Hi Elwyn! Seems like something's up with MO and your other fics on Ao3. Have you taken them down or maybe changed a setting for account-holder access only? Your works are so well written and my personal favorites, so it would be heartbreaking to lose them 💜Either way, I hope you're doing alright and just want to let you know your fics are so so loved.
Thank you, I appreciate it. I didn't see it until today, but I've gotten a 30 day suspension on Ao3, which is why some of my fics are down. They said they had tried to contact me about it, but I didn't get any emails. May have been in my spam, I'm not sure. I think it may have been because of someone commenting about Patreon on the work which can also be held against me/the work, or me linking my carrd.
I can't do anything until October 7th, including editing out any offending notes or deleting comments, because of the suspension. I'll try to get it up as soon as possible at that point.
Not sure if this is in relation to something specific, but generally speaking, I've been having a hard time medically and mentally. I'm all right at the moment, for the most part.
Hey there! It makes me so sad you feel you have to apologize for not updating a fic. You've brought me so much joy with midnight ocean, and even if you decide to stop now and never write again, I'm so grateful for the stories you've shared.
Also I'm so sorry you were in an accident!!! I really hope you're okay all things considered. Sounds like one of those moments where life is happening all at once (and not necessarily in good ways), and I so empathize. I hope you're taking care of yourself and being kind to yourself, and I hope you can do what you need to without letting the pressuring comments get to you.
Like I said, Thank you. Thank you for the stories.
Sorry for answering this so late! Thank you so much for kind words! I've recovered from the accident, so that's all good. It really has been one thing after another, though, haha.
Again, thank you! It means a lot to hear that my little (well, big) fic could bring someone a little joy.
I’m so sorry this is happening to you. It’s really shitty that people are only interacting with your works now that they’re worried about midnight ocean. I’m an author too (just write stuff for me and my friends), and it really sucks when I send my friends a new chapter for one of my stories and they only respond with “okay but when’s the next chapter for the other story”. I hope everything goes well for you.
Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to send your support.
It really is a universal writer experience rip... I can definitely appreciate people having favorites, but it's such a disheartening feeling when you have exchanges like that.
Part of it is also just how stressful this situation has been, it's hard not to take things worse than usual. Especially when I wasn't even able to respond to anyone on Ao3 lol.
I also had a very funny experience in the past when someone kept going on about my other fics not being as good, though they said it in a way that was like a backhanded compliment, and said vaguely shady things about my fics on social media until I finally realized "This person is trying to make me feel bad... ohhh...." So I guess I'm just particularly irritated by behavior that at all calls that to mind, even though once I realized why they were doing it, it became funny, at least.
really happy to see you posting again 💖 please let us know if there’s anything you & yours might need after helene!!
Thank you 💜 Right now, I'm doing very well all things considered. My house has power again, but we're still staying with my in-laws due to the water outage. Food is slowly but surely getting easier to obtain, too, so I've really been doing fine aside from the stress of it all.
Unfortunately, I'll probably end up taking another month off posting because writing hasn't been a priority at the moment. But taking a little break was needed, anyway.
Hi, sorry to bother, but I have a question. I started reading Midnight Ocean last night but I'm having a difficult time understanding and picturing Than's pall thing. From what I understand, a pall is like a cloth, but if that's so, how can Zag see him frown and smile? Is it more of a thin veil? Sorry for all the questions and if it sounds awkward, I don't normally send asks
I put together some reference images on twitter that I don't think I ever posted here, so I'll put those below, but I think fanart people have made probably expresses it best, so I'll start with some links to those:
Phybe's version of the pall
Sasha's version of the pall
Some versions that come up later in the fic:
Suugiiart's version of the pall
Riptide's version of the pall
I think all of these pieces do a really good job of showing both the concealment and visible expression I had in mind, whether it's interpreted as the pall being slightly sheer (like a wedding veil) so you can make out just enough of Thanatos' expression to interpret it, or for light to almost project his features across it.
The pall is based on the shawl Nyx gives Zagreus, but it's also meant to be a dual reference to both funeral palls and wedding veils.
Galaxy bride from Robert Wun Fall 2024 collection, is a good example and one people often send to me because it resonates well, I think.
This is Jan Punt’s “The Four Corners of the Pall” which depicts a royal funeral procession. The pall over the casket is the sort of thing I had in mind, at least in a symbolic sense if nothing else.
