Today was a day that should change me. Sunday, February 11, 2018. I was at Texas Furry Fiesta over the weekend in Dallas, Texas. I made new friends, made mistakes with alcohol involved, and had a very fun time overall. More importantly, I attended a few writing panels to hone my craft a bit. Once I was at the first panel of Writing 101, I came to a quick realization. It turns out that I had no craft other than an affinity for the written word. I learned things that I didn't know I needed to know about writing fiction. I learned a few great tips, met NightEyes DaySpring, Phill Guesz, and Kyell Gold. The latter of the three is one of my all-time favorite authors. I have come to the conclusion that writing is a career that can be done in the furry fandom and I don't even have to be successful. I can just do it. I just need to apply myself. This fact, coupled with the mistakes I made with alcohol, has taught me a very valuable lesson. I will be 30 years old in less than 3 years and it is time to let some of my immaturity die. No more drinking liquor like it's water and I'm in a desert and it's time to go pro with this writing thing that I've been dreaming about for 10 years. It's a late start in my opinion, but maybe I just needed to mature a bit, find my place in the world and such. My place is at a desk, pen in hand, spinning up great stories that will be fun to write and beneficial to the furry fandom as a whole. As a Wiccan, I do practice some magick. Tarot is a form of that magick to me and this card, representing death and rebirth has reaffirmed what I have been thinking all day today. It's time for an evolution in my life. I need to clear the cookies in my life. Refresh the browser. Defrag the hard drive. If I were a Time Lord, I would be regenerating into a new man. I'll be keeping the face, though. I just need an active shift in my personality. I want to thank my friends for supporting me, the authors I have met for encouraging me, new friends who made my weekend the most exciting I have had in recent memory, and the unsung heroes of hotel and con staff at TFF for wrangling me in my stupor. I'll be posting this to my Twitter tomorrow, which is linked up to my Facebook, for the world to see. There's a new writer in town and with the ferocity of a wolf, I am going to make my dream come true, finally. The furry fandom is one of my families and I thank my Lord and Lady and whatever powers that be that I am a part of this loving fandom. You have saved my life once when I realized my sexuality. Help me save it again. Push me to be better. Encourage me with my writing, and please stop me from doing ludicrous things. The tears in my eyes (legit crying right now) are tears of love and joy for you all. With all of the love in my heart, I wish you all a good night.

Jared Alexander ("Alex") Robinson, aka Raven Lightstar.

An addition: Mom and Bill, I love you both to death. I know you are both always looking out for me and have helped me through difficult times. To Bill personally, now that my dad has been gone for almost 2 years now, you have taken his spot in my heart and thoughts. You are my Dad to me now and don't you dare say another word otherwise. Now that this is out of the way, I just have one final thing to say to you two. Please don't ever read my books. I promise you won't enjoy them and would be pretty damned embarrassing if you do. I love you both.