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With "A Chen-ce to Find the Rogue"  , I pause this branch for the time being, with some important news. But before, some notes: I've noticed that the Silva branch is definitely the one I enjoy writing the most. For other branches, I generally have an idea of what I want to aim for, which sometimes makes writing chapters a bit difficult. In this branch, I do some pre-planning, which means I have an idea where each option will take - and this makes writing a lot easier. Sometimes, planning what to write helps you decide how to progress your story. For example: "The High School, Black Market Affair, part 4" had five options to choose from. I always intended to follow the cheerleaders' route because of what it implied - having Jimmy and his gang appear while David is on a secret mission. There were other choices, however, such as responding Elizabeth's call, going straight to Harrington, or call the janitor - or, simply enough, allow for other choices. For all but the last, I have about two or three chapters pre-planned, though not written. This way, all I needed was to do a connection from one situation to another. Because of that planning, I had a few things I knew from advance that would happen - such as having one of the agents sent by the Organization defect to the enemy. This influenced how I'd move the story. Had I chosen a different option, maybe the agent wouldn't have defected, and maybe other things would have happened. Epsilon's reaction would have been different - perhaps better, perhaps worse. Perhaps there would be an option that leads to a "bad end". And I did some pre-planning for the choices available at the next two chapters. Which is what tells me that I like this branch above others - having two chapters' worth of a buffer plus planning on how the next chapters might advance, meaning I could build a 7-chapter week with little effort. I rarely do this with the other branches, but I feel I should do this for some of the other chapters too. Especially since it might help with burnout, which leads to the important news - I'll be taking a break for the next few weeks. This means the end of January and perhaps the first two weeks of February, if not a little more. Once I return, however, I'll have about a month or two of Upgraded membership, which might affect a few things - such as the choices I'm capable of working with, or the ability to communicate. If you like the content, feel free to donate a few GP. Might not be enough to purchase, but every bit helps. |
| (continued from "Note: With [Link to Interactive Chapter #RT965CYNY], we ...") While it would be easy to just immerse in Riley, as he experienced singing Riley's songs and sharing with her mind, David makes a very unexpected choice - to let Riley (or rather, Debra) herself in by making a deal of sharing the character she has created. This is an insane choice (why would you let in the person you want to become into?), and it required an equally insane outcome. Thus, rather than an early end to this story, Debra decides to let them in - if only because David's honest to a fault. (I mean - if you had a pen like this, would you tell your victim about it just to ask for permission?) And of course, that resolution leads to an interesting case study. Debra as a character was simply a dress - sure, one chapter worked in a real name and suggested Riley was just a stage name, and another had looks and an accent, but no real depth. By having Debra act on her own, after David immersed into her lifestyle, you can see how an individual posing as another can differ wildly from the real deal. It's almost a parallel to how the reader, by shaping David's decisions (or me, writing them) can alter a character when compared to letting them exist on their own. And this is easily seen with Trish, who brought her unrequited crush from "What Friends Are For(?)" (and other branches), choosing to become Vanessa. Anything that identifies her could just as easily be a Vanessa thing or a Trish thing, but you wouldn't know which is which - maybe both share a trait, but you wouldn't know that. With Riley in on the caper, you'll be sure to know better about her in contrast to what David makes of her. And this decision also brings something rarely explored in skinsuit stories - consent. David literally asked Debra if they could share Riley's life, and it's that decision that contrasts so much with what Trish and Jimmy are doing to Vanessa and Mrs. Hunt. By being considerate, David is taking their experience on a whole new level. Will this experiment work, or will there be conflicts on the way? Tomorrow will be a return to what must be my favorite branch in the Interactive, continuing from where "The High School, Black Market Affair, part 4" left off. David's back at Edgefield High, this time under the guise of Julia Martinez, his Spanish teacher. After days of finding leads, he's confronted with various situations that may lead to solving the case. Where will he go? What will he do? Stay tuned! |
