards, and I truly hope that the conclusion will prove satisfactory.
…you know, given how long you all had to wait.
To those who stuck around to read this author's note, many thanks for your interest. Please, let me know if you would be interested in a continuation of this story. As mentioned, I have a decent outline for the next one; it will again feature Press and Aria, but will also bring in Bobby at long last, and introduce the other lead Traveler – Theron. There will be several other familiar faces and a fair few new ones. Saint Dane will, of course, feature prominently. Good heavens, do you have ANY idea how hard it is to write that guy? Do you have any idea what it's like to write a character who's smarter than you and damn well KNOWS it?
It's hard. It's like trying to lead an elephant around with a rope of dental floss.
Well, I guess I'll leave it at that. As always, thank you for your support and interest. I do this as much for you as I do it for myself. Please, enjoy the story.
Sincerely,
The Topaz Dragon
Post Scriptum:
If you're interested in reading my original work, let me know. I'd be happy to post what I have so far on Deviant Art or send it privately as a Microsoft Word document or something. It's a fantasy work with a bit of romance, some combat, monsters and coups all that fun stuff. You'll be able to tell it's mine – one of the lead characters is named Aria, and she bears striking resemblance to my character here of the same name.
Disclaimer: The Pendragon series is the property of D.J. MacHale. I do not own it, nor do I own any of his characters.
I own my characters, but if he wants any of them he's welcome to them!