Just A Little Talking (Patreon)

I figured I'd talk about something real quick.

When I started all this, it was to keep us going through COVID and the lockdowns.

Back then I said I wouldn't do a Paypal or a Patreon. Well, after fake accounts started popping up, I did the Patreon and the Paypal.

One thing I promised is that the story of First Contact would ALWAYS be free on Reddit, and later on Royal Road for the mirror.

What I haven't really mentioned is that I've been approached by publishers and audiobook creators in the time we've been doing this.

One demand they always make is that I remove the free posts. Either for when the books are published or the audiobook is done. It doesn't matter that Book 8 finished at Chapter 325.5, they want the old free posts gone.

Publishers have demanded I do no more free writing, remove all of my old posts.

The answer has always been, and always will be unless something MAJOR changes involving the rights to the story...

...No.

I'm not putting stuff behind a paywall for First Contact. I'm not removing the old posts when the book comes out.

Life is tough, times are hard, we had to buy our own birthday cards.

Things aren't getting easier, they're getting tougher.

I know... deep down, I know... I'm not popular with reddit and Royal Road. I'm not popular because of Reddit and Royal Road.

I'm popular with HFY on Reddit. I'm popular with you. Ladies, gentlement, both, neither, I am popular with you. You guys support me. Financially with Patreon and buying the books, and emotionally with support and praise.

I'm not going to suddenly turn around and delete everything. If that means I miss out on publishing deals or audiobook deals...

...then so be it.

I wrote this, I write this for us.

For me and you.

To get us through these hard times.

You guys support me. You HAVE supported me. I appreciate and feel humbled by your continued support. You want me to write, you put your wallet up and said: "We'll match what you earned at work" and asked me simply to write.

When I was hospitalized, you guys cared more about me than the work. With every difficulty, you were worried about me, not the work.

First Contact will be continued to be posted on Royal Road and Reddit.

The older chapters will not be deleted.

--Ralts