Branch Update [Break's Over]

[October 18, 2021]

Hey everyone! I'm back on the grind. Expect a chunk of chapters by 24th of October and the Halloween Special on the 31st!

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[October, 7, 2021]

A Reference Page for Scores and Traits has been created. Thanks for the suggestion @Winterstrike!

[October 5, 2021] - Addressing Feedback [Still on Break]

Hey again everyone!

Like last time, I'm here to use this space to answer the comments that are related to your thoughts on the story.

First, I'd like to address that all future non-harem members to be introduced will be noted in the Characters Page as such. If you wish to not be spoiled about their planned status, I have linked an Imgur gallery you may use as a reference gallery for the characters in the Characters page.

Second, thank you for pointing out that I'm underutilizing the app. It was only after it was noted that I realized I even forgot to write a chapter within Week 2, Day 2 wherein he checked the app for updates; which I should have slotted in Relationship Goals. In any case, I'll slowly transition Jay into becoming a more active user of the app and a buyer of traits with the help and encouragement of his girlfriends (Thanks @Winterstrike for the suggestion!).

As of right now though, the main roadblock I have as to why I'm not writing him as an active trait buyer are the traits he's saving up for and still cannot currently buy due to their price (something @Akhara mentioned in his comment): Normalized Polyamory which costs 350 Love Points, and Steadfast Lover which is 270 Lust Points. As for friendship points, I'm saving up a few points for a future need of his girlfriends, and that's why I haven't wrote him to buy traits unless it answers a particular problem of his. Once those two traits have been bought, which is soon since he's going to date Brooke and Viv this week, I'll transition him into becoming a more active buyer and checker of traits. However, this does not excuse the fact that I'm not highlighting the app more in the story, and why he's not checking the app when he could. I'll try and fix that soon. Thank you for this reminder!

Also, I've already tried some 'new' trait ideas as well as trying out kinks for particular characters in the Halloween Special I wrote and would love for your feedback when I release it later this month. (The Halloween Special has already been written, and it is 8000+ words long, which is double my initial planned word count. If you wish to have early access, the instructions are in the sub-goal post in my Ko-fi page).

Third, I actually haven't gotten around to reading and taking a break yet, as I decided to finish the Halloween Special before anything else; since I didn't want to half-ass it before the deadline. Although I've seen all your recommendations and will hopefully get to them eventually. That being said, I think I'm going to have to stick closer to home for now and read AMA branches in order to see if there are traits there that I could maybe incorporate into my own story. As the lack of AMA in my own story has become noticeable. Like with Fantasy's traits that I used, I'll credit the original writer if I copy how the trait works verbatim. In that regard, are there traits from other branches you'd like to recommend?

Fourth, it is also a concern of mine that each character gets a unique personality in and out of the bedroom. I do have a list of personality traits for each, and how they should interact with particular characters. However, I myself know of the overlap in certain personality traits in certain characters, and I try to address them in-story when Jay observes those similarities. If there are certain things that overlap too much, please comment it so I can be made aware of it. I'll have my own mental biases for sure and might ignore that I'm writing characters way too similar to each other, or making them interchangeable; something I don't want to happen. So your feedback on this is very much welcome.

The rest are specific concerns from individual commenters:

@AmerHST - The discussion for the cucking will be gradual, and I will only probably introduce the idea this week; but the actual cucking would probably happen the week after, after Jay has discussed the offer with his girlfriends. The guy will also be someone who will be familiar to the girls by that point in the story when they'll discuss it. I hope to write it so that it can happen and still be approved by his girlfriends while staying in character.

@Enlyghten - I do have a discord, I'm just not really used to using it. I'm open to learning about it more if there's a significant number of readers who'd rather discuss my story there than here on CHYOA. Although, I did find that there's CHYOA forums we could use if that's also an option you guys are open to use.

@Winterstrike - I'm going to get Jay to start working again by Week 3 or 4. I just need something to happen first before his Publisher comes calling to tell him he's had enough of a break as evidenced by something that happens in-story. I just need time to pass before I could push through with it, especially since I'm planning to introduce another harem member through that particular scenario. Also, the dinner with Diane and Ron will come. Although, again, I just need certain things to happen first.

Lastly, I wanted to thank all of you once again for your feedback! It's nice to hear that there's positive feedback to the new character idea, and that you enjoyed the previous chapters. As for when the next chapters will return, I'm still hoping to end my break on the 15th of October, and upload a chunk of chapters within the 4th week of October (21-28) and continue regular updates from there.