| With "Raising the Ante, Making the Call" , we stop this new branch for a bit. I had my eyes on this branch for a while, and I finally had the chance to work with it. Though it wasn't developed deeply, the branch dealing with the band Analytical Engine was one of the stories that brought me to work with this Interactive. While there have been branches where David chooses to permanently assume the identities of other people (the Claudia branch, the Rachel branch), this one already has David having made that choice. However, this also happens to be one of the older branches, and in a way it's representative of the times. There was very little to work regarding the band except that it was female-fronted and mostly female-consisting (Matt being the only man in the group), as well as extremely queer-coded. Having them as the hottest attraction years ago would make sense, but the entertainment industry isn't promoting rock bands the way they were promoted forty or even twenty years ago. Thus, to ensure Analytical Engine is a success, they need to stand out. Being a punk band with lots of influences in the new '20s is a gamble, especially one that's getting into the mainstream media. They should have a distinctive sound that floats over the tsunami of pop and urban music that's currently dominating the streaming platforms (and the radio waves, let's be honest). They need a savvy frontwoman and a solid manager, and they need a conflict they must face to ensure their survival - specifically, the very same corporate machinery that punk talks against. With that, I found how to develop the band and explain a lot of things - such as why they're touring and having nearly sold-out gigs despite playing what would be considered "outdated" music. And in that inner conflict - Riley clashing with her guitarist Vanessa on how to direct the band to maintain their voice as the record label drowns them - suddenly we find our "heroes", interested only in the rock 'n roll lifestyle. Of course, with how David, Jimmy and (now) Trish have developed, having them simply merge seamlessly into the band's life would feel as plastic as the attempts of Coyote Records (a slight pun on an existing record label owned by a major media corporation) to mold Analytical Engine into marketable status. So, some traits that have surfaced on other stories emerge - Jimmy trying to slide into as many women as possible, Trish's crush on David, and David's own reticence. And that leads to David's choice... |
| With "Three Moms, One Carrot" (yes - a suggestive title), I'm pausing this branch for a bit, in a strong cliffhanger - a little good time, then an escalation. Strangely enough, despite being a lewd chapter, it's actually full of comedy. Sure, there's some tensions - specifically with Trish - but I find Jimmy (as his mother Julia) smacking David (as his mother Marie) with the carrot childishly funny. Which, strangely enough, is good because everyone's acting a bit childish here. However, the previous chapters add a lot to the lore I'm building for "Skins" . While other chapters have Julia, Denise or Erma/Alyson married, others have their parents conspicuously absent, so I figured the three women would be divorcees. Exploring what would cause their divorce became a motivation for one of these chapters - "On the Reasons for Divorce" . Specifically, I had explored in a previous branch the reasons for Julia's divorce ("The Mother of All Bad Sisters" ), and how it affected Jimmy. With Jessica, the reason was very similar as to what Paul was doing with Ashley to Marie in "Dad's Little Secret" and "Becoming the Mistress" , but happening much earlier. Thus, I felt it had to be different with Trish - and because I already devised her mother to be a German immigrant, I figured theirs could be an amicable divorce, potentially having chances to resurge once Trish finishes school. Yet, this almost felt like filler to the main course of this branch. That specific chapter - and the one before - were meant to exemplify one of the things people like about skinsuits - the impersonation process. It's not just four teenagers (two boys and two girls) choosing to wear their mothers; it's the process of acting like them, being on the thin edge of perfectly mimicking their behavior or making them break character. In this case, David was the one behaving the most like Marie, while the others gravitated from least deviant (oddly enough, Jimmy) to most deviant (Jessica). And speaking of Jessica - she's behaving weird, isn't it? What could be the reason for that? Tomorrow, I'm posting stuff on a new branch, but one I was excited to work with. It starts with "Zap Gemma for Trish or Jimmy" ; after Jimmy fools David into thinking he's Jessica, he invites him to try wearing other people's skins. They arrive at the concert of the hottest band around - Analytical Engine - and through some trickery, David gets inside the flesh of the band's frontwoman, Riley Lovelace. What will happen next? Stay tuned! |
