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Forthcoming
And All Was Devastation
Current
Legend of Mother
EarthBound: Of Swords and Bats
Swapsies
Phase Distorted
Previous
Unusual Species
"EarthBound" Fanfiction Database
'EarthBound Fanfiction Reviews'
She has been acclaimed for her thoughtful attention to detail -- emotional or otherwise -- and the clear amount of dedication that goes into her updates. She has stated that the depth in her writing can be inspired by a variety of different things, ranging from other fiction to real-life everyday happenings and music. Tracy and Pippi are among her most prominently used characters.
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--Expanded Bio
SaturnStorm has slowly but surely become one of "EarthBound" fanfiction's most well-praised writers. She is primarily -- as of this writing anyway -- recognized not for a collection of completed works or well-known chapters, but for a wide range of creative ideas, an elite-level narrative, and a great enthusiasm for the craft.
Room For Improvement (as of this writing): Plot. While SaturnStorm comes up with some interesting concepts for stories, those tales sometimes lag when she seems unsure of how to connect the dots. This can also lead to an occasional overemphasis on trivialities as opposed to those intriguing moments that get you wondering what's coming next. Interestingly, this problem is notably absent so far in the rewrite EarthBound: Of Swords and Bats. It's unclear as to whether or not that's due to the opening plot already being mapped out.
Notable Contemporaries: In terms of style, SaturnStorm's closest peers are probably MoonlitAngel007, who writes with a narrative beauty that's similar but not entirely the same, and PSI322, who's also been complimented by SaturnStorm herself.
Quote: "Don't feel like you have to give the readers everything: Fiction is about expression, and it's up to you to decide whether or not it's a finished, decent piece that reflects your talent."
Expect The 'Unusual'
In 2002 and 2004, SaturnStorm did a good deal of work on two stories, one in each year, that would bring her a degree of recognition -- both called Unusual Species.
The first tale painted the titular characters as a small band of aliens who'd come to Earth and brought their troubles along, prompting Ness and the others to lend assistance to the group's quest as they searched for an individual called the "key."
While it eventually earned the "Good" rating from EFR, this fanfic went largely overlooked in terms of feedback, though that kind of thing was anything but unusual at the time. SaturnStorm has stated on occasion that the story had notable problems, both in the area of plot and in regards to the prominence of her author characters -- or what would have become so -- when compared to the lesser roles of the Chosen Four.
"To be honest, the direction of the original really wasn't going anywhere. In the end the story would have been about the original characters that I was dragging in, and they were becoming plentiful. The 'EarthBound' characters, all of them, seemed to be more or less a founded base to anchor the story to, having no real ties with anything and not really being able to do anything about what was going on around them."
Ultimately, the original Unusual Species, as of '03, halted production after three chapters, though it had still received some praise for being well-written and, to an extent, fascinating. This story, however, would end up being a sturdy foundation for even stronger things ahead.
Don't Call It A Comeback
2004 saw the debut of a new story, also called Unusual Species, and alternately labeled
Unusual Species Revised -- though this story actually bears very little resemblance to the first, feeling more like a whole new work. As such, the alternate title largely served to avoid confusion with the older fanfic.
Notably more successful than the original, this Unusual Species gained encouraging forum comments from readers, positive reviews on Fanfiction.Net, and a rating of "Great" from EFR for its first chapter. During an interview regarding the story, SaturnStorm herself was very enthusiastic about what lied ahead for the tale.
The fanfic was not always without its criticisms, though. After the fourth and fifth chapters, a couple of reviews posted on the Starmen.Net Fan Forum and EFR mentioned a lag in regards to plot, as though the fanfic had its sights on many destinations but was lacking in terms of direction.
At the time of its cancellation, Unusual Species was still receiving positive comments, but the author chose to wrap things up, mentioning that while she did indeed have a goal in sight, "I didn't plan enough to see me there." Further reasoning behind the cancellation was kept to a minimum, but an often-cited busy schedule, combined with the many other projects the writer/artist takes upon herself (which had been alluded to during her aforementioned interview), can be speculated as contributing factors.
Paige By Paige
Rarely one to stay inactive for too long, SaturnStorm returned to "EarthBound" fanfiction a month after ending Unusual Species, offering a snippet of her planned family-oriented tale, And All Was Devastation. Prior to that, she'd begun writing another new fanfic called Phase Distorted, a story of science fiction and exploration starring Jeff and Apple Kid.
Set in the future, And All Was Devastation won quick acclaim from several readers due to the signature quality surrounding the author's narrative, which appears to be at an all-time high, and because of the intriguing scene presented in the teaser.
At the same time, while bringing up Phase Distorted, SaturnStorm simply mentioned that, "I forgot what I was doing with it." However, the fanfic was soon given the Unusual treatment, undergoing a revival in a new form -- namely one that kept the idea of exploration intact, but switched some of the character focus elsewhere, including on ACs.
The tale Swapsies, planned since '04, debuted in mid-2006, offering a unique comedic take on the Chosen Four's relationship.
SaturnStorm again won acclaim for her next story, EarthBound: Of Swords and Bats. Presenting a balanced blend of humor and drama, the tale is an "EarthBound" retelling with a twist: it's set in a medieval period. And in what's always a good sign, this fanfic was well-praised on the very day of its debut.
With her latest work featuring none of the older problems with plot or pace, and being the latest in a string of 'fics, at this stage SaturnStorm was, in her own positive words, truly "on a roll."
Presenting a wide array of promising stories, SaturnStorm has made her mark as one of "EarthBound" fanfiction's most imaginative writers, and also as one of the all-time best in the area of third-person narrative.