Muse, you're insane. And annoying

[elfs]

"I've got it!" Muse said.

"Got what? What's going on out on the plains of Mars?"

"No, your next Sterlings episode."

I gave her my strongest glare and said, "No more Sterlings."

"You mean no more Sterlings until Caprice is done, right?"

"No, I mean no more Sterlings, ever. After Polestar and maybe, maybe, Under the Big Gun, we're done with the Sterlings."

"WHAT!"

"My audience doesn't care for it that much. They want more Shardik stories. Something with strong continuity. Something that doesn't require a user's manual. And I don't think dickgirls sell that well."

She was silent for a long time, biting on her thumb, and tears welled in her eyes. "I hate Caprice," she said. "I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! You never cared about what your audience thought before. You never tailored stories to what you thought might sell before. You wrote because you loved to write, because you wanted to say stuff, because you wanted science fiction that made you happy and horny and there's too damn little of that! Now all you do is write about Caprice and when you have reading time you read the unpubs from the Journal Entries and chuckle to yourself that someday you'll release Empire or Petri Dish or Bridges of Stone or one of the many Misuko and Linia stories that your fans will love. Well, they're not gonna love them if you don't finish them, and it's no fair for you to read the episodes you have."

She put her hands on my chest and said, "Look, I know Shardik started out as your own little Mary Sue, and you've loved it for that reason all these years. You wanted to write something else, but you have to go back to the well, or you're just gonna, I dunno, stop loving writing. And neither one of us wants that.

"Look, Elf, we both love the Sterlings. We do. You can't stop writing them just because, you know, no one else wants to read them."

I sighed and put down my pen. She was mostly right. I missed many posts of Sterlings episodes and never got a complaint; I figured the fifty or so people who really wanted to read it bought the book, and nobody else really cared. But I did want to write more. I especially wanted to write more Dove and Ash and Arwen stories, and she knew it. I wasn't done with them. "All right, what have you got?"

Dove lay on top of Ash (she was sure it was Ash), feeling his cock subside within her. Arwen's slimmer but longer cock was still sliding gently in and out of her ass, the last dregs of his climax oozing out of him. He nuzzled the back of her hair and murmured gentle coos into her ear. They had finally talked her into this and she had, well, she had loved it. She still loved them. She lay there in a daze, her hair tangled and lube-soaked and messy, and she giggled and kissed Ash and said, "I love both of you so much."

He smiled like he was about to say something, but the vid screen to her left blink and beeped. "Call for you, Dove," Dzun said.

"Now?" She lifted her head and stared at the monitor.

"She said it was urgent."

"Who...? Never mind. Put her through, audio only, please."

"Dove? Dovey, are you there?"

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

If you know how the Sterlings storyline runs, the manure has just impacted the spinning propellors at high speed.

Comments

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. Now I have to go find this book.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[(Anonymous)]

Don't know about anyone else, but personally I've loved Sterlings. Haven't been able to buy the book because I'm from outside the US, and because even if I did get my hands on it I'm blind and can't handle print. Fortunately your Pendorwright site works well enough with my speech software for me to be able to read the stories. I also very much like the "dickgirls".

I found the Journal Entries while trawling through a story archive somewhere, looking for some titilation since I obviously can't get anything from pictures or video porn. I found the journals, and ran a search to find more because I got stuck on the plot. I've read all the ones on Pendorwright over a period of time and have very much enjoyed them, both mentally and physically.

I've also found they helped me come to terms with my own sexuality, you portray people of all points along the sexual spectrum and they aren't innately good or bad... they're just who they are, and their sexual preferences don't make the slightest difference to that.

I've wanted to say "thankyou" in some way for a while now, and this seems the perfect moment to get off my arse and do it. So thankyou Elf, for all these very sexy stories and stories which show not just sex but the hearts and minds behind it.

[omahas.livejournal.com]

She was silent for a long time, biting on her thumb, and tears welled in her eyes. "I hate Caprice," she said. "I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! You never cared about what your audience thought before. You never tailored stories to what you thought might sell before. You wrote because you loved to write, because you wanted to say stuff, because you wanted science fiction that made you happy and horny and there's too damn little of that! Now all you do is write about Caprice and when you have reading time you read the unpubs from the Journal Entries and chuckle to yourself that someday you'll release Empire or Petri Dish or Bridges of Stone or one of the many Misuko and Linia stories that your fans will love. Well, they're not gonna love them if you don't finish them, and it's no fair for you to read the episodes you have."

