Keene is January's Featured Character!

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IC News travels slowly in Mizahar. Fortunately there is a constant stream of news from around campfires, from caravan to caravan and from merchants to merchants. Within this forum lies the best of the best of this talk. Also, within this forum, OOC news from the staff and players can be found. This forum requires all posts to be 'approved' by a Founder before they are displayed. So if you post within, be patient. Your post did display - it simply will not show to everyone until approved as actual 'news'. Please keep all Introductions, Status Updates, and various other discussions in their appropriate forums and leave this area for game news!

Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Mirage on January 2nd, 2015, 7:17 pm

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Attention Mizahar!


As is tradition the Founder's and RS's have come together to choose one character as this month's featured. Join me today in congratulating Keene Ward! This little Pulsar is an Initiate on the Isle of Sahova, a place well known for its dangers and less than fair treatment of the living. In only a short time Keene has transformed his character and brought him to life on the barren and nearly lifeless isle of Sahova, and with each passing season his strength grows and grows. Check out his interview and gain a little insight into this unique character.



1. A personal favorite of mine. Tell us a bit about how you got started in roleplaying, and what led you to Mizahar?

Ah, the start of what would be a twelve year foray into the endless possibilities of the written word. One word: Neopets. I started at the age of ten on the role playing forums on that cute, virus ridden website. I can't remember what about it drew me to it so much, but I loved them. The three days it took to save a world, or the single post in which I could decapitate my enemies and fall in love with friends, the potential to be or do anything: incredibly freeing. I've always had, as people have told me, a bit of a rampant creativity. In writing, I was able to explore it, develop curiosity, and fall madly, madly in love with words and their power over the human heart. Don't get me wrong though: I'm still hopeless with speech - ah, the woes of eloquent fingers.

Mizahar, like many of the other PCs, was introduced to me through the google. I simple search for top roleplaying websites, and here I was: lurking around the extensive lore, peeking into threads, trying to have babies on the floor of the Zeltivan University... I had grown tired of the other sites. My most recent experience had been a site-wide plot setup that involved an apocalyptic sort of awakening of all manner of magical creatures in the common populate of the modern world. It was, among a few other sites at the time, one of the places where I believe I ended up growing in leaps and bounds when it came to writing. I was pushed, pulled, and stretched to increase my word counts, delve into description, and investigate the psyche of my character and those around him. It was exhausting. I had to fabricate everything; I had to self-monitor to keep myself from powerplaying; the entirety of reality fell to me. As a hopeful author someday, I realize this is something that writers will always encounter and have to deal with, but in the capacity my characters being incredibly weak as I tried to give them life while others flew, slashed, and blasted their way through threads, I got frustrated. I did. I was furious (and maybe a little indignant - a lot indignant). I didn't understand why people couldn't be perfect the way I wanted them (and the way I was, of course), so I ended up quitting the RP scene for a couple years after the site closed. I'm not sure if any of you have taken a dry spell of creative writing, but it was crazy how much I wanted to write after those years began to drag on. I wanted something new, something fresh, something I could take in my greedy, grubby hands and just tear into. Then I found Miz.

The lore, the characters, and the rules, dear sweet Gnora, the rules. A skill system that wasn't based on rolling dice, a huge developed world with endless amounts of possibility dripping from every corner of it, and the best part? Limits. There were limits to everything. Races with pros and cons; magic with great power and massive pitfalls. I thought, at first, "Well, that's all nice and such, but I'm sure it's just cosmetic." Hah. Yes. Because the STs would surely be too busy to notice the Hero of Hero Mountain fighting with the Master Unarmed Combatant Power Sage flying around on dragons, unicorns, and the occasional Half Demon/Vampire Werewolf-Pixie Robot Crossbreed Slave who puts "Nee?" at the end of all her sentences. But you know, I was surprised. They did. They noticed, they addressed it, and the continuity was preserved. So I joined. I thought, "This is a place that deserves me."

