Kistublot

Return of the Kistulot

2010-03-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

It's been just a little over a month. Crazy, huh? I'd gotten better, too.

Well, it's an appropriate place to have been stopped for a moment or two, isn't it? Storywise, this is similar to having reached The Memory Remains in the original series, and that was where I had a bit of lag.

As you'll remember however, following that my writing gained a new form of regularity and I plowed through lead ins between almost every story, TAP, ISP, TS&O, and RMR.

I was lulled away from writing by a combination of bronchitus, work stress and my birthday. Well, that's all better now! My mother's birthday hits next month, and she's asked to watch the Wizard of Oz while listening to the dark side of the moon for her party of sorts on my HD TV. For those of you who don't know, the Wizard of Oz is one of those movies that quite affected me as a child. I think TMR (oddly enough) makes this apparent, but if not there it goes for the record. It'll be fun.

For writing? Ink Stained Reunion is well under way. I'm looking forward to this weekend being it's debut. It'll probably take the month for me to finish, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Some reasoning for my lost momentum may be that the Archive hasn't been a place I've particularly enjoyed reading for awhile. No huge rant here, jsut dissappointment. Back in highschool I would sometimes get through the week hoping for some new trilby or tabico, something exciting, enticing, way not supposed to be something I read about. It feels like something in the archive has been lost. I probably helped, but I'll be doing what I can to add my voice anew.

Carpe Argentum!!!

Bronchitus

2010-01-23T01:06:00.000-08:00

I bet you've been wondering why the silence . . .

Carin McLeoud isn't much good at being the Madam Kistulot when she had Bronchitus. Antibiotics took awhile to kick in. The cough comes and goes. Then my asthma conflicted with the bronchitus and I'm dizzy and feeling feverish. It's fun! Afraid I won't feel good by Monday but knowing it's best I actually get well.

The sexy I can muster is reserved right now for those nearest and dearest to me, so sorry, no MK for a bit till I heal. Then, we start the most epic crossover you've ever seen. Until then? You get this sexy picture drawn by Lola herself.

And then mangled by yours truly.

This!

Enjoy.

~MK

Bloggu, revenge of the blogazor!

2009-12-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

Once again, I got the story done . . . a couple days too late! So, here you go . . .

Electrum Volume 12: The Lights at the End of the Tunnel

Tada! A little late, but still in plenty of time for everyone to read. I hope to maybe get Sylvia's next volume done for the weekend too, as they parallel nicely and lead to their crossover event quite beautifully.

Work has been a little stressful, but nothing I can't handle. Next week I get a four day week, but I will be busy on Christmas. I have half-plans with my mother to see sherlock holmes.

I can't wait to see it.

For now, at least you get another volume of electrum, and Nebula is hot on its tails. Wish me luck, comment, fanmail away, you know, the regular :)

~Madam Kistulot

For the first time, I say before Simon!

2009-12-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

So my loyal fans, what is it, you ask, that makes the subject line of this post true?

Well, I was sick last week, and therefore was quite a bit behind writing schedule. Instead of making you all wait, and since Simon's new formatting makes it so we can't steal his source code anyway (yeah, we'd been doing that for awhiiiile) I personally took the time to update the site. Val stayed up late marking up Nebula, and I woke up, finished my edits on it, and then coded it up, put it up, added descriptions to fan art . . . voila.

It's not a lot of fun to go through putting

tags and

tags everywhere, but a chickies gotta do what a chickie's gotta do! You, my fans, deserved this on-time update.

Also, last night I found my long lost word count document and brought it up to date. I had to show off the results.

Silververse:
The Adventures of Silver Girl: 86,702
Silver Eclipse: 72,444
Nocturnal Interlude: 4,808
The Memory Remains: 66,797
Wherever I May Roam: 14,784
Dust High: 15,701
Misted Facets: 13,297
Informant: 4,560
The Argentum Project: 100,763
(Arc: 153,913)
Poetic License: 11,068
Ballpoint to the brain: 7,035
Ink Blots: 6,583
Blotted Lace: 5,794
Sealed With A Kiss: 5,512
Ink Bot: 9,176
Prequill: 7,814
Ink Soaked Penumbra: 74,818
(Arc: 127,800)
Obedience Over Matter: 2,299
Silver Gray Starlight: 11,844
Pink Candy: 4,493
To Serve and Obey: 58,605
(Arc: 77,241)
Red Moon Rising: 88,751
Scribe and Shadow: 15,519

Total: 689,167

Electrum:
Volume 1: Electrum Impulses: 19,478
Volume 2: Roadside Justice: 5,432
Volume 3: The Spiral: 3,204
Volume 4: Hope: 3,920
Volume 5: Hope and Family: 7,424
Volume 6: Spiraling Forward: 6,990
Volume 7: Unraveling Transmutation and Hopeful Tethering: 5,898
Volume 8: Company Loyalty: 13,286
Volume 9: Floral Engagement: 12,729
Volume 10: A Magical Evening: 11,979
Volume 11: Out of Time: 14,954

Total: 105,294

Nebula:
Volume I: The Soaring Phoenix: 19,337
Volume II: Free Will's Fermata: 5,452
Volume III: Song and Storm: 4,474
Volume IV: Nebulous Struggle: 3,739
Volume V: Obedience's Refrain: 2,838
Volume VI: Phoenix Coda: 4,313
Volume VII: Ballad of Justice: 7,484
Volume VIII: Galvanized Melody: 7,233
Volume IX: Searing White Siren Song of Glory: 4,773
Volume X: Symphony of Falling Glass: 5,994

