New Releases - December 14th 2019

[321]

(NOTE: You can QUOTE this posting, and then copy each set of <Title, Link, Tags, Colors and Description> in one chunk, for use in your review postings here)


You can now download the BBCode version of the What’s New page at https://mcstories.com/WhatsNew.txt

Alex’s Teacher (mc mf ff md) (new)  by All These Roadworks
Chet finds out that his step-daughter is sleeping with her teacher.

AnimeCon Harem (mc ma ft) (1 new chapter)  by FortySixtyFour
After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Brian attends an anime convention with a special amulet.

Apophenia (mc mf md) (1 new chapter)  by Meleva
Phenia doesn’t belong at Lady Sionamuid’s Academy for Young Sorceresses and Sorcerers, and she knows it. But if she can’t find a way to blend in, and fast, then soon everyone else will know it too.

The Artefact (mc mf in) (new)  by Chrysostomon
An archaeological dig unleashes an evil power.

At the Costume Shop in Anne’s Harbor (mc ff) (2 new chapters)  by Taking You Deeper
A powerful lust witch moves to a coastal town in North Carolina and settles in...

Bad Santa Takes Control (mc mm ft) (new)  by The Slaver
Two police officers are compelled to obey a man in a tight red rubber Santa bondage suit.

Binding Rings (mc mf md in) (1 new chapter)  by Sidia
A chance discovery changes a young man’s life—and not always for the better.

Black Swan (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by nevermind
A secret division of the American intelligence apparatus fights against mind-controlling slavers. When one of their own is compromised and captured, the agents of the division must take action before it is too late.

Blizzard (mc mf ff) (1 new chapter)  by Redsliver
When Gene treats a strange visitor to better hospitality than she thinks she’s worth, she overcompensates him with three beautiful co-ed princesses. Auditors have been notified of the discrepancy.

The Bull (mc mf md) (new)  by Limerick
Martin starts a new job, and after he starts using the gym equipment at the office, he finds himself getting very lucky with his new coworkers.

Cape City Chronicles: Today the City, Tomorrow... (mc mf ff md fd ma cb) (1 new chapter)  by Jennifer Kohl
Years ago, a supervillain enslaved and then wiped out every male hero in Cape City. Now she’s escaped prison, and unpowered cop Alessandra Alvarez might be the only one who can stop her. But this time, neither of them will be working alone...

Checkmate I Think (mc mm) (1 new chapter)  by The Slaver
A millionaire crime boss attempts to outsmart his rivals.

A Christmas Conundrum? The Sinister Storm Of The Snow Queen! (mc ff cb) (new)  by HypnoticHarlequin
Christmas is here! A time for family, presents, and sinister secrets. Alicia comes home for Christmas but quickly finds out that, when Mesmera is involved, there is no such thing as a quiet holiday!

Corruption Games (mc mf fd) (1 new chapter)  by S. B.
Alexandra Ryder—a.k.a. Agent 47-D—is back and this time it’s personal.

The Corruption of Candace Kraft (mc mf md) (1 new chapter)  by scifiscribbler
Dr Kraft is annoyed to have to share her office space with another researcher.

Crossing the Rubicon (mc mf ff mm fd md) (4 new chapters)  by br0adband
There are moments in a lifetime where, with a single step, a line is crossed, a goal is achieved, a dream becomes a reality. Once that line is crossed, there’s no going back to who or what you might have been before. This is such a journey for one person.

Flightback (mc mf fd md bd ds hm) (new)  by MɛtaBob
A writer of erotica meets a flight attendant who likes his work.

Ghost Boy (mc mf ff md fd in la hm) (1 new chapter)  by MindSpark
Kyle has the ability to leave his body and become an invisible, ghost-like apparition. When he’s in this ‘ghost form’, he can influence the minds of anyone he touches. But, as he soon discovers, there’s far more to his power than just that.

Harmon’s Harem (mc mf md) (new)  by Captain Dunsel
Entrepreneur David Harmon has plans for his new business venture which includes a stable of beautiful, mind-controlled female assistants.

Her Husband’s Hucow (mc ff ma la gr ds) (1 new chapter)  by CNP
Mary and a few of her old college friends are invited to an almost forgotten friend’s home. What was expected to be a weekend of relaxation and reminiscing soon turns into something more expansive to the exquisite delight of everyone involved.

How To Pay Your College Loans (mc ff ds bd) (1 new chapter)  by Skaetlett
Clara can’t pay her college loans, or rent, or anything. She’s stuck at a job she hates with no one around her. Her life turns around when she sees an ad on the dark web recruiting “servants”, and takes drastic measures to turn her life around.

Hunny Bunny (mc ff ds ex) (new)  by Taking You Deeper
Honey goes for a walk and gets lost in the best way.

I Hear and Obey (mc ff mf fd sf rb) (2 new chapters)  by Roboman127
A powerful woman maintains her supply of Slaves from Earth of the past and present.

The Internship (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by Greyscribbler
Nichole is looking forward to learning a lot from her internship. She will.

It Started With: Alien Race-memory (mc mm sf) (new)  by The Slaver
Sheriff BJ Littlejohn is captured by aliens.

Magic Words (Karinie) (mc mf md) (new)  by Karinie
Sadie desperately wants Evan to say her trigger phrase, so that she can finally cum.

Microchip Dissertation (mc ff) (new)  by Skaetlett
When Solene has her research stolen, she has to figure out what to do... until it’s all used against her, by her very own advisor.

The Mind Control Device (mc mf ff md in) (1 new chapter)  by mypenname3000
Dean invents a mind control device.

The One (mc mf fd md) (new)  by Chrysostomon
Callie is the new girl at school. Pete is the geek. Why would she want to talk to him?

Out of Mind-Control 2 — Still A Mystery (mc ff mf ft rb) (2 new chapters)  by Catsuit78
Even five months after their investigations the Inspector and Trish can’t grab a breather as spandex-clad men and women disappear and Trish finds herself in the crosshairs. Is the Syndicate behind this? And what are they up to?

A Price Paid (mc mf ff md fd) (1 new chapter)  by Saddle Rider
Losing a prized possession to mages, a powerful man seeks revenge.

Savannah’s Hypnotic Socks (mc ff ft) (1 new chapter)  by Fibaro
A co-ed gets a pair of hypnotic socks that she uses on her roommate.

The Secret of Brookrose College (mc ff mf in sf la) (new)  by Templeton Rose
Who or what is enslaving this all-female college’s faculty and students, and using them to breed futa clones?

Space Nut (mc mf ff md) (1 new chapter)  by Redsliver
Adam discovers a crash landed alien who shares a taste for women with him, and together they will have them all, no matter the price.