And you know what happened the first time I made a CS? BAM. Intervention. Haha, I was so mad. I was mad at Nemisis (who, by the way, is an incredible writer and a darn good moderator), I was mad at Mizahar for having all its stupid rules, and most of all I was mad at myself for not understanding the lore I read. I took a little bit of time to cool down, I PM'd people, I learned. I learned. It was, I think, the first time since starting on Neopets that I had learned something new and valuable - not about writing - but about roleplaying and respecting the community around me. That was why I stayed, why I've continued to learn and grow and be humbled by the amazing things that PCs and STs alike have been able to craft, create, and breathe life into. Mizahar may not be perfectly original, but it's perfect for me; and let's be honest, my ego-centrism dictates if I like it, everyone should. ;)

2. While you have only been on the site for a short time, you have done a crazy amount of threading in the time you have been here. You were even the first person to Finish Nano! What's your secret? Where do you find the inspiration and the drive to write and post like you do? Can I isolate it from your genome and inert it into my own?

I will answer your most important question first: Yes. It's been done and, contrary to popular belief, I was also the first monkey to type out the entirety of Shakespeare's Hamlet (though I confess it was in High Latin, which is most certainly a thing). Unfortunately, the procedure requires a complex set of alchemical and animative processes which, in effect, replace your conscious with my own. To date, there are seven of myself out in the world. You might know me as the prolific and wonderful Stephen King or, more recently, J. K. Rowling. Unfortunately, we do not keep in contact, and I am still a monkey. Sadface.

Seriousness though: I was the first person to finish NaNo because I honestly believe I had more time than half of the people on that lists combined. Haha, and not all of it was really mine to do with, but I spent it on NaNo anyway! On the topic of prolific "publishings" however, you hit it right on the head. Inspiration. Mizahar is so packed with it, it's almost bursting out the seams! There's so much to do, explore, train, discover, maim, chase, and dream here. I dream about Miz (and I'd be willing to bet my proverbial wing nut that some of you do too), and it's that sort of environment that really just sparks to life the writer's spirit within me. You know, Mirage, and many others, that Sahova is this... Thing. This crazy, political mess of undead planted right in the middle of chaos, danger, and a little bit of romanticism that demands players to address it, to explore it. I couldn't keep myself away, and you know what? I've only just barely been able to scratch its surface. There is so much to do, not just in Sahova but everywhere! Gods to meet, cities to destroy explore, PCs to kill fall in love with, and endless amounts of adventures to conquer conquer! With all that, and a fair hunk of time devoted to Miz (which I would be hesitant to suggest to others on the sheer issue that you start talking about it with everyone. I mean everyon. I tried to explain the Akvatari to my check-out clerk who gave me the strangest look before utter one of the most pity filled laughs I think I've ever heard - he didn't know what he was missing), I was able to achieve all my NaNo goals. And you know, through that, there were times I didn't want to write. Haha. I would sit down, stare at the screen and frown (a lot like Keene's grumpy little face). And then, I would write. I would just put words onto the screen, stare at them some more, backspace like a madman, and try again until I had something I wanted to share with all of you. And I think pushing through that struggle made me a stronger (and weary) writer.

Just a quick wrap up because I'm really long winded when I'm excited, haha. To those of you who struggle with muse, please don't take this as a personal attack. I, me, myself (throw in all the pronouns from Goss's toxic person post, because I may be a little toxic in this belief) do not believe in muse. I believe in dedication and inspiration through tenacity. I think there are two very distinct sets of writers: the casuals and the hardcore. Do I think one is better than the other? No. Absolutely not. The beautiful thing about writing is that it allows an individual the freedom to let one's soul flow in the medium of the written word, and that is one of the most beautiful things we can do: share our souls. Because of this, I don't hold the belief that we can only share them sometimes. I think that comes from the fact that sometimes its easy to share your opinions, thoughts, or ideas, and other times its not; and it's less about being or not being inspired, and more about a fatigue versus desire sort of thing. I cannot tell you how much I loathe hearing people say "I just don't have any muse today". I think that that is cheating not only yourself but the people around you. Maybe you just don't want to write today, but please, please, please don't blame it on ephemeral beings who's sole purpose is to inspire - not give and take as they please. I might have my mythology wrong and they can do that, haha, but in a nutshell: You are the writer you make yourself. And, of course, there can be extrinsic things that may hamper you, stop you, or slow you down and that's understandable. I just... I really like the muses, and I don't like them being the bad guys and gals.