Total: 65,637

Rose
Rose Petals: 6,490
Rose Miracles: 11,070
Rose Rejuvination: 5,301

Total: 22,861

Mariana
The Day After: 4,843
The Fourth: 2,979

Total: 7,822

One Shots
Never Far Away: 2,041
Coping Mechanism: 10,434
Landing On Her Feet: 7,182
I've Got a Fever . . .: 2,233
Unit 9: 7,043
Paradise: 3,503
Exvolensation: 1,705

Total: 34,141

Grand Total: 924,922

This of course neglects the latest tale that I have to add in after I'm done with this post, but am too lazy to do now. This means since I've been writing for the archive (Unit 9 and Coping Mechanism by the way only use the rewritten values) I have only 75,078 polished words, not counting Nebula Volume XI, until I break one million.

I don't know what to say.

I want to thank all of you that read the blot, that contributed fanart, that well, tolerated my sometimes sporadic updates. I want to thank everyone who was happy when I created the Argent Garden forum, and then everyone who kept reading my work after I left once, then twice. I know I'm a rather thorny person, attempting to be warm but then storming off and locking doors, but some few of you have tolerated it at least for the sake of my writing - and honestly that's what I care about most.

Events in the Silververse are heating up. Darksong, another contributor to the greater Midasverse as I call it, has another story going up that may lead to an actual Silververse-Omegaverse crossover. New technologies introduced in Electrum Volume 11 lead well to a crossover with Once and Future Kim's Wires.

I only wish Decker were still about for some fun Psyche and Fractal fun.

That said, I admit it would be fun to have a more expanded Midasverse. I've attempted to do that through varying my style between Electrum and Nebula, but that only provides a little bit more. More unique, distinct voices could be fun. Oh well, right?

My lovely erislave and I might work on a webcomic together, and it MIGHT be Midasthemed. Since she'll be doing the hard part, I want her to make the call on that. If it happens, I'll let you all know here.

Hrm, lets see, what else is there to tell . . . Holidays are approaching, and I'll be doing damn near everything I possibly can to get Nebula Volume XII done by the end of the year. The event to follow is one I don't want to push back, even if there's no way in hell I can finish it by the end of the year. Then, I see another set of stories panning before us, finishing out the Sisters' stories by the end of 2010.

I'm tempted to go about commissioning some art of Sarah, Lacie, Jacqui, and Leona all posing together, or all mind fried together. I think I just might.

Good writing does two things. It makes you want to read, or it makes you want to write. I've done both, and while after I finish my tales in Midas I intend to withdraw from posting actively on the archive, I hope my writing is still able to have the same effect.

Again, thank you all, and I hope you're having a lovely holiday season.

~Madam Kistulot

Right on Time

2009-11-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

The blog post will be a lot more amusing once the story associated goes up. Trust me.

That's right - Electrum got done in less than a week! How? I have no damn clue. I was simply driven. Like some kind of formula one racer. Awesome, huh?

Some new art will be posted up on the site this weekend. I don't know when I'll get to collecting it all for Val, but more will be going up - including some of the first fanart of everyone's favorite inkblossom, Quillspawn!

Mentioning Quillspawn . . . something occurs to me off and on. Scribe and Shadow still needs to go up on my website.

I guess I could put it directly after red moon on it's page. It does belong there. I'll poke everyone's favorite robot to get to work on that too. Events are in motion that make it a fairly important story to read. That's probably vaguely nearing a spoiler, but it's more of a teaser. Imagine it said with drips of ink slowly splashing on a white piece of paper and spreading out to say something like "December 2009 . . ." drops coalescing oddly, and reforming into the words "Ink drips from the shadows . . ." or something.

It sounded cool in my head. If I could draw worth a damn, I'd probably animate it in flash - if I had flash installed on my computer. Still a program or two I need to get loaded back up . . .

Well, that's pretty much all for now since I don't want to spoilerize anything. Nebula Volume XI doesn't even have a working title yet, but it's going to be a special one, too. The twelves are going to be real turning points, and then . . .

Well, just count up how many pages there will be at that point, pages being volumes plus chapters of initial pieces. I think you'll see a pattern.

Until next time!

~Madam Kistulot

Late Update!

2009-11-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

So, I have a lot to say, and frankly, this took me too long to get to. Sorry about that. Life isn't getting in the way, but how much it has been getting in the way I've been a little lazy when I've had the capability.

New Super Mario Bros Wii came out yesterday, and I spent a good long time playing through a majority of it with Val. Was lotsa fun. We'll need to finish it still, but i feel satisfied mariowise. Chucking people you love off of cliffs? its a great stress reliever. Trust me.

A very sweet fan, amusingly named the same as my first glittering heroine (Sarah, not Silver Girl, silly) granted me a legitimate key for Windows 7 Ultimate - so I'm finally off of the XP train. So far really preferring it this way. A thing here or there isn't doing just what I want (Paint Shop Pro 7 isn't very happy with me - maybe because it's not the only 7 anymore?) but overall it runs faster, feels slicker, and is preeeetty. So that's all that matters.