| Reminder that new "Skins" chapters will resume tomorrow. As I mentioned in the "joke" post, the next chapter will continue the branch stopped at "A Mother's Relationship Woes" (which means that part wasn't a joke) These chapters will be pretty spicy, so be forewarned. If the chapters "(Fake) Cheerleaders Gone Wild, part 1" to "(Fake) Cheerleaders Gone Wild, part 3" were an early Christmas gift of sorts, the ones in this week will be a gift of the Magi. (Don't say I don't spoil you, guys. And, by the way - this wasn't planned.) Next, there will be an all-new branch debuting, and then an already established story. Afterwards, I plan to continue for at least three more weeks, then take a longer break in order to do a couple more things. See you tomorrow! |
| (Follow-up to "Note: With [Link to Interactive Chapter #Q7M7DDYLV], I p...") ...is what I wouldn't say if yesterday wasn't December 28th. For most people, it's simply a normal day. For those who celebrate Christmas, it's the third day after Christmas. For Catholics (and probably Orthodox Christians), it's the Day of the Holy Innocents, a commemoration of the day where king Herod ordered his soldiers to slaughter all children of two years or younger, hoping to deal with the issue of the new-born king, Jesus of Nazareth. But to a great deal of Latin America, the Day of the Holy Innocents is akin to April Fools - a day of mischief, pranks and deceit. Which means... well, you got pranked. I'll be taking this whole week off, resuming posting on December 5th with the follow-up chapters to "A Mother's Relationship Woes" - I might have fooled you this time, but I'm a man of my word otherwise. So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and see you next year! |
| With "A Heist Becomes a Bust" , I pause this chapter for a while. You may notice the first three chapters are pretty steamy in their content, but what can you expect from a bunch of horny boys? This is what I envisioned would happen if Jimmy's crew got ahold of the pens and used them - they'd go directly for the hottest girls in school and go full pervert with them. David playing to their tastes was the best possible move, but as always, it has consequences. This explores a bit of Claire's psyche, and why she'd be so eager to play with the pens as well - though, when you think about it, the whole branch has explored this and pretty much settled it as one of her key traits. Claire is very self-conscious about her figure, particularly as she can't wait to be treated as an adult. Her desire to have a fuller figure becomes a motivation that's as selfish as the boys ogling for the girls. Which is why I figured they'd make a good crew. In most chapters, David collaborates with someone - Claire and Jessica in this one, Jimmy on a couple others, Ashley herself on one branch - but never with a group larger than four. (This happens in "A Woman Out of Time, A Boy Out of Place" and further, as he, in the guise of Claudia, collaborates with Meredith, Leslie and Luke; the same goes for "The Secret Cooking in Ally's Shack" once he befriends Allison and Ashton, though that's turning into a romantic relationship.) And that leads to today's conclusion - with a potential new member. If you've seen these quips, you know I have a soft spot for Quentin-as-Cassie. He's a criminal in a way, but his loyalties lie to anyone who wants to have fun with the pens, and he's proven to have surprising resourcefulness. I always imagined what would happen if Jimmy and Quentin became pals, and this became a perfect opportunity - and with a bunch of horny boys on tow, this could signal the start of a beautiful relationship - though that depends on level-headed David. Will he remain a voice of reason, or will "Cassie" have "her" way out? Tomorrow will serve as a continuation of "A Mother's Relationship Woes" , the branch where Jessica gets the pens and wears her family to have her way with David. She already convinced him to wear his own mother (after having to deal with Claire) and wants a steamy night with him, but he has other plans. Will he bring his friends, or will he acquiesce to her demands? Stay tuned... |