She put her hands on my chest and said, "Look, I know Shardik started out as your own little Mary Sue, and you've loved it for that reason all these years. You wanted to write something else, but you have to go back to the well, or you're just gonna, I dunno, stop loving writing. And neither one of us wants that.

"Look, Elf, we both love the Sterlings. We do. You can't stop writing them just because, you know, no one else wants to read them."

Sigh.

"Muse, we have to talk."

"About what?" Muse's response was at once both interested and suspicious.

"About you. About Elf. About writing. Look, the problem isn't about Elf writing what he wants to write. If that were the case, he'd be doing that and putting them on a harddrive somewhere, then rereading them over and over again in between writing shifts. Twenty years ago or so he cared about what his readers wanted when he started posting them online.

"Ever since then, he has increasingly complained as the Internet has gotten bigger that no one cares about his reading, no one is interested in what he writes *anymore*." I bent down, eye to eye with Muse. "He wants people to read his writing...and like it. It isn't just about writing what he enjoys and hasn't been for a long time."

I sighed. "Maybe...maybe he's even coming to terms with the idea that there just aren't that many people who enjoy the kind of sexy stuff he does. He could probably find enough...he just doesn't market it widely enough to find everyone. Regardless, it's still not a huge market."

"Oh." Her response was quiet, childlike.

"It doesn't mean that he can't write what he enjoys...he just has to also write what his audience enjoys too. But," I continued, pointing a finger at her, "he can't do that if you keep on interrupting him with ideas that you insist he write *right now* because it's sexy and fun and you want it.

"I mean, don't you think that's a little selfish? He needs to balance his desire to write what he enjoys writing with his desire to get the feedback he enjoys from people who enjoy reading the things he writes."

Tears started springing into Muse's eyes. "But...but it's not fair..."

"Life isn't always fair...I want to write, and look at the Muse I have..."

We both chose not to look in the corner, where my Muse lay on his back, staring at the ceiling and muttering something about life having no meaning.

"Elf needs you right now...not to give him great new ideas for the Sterlings or Journal Entries...he needs you to help him forward with Caprice, cause that's where he's stuck right now.

"And," I added, caressing her arm, "after that you guys can write something you are burning to write. See, that's what writers do...they write something for their audience, then they write something for them." And I winked.

Muse stared at me for a while, her expression a mixture of uncertainty and understanding. Then, without a word, she rose and vanished.

I hoped I had gotten through to her.

[geak.livejournal.com]

Mr. Sternberg, Not being a writer myself I can only imagine how hard it must be to try and write without much in the way of feedback. Unfortunately, due to several bad experiences, I'm a little gun-shy about speaking up and offering my opinions to authors.

The last thing I want to do is come off as some sort of crazed internet stalker/fangirl, But you've been on my list of favorite authors since 1996 when a friend of mine DCC'd me a zip file of the Journal Entry usenet posts up to that point. Since then I've had quite a few interesting conversations with folks at various conventions or on IRC channels about your work.

Quite frankly I don't think I care much what you choose to write. It's bound to be interesting and entertaining. I love what I've read of Sterlings so far (Doesn't everyone love dickgirls?) and I look forward to reading Caprice when I can get my hands on it. I just don't think you should use Sterlings hard copy sales as an indicator of popularity. I've choosen not to purchase Sterlings due to it being in Dead Tree format and I just find it so much more convenient to carry my entire library around on my notebook or a couple of DVD's. I've been trying to reduce the sheer volume of paper products in my life anyway.

Dickgirls, and Caprice and Smut! Oh, My!

[pandakahn.livejournal.com]

I have not purchased a paper copy of "Sterlings" because I reformatted the material myself and published a hard bound copy for my collection that I can open and add to when (not if, but when) you release new material.