Got Valencia a new laptop, a Toshiba Satellite. You never notice how small a netbook is until you stack it on top of a real laptop. Wow. Sylvia is TINY. Sylvia, incase I haven't said it, is the name of my netbook as my old desktop was named Aurora.

Aurora is getting so very close to some very big plot developments. Its so hard to restrain myself, but this needs to be done right or it'll be pointless. There's so much right on the verge of "popping". Sylvia has some things coming her way, but differently.

Their crossover is getting closer and closer, too. If I focus a little, maybe it'll be a sort of winter-season present? I'm not sure if I'll be able to make that deadline for starting it off/finishing it, but it's what I'm mentally aiming for.

Work has become stressful in a whole new way. People are leaving my contract. A lot. But still, we're "overstaffed." My hours have been cut back to 37 hours a week. To be honest? Any excuse not to be at work that doesn't get me fired or make me look worse. The job has become more exhausting, and I've actually recieved a pay cut for taking a "promotion."

So life is stressful. Val is happy. Mario is fun. Stories are moving forward.

Fanmail more appreciated than ever!

~Madam Kistulot

Four more years! Elect LaSilvas!

2009-11-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, so work has calmed down, so why so slow now eh? Good question. This morning the max broke down, more details on what a max is at the Trimet Website, but previous to that? Exhaustion and writers' block. I've capped 55 stories in four years on the archive. Four years.

Its quality though, not quantity, but I'd like to think I've got that, too. Maybe not every story, and the earlier could use a rewrite . . . but I'd like to think they're worthy additions.

I'd have a mite fewer if I hadn't played with story conventions a little. Lead-ins were fun. After a nearing event, Nebula will revert to a more classic multi chapter story. Electrum seems to work best this way - but feel free to chime in if you dissagree.

Four years . . .

That's highschool. Thats a bachelor's degree. Thats longer than most marriages . . .

Sarah was born in June, so she's been four for awhile. Old enough to go to preschool, and get ready for kindergarden. She'll make an adorable school girl in a year or two.

She still has years before her chronological existence is jailbait, but we know how she'll turnout. Mmm.

Okay verge of creepy There. Sorry! Regardless, more should be coming, but I'm not promising as rigorous a schedule. I just can't keep up with it. I'm not going to purposefully go slow, but I don't know how well these deadlines are working for me or for story quality. So, apologies, but things might come a little slower. Probably not much than as of late, but hey . . . at least I'm posting, and rather regularly.

Gotta have something else in the update besides lisa teez in red, eh?

That's all for now,

~Madam Kistulot

Floral Engagement

2009-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Electrum Volume 9 is done and sent in!

It might be a little rough, but well . . . work, sickness, stress . . . I think I'm lucky I didn't have to start this one over from scratch. This one of course dives a little more into Flower Chylde, or Flora as she's known day to day. The next story will have a slightly Psiona based focus.

As for Nebula Volume IX, I've already started it. Some time back, and not very much, but it shouldn't be nearly as hard to write or take nearly as long for any of you to see.

The end of Volume 9 shows a hint of plans that I've had building up since a nightmare/dream I had some time back. It was freaky while having it, but it gave me some great ideas. I'm not sure what to call it, or what to call the new figure seen in brief, but I'll figure it out in enough time. I've known goals, inspirations, aspirations for some time.

I do make a lot up as I go along, but the little things I drop here or there, well, I try to know what my foreshadowing means. I admit a time or two I do lazy "this will be something eventually" like the light in Sarah's head back in tAoSG, but I try to do that less often.

It's also fun when you just write as you go, and yet foreshadowing creeps in anyway.

It's like your mind telling you where you're going.

Being a writer is strange . . .

~Madam Kistulot

Stress, or "This is the job I don't get payed for"

2009-09-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

Well, this can't be good, right? Posting but not with a good subject line?

You'd be right.

Work has been hellish, and even though when I'm not fixing everyone else's mistakes (besides my actual right beside me co-workers!) there's plenty of time between calls . . . All this week I've been working overtime. I'll be working even more overtime come next week.

My employers hinted this is intended to run all of the way through christmas.

Ain't that just cute?

So, Electrum 9 is basically done, but needs an ending, and lots of polishing. Next update. Maybe.

I haven't really had a lot of time for MCstories lately. Two stories are currently open in my browser in different tabs, but I've been slow to even start on them. Life's just been a little too hellish.

Hope you're all having a better time.

Sick

2009-09-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am immune to many things, but physical ailment? Far from it. I am sick. That's why I missed the update, and why I'll be missing another. It is very hard to write sexy when you're miserably sick. Sorry about that.

~Madam Kistulot

Electrum experiment and nebulous update

2009-08-24T05:15:00.001-07:00

So everybody, whaddya think of the experiment? So far the reviews I've gotten have been very, very positive on the new format for Electrum. This means, it'll probably stick. Nebula still works very well first person, but Aurora will at least be getting the occasional 3rd person story. It just works for having a larger cast like she does. Things can happen without her noticing. It's freeing.

Sorry no Nebula this update! :( I tried, but I just couldn't do it justice.

If I can finish it before the update, I'll post a pre edit version just to whet appetites. Or post if I can get it done quick enough. Time will tell! Either way, check back often, and thanks for reading!