Subroutine (Kallie) (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by Kallie
Lori, a college student, discovers she has a hypnotic trigger that turns her into a mindless, obedient drone. How? Why? And what’s going to happen when her roommate finds out?

The Take-down Of Quinn (mc mm) (new)  by The Slaver
A male prostitute who steals from his clients gets his comeuppance.

Thin As Paper, Thick As Blood (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by connie k
When Jackie gets a job at iconic WomaNation magazine, her future seems bright. But, within its walls, dark forces have plans for Jackie of their own.

Unaffected (mc mf md) (new)  by Jukebox
The women at Kelly’s office are behaving very strangely, and none of them seem to notice their new, subservient personalities. Luckily, Kelly has a theory about what happened and why she remains immune to the effect.

Undress Code (mc mf ff ft) (1 new chapter)  by Mania
Celest is concerned the school’s strict new “Thongs Only” dress code might be turning her daughter into some kind of slut.

Web of Trust (mc mm in) (1 new chapter)  by RobinHood70
A hypnotist builds his personal harem, while his boyfriend believes they’re monogamous.

Wildwood (mc mf md) (1 new chapter)  by notorioushypno
A mind control conspiracy spawns small-town hokum, entangling a group of plucky university students, some deadbeat locals, and a team of federal investigators.

[ErrantCitizen]

Never been the first to reply to an update, but it's a cold and dreary Saturday with nothing to do but procrastinate on life and read MC stories. So, here goes . . .

Really enjoyed Harmon’s Harem by Captain Dunsel. Somehow it never gets old to read about unsuspecting employees/new hires being mind controlled in the office (when will they learn not to drink the coffee?). This one is quite well-written and does a great job depicting the main character’s descent. Showing the heroine’s inner monologue as she struggles with her mental changes is always a plus, and a post-brainwashing epilogue is even better. My only criticism is there’s a little too much telling and not enough showing. I appreciate the time taken to set up the characters and the situation, but the story bogs down in description and exposition at certain points. Ultimately, that’s just a nitpick in what’s otherwise a great office MC story.

The second office story I read was Jukebox’s Unaffected, which feels almost effortlessly tight, humorous, and erotic in under 3000 words. I think the first Jukebox story I read was Spellbound, and although I think that probably remains my favorite (closely followed by Watch the Tapes), this week’s submission doesn’t disappoint. It feels like a minor thing, but I particularly like how the author describes the main character’s hair and then returns back to it at various points to demonstrate her master’s control over her in a physical way. Little descriptions of tactile, master-slave interaction like that can add a lot. The conversation between master and slave and the brief allusions to what's really going on are clever, too.

[walter_kovacs]

Unaffected (mc mf md) (new)  by Jukebox
The women at Kelly’s office are behaving very strangely, and none of them seem to notice their new, subservient personalities. Luckily, Kelly has a theory about what happened and why she remains immune to the effect.

This one hits quite a few of the same notes that my office story did, so naturally that means I like it It moves fairly fast ('tis a Jukebox oneshot story, so it has to get to the point understandably), has some delicious obliviousness and some nice hot ideas. Recommended for sure.


Wildwood (mc mf md) (1 new chapter)  by notorioushypno
A mind control conspiracy spawns small-town hokum, entangling a group of plucky university students, some deadbeat locals, and a team of federal investigators.


A nice ending to the saga. I saw the final scene coming and was pleased with it. It spends some time dealing with the long term consequences of things which is always interesting to see. I won't go into too much detail since I know several others are also reading this story but I think most people will be happy with it. The shoutout at the end to several readers was very kind of you also.

[Shadra]

It spends some time dealing with the long term consequences of things which is always interesting to see.

This was a nice touch.

As for my thoughts, Wildwood as a whole was an enjoyable tale. I'm sad to see it end. Plenty of twists and turns, and hot MC action. And yes, seeing my name at the end was quite a surprise!

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[321]

Like Drake, I am starting from the bottom.

Wildwood rolls to an interesting close. Things are certainly never going to be quite the same in this sleepy little town! I'm hoping for a sequel, if only to learn more about what happens going forward.

"Workplace mind control" is a hot topic these days, not that anyone can complain about that? (Okay, you can, I just won't listen lalalalalala). Unaffected is Jukebox's entry, with a lovely young woman going to her boss with concerns about 'Project Kyrios'. It's really too bad that Kelly didn't study ancient Greek! Then again, nothing to worry about. She's too aware of what's going on to be affected...

Meanwhile, in the stately offices of WomaNation magazine, Jackie's new job still has plenty of surprises. Also, her boyfriend still reads the newspaper! A solid +2 for the publishing world.    Some hot scenes with Sonya before we get a nice plot revelation courtesy of Lorriane herself, together with a lovely hidden countdown induction. Things are looking good for Thin as Paper, Thick as Blood!

[connie k]

Thank you, 321!

I guess the fact that I work for a publishing company IRL is a bit of a giveaway!

 

[ErrantCitizen]

Wildwood rolls to an interesting close. Things are certainly never going to be quite the same in this sleepy little town! I'm hoping for a sequel, if only to learn more about what happens going forward.

Although a sequel is not currently in the works, I definitely have some ideas for where I want to take the characters and the setting. I guess that's the benefit to leaving a few plot threads dangling.

As for my thoughts, Wildwood as a whole was an enjoyable tale. I'm sad to see it end. Plenty of twists and turns, and hot MC action. And yes, seeing my name at the end was quite a surprise!

Thanks! Yeah, I've never had many comments on any of my stories, so it only felt right to go back and thank everyone at the end.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

A nice ending to the saga. I saw the final scene coming and was pleased with it. It spends some time dealing with the long term consequences of things which is always interesting to see. I won't go into too much detail since I know several others are also reading this story but I think most people will be happy with it. The shoutout at the end to several readers was very kind of you also.

Thanks! I'm glad you were pleased with it, but I'll admit I don't know if I dealt with long term consequences so much as I said, "there are long term consequences . . . probably don't worry about them . . . maybe that's for a future story!"

[walter_kovacs]

Thanks! I'm glad you were pleased with it, but I'll admit I don't know if I dealt with long term consequences so much as I said, "there are long term consequences . . . probably don't worry about them . . . maybe that's for a future story!"

Even mentioning them is more than we often get, haha. It must be a relief to be finished with it all though, I feel like I've just performed a herculean task when I finish of a 12k word story 

[Pan]

The Bull is incredible. One of Limerick's finest - though that's a close race, of course.

[Janos]

I don't have a problem with it, but Microchip Dissertation should have a tg tag on it.

[walter_kovacs]

The Bull (mc mf md) (new)  by Limerick
Martin starts a new job, and after he starts using the gym equipment at the office, he finds himself getting very lucky with his new coworkers.