I like "The Journal Entires", I liked "Bloody Beth", I dislike fantasy and still enjoyed "Aimee", I reread "Repentance" often enough that I think I could do it as a live performance piece, I started reading Larry Niven's work after reading "The Only Fair Game" (as a writer I prefer you to Niven.)

I try not to harp on the level (quantity) of work that you release because I know, as a writer that it comes when it comes and that is that. I would never harp on what you write (subject or quality) because as of this late date in my enjoyment of your work I like everything and think that it is very well done.

Will you write more "Sterlings" if I DO purchase a paper copy from LULU? If so I will get my credit card out and order today. Is there some other way I can let you know how much I like your work (and not come off as a stalker/fanboi!) please let me know.

I write because I have to write. I have a novel and a couple dozen short stories under my belt. I hate writing. It is not that I am bad at it, but I hate it. I hate the process, the work, the effort and the mental activity caused by writing. In my opinion you write well, very well. As long as you write it I will read it. I did not think I would like dickgirls, but "Sterlings" isn't about dickgirls. "Sterlings" is about people discovering the world and universe around them, and discovering how this new world is making them discover things about themselves they have never had the courage or need to discover.

In my opinion you write about the human condition, even for those who are not human. You make the alien seem familiar, you make the unknown knowable, and you make dickgirls real. After reading "Sterlings" I did not care that there were X's and Y's, I cared about a group of characters who were as real to me as some of my most beloved fictional characters from other authors.

If there is anything I can do, or that we as your readers can do to let you know how much we support you, please let us know. I will buy a paper copy of your work if you want me to, I will donate to paypal, I will sign in so you can track how often I reread your work.

If you ever write something that does not have any sex in it at all I would probably try to use it in the classes that I teach. Only with prior permission, of course.

Keep up the good work and I will enjoy what you throw my way next.

MPK

ps:
so for Christmas if I was to by heavy spiked nipple clamps and a car battery for Omaha to use on her muse.....

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

[pandakahn.livejournal.com]

God Damnit!

When are you going to post this?

NOt posting at all is one thing, but this? This is teasing!

MPK

Please publish more Sterlings & Shardik!!

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Elf,

I've been a fan of yours since 1998 when I tripped across the Journal Entries. I haven't purchased Sterlings for a couple of reasons - I'm one of your international audience, and I prefer to read on my laptop instead of paper these days, particularly when one is a member of your more mobile international audience.

For the last decade, the Journal Entries have been a delight to read and reread. I've also lapped up your other story lines. I dip into the Pendorverse when I want to visit the old friends that are your main characters, and to see what adventures they've been on, and what new things and new friends they've found.

Yes, I've been disappointed that you've not been publishing Sterlings to the 'net as you had promised, but figured that other priorities had come up. I'd hate to be a whiny/stalking fangrrl...

Please. Please don't cut us off... please continue to add to the Pendorverse. I'm sure there are many out there who echo these sentiments...

Re: Please publish more Sterlings & Shardik!!

[cthulu-for-pm.livejournal.com]

Consider this an echo, as well as hearty admiration for some of the best scifi and erotica I have ever read (I'm slowly working my way through the vast vaults of www.asstr.org, and I continue to rate your stuff as the best there is).

[kyriani.livejournal.com]

For what its worth (not much I know, I need to get off my arse and actually BUY stuff from the several writers that I follow), I love Sterlings... (and dickgirls but hey that's me). ^__^
Anyway, I will read pretty much anything you write anyway, both you and Omaha. I try to follow stuff that isn't in my comfort zone anyway. :)
Feh, I just realized that I really need to spend more time catching up on my reading too. *sigh*

[mikstera.livejournal.com]

I've been reading your work since I discovered "The Kittenin'" on Usenet around the time I started grad school (1989). Since then, I've hunted down and read everything of yours I could find.

I love Sterlings. I love Shardik stories. Of all the fictional worlds I have ever had the pleasure of visiting in my mind's eye, Pendor is far and away my favorite... which is not to say I haven't thoroughly enjoyed "Aimee" and all your other non-Journal work.

Please don't confuse silence for apathy... I gladly receive your stories whenever you deign to post them, and, if your current posting schedule is most conducive to your continuing to write, I have no complaints... though if you published a story every day, I'd read each one and count myself lucky.