~Madam Kistulot

Missed update, missed lover

2009-08-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, by now you've noticed that I missed the update. Sorry. I'll be trying to get both Sylvia and Aurora in to this sat/sun's update.

Reason? The lovely eri was visiting us from her lands far across the eastern horizon. Was somewhat occupied. She left portland last night, and I go back to work today. Feeling the smallest touch melancholy, but fine otherwise.

Also tired. Very tired. Couldn't sleep. I'll be awake for at least 26 hours by the time I get off work today.

I'll be sleeping well tonight.

~Madam Kistulot

Champions Online Closed Beta

2009-08-06T00:12:00.001-07:00

So, I'm in the closed beta! :)

You can vote for Silver Girl here if you like the way I've captured her. Or not. It's up to you. I think I did pretty good considering my first spin at character creation!

I can't break the NDA, so I can't really talk about it. Sorry.

Still, you'll love it!

~Madam Kistulot

p.s. Nebula has been sent in, even if there's a Friday update it'll be ready. Electrum's latest is taking longer because it's interesting, as previously said.

Simon is an archival god

2009-08-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Beyond the obvious, the fact that he tirelessly slaves over a hot archive . . . remember my little typo? Nebula Volume II? If you check now, you'll see . . .

Tune in in two weeks for the experimental Volume 8, and next week for Nebula Volume VII. Sorry for sparse Blot updates, but expect more in the future, and new art on my website soon, too!

Which while accurate? I didn't do! It was my typo! So either Simon recognized my mistake later, or Mr Green Bastard (100% honestly meant in an endearing way, bar sinister and all) is a bit of a fan.

Of course, there's also a chance someone emailed him, but it wasn't me. If it was you, comment!

~Madam Kistulot

p.s. Nebula Volume VII already has a rough draft on a Sunday. Woo!

Nebula Volume II? What?

2009-08-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Any of you who have read through the latest story will see a typo. Next week, Nebula Volume II? Teh whatz? This is very easily explained as a typo. It should be Volume VII. That is the one big negative against roman numerals, and that I add my authors notes in last as a finishing touch.

Sorry for the confusion, and I hope you're enjoying.

Things next next week are going to take a bit of a different turn with Aurora getting a self contained third-person story. It's going to be a big departure, but I hope you'll all enjoy it.

Next week, Nebula gets a twist thrown in. Apparently the name for Volume VI I've heard is misleading. Phoenix Coda was referring to the Phoenix's Coda. Not Nebula's. Or John Bonham's comeback CD.

So, clarifications, and best wishes I suppose! I ought to do more of these, but the heat in Portland has been MISERABLE as of late. Mostly just trying to stay cool and alive. So, until next time!

~Madam Kistulot

Soooo I'm not good at keeping up with the blot!

2009-07-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry about that!

I've been good at keeping current with updates, and that's what matters. The recent chapter was very hard to get out, and I apologize if it doesn't have the same kick you're used to expecting. It felt like it was missing something, but in the way where I could have spent five years not posting it and had it make no difference. Since the whole point of this writing exercise for me was to attempt more serial work, keeping up is important. Its tricky, but important.

Next week's Nebula is going to be a very interesting one, and I hope I can make it pack as much punch, eroticism, and foreshadowing into it as I possibly can. Both are getting very near the end of their introductory stories. After that, there will be another two extra-big volumes, which may not be posted all at one, may be, we'll see, and then there will be a crossover. Look forward to it, but I refuse to spoil any details.

Work has been a little hectic. People getting fired left and right due to being dumbasses. A guy at my job - a supervisor no less - was actually found in the bathroom with a needle full of heroin. Well, once full. Fired. One guy was hanging up on customers. Fired. My supervisor likes to joke in our team meetings that there's a bulletten to keep in track of every week: the new way to get yourself fired.

If you do your job, you will get paid and remain employed. Mayhaps, you will even be promoted as I might be - more news on that soon. Its pretty much a given, but I want to be sure before I blog it anywhere.

Regardless, things have been a little bit stressful, and after some less than fun people were met on the snappville site, I felt a little bit less like being public for awhile. Its just hard to believe the nerve of some people. If you want them to leave you alone, you block them, that doesnt mean try another account . . . but I digress.

More writing next week, a big one. I'm taking a vacation from work in august, but I think that I'll still get up stories on time. Anything more, well, you'll hear about it another time!

I leave you with pictures of my new computer, Atma Genji. Why Atma Genji? She glows blue like the atma weapon, and she has a dual core proccessor.

If you don't understand that, play more Final Fantasy Six.

*Atma
*Glowing Atma
*Atma breaking the Warp Speed Barrier

Until next time!

~Madam Kistulot

A little late, but more than Simons got!

2009-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

I know, the guy works nearly year round - he deserves a vacation. Hell, I appreciate the slacking time. I have a backlog that admittedly will appreciate the extra work I'll be doing it, and the break. Breaks are nice. Unless they're broken computers, but that goes without saying.

When I get home, I'll take a shot or two of Atma. Atma Genji. Oh my precious computer. Way more than I need . . . but isn't that the whole point?

I'm on the new commuter train right now, the WES. For more details, go to www.trimet.org. Its a pretty awesome train, thats not actually run BY trimet, but for it. Which means it actually works, on time, and so forth. I think its the best thing trimet has ever made, even if it is at times a little bumpy. Awesome seats, no need to stand, and the chairs recline slightly! Plus? Free wifi, which I am using now to type up this blog post.