You see where it's going early on, but it's expertly written. It manages to work a whole lot a fuckin' in but it's all in service of the plot, which is pretty impressive. I would usually not read such a long story in one go but it hooked me, so kudos.

[BigJohn]

Really enjoyed the first chapter of Flightback by MɛtaBob. The trancing felt so intimate. Can't wait for the following chapter!

[MetaBob]

Really enjoyed the first chapter of Flightback by MɛtaBob. The trancing felt so intimate. Can't wait for the following chapter!

Thank you, BigJohn! I have 2 more chapters drafted plus another 2-4 outlined. But I also have 5 more chapters of Senioritis drafted and another 2-3 outlined. Decisions, decisions.

AnimeCon Harem (mc ma ft) (1 new chapter)  by FortySixtyFour
After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Brian attends an anime convention with a special amulet.

Superb. As always. Makes me wish I hadn't posted the first chapter of Flightback this week.

A little Horatio Alger thing going, which is a sweet surprise, and beyond Emily joining the party, which has been apparent to me for a while, I perceive a few author giveaways from upcoming chapters:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

My Chloe character in Senioritis is named for FortySixtyFour's in this piece, but flipping her script entirely, reclaiming the good in her name. It's also a well-deserved homage.

[Writer345]

Subroutine (Kallie) (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by Kallie
Lori, a college student, discovers she has a hypnotic trigger that turns her into a mindless, obedient drone. How? Why? And what’s going to happen when her roommate finds out?

Another interesting chapter...  I must say that I am really enjoying this one - after ten chapters we still seem to be in the scene-setting stage of character development (and the characters seem real).  What a fantastic slow-burn!  Please keep it up, Kallie, I still can't see where things are going.

[nametag]

I really want the rest of the harem in anime con harem to come together, but at the same time I am loving the slow burn on this. My only complaint is the time between entries, but good things are worth waiting for.

[Midori Konton]

I don't have a problem with it, but Microchip Dissertation should have a tg tag on it.

MCStories doesn't have a TG tag.

[Fortunato]

Unaffected was fantastic. Full stop.

I'm interested in the way How To Pay Your College Loans turns out. It doesn't seem to be a maid story (sad) but some kind of princess slavery story (happy). There wasn't enough focus on our protagonists actual makeover in my opinion (with descriptions), but I will be patient.

-Fortunato

[Skaetlett]

I'm interested in the way How To Pay Your College Loans turns out. It doesn't seem to be a maid story (sad) but some kind of princess slavery story (happy). There wasn't enough focus on our protagonists actual makeover in my opinion (with descriptions), but I will be patient.

Awh, thank you! Yeah, I'm definitely more into slow-moving stories, but I promise it'll pick up a bit in the next few chapters. I promise you will see Clara turn from a tomboyish nerd into a pretty, ditzy princess thanks for reading!

Also, there will be maids

[Janos]

I don't have a problem with it, but Microchip Dissertation should have a tg tag on it.

MCStories doesn't have a TG tag.

Because there is/was a policy against having them on the site.

[Shadra]

Because there is/was a policy against having them on the site.

From what I understand, the rule you're thinking of applies specifically to sex changes in a story. There is no rule against having trans characters in general.

[Merry Brooks]

Because there is/was a policy against having them on the site.

From what I understand, the rule you're thinking of applies specifically to sex changes in a story. There is no rule against having trans characters in general.

A long time ago, it seemed there was, but seems to have disappeared somewhere along the way

[Daisy]

Because there is/was a policy against having them on the site.

From what I understand, the rule you're thinking of applies specifically to sex changes in a story. There is no rule against having trans characters in general.

A long time ago, it seemed there was, but seems to have disappeared somewhere along the way

I asked Simon recently and his reply seemed to indicate the ban still stands (even though what I wrote didn't apply).

[grey_shadow]

There is a certain story archetype where a jock gets magically transformed into a female body, and then spends the rest of the story embracing their new social role and exploring their new anatomy. Somewhere in the moments immediately following the transformation, they get hit by mind control to get them over the initial freak-out, but that never comes up again...

[321]

Because there is/was a policy against having them on the site.

From what I understand, the rule you're thinking of applies specifically to sex changes in a story. There is no rule against having trans characters in general.

A long time ago, it seemed there was, but seems to have disappeared somewhere along the way

It's weird, I could have sworn there was a TG tag at some point as well, but the Wayback Machine says otherwise?

[zorkmeister]

Black Swan (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by nevermind
A secret division of the American intelligence apparatus fights against mind-controlling slavers. When one of their own is compromised and captured, the agents of the division must take action before it is too late.

I thought the new chapters added to nevermind's Black Swan were excellent. I'm always a bit wary about zap mind-control but this story does it very well. The writing is excellent and the way the agents become utterly ruthless slaves ready to do their Mistress' bidding is very hot.

Nice bit of mind-fuckery going on, particularly in the alternative ending.

[gyrd]

I bailed on "The Bull" by Limerick.  Not a fan of stories where the men get dumber.  I prefer the Limerick stories that avoid this particular plot point, like "The Man in Room Ten"

[BethanyP]

Black Swan (mc ff) (1 new chapter)  by nevermind
A secret division of the American intelligence apparatus fights against mind-controlling slavers. When one of their own is compromised and captured, the agents of the division must take action before it is too late.

I thought the new chapters added to nevermind's Black Swan were excellent. I'm always a bit wary about zap mind-control but this story does it very well. The writing is excellent and the way the agents become utterly ruthless slaves ready to do their Mistress' bidding is very hot.

Nice bit of mind-fuckery going on, particularly in the alternative ending.

I completely agree, the alternate ending took the original ending to a whole new level; it might not have been the alternate ending my sappy self was hoping for when I first noticed it was posted, but it was fantastically good and as wonderfully written as the rest of the story.   This is one of those stories that seemingly never let up or even took a breath, so much so that I didn't mind the 'instant' inductions either.

[BethanyP]

I am so sad to see Wildwood by notorioushypno come to an end, but what a ride and as I think I mentioned before I'm really grateful to whichever one of you commenters said something about this story; I'd totally missed it and it was only thanks to one of the comments here that I went back to read it.  I'm so glad I did, this story did so many things that worked for me - lots of unpredictable (to me at least) plot twists, characters I cared about, and some really really hot mind control, for sure.  My two cents is that I love the 'what happened after' section of the story.  If the characters are interesting at all I always want to know, and this epilogue was even better for having opened up all sorts of new questions.  I really hope we'll see these characters again.  (Oh, and thank you for unexpected mention, notorioushypno, but most of all thank you so much for creating this!)