See you all after the break! :D

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[September 30, 2021] - Branch Update [Taking another Mini-Break]

Hey everyone!

I just finished my third month of writing(!!!), and I thought to take another two week writing break to plan out the rest of what's to come for the next few chapters that would cover Week 2, Days 3-7 (Weekdays) and Week 3, Days 1 and 2 (Weekends).

I've had the time to create a rough outline of what I want to do for those days, and have hinted at some of them in-story. Here are some of the stuff you could look forward to once I start publishing again:

• Jay's first date with Stella on Monday
• Jay's first date with Brooke on Saturday
• Jay's first date with Viv (day undetermined)
• The arrival of Tanya's twins on Saturday
• The formal introduction of the male character who likes being cucked, as well as the woman who'll be cucking him with Jay (@johnnyjohn6969 - I'm sorry it took this long to introduce the model you suggested, but I haven't forgotten. Thanks again for helping me with suggestions to cast the girls early on.)
• Introduction of a new teen redhead that is Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien's granddaughter. Who is also a huge fan of Jay's writing. (@bluedragongod - Your interest in having more interactions with Mr. O'Brien made me come up with this character, as a way for them to have more interactions with the O'Brien's. I know it wasn't a suggestion, but your feedback helped shape this future character. So, thank you!)
• I also haven't forgotten about the preg-risk and breeding kinks. I've tested it out a bit with Stella during the foursome, but will definitely explore it in more detail in the future.
• Don't worry, there are still plenty of interactions with Cassie and Tanya, and possibly even Becca within these next 7 days in the story. Just nothing formal yet.

Before completely moving on to the next week of story, I wanted to ask for feedback for the chapters on this weekend in the story (I can't believe I spent 40 chapters in two days of story XD). From Girl Talk to the previous chapter, what did you think of it? Any favorite moments or least favorite?

I'm well aware of the disconnect with Celeste, so I hope the recent chapters that covered her and Becca were still enjoyable. I've mentioned this in the comments in one of the chapters, but I've always planned Celeste to be a guest character and someone who wasn't meant to be with Jay as a girlfriend. I had an edit of the Characters page that placed her in "Non-Harem Members" before I decided it might be a spoiler. Would it be a spoiler if I put it there? Or do you think I should leave it as is and let readers not know if a character will be a harem member or not?

I'm also taking this opportunity to announce I made a donation page on Ko-fi. It's strictly a donation page and [not something I'll use to give early access to chapters as I like publishing in chunks and I'm pretty sure my **** storyline would be flagged anyway if Patreon's attitude about it is any indication] — This is now proven false as I'm now accepting donations that will give early access to some chapters XD

However, I did post a goal there where I'll write a non-canon Halloween Special that's at least 4,000 words and includes a sex scene with all the current cast of characters up to Chapter 96 (Stella, Cassie, Tanya, Brooke, Viv, Becca... and Celeste?) if I receive a single donation. If it's successful, I might do it again for other holidays like Christmas, New Year and Valentine's but with higher donation goals. I just want to see first if readers are interested in supporting me in this way. Actually, it would be great to say I bought a small Christmas gift for one of my family or friends and say I sorta did it with my writing, so I'll definitely do this again for a Christmas special. It's no pressure though, and all chapters I write will still be published here on CHYOA for free, including the non-canon holiday specials if the donation goals are met.

[Author's Edit: Thank you anonymous donor and Akhara for your donations! The non-canon halloween special is now set for release on October 31st. To future donors during this time, your donations will be credited to the next sub goal, which is a non-canon Christmas special. Thank you so much for your support!

Edit 2: Donors before October 31st can also get early access to the Halloween Special which is now finished at 8000+ words.]

Lastly, I wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you who read this branch. Specially those that leave a like, or leave comments for chapters, or bookmark the end chapters after uploads. It shows me people are reading what I've been writing and are interested for more. The comments have been nothing but encouraging, and the criticisms have been nothing but constructive. So a huge thanks once again to all of you!

P.S. I'm going to use this break to read up on other stories here on CHYOA, and see what you guys like, and expand my horizons as well. I've only read Fantasy's David Walker branch before I started this branch so I'm going to use this break as an opportunity for R&D, so to speak. Do you have any story recommendations for me to read?