Beyond the Yellow Brick Road-Chapter 48-Legacy (the finale) - Part 5/5

[plumsuede]

Go back to Part 4 here.

Comments

[alasse]

Oh my god

[plumsuede]

Arlad!! Hello! You're so right, it's so different now and I've had my head down for so many years writing this that I can often overwhelmed when I look up and try to find my way here anymore.

Your words made me cry.

Thank you for telling me those things. That sounds so lame to say, but thank you. I am so emotionally saturated in this story which gets tricky when you realize that everyone else in it is made up, lol.

Writing this story has changed my life and my life completely changed while writing this story. I believe in these characters and their processes, and they have taught me a lot. It makes me sob but it makes me happy at the same time to know that anyone felt what I felt. I will talk more about that in my journal because I need to process the end, too. And, I don't want to forget anything.

Thank you for loving these characters. They would hug you back if they could!

[specialj67]

Don't mind me, I'm just going to talk at you for a bit, hopefully in a coherent fashion. Reading the end of this, it's impossible not to reflect on where I was when I first started reading this series, and your other stories too. It was during my last year in college, and I mainlined all of the episodes of the series thanks to a friend, and naturally my interest in the online fandom followed pretty much immediately after watching the finale. Your stories were some of the first and most memorable ones I read in this fandom. It was refreshing, I recall, jumping into this series while it was still a WIP, because so many of the other things I'd read were already years old and by people no longer active in the fandom. It was weird, getting into a fandom just as the series was ending and people were leaving for one reason or another. But this series was something still new and developing. Each update was such a treat

[plumsuede]

Thank you and that's an interesting comment: It was refreshing, I recall, jumping into this series while it was still a WIP, because so many of the other things I'd read were already years old and by people no longer active in the fandom. It was weird, getting into a fandom just as the series was ending and people were leaving for one reason or another. But this series was something still new and developing. Each update was such a treat.

I always thought about it the other way... that I was still writing and writing and couldn't get it done. This is the only fandom I'm really a member of. I know what you mean about reflecting on your life in tune with the story. I remember where I lived when I wrote each chapter. It's crazy to think how long ago some of my favorite parts were posted. Thank you for commenting. xoox

PS - enjoy your reread.

[specialj67]

I made a PDF for my Kindle, and with pictures included, it's a whopping 1,431 pages.

[plumsuede]

holy formatting, batman. Did you put it in a word doc and format it down to size or just take it straight off the screen? Just curious...

[vlredreign]

First, thank you. Thank you so very much. Thank you for never abandoning this story, thank you for never once losing the tone of your characters, thank you for an experience that has followed me from the beginnings of my time in this fandom to now

[plumsuede]

Wow. You are so welcome. You are absolutely right about the significance of this line: The second thing you drew made you famous.

Alan is a true flashpoint in this story for reasons I'll start discussing this week. As hard as it was for me to write this for ten years and keep it cohesive, I truly appreciate readers who did the same. Ones who didn't abandon these guys when I started working for myself and the updates got farther and farther apart. See, when I started this story in 2005, I was pretty unhappy in much of my life with the exception of the moments I was writing. In 2008, circumstances conspired to make it very obvious that I needed to work for myself and no one else. Once I did that, I didn't need to constantly 'escape,' so the writing process felt different. I felt free inside and was able to see many things that were falling together in the story and the arc.

You are exactly right about the journey in this story. Part of the point of battling the obstacles that these characters came up against was to let them.

[vlredreign]

I'm happy that your business is doing so well. More than that, I'm happy that you took the chance. Change is a scary thing, I know. I think that, if you believe, the change is usually a good thing. You know that feeling you get when you're about to do something and your mind is screaming NOOOO!? I've learned to listen. It's usually right. Just like that feeling that says, don't be scared.

To paraphrase the great JRR Tolkien, 'I'm happy to be with you, Plumsuede, here at the end of all things.' :*)

[plumsuede]

thank you. That's very sweet. It's hard to believe the business is 7 years old!! Or that I have actual people that work for me. o_0

Thank you.

[cryforwhat]

It's been a real pleasure and privilege to read and translate this masterpiece, especially with your help.

This fiction has been my emotional crutches for quite a long time during my no-so-pleasant early twenties, I had many dark thoughts that I won't mention back then, but it's this ongoing fiction that keeps me alive to this day. You've touched hearts and souls in the remotest parts of the world.

I want to thank you for a million times, words can't even express my gratitude.

PS.

I also have posted the translated version on AO3, I made it a series, so it will be easily organized.

By the way, I'm looking forward to updates of Maintenance, because there will be more, right?

Re: Thank you.

[plumsuede]

Hi! It's amazing to me that so many of my readers had such meaningful life transformations as the story was progressing. I mean, it's to be expected, but still. I think it's freaking amazing that you translated this entire story into Chinese and delivered it to that part of the world. It blows my mind, really. I'm getting ready to start posting it in AO3 so people can download it the way they want. How did you do the pictures/icons etc. or did you skip them?

I'm so happy this story impacted your life in a positive way. That's the most amazing thing a writer can ever hear. xooxxo

Re: Thank you.

[plumsuede]

And I *think* there will be more Maintenance in theconservatory. Just not sure when....

Re: Thank you.

[cryforwhat]

Actually, it's quite easy to post on AO3, I just copy and paste. It doesn't have its own picture server like LJ, so any link like photobucket images will work.

[shadownyc]

This finale was absolutely brilliant. I love how all those involved in the story were able to find their futures while remaining connecting in a positive way.

Brian and Justin's plan for their future is fabulous and I couldn't be happier about how you ended this amazing story!!!

Thank you so much!

[plumsuede]

Hi, Shadow! Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts. You've been here since the very beginning, so that means a lot to me. I think Brian and Justin got the happiness they deserved. :)