The second chapter of Thin As Paper, Thick As Blood by conniek is unsurprisingly every bit as good as the first, this is definitely right at the top of my "can't wait for Saturday" list, I love the long slow burn in this one and so well written, it's just relentless.  And it's only one of two really great office MC stories going on, along with The Internship by Greyscribbler.  I really like where this seems to be going and I've a hunch the author isn't going to let himself be hurried.  I'm all for that!

I'm really going to have to set aside more quality reading time next week, between these and a few others. 

[Midori Konton]

There is a certain story archetype where a jock gets magically transformed into a female body, and then spends the rest of the story embracing their new social role and exploring their new anatomy. Somewhere in the moments immediately following the transformation, they get hit by mind control to get them over the initial freak-out, but that never comes up again...

That argument has never made any sense to me. Leave out the gender change and this describes about 80% of the bimbofication stories on the site.

More to the point, that's NOT how the rule was applied in the past--it used to be a blanket ban on gender transformations, period, no matter how much other MC it contained. (That's why the last chapter of sara castle's Mindfield was never posted, even though the other chapters had tons of MC, and IIRC that chapter had plenty as well.) I'm very glad to see it loosening to at least allow transgender characters.

[ghosthostblue]

Echoing that the first installment of Flightback has some very effective (and freshly romantic?) hypnotic-state writing going on. It has a soothing tone (not just the trance aspects but the entire opening chapter). Don't know where the story arc is going to take us yet, but it feels like a promising flight is coming.

[KhakiAchilles]

Simon's ban on gender change content or TG content or whatever is one of those topics that pops up over and over again here. I can't really think of much that is worth saying about it at this point. I'll never write for the EMCSA again as long as the ban is in place. I almost never read any stories posted there. Simon's site is essentially irrelevant for me at this point, so I don't care.

[scifiscribbler]

Simon's ban on gender change content or TG content or whatever is one of those topics that pops up over and over again here. I can't really think of much that is worth saying about it at this point. I'll never write for the EMCSA again as long as the ban is in place. I almost never read any stories posted there. Simon's site is essentially irrelevant for me at this point, so I don't care.

This is a weird thread to be reading in the first place given that data.

[KhakiAchilles]

Simon's ban on gender change content or TG content or whatever is one of those topics that pops up over and over again here. I can't really think of much that is worth saying about it at this point. I'll never write for the EMCSA again as long as the ban is in place. I almost never read any stories posted there. Simon's site is essentially irrelevant for me at this point, so I don't care.

This is a weird thread to be reading in the first place given that data.

Maybe the whole MC Forum is a weird thing to be reading. I think I'll spend a week or two away from it.

[Daisy]

Simon's ban on gender change content or TG content or whatever is one of those topics that pops up over and over again here. I can't really think of much that is worth saying about it at this point. I'll never write for the EMCSA again as long as the ban is in place. I almost never read any stories posted there. Simon's site is essentially irrelevant for me at this point, so I don't care.

This is a weird thread to be reading in the first place given that data.

Maybe the whole MC Forum is a weird thing to be reading. I think I'll spend a week or two away from it.

the way i understand it, the ban isn't for TG MC content itself but for NC TG stuff that's masquerading as MC stuff with only the faintest layer of MC tossed in and immediately dismissed in favor of the TG NC stuff.
But yeah, bit weird to be reading a thread about what's new om EMCSA if you're boycotting EMCSA.

[Shadra]

Which is also to say that maybe this topic should be continued in another thread (if at all)

[Daisy]

Which is also to say that maybe this topic should be continued in another thread (if at all)

I have nothing to add, so a new topic is not required for my benefit.

I'm just stalking this thread because i've been working on something that's horrible and taking the fun out of writing but hopeful that i'll be able to add my other secret idea i haven't told any of you of yet and see my name up on that list in glory again.

does Simon allow for anonymous publishing? like the whole Alan Smithee thing in film?

[walter_kovacs]

does Simon allow for anonymous publishing? like the whole Alan Smithee thing in film?

First of all, how dare you. 

There are presently 47authors listed as "Anonymous-[number]" in the archive. I don't know if these were people who also published under other names, or simply people who never wanted to have a specific identity. I would assume that he's fine with it. But worst case scenario, start another free email address and send it in under a different pseudonym.

[greyscribbler]

The second chapter of Thin As Paper, Thick As Blood by conniek is unsurprisingly every bit as good as the first, this is definitely right at the top of my "can't wait for Saturday" list, I love the long slow burn in this one and so well written, it's just relentless.  And it's only one of two really great office MC stories going on, along with The Internship by Greyscribbler.  I really like where this seems to be going and I've a hunch the author isn't going to let himself be hurried.  I'm all for that!

I'm really going to have to set aside more quality reading time next week, between these and a few others.

Thanks Bethany, glad you're enjoying the story.  The Internship will be 10 parts, so we are almost at the halfway point.

Although I have already promised another reader a spin-off story.

Greyscribbler

[StoryFan]

I don't think I will be truly happy until Amy, Natalie and the probation girl tasked with managing Sophie are all topless and waving their phones at the camera on Sophie's softcore phone sex television show.

[connie k]

Thank you, so much, Bethany!

[MetaBob]

Echoing that the first installment of Flightback has some very effective (and freshly romantic?) hypnotic-state writing going on. It has a soothing tone (not just the trance aspects but the entire opening chapter).

GHB, it absolutely makes my day to see praise for my work from a writer as good as you ... thank you!

Don't know where the story arc is going to take us yet, but it feels like a promising flight is coming.

I'd been leaning away from posting Flightback chapter 2 in the next update because I only have two more ready to go (though I've outlined and/or partially written 2-4 more), as opposed to FIVE more ready to go for Senioritis (with 2-3 more outlined), but I had a good writing day yesterday, and honestly I could post one of each this one time.

[Shadra]

I regret what I said previously about The Internship, cuz this chapter was great. Definitely eager to see where things go, though knowing that we're not even halfway there yet (until next week that is) I can't help but wonder just what might be left in store. It almost feels like Nichole is pretty far into things already, so unless any remaining changes are drawn out, I can't help but wonder if there's a neat little twist coming up soon. Either way, will be looking forward to the next installment on Saturday!

Also got around to reading Microchip Dissertation right after. There was a lot I really liked about the story. However, much of what happened was a bit too cruel/abusive for my own tastes. I'd say overall I still enjoyed it, though!