| With "A (Broken) Family Reunion" , I'm pausing this branch for a while. This story, being essentially the opposite of the branch starting with "The Parent Trap(ped)" , is a solid example of how things can diverge wildly by one decision. While on the latter-linked branch, David gets saved from being caught by his mother and they eventually take down Tessa on their own, in this one the resolution comes much later. And of course, that can lead to wildly different results. For one, while the branch starting with "The Parent Trap(ped)" is more heroic in nature, with David and his mother facing things on their own and gaining experience from it, this branch is more somber, causing lasting changes on David and his father. David's crucible left him marked, as he's rejecting his own identity in favor of what gave him some solace, while Paul's experience in Marie's body has made him feel as if he must embrace her old identity to atone. Now, while this could be an excuse for "have men turn into women", and while it's highly unrealistic and doesn't necessarily tie to real decisions regarding gender, it makes for different takes on a story based on one decision. The choices in this last chapter could lead to something more realistic (like psychological aid) or something more fantastical (such as having no further troubles with their new lives), but ultimately it's a decision that will mark them. Is this story supposed to explore trauma? In a way, yes - it definitely turned into something like that. David and his father had to cope with traumatic situations - the former being imprisoned and essentially enslaved, the latter having to deal with the results of his infidelity - and changed because of this. These new experiences will forever change them. And that change, oddly, can be positive. David had a decent life, but - as with every good Interactive Story about a teenager - it was a choice he made with fewer experiences. His discussion with Cassie about reinventing himself (albeit from another identity) is a healthy way of dealing with trauma. Likewise, despite Paul's odd choice of punishment, he learned about his mistakes and is owning up to them. Thus, outlandish stories like this can nonetheless have realistic outcomes. Tomorrow, I'll continue the branch starting with "A Classy "Girl's" Afternoon Out" . Because he tried to keep Jimmy out of trouble, he joined in his latest prank - by escalating it to wearing the cheerleaders! What will they do next? Stay tuned! |
| (Continued from "Note: With [Link to Interactive Chapter #ZKSSRM5TM], I p...") Another thing I wanted to mention was that this story was written during the period of time I had to take care of my late grandmother, so it was a bit difficult to structure an interesting story while keeping an eye on her. Even if I had a lot of time available, the cold, the lack of good sleep and the interruptions didn't help. Now, I don't want to blame what happened for any potential lack of quality within the story - I revised it afterwards and didn't feel unsatisfied by it - but I felt the need to explain why. Especially since it's a story dealing with a key secondary character in a dynamic beyond "wearing skins/being worn as one". There were hints of Trish's behavior on other stories, but she was never central in any of them, so I had no idea how to develop her. Jessica, being David's girlfriend, has had more exposure and has gravitated between curiosity and impulsiveness, but I had to imagine what Trish would do with them. Turns out, being a "wild girl" helped a lot. That is why retcons are important. Having Trish be essentially a "wilder" Jessica made her one-dimensional. By having clear contrasts - in the same way Archie's love interests, Betty and Veronica, are almost polar opposites - you can create different dynamics. Maybe Jessica expresses caution at first, but eventually embraces them. Trish, on the other hand, flares with ideas the moment she learns about them. And someone like Tina (David's sister) rejects them outright. This is important since, while the nature of "skinsuit stories" are often fetishistic, having everyone entusiast to use them feels incredibly unrealistic. Everyone has thoughts on the idea - some have to be pushed, others transparently use them, and some unveil secrets through them. Through exploration, you can imagine what kind of stories you can write with them. Jimmy leads to stories like "One Too Familiar Twist" and "Of Unexpected Test Runs and Plans" . Claire leads to "Knocking Some Sense unto You" , while Jessica leads into stories like "The Layers of your Girlfriend('s Family)" and "A Girlfriend's Proposal" . Partnerships lead to very different stories, and knowing how the partner will react is invaluable to create stories like that. What kind of story will tomorrow bring? Well, it's a continuation of "Setting Up the Trap(s)" , so it'll involve a lot of players. What will David, his father, "Cassie" and agent Silva do against Cassie's mom? And why would the FBI agent settle to give David the identity of Isabella for his cooperation? Stay tuned! |