Like Nyx's shawl, I wanted it to have a nature both akin to something celestial, like a nebula's almost "cloudy" form, but also to move like fabric depending on the situation.
Part of how Zagreus is interpreting Thanatos' expression is there being colors moving across or beneath the fabric that outline Thanatos' features and/or correlate with his moods in some capacity. Some of the movements of colors across its surface are also inspired by auroras.
This was also influenced by the way octopuses change colors.
I don't want to put this in here because it's... very slightly adult. So I'll just link to the twitter posts. First, a man in a sort of veil but it's wet, so it clings to his skin. The way wet fabric clings to skin in general is also a big influence, the way it can make the outline of a body clear while also concealing it. Second, body painting.
Hopefully this helps some? There are a few more images on twitter, but I think these are probably the clearest.
(This is like 5% ask and 95% compliments) I have to extend all my love and thanks over Midnight Ocean! I’m on my third re-read of the story (and I’m severly dyslexic, so reading the entire thing multiple times is the most I’ve read probably in my entire life!). You are so beyond dedicated to your writing and I can’t thank you enough for it <3 Your story keeps me on my toes, all of the characters are SO rich and nuanced, all of their relationships, conflicts and imperfections truly shine in your work. I’m affraid your work has spoiled me for fanfiction, i keep thinking ”but damn… this isn’t Midnight Ocean levels” and then go and continue my re-reads. Once it’s complited, by the gods, I’m going bind it by hand in leather.
I’m beyond excited for the upcoming events when ever they happen: Hades finding out about Zagreus, whatever Persephone has got cooking up, their first true ”I love you” and of course the removing of the pall. (And events yet unexpected by me!!)
What is something you’ve been waiting to write and see readers react to? (As much as you can tell obviously)
Can’t begin to describe how much of a joy MO has been and continues to be. I look forwards to updates like the rising of the moon. Genuinely from the bottom of my heart, thank you <3
Thank you so much! It always means a lot to hear someone enjoys MO enough to reread it, let alone want to bind it. It's brought me a lot of joy to write, and getting to share that and know others appreciate it is really amazing.
I'll go ahead and answer the rest under the cut to avoid spoiling things.
And of course, as I was typing the spoilers turned... sort of major so lol beware?
I've gotten to a few parts I've been waiting and waiting to write recently, but they won't be posted to Ao3 yet (Moros Silly Boy Behavior, Alcmene's Return, Nemesis' Box Reveal, the joys of using Eros' book). But the really, really big ones I haven't gotten to yet are of course things that readers are most excited for, too, like the Hades meeting, Olympus' reaction, things like that.
A few I don't think people mention a lot, though: Theseus™, (maybe big spoilers for people who aren't familiar with mythology, though I think this has been mentioned in the notes) Theseus' whole deal with both Medea and Heracles (and how that then is meant to foil Thanatos' dynamics), Heracles for that matter, also...... Ares' return to the story... the DILF energy we need in these trying times.
Hades and Thanatos' relationship is one I've thought about so much over the years, and I'm so excited to finally get to put that on the page and see people respond. Demeter is also such an important figure in all of this that often gets ignored both by me and others, and she'll be very, very fun to finally include. The continuation of Hermes' background arc stuff...
Something only me and like two random people are invested in: the continuation of Moros bullshit. My poor little meow meow, my perfect uwu foil to my other perfect uwu baby (Thanatos). My silly rabbit, here to cause problems and help Zagreus establish more independence if entirely unintentionally etc. And Moros' goofy little romance arc, that will be fun.
Also, the actual proper Cupid & Psyche Moment, y'know, the big part of the narrative. Sometimes people ask if it will happen, really expressing that they can't see it as even a possibility in the MO narrative, or others express total unfamiliarity with the plot of the myth so they don't know about The Moment at all (part of why I'm reluctant to clarify What Moment lmao)... I'm eager for that, though I know it will result in people being very, very angry at me.
I don't think this is tooooo spoilery because I think it's been made clear it will happen, but Eros showing up will be so fun, not to mention Psyche! Actual Psyche lol! We can't have a whole narrative about soul porn without the OG soulfuckers.
Oh, Hypnos too. And Pasithea who has unwittingly had her marriage present (the Eros book) lowkey highjacked.
Sorry this mostly turned into incoherent babbling. I hope it's both not too spoilery, but also answers the question lol? Either way, thank you again!