It does make me wonder... with the whole 'non-con' idea, is that considered pre- or post-MC? Obviously in the above story, the character is forced to do things she doesn't want to do, and is shown her distaste for the acts. But what about stories where we know a character doesn't want to do something, but through the MC, they are made to want to do it? Is that still classified as 'non-con' in the same way? Or still 'non-con' but in a different way? :thinkingemoji:

[Midori Konton]

It does make me wonder... with the whole 'non-con' idea, is that considered pre- or post-MC? Obviously in the above story, the character is forced to do things she doesn't want to do, and is shown her distaste for the acts. But what about stories where we know a character doesn't want to do something, but through the MC, they are made to want to do it? Is that still classified as 'non-con' in the same way? Or still 'non-con' but in a different way? :thinkingemoji:

For purposes of fics, usually that's not considered non-con--changing what the person wants is assumed to be covered by the MC tag, and non-con refers to makign them do stuff they don't want to do.

For purposes of RL hypnoplay, oh yeah, anything like that (insofar as it's possible, which isn't very) is non-con and a big no-no.

[charleswallace]

The Bull (mc mf md) (new)  by Limerick
Martin starts a new job, and after he starts using the gym equipment at the office, he finds himself getting very lucky with his new coworkers.

I'm just adding to the pile at this point. This was a fantastic story, even taking the rest of Limerick's catalog into account. All of the characters pop, the plot unfolds like clockwork, and the story just gets hotter and hotter. Also, I'm really digging Limerick's comedic timing lately. There's always been a bit of levity in his stories, but he's been nailing his lighter scenes the last several stories, this story included.

[Limerick]

The Bull (mc mf md) (new)  by Limerick
Martin starts a new job, and after he starts using the gym equipment at the office, he finds himself getting very lucky with his new coworkers.

I'm just adding to the pile at this point. This was a fantastic story, even taking the rest of Limerick's catalog into account. All of the characters pop, the plot unfolds like clockwork, and the story just gets hotter and hotter. Also, I'm really digging Limerick's comedic timing lately. There's always been a bit of levity in his stories, but he's been nailing his lighter scenes the last several stories, this story included.

I edited this one a lot which is something I almost never do.

Initially my himbo got more and more aggressive and anger-prone as the story went on. On reflection I switched that entirely -- he starts out angry and ends up a placid wall of muscle. My thinking was that anger is borne out of frustration and by the end Martin had nothing to be frustrated about as life was now lifting weights and getting his dick sucked. As a more general matter, as this was my first real himboization story, I just didn't like him as an angry roid-rager. Obviously himbos can come in many forms but I think I like them most as fun, dim, gentle giants.

[Skaetlett]

Also got around to reading Microchip Dissertation right after. There was a lot I really liked about the story. However, much of what happened was a bit too cruel/abusive for my own tastes. I'd say overall I still enjoyed it, though!

It does make me wonder... with the whole 'non-con' idea, is that considered pre- or post-MC? Obviously in the above story, the character is forced to do things she doesn't want to do, and is shown her distaste for the acts. But what about stories where we know a character doesn't want to do something, but through the MC, they are made to want to do it? Is that still classified as 'non-con' in the same way? Or still 'non-con' but in a different way? :thinkingemoji:

Hey thanks for reading! I'm happy you enjoyed it, despite how cruel it was. It's definitely one of the more evil stories I wrote, so it's probably not to everyone's tastes. I'll definitely be writing lighter stuff in the future!

The non-con stuff is... complicated. I always think about tagging my work as NC, because it technically is. (Split Slave was technically a sex slavery story, for instance.) But I never know if it quite fits into the nc category.

[Pan]

I edited this one a lot which is something I almost never do.

I think it really paid off!

[ErrantCitizen]

I am so sad to see Wildwood by notorioushypno come to an end, but what a ride and as I think I mentioned before I'm really grateful to whichever one of you commenters said something about this story; I'd totally missed it and it was only thanks to one of the comments here that I went back to read it.  I'm so glad I did, this story did so many things that worked for me - lots of unpredictable (to me at least) plot twists, characters I cared about, and some really really hot mind control, for sure.  My two cents is that I love the 'what happened after' section of the story.  If the characters are interesting at all I always want to know, and this epilogue was even better for having opened up all sorts of new questions.  I really hope we'll see these characters again.  (Oh, and thank you for unexpected mention, notorioushypno, but most of all thank you so much for creating this!)

Thanks! Always feels good to read a reaction to a story, but it's particularly nice to read such a positive one! Definitely got some plans for future stories with these characters, but it's not much more than outlines and fragments at this point.

[Shadra]

Starting with Thin As Paper, this story was recommended to me, and I had to go back to read chapter one to catch up. I'll start with my (non)criticisms first to get that out of the way. Nothing wrong with the story itself, but I read this coming off the heals of The Internship, and having two office stories like this, that share a lot of similar elements, seems to result in the two stories getting jumbled in my head. Not a fault of the story itself, of course. It was another enjoyable entry, with some really fun scenes. Well written, and I'll be keen to see where the story goes going forward. Hopefully I'll be able to keep the two straight next week!

I had missed reading Black Swan when it originally came out, for whatever reason. I'm not a particularly fast reader, so even to myself I'd say it's rather surprising that I read what ended up being almost 50k words for one story in a week. But it was another story that I read that was recommended to me. I suppose since I didn't review any of it before, my following review will cover the entire story, instead of just the alternate ending that was posted.

I loved the first six chapters. It was a wonderful tale of a group fighting against an organization, only to be tripped up time after time. The cast was pretty big, but the characters were engaging, and it wasn't hard to begin rooting for them almost right away. The threat of people turning on the group added some nice suspense, and hell, betrayal is one of my favorite things in a story. So really this was all kind of right up my alley.

Which... left me a bit surprised with the way the story turned in the following chapters. Honestly it kind of felt like the story ended with chapter 6, to me. There were some minor world building revelations, but the bulk of it felt a bit copy-paste with the next three chapters. Chapter 10, and the subsequent alternate chapter, did feel a touch different, and I'll go over those in spoilers, as the alternate is new. Just some other quick thoughts, first.

Others brought up the instant induction method, and I'd say I'd have to agree, I wasn't bothered by it. What the characters did afterward was the meat of it anyways, so I don't feel like anything was lost by the methods of the drug itself. One thing that did kind of take me out of the story, though, was how the enslaved people were automatically 'programmed' to be obedient to one person. I think personally I would have preferred perhaps some sort of imprinting used once the person woke up (I think it would have opened to wonderful possibilities) to enslave them to Moreau.

As for the ending:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

All in all, like I said, I enjoyed the first half of the story a lot more. Those that love serial recruitment, near-hive-mind scenes of enslavement, would probably love the later, if not all, chapters. The quality is great regardless, and I'm glad to have read through it. Despite the few issues I had, it was still great fun, and I'd recommend it myself.

