Happy Precocious Day!

I thought it'd be neat, tidy and memorable if I launched my new comic on New Year's Day, so Precocious posted its first update on January 1st, 2009.  (It started with the full Gender Wars story in the archive, so people would have a lot to read from the get-go, hence those 2008 copyrights in the archive.)

As the comic aged, I quickly discovered this was a stupid time for an anniversary, as no one was paying attention on a holiday, but what's done is done - and it's probably the only way I'd remember my *own* anniversary. There's always an "Oh yeah!" moment, sometimes the day of, when I remember it's time. (Usually followed by a mad dash to fix the copyright date at the bottom of January comics I uploaded in December - which I am doing after scheduling this post. "Oh yeah!") And it's INCONVENIENT when the 1st doesn't land on a Sunday or Monday, for more neat and tidy storytelling. (Since starting something when no one's around is silly, I'm having fun with New Year's-themed updates until a new story starts on Monday.)

2015 was very cruel year to me. My health continued to deteriorate. I couldn't make a new book. I couldn't do paid work - and, since the downturns were sudden and without warning, I got stuck with a handful of pre-paid obligations that I'm still not able to finish - which means daily guilt! (And I can't take new paid work until the old is done, so I'm HIGHLY motivated to catch up.) I had to scale back ALL the extras, because I simply didn't have the energy. But Precocious didn't stop - and that's the key. As long as this keeps updating, eyes will be there for my eventual return to productivity. Not to mention it's the one thing I love that I can still DO, even if I'm slower at it, and it's what keeps me motivated.

(Please don't write me with advice or asking more Q's - writing emails is one of the hardest things for me to do, so if you get a reply at all it'll be very late. Heck, even my Twitter is mostly one-way, with me spending a few seconds drive-by posting and not sticking around to see replies.)

As for 2016? I am not going anywhere, so it'd better learn it's not worth it to fight against my will, and then fall in line. I've committed to selling at Anthrocon '16 - and I've set a goal of releasing a new book then. (If dreaming big, maybe a double-sized one, making up for the big financial hole that is 2015?) I have lots of thing on my 2016 wish list - starting at the book, covering other big stuff like a Patreon campaign, and more "frivolous" stuff like some long-overdue cosmetic and functional upgrades to the website. It's all ambitious, and all will take a lot of miracles - but I am DUE for miracles. Time will tell how many extras happen in addition to the comic, which will reliably continue, but I promise you I'll continue to maximize myself, giving you 100% of what I can give - so it's time for my body to catch up with my mind and soul.