Game fuel is back again by the way. Stop by your local soda dealer and pick some up. Tell them MK sent you. They wont do anything special, but I'd appreciate it.

I've resisted myspace, but I can be found on hypnotize me! a social networking site for hypnosis. Its honestly better to poke me by instant messenger, but I know I'm not always on. Also, I am migrating to madamkistulot@live.com as opposed to my ancient hotmail that no longer works for email anymore, anyway.

There is lots more planned for Aurora and Sylvia, but I find myself more and more wanting to do something more visual with them/other characters. Maybe I just need to write something else and more often, but maybe also my visual artist friends and script writer friends are rubbing off on me. Both are equally likely as far as I can tell.

In other news, the flash cartoon that I am essentially co-creator of is all but finished. After some menus are action scripted, and I finish the subtitles, it'll be finished. Its about 22 minutes, which is about the same ammount animated of a half an hour cartoon. Its "The Legend of Link: Oh god yes, and spiders". The title is amusing as hell, and so is the actual comic. I only have one line, two words, but I am responsible for lots that has been done for it, including the originam remade theme that I'll need to link to here some day, even if its less Madam Kistulot and more Carin McLeoud. Under the Cowl is fine time to time I hope, as it tends to kill people just like it killed batman. Poor batman. poor batman superman from the planet of the capes.

I havent had any more trips to the comic store, mostly because I realized I am a highly impressionable writer, and those comics were not good for me. Especially not with some of the things going on. The Dark Reign, the Blackest Nights . . .

And people complained when I killed Olivia.

Another thing worthy of note, is that today is my first day going to work completely without the aid of crutches. This might not be interesting to you, but I've been on them for nearly half a year.

Goddess, do I hate crutches.

So, until next time, aka tonight . . .

~Madam Kistulot

p.s. god damn it, Batman is dead and the Phoenix is coming back to life. Does anyone see a problem here?

Still not dead!

2009-06-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

You know how you remember to do things right after you save them/send them? There's no "next week!" Teaser. Bah. Oh well! Electrum Volume 5 will be out next week even if I'm a space case.

Speaking of space casery, the first two stories of my comeback have no editing but my own. Honestly. Stresses caused me to want to do it on my own, and Valencia along with several others lead me to well . . . take that thought under advisement, and I ended up deciding I could use an editor after all, even if just type editing, which honestly is very very important.

Very.

So, I have my new computer. Atma. Pictures will surface soon. she's dual core, and has a very double theme to her case design, so I am calling her Atma, with the last name genji. If you know why you're awesome.

So, more will come. Realize it. Accept it. Embrace it. Eventually it may become something you don't want, but I hope not. Their stories are honestly going differently than I intended, though the moment of reentwinement remains the same. I figure somewhere around their collective volume 12s is where I'll bring them back together agfter a single story from neither of their perspectives.

It all depends on how things go, I guess!

Thank you everyone who has shown your support. I'm exhausted, and still setting up my new computer, so I'm going to leave you all now to your own ends, and wish you a wonderful week!

Not dead. Yet.

2009-05-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

So, if you're reading this, you probably saw the update to mcstories.

If you're seeing this before the update, sorry to ruin it. Nebula Volume III should be at least vaguely worth the wait. I have heard some criticism that its panning out too much like Silver Girl - but that's not where its headed. I know, a writer needing to explain their work is the first sign that something isn't going well, but I hope you'll disagree.

Anyway, as posted before, work has been exhausting. What with over 75% of the people I used to work with quitting or being fired, and then being slapped with customer surveys that were meant for other agents . . . work has been a lovely hell. Tech support isn't very fun when you work for companies that care one hundred and fifty ten percent more about their customers than their employees.

On top of that, I have tuberculosis. Don't worry, apparently I've had it for . . . two years? I'm on pills for months. They aren't bad, but it is very third world level frustrating. So yes, I'm a carrier for a very deadly disease. The state of Oregon is paying for my treatment.

Early January, well before my medical kicked in, I was on a bus that sped off before I could finish sitting down and my knee popped out of place. Wound up on crutches. Once I was down to one, ready to ditch it... something popped, literally, out of the other knee. So back to two. Down to one again, we'll see how that goes, but being mobility impaired is very difficult. Nothing makes stairs better than ramps, but there are no fucking ramps into my apartment building, or complex. Damn Oregon for being at a forty-five degree angle.

So, sans a lovely visit from Erika back in March, this year has been a difficult one so far. Good thing is that suffering leads to good writing. A calm in the storm often helps this granted, and I admit that I don't really see any especially close, but I'm not doing anything like giving up.

Just realistically expecting next week to more or less mirror this one, sans next week I get paid.

Lastnight my desktop computer died. The harddrive should be fine, and everything from it should be rather well backed up, but even a generous donation from the Raine foundation it'll still be a month or two before I can afford a new computer... So I'm a little depresssed over that. Aurora, the computer, was named before the character. She was the first major purchase I made with my first job. When I turned on her screen, it was the rising of the sun.

I'm a little dumbly emotional, I'll admit, but she has a lot of value and meaning and now she's dead. It happens.