[Shadra]

Rounding out the week with Flightback, just before the next update. Knowing the inspiration for the story, it's nice to see the idea grow into a proper story. Not sure I would have the confidence to write anything with myself as the main character.

As I've mentioned to Mɛta, he has great skill with his writing that I admit I'm a bit envious of. The story is well written with a sweet opening scene with a cared focus on the induction. Those that like pleasant tales will definitely find something to enjoy in this.

[MetaBob]

Rounding out the week with Flightback, just before the next update. Knowing the inspiration for the story, it's nice to see the idea grow into a proper story. Not sure I would have the confidence to write anything with myself as the main character.

As I've mentioned to Mɛta, he has great skill with his writing that I admit I'm a bit envious of. The story is well written with a sweet opening scene with a cared focus on the induction. Those that like pleasant tales will definitely find something to enjoy in this.

Thank you, Shadra! I'm very happy to have received the inspiration for this piece on your (and Carefully Random's) Discord server!

And thank you to 321 (plus one other inspiration, who I wish I could recall) for the question there: "I'm curious, though, if anyone has ever written an EMCSA story about an EMCSA story writer"

I cited br0adband in reply. And Wiseguy. I even included a somewhat inevitable Wiseguy homage in my chapter 2. I felt honored to do so, and still do.

[neverm1nd]

Thank you Zork, BethanyP and Shadra for you kind words. It's always great to hea that people enjoy my writing! Thank you especially Shara for your nuanced take on the later chapters and the new ending. I definitely see what you mean, and some of the points you raised were by design. The main plot is definitely done by chapter 6, and the rest of it is indulgence and fetish fodder. Your mileage may absolutely vary on that

And concerning what you said about the new ending:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[connie k]

Thank you, Shadra.

I will take a wild guess and say the stories diverge considerably in the end.

[4064]

AnimeCon Harem (mc ma ft) (1 new chapter)  by FortySixtyFour
After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Brian attends an anime convention with a special amulet.

Superb. As always. Makes me wish I hadn't posted the first chapter of Flightback this week.

A little Horatio Alger thing going, which is a sweet surprise, and beyond Emily joining the party, which has been apparent to me for a while, I perceive a few author giveaways from upcoming chapters:

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My Chloe character in Senioritis is named for FortySixtyFour's in this piece, but flipping her script entirely, reclaiming the good in her name. It's also a well-deserved homage.

Haha, the other fiction I write possibly leans too hard into the Horatio Alger sorta thing. Thanks for reading, man! Very pleased that now at least one other person is willing to accept a redemption scenario for Chloe characters. I mean, I write her as a bit of a hate sink, but from some of the reader responses I've gotten you'd think she was an eldritch abomination intent on performing human sacrifices and hellbent on spreading misery and destruction at any cost.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

I really want the rest of the harem in anime con harem to come together, but at the same time I am loving the slow burn on this. My only complaint is the time between entries, but good things are worth waiting for.

nametag, you appear every single time I've made a post here. Really appreciate your support, MCstories was the first site I started writing fiction on and if not for the right kind words at just the right time I don't know that I'd have bothered to keep trying back when I was struggling to balance work and writing. Message me sometime when you're free, I'm interested in what you might think of some of the chapters I'm working on.

[321]

More bottoms-up reviews (wait, that sounds wrong... anyway!)

Kallie's Subroutine sees our two protagonists on very different paths, one still trying to solve the mystery and escape slavery, and the other now sinking fully into her new life as a four-digit robot. And the number of robots continues to grow! I liked the dark turn here as

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, after being so eager to get to the bottom of things at the start of the story. Then again, she seems happier now...

Speaking of mysteries, there's more latex/robot/mind control fun going on inOut of Mind Control 2. The induction via smoke detector was creative and (quite possibly) a first for an EMCSA story? I enjoy stories with brainwashed moles and betrayal, so I'm looking forward to the next installment.

The Internship opens this week with a scene that reminds me of "Attack Angels," with a character brainwashing herself at home, after a long work day. Of course

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. Nichole certainly is a fast learner. I'm not sure how you'd put these skills on a resume, but then again, I get the feeling that her internship is going to end with a job offer she can't refuse.

Bob's on a roll in Flightback. A free upgrade, a hot flight attendant fawning over him, and then a chat about erotic mind control stories leads to sexy (dare I say romantic?) fun. And we haven't even reached Germany yet! MetaBob does a good job here with making us care about his characters, and wanting to know more about them. It'll be interesting to see where this plane goes.

More comic book fun awaits in Issue #3 of Cape City Chronicles! Our brainwashed heroine is just starting out on her new, re-aligned career path, while Lieutenant Alvarez continues to chip away at the case. If only she knew what was going on behind her back! This feels like a good setup for the next installment!

Meanwhile, poor Gene continues to juggle his girls in Blizzard. I love the character development here, as Gene and his girlfriends all struggle with their emotions and feelings. They all get some sage advice that could very well determine the outcome of the story. Also, they may want to think about cleaning those boots. They've gotten a lot of use lately!

(I still need to read through Black Swan and a few others before Simon's newest update hits today...)

[greyscribbler]

I regret what I said previously about The Internship, cuz this chapter was great. Definitely eager to see where things go, though knowing that we're not even halfway there yet (until next week that is) I can't help but wonder just what might be left in store. It almost feels like Nichole is pretty far into things already, so unless any remaining changes are drawn out, I can't help but wonder if there's a neat little twist coming up soon. Either way, will be looking forward to the next installment on Saturday!

Thanks Shadra.  There is some way left to go.  Ms. Henderson has her pretty much under control, but there's a difference between control and what the controller then makes of someone.

Greyscribbler

[greyscribbler]

The Internship opens this week with a scene that reminds me of "Attack Angels," with a character brainwashing herself at home, after a long work day. ...  Nichole certainly is a fast learner. I'm not sure how you'd put these skills on a resume, but then again, I get the feeling that her internship is going to end with a job offer she can't refuse.

Thanks 321.  Nichole certainly likes learning.

Greyscribbler

[Catsuit78]

Speaking of mysteries, there's more latex/robot/mind control fun going on inOut of Mind Control 2. The induction via smoke detector was creative and (quite possibly) a first for an EMCSA story? I enjoy stories with brainwashed moles and betrayal, so I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks, 321, for your comment on Out of Mind Control 2. In this story I wanted to show how ordinary things of everyday life can be used for mc (satnav, cycling suit, TV, ...), so I just took a look around when I wrote that chapter and spotted the smoke detector ... and chose it as a very minimalist manipulation that could only work with the subject understanding the code.

Well, there's more suspicion/betrayal (and, of course, latex, mc and robot stuff) to come. So I hope you and everyone else will enjoy the forthcoming chapters (chapter IV (Tuesday) has just gone online and the remaining four will be put online in three chunks: Wednesday, Tuesday and Friday+Epilogue) as well.

