You've been very patient...

As per the title, you have.  Once again, it seems the less active I am on Patreon, the more pledges I get!  Trust me, it's not deliberate.

So the first thing to confess is that, in almost three weeks now, I have not written a single word in the CYOA.  There are a number of reasons for this; waiting for playtester feedback (which is very positive), feeling a little burnt out, the demands of my day job... but the most serious issue has been with my eyes.  Yes, again, I am sorry to say.

I have posted at length before about my issues with dry eye syndrome and the fact that it can leave me unable to use computer screens for more than a few minutes without getting an all-consuming headache that lasts all day.  When this flares up, it can leave me out of action for weeks or even months (as it did in 2014).  I recently backed up all of my deviantART (due to the recent spate of bannings - you never know who's next).  I realise now that I lost nearly half a year of productivity to that miserable health problem.

Anyway, this time I decided to handle things differently.  I decided to wait until things were mostly better before notifying my supporters.  And they are.  I have some new glasses, some new eyedrops, but most importantly the headaches are abating.

After a break of several weeks where I could barely use the computer for anything except urgent important professional day-job things, recovering has given me an opportunity to reset a little and just rediscover 3D art for personal pleasure.  Even when you have a paying Patreon and there's an expectation you'll churn things out, you have to enjoy what you're doing.  So gradually over the last 3-4 days I have been just aimlessly pottering around with various things, some fantasy inspired, a few things with Tyris and Gwen, but mainly (as always) when I've had a break and restart I get back to first base which is always Amanda.  God knows how I did it but I made the most beautiful digital girl in the world and she's a treasure I can rediscover many times over.  She never complains about the wicked things we do and she is a just a pleasure to spend time with.

Here's Amanda wearing a shirt she stole from (her sort-of girlfriend?) Hannah.  She's popped in to say thanks for sticking around.

I have arranged to take some 'time off' work for around a week - even if holidays now don't mean leaving your home, which is also your workplace anyway.  But what I hope is to focus 100% back on the CYOA and complete at least the third of the four sections in this time.  This project has grown bigger than I ever imagined but it's my firm belief that you will not disappointed and it will be worth the wait.

I also plan to post more 3D things while working on the CYOA in parallel from now on.  It was stupid to stop posting 3D and focus 100% on the writing.   That was based on the flawed assumption that I could get it finished in x number of days if I wrote y number of words per day as per a plan that involved not getting distracted.  I think it's good to be distracted.  Especially if it's by something you enjoy making.  And I enjoyed making this pic right now.  It's been too long Amanda!

More to follow, not sure what or when, but you are always in my thoughts!