The good news, is that I have up to volume 5 and V written. They need a little more editing, but I should be able to keep up the pace neccessary for frequent updates. Stress from work, home, health, and honestly a little worry in living up to my own name exhausted my ability to reliably write. I took a hiatus, and I should be back at least until I can finish their stories unless life intervenes again.

After Sylvia and Aurora finish off, I plan on trying to find a sellable premise and fight tooth and nail to finally achieve my dream. Odds are against me, but I've never been big on trusting the odds, anyway.

So, for now, keep checking the updates. Check here via RSS. More to come, in time.

~Madam Kistulot

P.S. - Rather recently to try and aid my writing I decided to actually indulge the genre I've been dancing in further, and have been a regular visitor of the local comic shop Things From Another World, which you can also find online. Thanks to a friend's reccomendation I've been tearing through TPB of Ultimate Spiderman, and have been enjoying it sans some of issue five. Was going to get back into the x-men, but guess who on my third issue is comming back to life again. I'm going to sidestep that, and enjoy pieces of Batman's "Death", pieces of Dark Reign, and miscellanious TPB, though for now thats on hold until I get my new box. More on that as more surfaces.

Disillusionment

2009-01-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I should break my silence.

EMC has steadily lost its allure for me over the past year. Posting here and interacting to what little extent I do with the community feels more like a chore than a hobby. I lost interest in new writing some while ago, and the media and discussion I encounter on the forums never held much allure. I still have a mind control fetish, but that isn't enough to make me want to post here or interact with the community.

Nothing has changed about my interest in hypnosis or my loving D/s bond with Madam. I would continue posting about slave life and hypnosis were they not so connected with MC given the context of the 'blot. Those themes are already covered extensively by others in the community, and I don't think I have anything novel to contribute. Teaching about hypnosis when those with training are already doing so feels pointless. I also feel much less comfortable posting about my personal experiences given some of the ignorant and dehumanizing responses I've received. My primary audience for those posts has no conception of loving D/s and is unlikely to view anyone writing about it submissively as more than mindless entertainment. I don't want to put my experiences on display for this audience. I'm sick of being viewed as not even a person.

This entire milieu of concepts and activities is supremely disheartening.

More accurately, the MC community and most of the material available has lost its allure, but that feels rude to say.

Believe it or not, I agree with those who think Madam's spin-off series is redundant, tepid, and in need of a twist (she does, too). I think EMC lost some allure for her, as well, at least writing-wise. She still enjoys trancing just as much as I do.

If I get a whim, I'll post here, but don't expect much from me in the future.

~Valbot

New job burnout

2008-12-14T07:12:00.000-08:00

Heya everyone!

You'll notice by now I haven't had anything in the last two updates, nor have I contributed to the blog in awhile. Sorry. Not so much intentional, as I've been horrifically burned out, and I've needed a break from my personal deadlines - and writing has been very difficult. I have a four hour commute each day, and my handwriting is atrocious, so I've recently ordered a new notebook and I should have it by... Tuesday? At the latest. And then, I intend to write during my commute.

Five and a half hours of battery life? Mmmm, battery life.

So I just wanted to give everyone an update, and apologize. I really haven't had time to barely do anything at all besides unwind as of late, and try to de-stress which has worked with varying amounts of success.

I haven't really even had time to pay attention, but I admit I am getting a giggle out of the return of Sara H. I'm glad to know she's well, but going from bashing everyone's work and saying you're the best writer in the world who doesn't write according to cliches, then only writing cliches, demanding to be known as a new name, then taking back your old title... I have to admit, this is petty to post, but I did get a kick out of hearing about it. I don't pay attention to the forums, or most stories, but I listen to some that do.

So, I hope you're all well, and I'm sorry that Nebula and Electrum hit an update snag, but I have plenty planned for them!

Happy Reading!

~Madam Kistulot

It's been awhile - sorry!

2008-11-29T07:09:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not dead with my work being published post homunously. Humonously. However the frell you spell that.

I am very much alive (or so they tell me) and that is unlikely to change any particular time soon.

I've started a new job! Due to their rules about posting on blogs, I have decided to merely tell you the away message that I have up on Pidgin: I work in salt mines tech supporting fruit. Not exactly the message, but nooone the less! Due to this job, and adjusting, I sort of lost the steam I had going in my writing - so this week gets to be a by week. Sorry! If football teams get them (why can't my 49ers play anymore? at least the raiders have been good more recently than they...) then I can too!

So, none this week, and an apology for no blog activity. Volumes 3 are very... wait a tick. Electrum Volume 3... Okay, I actually can get that done. And there will be some this week. All I need to do is put it in a text file and send it off.

Electrum Volume 4 and Nebula Volume III are well under way. Ignore my insanity, and I apologise for my silence either way.

Twists are comming! Just be patient. The tide tuuuuurns! Or some such.

~Madam Kistulot

Closing off Tabico week!

2008-10-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Honestly, did you chose your pen name just to ruin this for me? So not fair! I kid of course, but if I didn't, I'd be old!

Please, imagine that you clicked here after I said that.

There are still a lot of good Tabico stories, so to end this week I'll look through the list and grab out a few more to point out as must reads. Tabico is another author whose work deserves to be devoured completely, so don't think less of stories I don't recommend.