Happy Holidays to all of you.

[gyrd]

I'm not usually a fan of stories as short as "Unaffected" but that one really hit the spot.  I particularly liked the victim unconsciously slipping into calling her master "Master", even as she talks about how everyone *else* has fallen victim to the MC plot.

[Redsliver]

Meanwhile, poor Gene continues to juggle his girls in Blizzard. I love the character development here, as Gene and his girlfriends all struggle with their emotions and feelings. They all get some sage advice that could very well determine the outcome of the story. Also, they may want to think about cleaning those boots. They've gotten a lot of use lately!

Thank you so much! I have the final chapters and epilogue (which is #29) written and am working with a proper editor to make Blizzard absolutely awesome. I hope to have all of the changes posted the next time I post a Blizzard chapter. Cosmetic changes, sharper dialogue, basic SPAGhetti wrestling, and affirming character consistency. The events, the characters, the romance, the plot, and the conflict remain intact, though a single world building character is added. (added a total of six sentences.) I'm really excited to show it off but editor and me have a lot of work to do before I can send off the upgraded chapters.

Thanks again, 321, your consistent comments have made the whole process rewarding. I'm glad I'm entertaining you.

[walter_kovacs]

I'm not usually a fan of stories as short as "Unaffected" but that one really hit the spot.  I particularly liked the victim unconsciously slipping into calling her master "Master", even as she talks about how everyone *else* has fallen victim to the MC plot.

Jukebox is a master of the shorter works! A shameless plug to be sure but if you are interested in a similarly themed but longer story (~10-11k) you could try this one of mine.

[Midori Konton]

More comic book fun awaits in Issue #3 of Cape City Chronicles! Our brainwashed heroine is just starting out on her new, re-aligned career path, while Lieutenant Alvarez continues to chip away at the case. If only she knew what was going on behind her back! This feels like a good setup for the next installment!

Thank you kindly! And yeah, this was mostly a setting-up-the-pieces chapter... *evil grin*

[scifiscribbler]

Thank you kindly! And yeah, this was mostly a setting-up-the-pieces chapter... *evil grin*

But what fun pieces to put on the board.

[MCaesar]

For this Day-Old Thoughts on Week-Old Stories with MCaesar, it's the big finale of W I L D W O O D

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Still, despite these notes, and those I gave on earlier chapters, this was still a very well-crafted story. I got attached to the characters, I was invested in the ups and downs of the plot, and was satisfied with the ending. One to be proud of.

[MCaesar]

Some quick Day-Old Thoughts on Flightback:

I'll echo others saying that the prose and trance are well-done. Warmth and relaxation, unsurprisingly, suffuse the reading experience.

I found my suspension of disbelief rather strained, though. What are the odds of an EMCSA writer meeting an EMCSA reader by chance in the wild? And that reader being a fawning fan of that writer specifically? And of that fan being a hypnotist? And of that hypnotist having a profoundly ethical philosophy, which I suspect mirrors the author's own exactly? And that author falling into a deep trance quickly on his first try with little or no previous trance experience? I'm no mathematician, but I think the Venn diagram there is pretty small.

But then again, I like stories about magic spells, psychic powers, superheroes, and aliens too. Maybe I shouldn't poke too much fun at a premise that's trying to be a bit more grounded. I'm finding the grounded ones more and more appealing the more mature I get. Besides, if people didn't submit their blatant self-insert gratification fantasies here, the archive would be empty.

[ErrantCitizen]

For this Day-Old Thoughts on Week-Old Stories with MCaesar, it's the big finale of W I L D W O O D

Thanks for the feedback! All comments are appreciated, especially ones that are as well-considered and supportive as yours.

I think one of the benefits of starting a new chapter with some variation on "it had been a week since" or "after months had passed" is that an author can just sort of hand wave away certain details and let the reader fill in the rest. Although that probably works better for

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

There's definitely a fine line between subtlety and being needlessly vague, and I might have relied too much on those time skips toward the end.

As for the ending,

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[grey_shadow]

Some quick Day-Old Thoughts on Flightback:

I'll echo others saying that the prose and trance are well-done. Warmth and relaxation, unsurprisingly, suffuse the reading experience.

I found my suspension of disbelief rather strained, though. What are the odds of an EMCSA writer meeting an EMCSA reader by chance in the wild? And that reader being a fawning fan of that writer specifically? And of that fan being a hypnotist? And of that hypnotist having a profoundly ethical philosophy, which I suspect mirrors the author's own exactly? And that author falling into a deep trance quickly on his first try with little or no previous trance experience? I'm no mathematician, but I think the Venn diagram there is pretty small.

But then again, I like stories about magic spells, psychic powers, superheroes, and aliens too. Maybe I shouldn't poke too much fun at a premise that's trying to be a bit more grounded. I'm finding the grounded ones more and more appealing the more mature I get. Besides, if people didn't submit their blatant self-insert gratification fantasies here, the archive would be empty.

Let's see... there are more than 2500 authors on the EMCSA. If each author has a thousand fans, and meets a thousand individuals "in the wild", then, ignoring all cultural clustering, the chances of some EMCSA writer meeting one of their fans by chance would be around 28%. The fan being the sort of person the author writes about is not that surprising, given they're a fan, and an author who writes about people like himself going into hypnosis quickly, deeply and easily is going to have primed himself to respond well to hypnosis from people like the hypnotists he writes about.

Of course, the things I've left out of that analysis are that a lot more gets written about "magic" mind control than about realistic hypnosis, and that a lot of authors don't go around mentioning the EMCSA to casual acquaintances, both of which will reduce the odds considerably. Still, I'd guess at the actual figure being more "statistically significant" than "lottery win".

[MCaesar]

Let's see... there are more than 2500 authors on the EMCSA. If each author has a thousand fans, and meets a thousand individuals "in the wild", then, ignoring all cultural clustering, the chances of some EMCSA writer meeting one of their fans by chance would be around 28%. The fan being the sort of person the author writes about is not that surprising, given they're a fan, and an author who writes about people like himself going into hypnosis quickly, deeply and easily is going to have primed himself to respond well to hypnosis from people like the hypnotists he writes about.

Of course, the things I've left out of that analysis are that a lot more gets written about "magic" mind control than about realistic hypnosis, and that a lot of authors don't go around mentioning the EMCSA to casual acquaintances, both of which will reduce the odds considerably. Still, I'd guess at the actual figure being more "statistically significant" than "lottery win".