3. On first glance Keene appears to be your usual battle mage type of character. Cold/distant, strong and powerful in his magics, but I suspect there is a lot more to the story than that. Where does Keene come from in that writer's brain of yours? How did you come up with someone as cool, and crazy, that would take on the dangers of Sahova willingly?

Haha. Keene is the usual battle mage type. :P

So, I have this weird relationship with archetypes and cliches. If you've talked to me about characters at all (especially if you've asked for advice), I'll usually tell you to watch out for tropes and such that make the character seem flat. I think it can come across as "I think cliches are bad and all characters should be original", but that's not quite what I mean. I think that cliches and archetypes exist in writing and the world for a reason: they're incredibly effective. The problem is when you embrace the cliche over the character, effectively taking away their voice in favor of the greater Form. And you know, it's hard not to do that. It's really, really hard to be writing away and realize, "Wait. That's not what he/she/it would do!" because it may not be what you want. I think, when it comes to making believable, living characters, our own desires often make it a messy kind of fight. That struggle between what you want and what the character wants. That is Keene. I wanted a character that I could write for and enjoy (don't we all haha), and I thought what better way to do that than to create something I both love and hate at the same time?

Keene is, to an extent, the culmination of my knowledge of psychology, philosophy, pop-culture, and my own subjective understanding of beauty. I gave him a firm history from which I could draw believable (or at least I'd like to think so) inferrences so that he has a strong base. He was constructed like a house. His foundation was his history seeped in child abuse, behaviorism, a warped sense of self, and knowledge/power as his core value. His walls and roof were his limits, the personality I crafted from his base foundation: a shell so to speak that he could only push and press against so much, not unmovable but certainly strong enough to contain him at most points. Finally, the interior, is his soul. It's something that I can't explain to any of you, but something I think, nonetheless, you understand. His soul is as real to me as my own; it speaks to me (sometimes, because he's a darn tacit little creature) and when it does, I try to listen. Keene is, like any character that has depth, a piece of myself. Is he a large piece of me as a person? Probably not, but he's there, beating in my own heart. Is that sappy? Yeah. As Rayage agreed with me, Keene is basically just a pot of sappy introspection haha. But he's also an experiment I thought I would attempt, and I've been very happy (and proud) of the result.

I mean, I won't say I didn't have ulterior motives when it came to designing him for Sahova. Haha. I intentionally gave him a past rife with strife, but did it in a what that it was his norm: in this way the natural flow of Zeltivan life (however "natural" haha) was foreign, strange, and yes. Scary. Keene feels a lot. Because of that, his fears and apprehensions, Sahova would be one of the safest places for his soul in his mind and provide him the freedom to pursue the strength to cast aside his fears. In theatre classes, you learn that characters always have an objective and employ a myriad of tactics to attain that objective. Fear is Keene's drive whether he knows it or not (or maybe his denial of it), and I think that that makes for interesting situations, especially on the Island of the Sleepless. haha

Side note: My first character (and I think he's still up) draft was Feliks Yuden. I tried to start with familiary. Hah. Also, before getting help from the beautiful and write-sexy Perplexity, I had a few (and I mean a lot) of issues before it was resolved. Keene was definitely not check worthy first iteration. Haaaah. Embarrassing. D: BUT IMPORTANT! Trial and error: the best ways to create.

4. As you and most people know Sahova holds a special place in my heart, and it leads me to ask why did you choose this domain in particular? It has always had the reputation of being very difficult to start in, and hard on pulser's in general. So why would Keene the character go there, and why did you the writer decided to put him there?