| With "No Returns Allowed; All Mistakes Final" , I put this new branch on a pause, forced to admit I made a capital sin. In order to accommodate the storyline, I had to do a hard retcon. So, what's "retcon"? That's short for "retroactive continuity", meaning that events in the future end up altering things in the past to maintain continuity. The term has been used a lot in TV series and even movies, where something previously problematic or leading to a plot hole gets "fixed" by one. Now, why am I doing that, and why would that be a "capital sin"? Well, I wanted to write a story about Trish for some time, since she's the only one in my own continuity that I hadn't dealt with - I dealt with Jimmy, with Jessica, with Claire, with other entirely unrelated people, even with the Organization, but never with David's first friend. So - all I needed was a way to enter, right? That was harder than I imagined, because all entry points had something I wasn't comfortable with. Either Trish had the pens earlier and started doing insane stuff, or Trish ends up actually being Jessica, or the pens suddenly gain new and unexplainable powers - things that didn't fit in my continuity. So, I found one that had the least egregious changes and artfully steered them the way I wanted - a story by Jack7375  following a prompt made by mess  themselves. The change was simple - bring Trish more to how I envision her. The first writer envisioned her as a blonde, and there are too many blondes already (Jessica being the most important, but also most of the Blonde Squad and the Wright family), so I had to change that. Then, the large breasts had to be toned down to fit someone with an athletic body while explaining why they appear smaller. I thought that'd be the case. Except mess also had a vision of Trish (in another story) and, most importantly, a vision of how the mechanics work. Specifically, that the pens create zippers - which I feel is too outlandish. And, as the creator of the story, I tend to respect their structure as far as I can go. This means that I'd have to replace everything I've written, as it was done with the impression of different mechanics - or, I could simply retcon that this particular story to fit what happens in my continuity. Still have a bit more to add, so I'll address it in a different note. |
| With "The Dangers of a Frolicking Good Time" , I pause this commission for a while. Also, a milestone - today, "Skins" has hit 1,200 chapters! (And obviously, not all of them done by me, so keep that in mind.) As you can see, the story has Drew Collins as the protagonist, rather than David Anderson. This was a compromise I made with the commissioning person to better suit their desires. Though I originally suggested the stranger in "Inside Comes a Stranger" (specifically, the one wearing Tina), they decided to change their mind, and that gave me the opportunity to expand on Drew. So, what differs? Well, for one, Drew's on the lower rung of school. He has few redeeming qualities, but isn't a complete jerk - he's just full of himself. However, the moment the pens fall on his lap (figuratively speaking), he immediately uses them to satisfy his urges. Suffice to say, I don't expect a lot of breadth from Drew's stories - and that's absolutely fine, as not everyone will react the same way. You'll also note a lot of sexual content, and that's by design - that was the most specific request in the commission. Of course, trying to satisfy it was a challenge; trying to make the "typical skinsuit story" (guy finds a skinsuit device, guy turns girl into skinsuit, guy puts on skinsuit, guy does sexual things while in skinsuit) into an intriguing one. (Hence, family members and backstory.) See - most people that like skinsuit stories look for just this. (And that's fine!) Others prefer something resembling a story to pad the lewd stuff up. (And that's fine too!) But, ultimately, this leads to the medium being not taken seriously by writers and artists, which leads to issues like lack of content. (And gatekeeping, but YMMV on that/) As self-aggrandizing as it may sound, I write stories that expand beyond that. The spying story with the Organization, the tale of corruption with David-as-Rachel, the story of David becoming Claudia - these are stories that have a distinct purpose, yet constantly have the pens (and therefore, the skins) as a returning medium. I feel these stories are worth writing, as they show what you can do with the medium. But, sometimes, all you need is a "typical skinsuit story" to satisfy to the fans who ultimately consume this. (And to be honest, I dig those stories too.) Now, what kind of story will tomorrow bring? All I can say is, it deals with someone very important to David, but not addressed too much in my stories. Stay tuned! |
