A quick update to respond to my reviewers… Every. Single. One.
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First, let's start off with a little matter of business. One, I will not be updating this story, for two main reasons.
One, I never seem to be able to finish anything. If you see my profile you notice I have two stories listed- neither have gotten past the first chapter. If you could see my story file on my computer, you'd find about 15 or 16 similar cases of writer's block coming right after the first installment in a variety of genres- more fanfic, some original stuff, etc. Actually, I'd rather forgotten I'd put this on here, until I checked my little-used email and found more reviews. It was like… "Ooh, reviews, what the heck? Oops, forgot the discontinue AN. Better do it now!"
Two. I've taken a small concept from both this story and my other one and have combined them with a different plotline for a different fanfic that I'm working on, and have gotten further on than any of the others I've written. I'm rather pleased with the result, and as soon as it is done, or has some semblance of completeness, I will begin posting the chapters. I don't want to start this before I finish because I'm afraid I won't finish, or something major will get in the way and I won't be able to write for awhile, etc. It's really just a thing of mine- it irks me to start something and not finish it.
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Now… On for review responses!
WildPixieChild- Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed reading, but unfortunately… well, looks like I won't be updating soon. Sorry!
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Voldivoice- Thanks for the review, and glad you like my writing style. As for longer chapters…:shrug: I'm working on it. A special feature for the next story I mentioned earlier.
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Countess Alana- Thanks, and I'm glad you found it interesting- I thought it was a rather bland beginning for what I had planned out later. Again, as for updating soon…:guilty grin:
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Twinkle22- I'm glad you liked it, thanks! As for continuation, well, it's been addressed. Sorry, but thanks for expressing interest.
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Laverte- So sorry my story didn't meet your liking- no wait, I'm not! I write for me, not for you. If you happen to like what you see, by all means you should read. But don't think I'm going to stop writing what I want to write just for you. As for actually responding: one of the key elements to PotO, I believe, is Christine's naivety and spiritual innocence- they are what bring her under the Phantom's influence in the first place. As for where it's taking place, I chose that because I had plans that could effectively utilize "Florida" and the "State University" well. Do you just have a problem with Florida itself, or were you mugged on one of the state campuses? As for Christianity, I'm not ashamed to put it in my fic and I will not back down from that. If others can put up stories where demons and magic and the fires of hell are included, then for Pete's sake so can I add my own element. Yeah, so I angered you. Get over it! Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure than before you die a lot of other people are going to anger you as well. Again, I write for me, and by all means don't think I'm stopping this fic for you. You needn't flatter yourself. I haven't updated in a long time and simply took this opportunity to let others know it was discontinued, and to make sure you realize that the world does not revolve around you.
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Phanatical- Comment!Erik is currently unavailable. Pity! I would like to see a creature of bytes and cyberspace try to "punjab" me. As for the Christian feel- who's being discriminator now? You know why there's such a problem with religious bickering? It's because almost everybody, minus the Christians, hates the Christians! Oh yeah, we're a terrible, close-minded lot that think we're better than anyone else- what about the rest of the world? We can't put Christian symbols in public places because- Heaven forbid!- it might offend a non-Christian. But what about the pagan symbols, the Muslim symbols, the insert-religion-or-non-religion-of-your-choice-here symbols that we just HAVE to allow, because if we didn't, we're being prejudiced and bigoted. What if they offend us? Well no matter, we're just Christians, so it's right that we get treated like dirt. Everybody knows that you have to give everyone their rights to free speech and all that rot, unless it's a Christian, and then you have to make sure you suppress them as much as possible. You may not want to hear that, but think about it- it's true, wherever you go. And as for me putting Christianity in the story- I like that twist on PotO. I have YET to read a fic that explores it, so I thought I'd make my own. And if YOU don't like it, or anybody ELSE doesn't like it, they can go read something else. There are plenty of depressing and agnostic fics to go around (not that all, or even most of them are bad), and if that floats your boat, go sailing! I write for myself, not for you.
I am not disrespecting Muslims here, so don't DARE even try to bring something like that up. I'm just using it as an example, as I could use Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, or any number of other religions/theologies/philosophies.
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And a reminder- I'm not stopping my fic because it met outside resistance; I'm stopping it because I've lost hope of finishing it. Please, Laverte and Phanatical, don't give yourselves the compliment of thinking I stopped because of you, because that is not the case.
I never asked for flames, either. I said that if you wanted to point out grammatical errors, or to give constructive criticism, I'd welcome it, but I have no respect for people who can't get over themselves and have to resort to flaming to up their pitiful egos. I'm not going to change the very essence of my story for such people.