Sahova should hold a special place in everyone's heart, be it loathing or love haha. When I was looking at cities, I was apprehensive of activity. Having been RPing for a good while, I've come to learn that people are not the most dependable, especially on the internet. I wouldn't say I was that worried about joining an active domain, but I will say it didn't have much of an effect on me. Of course, I wanted a city that as moderated (I read so much lore oh my goodness) and that offered me the interest I was looking for. At first, I seriously looked at Syliras. The Order, safety, and setup of the city was and is fascinating. I enjoyed the thought of taking a squire and raising him through the ranks of knighthood, but the more I read and explored it, the less I came to like it. It was too clean (not necessarily physically haha) and too good. I wanted gritty; I wanted angst. I thought about Alvadas, Sunberth, and Lhavit, but none of them had the draw I quite wanted. Then, I looked at Sahova.

You know the moment of the big reveal in a book or movie where everything sort of fades for a moment before your focus is immediately directed to the pièce de résistance? That was Sahova for me. The nuit were one of the first races I seriously considered after delving into Sahova's lore (the very first was the Akvatari, and they will always remain close to my heart), and as I explored the city's lore, NPCs, and mysteries ideas began to flood my brain like... I don't know. Pudding. Like an endless deluge of pudding that I could barely even sift through. That was when I knew, when I was drowning in my brain pudding.

I've had this chat with you before (and others, I'm sure), but from a video game standpoint, I see Sahova as endgame (I'm sure I'm stealing words). First off, similar to an MMORPG, just because something may be endgame, starting, dlc, or whatever, doesn't make it less important or interesting. I want to clarify that, because Mizahar as a whole is purely one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my relatively short lifespan. Sahova is difficult. It demands a magic - which if you've read the lores on any of them, I'm sure you know that magic is pretty much a beautiful headache; it refuses hand-outs in the sense that it's not just, "Hey let's be friends! Adventure time!"; it is so filled with political plots and magical mystery, I'm not sure anyone will be able to solve; and finally, it just has that draw. I think of it similar to magic's "Sweet Whispers", constantly egging me on "Write more, write more." It's amazing. If any of you have found that as well and know what I'm talking about... Wow. It just reiterates how much thought, time, and love has been put into this site over the years to create cities that breathe and feel. Again, I'm humbled by the storycrafting that has come before me to provide me with... All of this. Thank you. To all of you for both creating and continuing this literary legacy. From the very bottom of my heart.

5. Given your shortish time on Mizahar, why not tell us a bit about what drew you to Mizahar in the first place? What are some of your favorite aspects of the site?

I think, in my rambling, I've probably addressed this haha. Like I said, the rules were huge. The lore was huge-er. And you know, the community is also astoundingly fantastic. The mods, the players, and... Wait. What's her name? I have a hard time remembering her because she's constantly working to keep this running for the benefit of all these people, a lot of them who want to yell at her and... Oh! Right! Gossamer. ;) All of you have come together to create something that, sadly, is rare to find on the internet - the single most connective invention that seems to only isolate people further. Since my joining date, I've been helped by Nemisis, Perplexity, Ink, Avarice, Gossamer, Mirage, Nightmare, Trickster, Monsoon, and Mayhem. I've made what I believe are friends among the player base who have also served to shape me into a even better writer (and maybe person? Haha hard to tell). I've had the pleasure of writing with some truly phenomenal writers, and I've learned more about magic than I think even the most die-hard Tolkein fan. For these reasons, I was drawn in, and for these reasons I stay.

Aspects of the site? Lore. Lore lore lore lore lore. There is so much lore, and the craziest part is it's not even finished! Nor should it be! Mizahar is alive, it's growing, and it's taking us with it on a wonderful ride. I'm so madly in love with that dynamic quality, and with the advent of the scribes and the increase of Wold Development... I get all drooly just thinking about it.

But you know, the greatest thing about Miz beyond that? The staff. I think a lot of you would agree (and a lot of might also disagree) that the staff is really what makes Mizahar. I haven't had the privilege of getting to personally know all the staff, but those I have, I'd like to tell you a little bit about. I hope they don't mind.