| Like I mentioned yesterday, today's chapter in "Skins" goes into uncharted territory as it deals with a different main character. This branch (part of a commission) will run for the whole week, barring extraordinary circumstances. First chapter is here: "The Tale of Drew Collins" |
| With "When Treasures are No Longer Unique" , I'm pausing this branch as I do with others - on a cliffhanger. Much like the branch where David collaborates with Silva/"Epsilon", this is one of my favorite branches because it goes deep with the impersonation of an individual and the consequences of doing so. By this point, our protagonist can't be called "David" anymore because he - or rather, she - has fully immersed into Claudia's life, to the extent that it has achieved some interesting goals. Of course, a story isn't a story without problems on the way, and there are a couple. For one, dealing with having to help the crooks (Leslie and Meredith) in their own mission to uncover the other pens. Then, how Claudia's own personal issues - having to fight with her former mentor, Archibald Smithers, for the fate of the Municipal Library - overlaps with that mission, and the further issue of the hypnotic purple pen coming into play. If anything, each chapter escalates, as Claudia (and Luke, and the crooks) learn about its power. And the cliffhanger? Well, that such power isn't theirs alone. Remember that choice of whether they'd deal with the distributors or with Leslie? Well, that decision is coming back for them, as they're now essentially forced to deal with it. And if you've seen other branches, you know where this can lead. Will Claudia and Luke face those challenges, or be content with their new lives, knowing they could be replaced at any minute? Tomorrow will explore uncharted territory. So uncharted, it doesn't even have David as a protagonist! (Oops! Did I say too much?) This is part of a commission I was working on before the events that caused me to take a hiatus, and finished after those events. It's also a pretty lewd story, so keep that in mind. Though I'll post a link to the first story in this whole new branch tomorrow, I'll post the main hub for stories with a main character other than David as a protagonist today - "A(nother) Hub of Possibilities" . This will eventually be filled with potential new owners of the pens. But who will be the first? Will it be someone known, like Trish, or Jimmy? Will it be someone completely new and unknown? Or will it be something in the middle? (Also, quick question for "The Book of Masks" fans. Would you like to see a story where the pens appear in Saratoga Falls [and surroundings] instead of Edgefield and Tyneside? Make sure to post here if you want - or not.) |
| Apologies for the late post, but I wanted to share an unexpected coincidence. Today's chapter in "Skins" ("The Plot Against Archibald Smithers" ) has a bit where one of Claudia's suitors, Dr. Herman Woodrow, asks her for a copy of a book called The Romance of Lust, which happens to be a real Victorian-era erotica story that borders on smut. (In fact, it was done anonymously!) Though the choice was somewhat intentional, the coincidence was not. You see - while on my unintended hiatus, someone posted a story that I found most interesting: "The Lady’s Night of Debauchery" . It deviates from the flow of the story to indulge on more erotic elements, but one of the things that introduces is that Claudia (the real one) had a preference for spicy literature while on her private moments. While there are references to previous parts of the story (such as the guest rooms and her love of literature), that wasn't fully established within the branch. Thus, it's a coincidence that the interaction between Herman and Claudia regarding the book, and the little revelations that come from it (that she's read the book and even fantasized about it) directly refer this. To make the point clearer: the writer of that chapter hasn't consulted me, and today's chapter was written a month prior to that one, meaning there's no possibility that we had a similar thought other than happenstance. (Sure, new!Claudia playing with her bits might suggest that, but it could easily be David taking an otherwise prude woman to new experiences.) It's an interesting thought. Is it a case of minds thinking alike, or was it built from hidden clues that were placed during the story? |
| A reminder that new "Skins" chapters will be releasing this week. I already posted the first of the current branch: "No Plan Survives Contact with the Head Librarian" |
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As I age, I wonder what it would be like to wake up young tomorrow.
I think you're right that there'd be a thousand stories.