"More statistically significant than lottery win" also applies to getting hit by a meteor, but I take your point. And of course many of the criteria I listed are not independent of one another at all. Just lampshading the improbably perfect scenario. A story about a very probable scenario, where an EMCSA author does something mundane and nothing particularly interesting happens, wouldn't be a story worth writing or reading.

[scifiscribbler]

"More statistically significant than lottery win" also applies to getting hit by a meteor, but I take your point. And of course many of the criteria I listed are not independent of one another at all. Just lampshading the improbably perfect scenario. A story about a very probable scenario, where an EMCSA author does something mundane and nothing particularly interesting happens, wouldn't be a story worth writing or reading.

Never read any Thomas Hardy, man. Especially The Mayor of Casterbridge.

[321]

Some quick Day-Old Thoughts on Flightback:

...What are the odds of an EMCSA writer meeting an EMCSA reader by chance in the wild?...

Has happened to me exactly once, and I've only been a writer for 18 months or so. I guess I should play the lottery more often. 

(Although, as far as I know, this person did not know that I was an EMCSA writer, was not a fan of my work, did not hypnotize me into a deep, relaxing trance, and did not bump me up to a better seat class on an international flight. But, there's the whole 'you will remember nothing' thing, so...)

[MCaesar]

Some quick Day-Old Thoughts on Flightback:

...What are the odds of an EMCSA writer meeting an EMCSA reader by chance in the wild?...

Has happened to me exactly once, and I've only been a writer for 18 months or so. I guess I should play the lottery more often. 

(Although, as far as I know, this person did not know that I was an EMCSA writer, was not a fan of my work, did not hypnotize me into a deep, relaxing trance, and did not bump me up to a better seat class on an international flight. But, there's the whole 'you will remember nothing' thing, so...)

This has been a very illustrative conversation about, to me, the dangers of asking rhetorical questions. Though that sounds like an anecdote I'd be interested to hear. Given that we've been talking about improbability as it pertains to smutty fantasies, I'll try to keep my expectations low.

[grey_shadow]

"More statistically significant than lottery win" also applies to getting hit by a meteor, but I take your point. And of course many of the criteria I listed are not independent of one another at all. Just lampshading the improbably perfect scenario. A story about a very probable scenario, where an EMCSA author does something mundane and nothing particularly interesting happens, wouldn't be a story worth writing or reading.

Getting hit by a car, sure, but there have been thousands of lottery winners, while only a handful of recorded incidents of people being hit by meteors (or, technically, meteorites - meteors don't make it down to ground level).

All stories have selection bias - only interesting events get written about - so you need a hugely improbable coincidence (or a consistent pattern of otherwise unrelated coincidences) to have justification for strained suspension of disbelief.

[Midori Konton]

Thank you kindly! And yeah, this was mostly a setting-up-the-pieces chapter... *evil grin*

But what fun pieces to put on the board.

I know I've been enjoying playing with them.

Also, re: meeting EMCSA authors in the wild: I met an EMCSA reader in the wild once! She became an author a few months later (AskJeeves). Also we've been dating pretty much ever since that meeting, and she has me pretty thoroughly brainwashed at this point. So it's happened at least once.

[MetaBob]

Some quick Day-Old Thoughts on Flightback:

I'll echo others saying that the prose and trance are well-done. Warmth and relaxation, unsurprisingly, suffuse the reading experience.

Thanks for that. Nice word, "suffuse", too. I'll add it to the list I'll try and fit into some later thing.

I found my suspension of disbelief rather strained, though. What are the odds of an EMCSA writer meeting an EMCSA reader by chance in the wild? And that reader being a fawning fan of that writer specifically? And of that fan being a hypnotist? And of that hypnotist having a profoundly ethical philosophy, which I suspect mirrors the author's own exactly? And that author falling into a deep trance quickly on his first try with little or no previous trance experience? I'm no mathematician, but I think the Venn diagram there is pretty small.

But then again, I like stories about magic spells, psychic powers, superheroes, and aliens too. Maybe I shouldn't poke too much fun at a premise that's trying to be a bit more grounded. I'm finding the grounded ones more and more appealing the more mature I get. Besides, if people didn't submit their blatant self-insert gratification fantasies here, the archive would be empty.

Yeh, in an archive filled with stories where the MC comes via a quicky flash of light or magic or technology or drugs or costumed superhero superpowers, the idea of a "realistic" induction seems a little stretchy sometimes. I guess. 

Fwiw, much of what I described in chapter 1 happened to me in real life earlier this year, and I can easily imagine that the flight attendant in question, who really did have one of the most beautiful smiles I've ever seen and really did move me exactly as described, was a reader of exactly this sort of thing. They live a difficult existence, away from home sometimes for days at a time, which can make it difficult to fit in a personal life, and are often treated shabbily, indeed like, as Paul Westerberg so colorfully (and disdainfully, and unpleasantly) put it, a "Waitress In The Sky". Yet we all have needs, and desires, and hopes for something better, and find it where and when and how we can. And as I know from talking to my psychotherapist friends, and from my partner who majored in psychology, hypnosis is a thing, and like other things in college, it gets explored, sometimes rather expertly, even by amateurs.

For me, the "how" of the MC state is an entirely different issue than what happens before, during, or after. I shy away from the easy way in favor of something that is often ... sexier, at least for me, sometimes in combination with other methods, as in some of my other writing. Others feel differently, I know.

[MCaesar]

One last Week-Old Thoughts for this (last) week, though I will confess, they are less than a day old. I blew through A Christmas Conundrum? The Sinister Storm Of The Snow Queen! in its entirety this afternoon.

But actually, most of this post will be taking advantage of this opportunity to talk about My Mom Is A Supervillain?!, that Conundrum is the sequel to, because I didn't at the time.

On the more technical side, there's room to improve. The prose is noticeably on the "tell" side of the "show, don't tell" spectrum. Characters "grin" or "smile" their lines, as opposed to "saying" them, which I find calls unwanted attention to itself. At the conceptual level, the story is advertised as a superhero tale, but it's much more heavily influenced by anime tropes. Half the heroes are magical girls with transformations and special moves they yell out as they perform them. I am not particularly invested in that style, so the parts that really leaned on it didn't really grab me as much. I do like a good dash of camp in my superhero stories, but too much anime camp I can find grating, and this story sometimes rode that line.

However.

I'll be damned if this story isn't so fucking charming! If there was one thing that the anime sensibilities afforded this story, it was a dazzling earnestness. I could not help but enjoy watching the trials and triumphs of the characters. More specifically, I thought the world was interesting and fleshed out well, and the main protagonists were very entertaining.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Christmas Conundrum is basically a special holiday episode to the main series, and retains all of the same strengths and flaws of the original. I would have liked to see mind control take a more active role in the plot too, beyond just using it on bystanders. Favorite moment: the baking scene.