Chapter 14 Page 16
December 5th, 2016Cienan wants to stay on schedule. You can see Mathilde’s reaction to the proposed agenda when you vote for Snow by Night on Top Web Comics.
I have some other news and it’s both dreadful and incredible at the same time. Last week I was diagnosed with stage 1 bile duct cancer. I am incredibly fortunate that they caught it so early. This means I have a very good chance of surviving. Normally, this cancer is deadly because they don’t catch it until stage 3 or 4. It’s like winning the worst lottery I can imagine. As a PhD friend of mine said, I’m one lucky son of a bitch.
I will be having surgery later this month and then several rounds of chemo next year. If all goes well, the doctors will be able to remove the cancer entirely and the chemo will catch anything floating in my system. I intend to keep writing the scripts for Snow by Night and making Julie and Steph do all the heavily lifting.
The story is done, so if things go down hill in a hurry I’ll just post the summary of what is to come. However, that shouldn’t be necessary. I’m hopeful that the surgery will be successful.
I have nothing original, so just … Good luck and get well soon. May the spirits watch over you.
I am sorry for your health troubles, we all seem to face them to varying degrees, but I am very thankful that the prognosis is positive! Reading your story (stories, if you count the vignettes separately) is always a pleasure and you, like many other writers/cartoonists I follow, make a big difference in how well us readers cope with our own lives. So thank you, most sincerely, for sharing your creative talent and skill with us.
As for today’s page, I honestly hope that Cienan is not proposing to blackmail Mathilde (or worse), because I like both of them and like to think that his appearance as a gentleman is much more than just a social facade. We’ll find out in the coming pages! :)
Don’t you dare die on us! We need you to complete one of the best web comics out there and to write all the other stories you’ll give us over a long and productive life!
Good luck with the treatment. Is there anything material that we can do to help you through? For instance a donation? You don’t have a tip jar any more. Now might be a good time to put it back.
I’m very sorry to hear that! Hope your good fortune in misfortune continues and you survive it with as little suffering as possible.
As a long-time reader, I would just like to thank you for your wonderful story and wish you all the best. Cancer is a serious diagnosis, but not necessarily insurmountable. My aunt fought off three separate cancers and she is still with us today. Sometimes you just need a bit of luck, a bit of fighting spirit in you and a bit of positivity.
I’m glad that your aunt has been so successful. She sounds like a strong woman. I’m going to do my best to emulate her. I was lucky to have it caught so soon. That makes a huge difference. I’m going to make the most of it. I really want to finish this story… And then write another.
I don’t have anything insightful to add, so I’ll just say “Good luck and get well soon!”
Good luck. May the spirits watch over you.
What does “s’il vous plait” mean?
It means : ” please”.
We’re rooting for you!
I’ll pray for you!
Heheheh. Judging from Mathilde’s reaction in the sneak peek, Cienan just became my favorite character.
Sheesh–life just won’t let you alone, will it? I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad to hear the hopeful outlook. I hope all will go well, & for what it’s worth, you’ll be in my thoughts & prayers.
Longtime lurker and fan, wishing you all the best in your medical endeavors! this story has been amazing, and I hope to see the end if it the happy way :) keep the positive outlook as much as you can, it really makes the hugest difference!
as one of my fave youtubers says- keep an eye out for those rainbows, they will make you smile!
Thanks for sharing your health information with us. Godspeed, and I hope that life brings you something every day to cheer you just as you and your team have continued to bring us the many touches that make this graphic novel such a delight.
Cieran–do you have a conscience in there somewhere? Your inhuman grey face looks taken aback when Mathilde protests that she has done nothing to hurt anyone.
Between this and the loss of Elise, it’s been a difficult journey. I visit her every week at the cemetery. I talk, and she helps me think through some of the plot points. When I get done with Snow by Night, I might write an essay about the writing. In some ways it has been a story made in sorrow.
I would read that essay. I still remember reading about Elise’s loss & sometimes wondered how you’ve been doing since then.
This seems like somewhat sudden blackmail out of the blue; what does he need from her… she’s right, I haven’t seen Mathilde hurting anyone? (I hope she hasn’t actually been doing underhanded things we don’t know about yet! D: )
Also, man, I hope for you all the best! I’m very glad it was caught early and that things look okay for you! I’m certain you’ll be on the road to recovery in no time. :)
My theory is that he’s going to use her & her shadowy connections & knowledge to find out who stole the mask.
But I thought he already knew who stole it?
Yep, you’re right. I just checked the archives. I’m not sure then. I’d still venture it has something to do with Mathilde’s connection to Jassart, though. I’ve been wrong before, though…
So good that you look positve on this as it´s bad news. But with help of family and friends I´m sure you will make a hasty recovery :)
It is very fortunate that you’ve been diagnosed early. I hope you will make a full recovery. I am sure the process will not be easy, but know that many people hear wish and pray for you to pull through.
Thank you very much for your dedication to the story and it’s characters!
God bless you! I’ll pray for you. And thanks for this great comic!
Been lurking on this site for a long time – now seems a good time to come out of the shadows and wish you a speedy recovery!
*She Sees their entire conversation from the marketplace onwards listed in the pages.
‘Fourth’ level perk of having extra-dimensional fairy friends.
Wow, that is both unfortunate and fortunate news. I hope all goes well for you and you make a speedy recovery.
“Always look on the bright side of life” – when my dear one went through treatment for tongue cancer, all of his doctors agreed that his positive outlook helped him tremendously. So my wish for you is a similarly positive outlook on life, and for you to be surrounded by family and doctors who also focus on the optimistic. It’s important, of course, to be aware of all the possibilities, both good and bad; but focusing on the good rather than wallowing in the bad can only help.
Beyond that, I’m so sorry that this particular difficulty has been thrown into your path, but glad that it was caught early – the smaller the difficulty, the better, no matter how scary it is. Sending lots of good thoughts, prayers, energy, and whatever else may work towards you and your loved ones. And sending them with a grateful heart, because even in the face of this adversity, you are still planning on continuing to put out this fantastic story on which I am completely hooked!
Thank you so much. I’m hopeful to be with you all for a long, long time.
Good luck, and I hope you’re able to keep your spirits up during treatment. (And next year threw me, I was like “why the wait?” and then remembered “oh, yeah…it’s December.”)
Let’s hope the native spirits and Gods will be also in your favor, be those snow by night, or a surgeon knife by daylight. That being said, I doubt words of random strangers on the internet would help anything, but still wishing you all the best.
And the comic is awesome. (And Mathilde has funny/lovely butterfly-looking ears. More obvious on the vote-bait.)
Oh, no. Thank you for your dedication to SBN. I imagine you have a lot on your plate between the webcomic and other projects such as TW, but I hope you take as much time as you need. It’s good to hear that you were diagnosed early on. Sending my best and prayers to you and your family.
I usually take a two week vacation at the end of the year. I’m going to do that again. Hopefully, it will buy me the two weeks I need to have the operation and recover.
Hoo boy. Prayers for you and your family that you’ll kick this “on schedule”!
Good gravy, man! I’ll be praying for you and your family. Please give your wife an extra hug from this internet stranger as well.
Will do! She will need all the hugs that she can get!