Ink: I love you. I really do. You are my (my) ST, and you've held my hand and (on occasion) thrown me up ledges and across canyons I'd dug myself. When I started, I asked you so many questions. So many. You answered all of them, and then you gave me even more to think about. Because of you, I felt welcome, wanted, loved even as a writer. I could not have asked for a better experience with my first moderator in a roleplaying setting. I know my questions can get annoying, and for that I'm sorry. But I also want you to know: I'm going to keep asking them! You're a go to for magic, for fun, and you have a brain for plotting that just blows me away. I'd had so much fun writing with you, and I hope that it will continue for a long time.

Nemesis: Wow. Can you even believe? Haha. Nemesis spends a lot of her time and energy helping out CP in the CS thread. And you know... I've seen some pretty snarky stuff directed at her. I won't tell you have to live your lives, but snapping at someone who's dedicating her time and energy to making sure you have a strong CS and are flowing with the continuity of the site... You might want to just think about that. She works hard, just like all the staff, and because of her, Keene is here. Thank you so much for that. :)

Perplexity: Nope. I don't really have words to explain how great he is. He's a firm hand and a soft arm, and without him, Miz would not make any sense to me at all. He's set me straight so many times, it might rival the number of questions I've asked Ink! haha And he's smart, real smart. He cares about Zeltiva so much, and I can't wait to see what he's going to end up doing with all the revamps and rewrites. And you know know... If you're looking to be an ST, he could use the help, and he is, by far, one of the most understanding people I've met. You would be lucky to have him as a mentor.

Avarice: Sahova is dang dusty. Haha! Oh man, I've joked with you and enjoyed your company from the start. Your signature buttons are legendary, and your writing is a beautiful reflection of your joy and hilarity. He works crazy hard to make SB run, and I'm honored to have gotten to know him.

Nightmare: This guy. He's amazing. He runs that crazy city of Syliras by himself, and he does a dang good job. He cares about his players in a way that just melts my heart, and I'll confess I stalk that thread where squires come in to be squires just so I can read his writing. I've had long chats with this young man, and if you get the chance to, I would suggest you do as well. He's incredibly thoughtful and caring; an all around great guy.

Mayhem: :D :D :D Whatta lady. She's been working on Xy, helping out the Grasslands development, and her graphics? Yeah ok. She's been a great friend to me as I've spent my time here, and I hope you'll take the time to get to know her as well.

Monsoon: The Drykas master. ;) Succinct and witty, you have that acrid sort of humor and perspective that constantly has me thinking about both what I think and how that might affect others. He's dedicated, conscious, and frank. And that frankness is so important, because if an ST doesn't clearly tell you what you can or can't do, you're not going to be able to fix your mistakes or grow. Thank you for all that you've taught me and for just flat out telling me "no" sometimes! Haha

Mirage: Well, frankly Mirage stinks. ;) Your PC, Evalin, is one of my inspirations (among others), and the fact you've keep Kalea running as well as it has (Wind Reachers anyone? haha) is amazing to me. You and Twister do so much to keep things running smoothly, and I appreciate that. I love you for it. You're incredibly thoughtful, and quick to reply to the questions I have that I send your way. I hope, some day, I get the honor to write with you.

Gossamer: You terrified me. I was so scared of you, I was literally sweating when I wrote you my first PM. To everyone reading: I dare you to find someone who is more open with her intentions and heart. She works... Actually, I think that's all she does. The amount of time she's put into Miz is insane, and yet she still takes time to chat with players, answer questions, and write on her PC. Just... Wow. You are an inspiration, and I think if people could understand you're not some wicked beast woman out to rip out the hearts of her playerbase, that would just be tops. :| Gossmer cares about Mizahar (I'm pretty sure), and you know what? If you care about it too, she cares about you. If you're going to come in and try to do things your own way, think of it like running into someone's beautiful garden and stomping on things. I'm surprised she hasn't auto-banned a lot of people. Keep strong Goss, you have a strong team to rally beside you. Maybe not all the players appreciate you, but there are a lot of us who do.

And why do I blurb about all the STs so shamelessly? Because, first and foremost, the staff here are humans. They are living beings who are volunteering their time to make Miz work, and that, in and of itself, is just mind blowing to me. They're players, wives, boyfriends, teenagers, adults, bad dreams... And they do it because they care, because they are willing to sacrifice their time to ensure an environment that we get to reap the benefits from. The question was what are some of my favorite aspects of Miz: They are.