Community

This is a story I've read several times, and enjoyed each time. A cop finds herself a part of a very special new community, and is shown the ropes by the lovely "D" as she is converted for it's use. There's just something I always loved about the way her clothes were removed by scalpel and the back and forth as she loses her mind to her new life. Hot, sizzling, read it.

In the Back of my Mind

This is a story that like Sweet Oil comes off with a young, innocent and adorable feeling. Two girls stumble upon something best left alone, and wind up servants to its whims. Their reactions to finding it, and as they begin to tread closer and closer to the end of their independence, is so delicious to savor.

Kaleidoscope Mind

I like to think of this tale as an MC story mixed with a good ol' slasher flick the likes of Friday the 13th. I choose that one due to it's setting. Camp councilors, pre-camp, wind up receiving a lovely little gift that has so much fun with helpless minds. The way they're taken down one by one until all of them are helplessly lost has such a hot, fun feeling to it, and I find myself coming back to this story often hoping one day to write something in a similar vein.

Lord May

I only happened upon this story rather recently, and it was an unexpected pleasure. A chance encounter leads a couple to meet their paralyzed next door neighbor who has mastered an exquisite process allowing one to control another's pleasure or pain via remote control. There's so much more to that premise, but there's where it all begins. The protagonist this time is male, and not who Lord May is after. A twist, huh? A most unusually happy ending, and hilarious outtakes frost this hot yummy cake of a story. Dig in!

Rewired

This is a yet another delicious story. Without going too far, or even saying much at all, I will recommend this story for its line of "fucking home appliance" if nothing else. Honestly. I think that's all I need to say. Read it.

Wrach

Another story that takes place like a horror story - only this time there is more gruesome attached to the sexy side of things. something long since buried is unearthed, and one by one . . . well . . . it gets just what it wants. Another one I read more recently than the rest of her work, and it definitely deserves a read. Very yummy.

This closes off Tabico week then, and I hope you're all looking forward to Iago week! Othello sure isn't.

~Madam Kistulot

Tabico Week Part Deux

2008-10-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! This time around to make sure every entry get's up on the right day I've decided to write them all ahead of time. If this starts a trend, hey, you'll be able to rely on me like a webcomic.

As I mentioned in Monday's post, Tabico doesn't pull back from raw, squicky, powerful stories. While Monday also showed she doesn't need to, today will show that not only can she, but she can - amazingly.

Adaptation

Let me start my praise of this story with a simple fact: I am deathly afraid of wasps. The cutest non cartoon bee comes anywhere near me, and I scream. I will hide from bees, or sit/stand incredibly still. It's not going to far to say they scare me to my very core. Even with that said, this story is hot. Her slow response to the fate that befalls her is amazing, and it's defense for her resistance makes it all the more delicious. This story hasn't made me less afraid of wasps, but it is still so amazingly hot. Does have a squick warning, but I think it's worth it.

Allegiance

Another story set on a distant world like Adaptation (in fact, due to a similar curse used I believe them to be in the same universe, more similarities to follow) this one with a more romantic tone to it. Old lovers meet anew to talk about what happened between the last time they've seen each other. One of them has a very hot yummy evil mc insect filled story to tell, that leads to a sweet happy reunion. Sounds unbelievable? Read it. Maybe not as squicktastic, but it fits to mention after Adaptation.

Bitch

This is probably a story you've heard mentioned before. It's the classic "I don't find bestiality even vaguely hot, but . . ." story. I have another, but that's going to have to wait until after Iago when I get to arclight. Anyway, this story really is fairly legendary amongst the EMCSA. MC device owes a nod to Eye of Serpent, and from there Tabico hits the ground running and doesn't stop. Twisted, messed up, and yet somehow very hot. Definitely, give this one a read.

Herd Instinct

A story that unknown to me at the time helped inspire part of "Silver Eclipse", Herd Instinct is another story you've probably heard of. If you haven't read this yet, you're missing out. It is extreme, with a business woman - the owner of a paper plant if I remember correctly, being more or less turned into a cow. Not to a level one would associate with the story above (no grafting horns for instance), but still extreme. Even better is when she has one more use after you think she's finally been made into just what they want her. An awesome story.

Riders

Tabico describes that this makes her "Mind Worms" story seem like "Horton Hears a Who" and recommends you read Sweet Oil if it doesn't appeal. This story is definitely unashamed, raw squick. Slime, ugly slug parasites, but yummy betrayal and re purposing of humans. Not including this on this list would be remiss. There are other stories of hers involving parasites, but this one works best for an extreme, and is a yummy read none the less!

Yellow

I've had this up as a pick on my site during the first listing of picks, so this one shouldn't come as a particular surprise. Definitely a rather extreme story, and even based on something from D&D lore! A powerful wizard buys slaves, but just what does she use them for? I wouldn't want to ruin it, nor the delicious epilogue scene. Its all just so delicious. There are a few details that are less than overflowingly sexy, but make it more real and intense for me. Not for the faint of heart, but otherwise, this is one everyone should read.

It feels good to have this post done early, as I'm sick of feeling like I'm scrambling to give good authors the feedback they deserve - even if they never actually read the blot. After I cover enough authors, I am tempted to email links, but that sounds so silly to actually do.

So, another full list of stories to read if you haven't gotten to them already! Enjoying my reviews? I hope so! Nebula Volume 3 is going slowly, but I'm excited for November! Are you?

Happy Reading!