6. I believe that most people start playing a character with a particular understanding of that character in mind. Over time though these constructs of our imagination seem to keep changing. Has Keene changed for you at all? If so, how and was it planned or did it just kind of happen?

Oh yes. Keene does what he pleases haha. Initially, I wanted him to be just a sort of tight-lipped wizard archetype, but once I started listening to his dynamics... He grew a warped morality (but morality none-the-less) and a sense of self I hand't anticipated. He makes his own decisions, and it scares me a little bit. People sometimes ask me, "What do you have planned for him?" and... Honestly I don't know the answer to that. I know what I would like to do with him, but I don't know if that's what he'll do. It's exciting and a little scary, because I've grown attached to him. Seeing him hurt or hurting is hard to write, but he helps by assuring me it's what he's chose. He's like that, a little fatalistic, you know? I hadn't intended that, but it's there.

7. Being an initiate is a rough life. Tell us a bit how becoming an Initiate has changed Keene, for the worse or for the better.

Alright! When Keene arrived on Sahova, he didn't have purpose. Up until laster (514) summer, Keene had been raised with the primary reason of helping his mother with her magical research, but from a position of inferiority. Once she died, Keene's idea of what his life was meant to be about died with her. There's a period of "soul-searching" I have yet to write for him, and I'm still working through the specifics, but through that he determined that the island was the only place he could go where he might once again feel useful.

Joining the Wardens was something I was interested in OOC, but I was thinking Keene would be more drawn to an apprenticeship. This is where the mods are just... They're the just the best. Ink wrote up a judgement, and through that, Atziri - a Warden - claimed Keene as her Initiate. When it comes to people in a higher position, or people placed over him, Keene is obedient to a T. I think him joining the Wardens was definitely something to help pull his focus from Mella's death in the sense that he has purpose once again (though he's still struggling, and I believe he'll continue to struggle).

As a writer, being an initiate was difficult in the regard that Keene is in a section of the island that is pretty far removed from the rest of the areas where the other initiates are. Also, there weren't many initiates (Keene, Daren, and the mystery one I managed to slaughter by submitting new NPCs. :\ being the only ones at the time), so I was more isolated than I had anticipated. Still, through that, I pushed myself to write out what Keene would do, how he would adapt, interact, and learn. I think that was also probably one of the major contributors to doing NaNo so quickly: there was just so much to write, because he was doing, and wanted to do so much. Overall, the placement of him as an initiate was amazing for him. He's gotten a /lot/ stronger in a single season, and I see him gaining even more skill based strength before the end of winter. As we say on Sahova (except not), wizards who make waves have a hard time staying out of the political pool. I'm interested to see how his actions and skill are going to play into the power game. ;)

8. Your Mizahar career is just getting started my friend, so what plans and goals do you have for the future for your character?

Haha. Yeah. Personally, I'd love to see him get strong enough to explore the island to a greater extent. A champion of Zulrav? Yes. That would be neat. An adventurer roaming the lands of Mizahar in search of labs lost to time and magic? Also very legit. Dying at the hands of Qiao for overstepping his bounds? Potentially. He, like so many other characters (and people in general for that matter), has so much potential that I honestly can't tell you where he'll end up. Harder, better, faster, stronger. :)

9. Beyond your staggering posting speed and block like paragraphs many people can recognize Keene by his very particular style of art that goes into his codes and CS. Have you always had this kind of style in mind for him, or has it slowly evolved over time? Tell us a bit about how YOU view Keene as a character, physically and emotionally. What makes Keene Keene?

When I think of Keene, I think of sadness, cold, and depth (in the sense that he's layered or... Only showing his surface). I try to reflect that in quiet colors, unassuming fonts, intense or uncomfortable images. It has evolved as I've written him, and I won't lie when I say the codes do help a little with my writing of him.

To me, Keene is incredibly human, but he refuses that humanity in favor of what he imagines power to be. It's a bit tragic, I suppose, but I choose to focus more on the intrigue. I think about the "how" behind the "what". How does he keep himself calm, what are his reasons for moving as he does, speaking as he does. Just like with Ink, I ask Keene a lot of questions, and sometimes I don't ask him anything. Sometimes I connect with him, sometimes I don't. He as real to me as any of my friends, except with Keene, he's not my friend. He's cold, distant, but deep inside him there's this fire. It's a white-hot kind of flame that rages and grows with each bruise and scrape he sustains. I don't know if he'll ever truly address it, but, while most of the time his emotions are pretty well controlled, they are very real and very there. He's probably one of the most emotional things I've ever written, which I feel like is ironic for a constantly scowling/blank faced individual haha. Maybe that's a little Gary Sue. :P

10. If you were a gourmet dessert, what type of dessert would you be?

If I were a gourmet dessert, I'd probably be one of those mini chocolate bundt cake towerettes. haha. With a chocolate drizzle and mint on top.

If Keene were a gourmet dessert? He'd be a truffle, plain white chocolate on the outside with a minty center.

11. As always this last question is all yours. Take the mike, stand tall and tell us what is on your mind. We all want to hear!

Oh man. I feel like I've been doing this the whole time, plugging away haha. Let's see...

Reader. You, only you. You are amazing in your own right. Yes, I know. I'm just generally addressing a random person I may or may not know, but no. I am addressing you. I am looking at you with my heart pressed against yours. You are a writer. You are a creator. You are potential. Do not, do not, sell yourself short. No one in this world can tell you who you are. No one can dictate what it means to be you. You are you. Your ideas, your dreams, your wonder are all your own. They are unique to you. They are beautiful, twisted, dark, bright, and everything in between. You have the power to create and to destroy. You are an author, a poet, a craftsman, a voice. In this world, people are so quick to attack each other, to throw blame, to shout out hatred and accusation. To you, I offer this. I offer love. I offer understanding. I offer acceptance. Not from me; not from anyone else; but from you. I offer you the chance to look at yourself, to see yourself, and to embrace yourself. I can't think of anything more horrible than someone losing faith in who they are. You are who you are, and you are who you make yourself. I beg you to make yourself great, because you can be. In fact, you are.

Writing has been an outlet for me for so long, I can't imagine a life without it. Similarly, I can't imagine a world where my creativity is impeded. If you have the chance and the privilege to walk forward with all the force of your strength, please, please, please don't hold yourself back. Write with your heart, your mind, and soul.

And... Yeah. I guess that's all I had to say. Thank you all so much for this honor, and I hope to be here a long time to come.
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Gossamer on January 2nd, 2015, 8:50 pm

Grats! Fantastic interview. I took so long to get this up because I took a while to read it. :)
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Ayetah on January 2nd, 2015, 9:02 pm

Congrats Keene! Great interview. :D
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Ink on January 2nd, 2015, 9:03 pm

Grats Keene! Without any doubt you deserve this for all your hard work and not throwing in the towel when you were corrected. Keep being awesome Keenebean!
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Mirage on January 2nd, 2015, 9:30 pm

Good job Keene!
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Thomas Cosa on January 2nd, 2015, 10:08 pm

Yaaaaay!

I can't think of anyone who deserves this more -- you've developed an incredible character and I'm so glad to see Sahova have such a dedicated PC warden! You're an awesome, incredibly patient writer (thank you, haha) and I can't wait to see where you take Keene and Kenne takes you!

Keep writing!

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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Aventis on January 2nd, 2015, 10:15 pm

Oh my gosh, Keene, do you deserve this! Congratulations! I still insist on that thread though. Expect me in Sahova in the future.
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Khara on January 2nd, 2015, 11:29 pm

Well deserved and a great interview! Congrats, Keene! :D
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Kaie on January 3rd, 2015, 4:44 am

Congrats, Keene! Enjoy the spotlight! You've earned it. :)
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Keene is January's Featured Character!

Postby Perplexity on January 3rd, 2015, 5:48 am

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Oh my goodness! Congratulations Mr. Keene! You very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very...

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...very, very much deserved this!
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