~Madam Kistulot

Tabico Week Part 1

2008-10-20T13:19:00.001-07:00

Damn you Tabico. You write awesome stories, you know that? Why did you have to chose a pen name I can't riff on? I can play with it, say tabsico amongst friends when being silly (I don't know why I started saying that) and tabi could be a cute thing to riff on, like tabby cat, but I can't really get away with that in good conscience.

So, ignoring my little tirade, welcome to Tabico week! The last, but by no means least, of the t-trio! Tabico's specialty is the rawness in everything she writes. She has no limits - or few and far between - and you can feel it in her writing. If something is going to happen, it happens. She doesn't pull away from the squick, diving in head first to stories most authors wouldn't even touch.

Tabico has written a wide variety of stories, including color codes for an author most well-known for her "red" or f/f contributions to the archive. She's collaborated with thrall and the next on my list Iago, and has an impressive series of interrelated stories that have never gotten a name, but I lovingly refer to as the Snowdonverse. She's not exactly the main character, but she is a recurring character that I enjoy quite a bit. Plus, I can never spell Arundsen's name without looking at how it's spelled.

So, for Tabico week, I'm going to start there. This will be a long post - making up for it's lateness - and giving you plenty to read if you haven't gotten to these lovely gems already! Warning, scrolling past where you've read may give spoilers - but not horrific ones.

New Tunez

The first story starts innocently enough. Lissa, a college student, gets an email for a new site that offers music downloads. Deciding to give it a try, she downloads some music that has a delicious affect on her mental state. Losing time is such a yummy way to show someone is being programmed. The fun doesn't stop there, and soon her friend is giving these new tunes a try. A yummy story, full of heat, and delicious mind control.

Cross My Heart

Nicole, Lissa's friend, has worried parents. She's been acting a little differently... and so she winds up being sent to see a shrink. The title comes from an adorable piece of hardware she wears, and I won't spoil that at all. The web of mind control grows further as yet another mind is drawn in deeper, and escape is so rarely an option.

Sweet Oil

Most of Tabico's stories are raw, evil, perhaps even cruel in a way. It would be hard to call most of them sweet, even when everyone is euphoric by the end. Sweet Oil is a sweeter, more lighthearted story as the title would suggest. A few girls get their hands on some special massage oil that has some yummy side effects, and get caught up experimenting, enjoying . . . savoring. No enslavement, nothing lasting, just hot fun. No less worth a read.

Hot Oil

But of course, the oil doesn't need to be used for sweeter purposes, as shown in this sequel. The woman supplying the oil returns to collect, and a sorority is turned into a pack of pets one after the other. Tabico writes a lot of serial recruitment, and perhaps this story is one of the best examples. A yummy story, sizzling really. Read it!

Fitness

A woman's gym changes ownership, and things start to change, dramatically. The changes happen so sweetly subtly to those involved, and for those of us with the luck to watch, you can see the options for anything but enslavement melting away more and more as the story progresses. Also a yummy dehumanization piece, though I don't want to ruin much more. Lots of women being taken all at once - yummy!

Temp to Perm

Snowdon herself pays a visit to collect a new girl, and winds up with another. A delicious short story with a fun protagonist - a temp who enjoys being a temp fluttering from job to job, doing good enough work to get away with surfing for porn on her work computer. I love the title, and this story.

Ronin

Another story where we get a more direct glance at Snowdon, though admittedly the first that I had any problems with. It is a very hot story, with a woman being caught between the games of two powerful mind controllers . . . but the way some characters act, and are allowed to act, strikes me as a little out of character for what we've seen in the past. Its a yummy story, with yummy bikes, but the latter half just doesn't sit right with me.

Arundsen's Device

This story feels to me almost like another half to the 'verse, even if there are only three stories with Andrea, and only two where she is given a more central role. Andrea, a grad student, stumbles upon a mind control made by Professor Arundsen, and indulges in it. She even uses it on herself - a detail that has always made this story stand out in my mind. But things are turned on her, and then once she manages to recover, things are turned again . . . a very fun protagonist, and supporting cast. Yummy.

Socket

Sort of a side story, a colleague of Arundsen tests his own device ant takes himself a yummy new slave. It is m/f md, but its still a yummy story for it's mind control if nothing else. Andrea makes a cameo. I'm feeling at a loss for what else to say for this one, but that doesn't mean it's bad.

Summit

This story is a direct sequel to Arundsen's Device (I finally spelled it without looking! holy crap!) as well as continuation of the earlier stories with Nicole. A 'natural' has been found, and several mind controllers are brought together, made aware of the situation . . . some manage to pull through, while some are taken apart. This story alternates between our more familiar characters and the natural, a man who has the ability to instantly conquer a mind with almost no effort. Arudsen is made a much more interesting character here (as he's actually present for one), Snowdon is developed deliciously, and the Andrea/Nicole interactions are some of my favorite scenes in MC. If you enjoyed the previous stories, you need to read this one. It's delicious.

Wow, that was a lot, but really, these stories deserve to be read as all one big lump - maybe not all at once, but as a continuing growing world with so much to delight in. I enjoy rereading parts of them, or stories in their entirety quite often, and never find myself regretting it.

Until Wednesday!

~Madam Kistulot

p.s. - I need to update the updates page and the front page of my site, but my story picks have been updated again! Give them a look if you still want more to read!