Good morning everyone,
There are a few matters that must be discussed and no better time than the present. To provide some structure, those discussion points are numbered below. So, without further ado, this is the “State of the Blog”!
#1) Who is SolomonG?
I’m a middle-aged American man living abroad; specifically, I’m in central Japan.
Apparently, the writing on There She Grows indicates that its creator is of American descent. Thus, several people have expressed surprise that I am not actually in the United States. I’ve never claimed to be, but it seems that my dialect was a give away and readers assumed that I still resided there.
(SIDE NOTE: Perhaps I should have adopted some trappings of British culture in order to throw folks off the trail. I could have began posts with ” ‘Ello gov’na,” incorporated Cockney rhyming slang like “Give me some bees!”, spelled “color” as “colour,” etc.) 😉
Since my home sits on Honshu Island, if a tropical storm hits central Japan, like Typhoon Faxai did last fall, then I may go offline. That violent typhoon took out power for well over a day in September 2019.
Additionally, when corresponding with the blog it may be helpful to understand that there will most likely be a time difference involved.
Next up, let’s talk interviews.
#2) Interviews
A big thank you to everyone who participated in an interview! In the last year and a half, nearly 40 creators from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United States, have shared their personal stories. It has been amazing to learn about so many talented people from around the globe!
I am continually impressed by the effort non-English speakers must exert. Those writers from continental Europe, South America, and elsewhere must use English to produce works for the largest market.
Young Solomon once struggled to understand a Brit trying to dispose of a used paper cup. The man asked for a “rubbish bin” and Solomon had never heard a trash can referred to as such. Additionally, the British fellow’s pronunciation of “rubbish” sounded like “rue,” as in “You will rue the day!”, plus “bish.” Solomon had only ever heard it called “rub,” as in “Rub my shoulders please.” plus “bish.” Eventually, after a few attempts, understanding was reached.
Furthermore, it has been enlightening to read how creators use size-fetish stories to explore varied issues. Such as Aborigen, the Size Riot contest organizer, exploring “mercy and compassion” through size material, as expressed in the following excerpt from his interview:
“I think some of my stories get laden with information I want to share, unfortunately, but size difference is a useful vehicle for exploring the human condition: where do mercy and compassion come from, when you can be abusive and cruel to someone helpless, as much as you like, with zero repercussions?”
Jitensha, the founder of SizeCon, discussed the challenges faced by women in our community in her interview. That can been seen in this quote:
“You can imagine as an avid male Giant artist, I for years encountered a lot of negative feedback because many people did not respect my sexuality nor type of artwork I created – if its wasn’t Giantess, it was ‘disgusting,’ or ‘gay,’ or if they were “nice” they’d make no mention of the artwork and instead say “I wish the genders were reversed”. When people constantly dismiss what you make, it can really discourage you to want to open up like that again. I had moments where I left the community out of frustration and forced myself back, mostly with support from my husband. I wonder about the women who just gave up, worried that they couldn’t find fellow encouragement nor respite from harassment, even online.”
Clearly much work remains to make the community more inclusive and incorporate marginalized creators. Accordingly, if anyone would like to discuss themselves and their art on There She Grows please e-mail solomong_author@outlook.com
Along with chatting with creators from around the world, the intent is to review more non-English works. The blog has featured one German (“Livy and Divy and Godzilla’s cousin”) and several Japanese language works (“GIGANT” for example) already, and will do more in the future. And since we’re on the topic of reviews…
#3) Reviews
Reviews are posted every Tuesday and Thursday morning. That schedule should hold for the foreseeable future. My wife and I originally intended to celebrate a milestone anniversary and take a long vacation in 2020. Instead, COVID-19 spread and the world has been in lockdown.
Now our most thrilling expeditions resemble “Frogger” as we walk to the garbage collection point across the street and try not to be hit by a city bus during early morning hours.
Yes, Frogger is a video game from the early 1980s. Solomon is old and prone to referencing abandoned franchises 😉
Lockdown still in effect, I find myself indoors with plenty of time to maintain the review timetable. Now as to the purpose of those reviews, they serve firstly to inform potential consumers as to whether their money would be well-spent purchasing these works.
In my opinion, there is always a certain tension between consumers and suppliers. At its most extreme, the tension exists because consumers want as much content as possible for the least amount of money while suppliers want to earn as much money as possible for the least amount of effort. Thus, the reviews primarily serve to explain if the supplier’s product is actually worth the cost.
Additionally, reviews express appreciation, advocate for innovation, and strive to provide unique analysis and perspectives.
Initially, the plan was to also discuss the subjective nature of art today, but it would be best to dedicate a post solely to that topic. So, let’s kick that can down the road until late August.
Next, let’s discuss stories.
#4) My Stories
The original stock art covers on most stories have recently been replaced with custom renders, due to the efforts of DragoonGTS and Trent Harlow (Trent did the cover above).
I am currently revising “Jessie Helps Betty” and will update it soon with the new cover. That will leave just “Growing Up in the Grotto.” After those are upgraded, I’ll turn my efforts back to the Hehant saga and draft a fourth entry in the series. That next installment will of course contain more fantastic sex scenes, and ramp up the action as Doctor Hehant and his friends confront those who would misuse growth formulas for nefarious purposes!
Lastly, as previously mentioned, I am an American. This year has been tumultuous for the United States. Overall, the systematic racism embedded in American law enforcement has been highlighted in 2020. All media is political, from comic book hero Captain America punching Hitler (before the U.S. entered World War II by the way) to current media remaining silent and thus giving tacit approval to injustice found in the status quo. My writings, regardless of their erotic nature, will also be political to one degree or another. Therefore, I’m highly motivated to address more social issues in my writing. And on that topic of motivation…
#5) Advice to Other Creators, It’s you versus you
I also want to discuss a saying that has recently helped me, in the hopes that it may also help others. I’ve heard the sentiment before, but recently revisited it when I saw the following meme featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“It’s you versus you” means you shouldn’t compare yourself to others. Your efforts are best applied to improving yourself without concern for other people’s accomplishments. At the end of the day, the most important struggle is with ourselves.
Personally, I have on occasion felt dismayed when comparing another person’s achievements to my own. However, it is impossible to know all of the factors that led a particular person to where they are now. Many successful people were given substantial assistance along the way.
For instance, consider the Rock himself. His entry into professional wrestling was assisted by the fact that his father and grandfather had been professional wrestlers. Undoubtedly, he also worked hard. However, it’s questionable that someone else, without family connections, would have seen the same results with the same level of effort.
There are tons of factors relevant to success. Time available to dedicate to the craft, money to advertise and market works, connections to promoters, etc. etc.
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Lastly, I want to end this post with a request for support. If you like this blog and are in a stable financial situation then please consider donating a buck or two. Your support keeps the blog online and enables the purchasing of review materials. Also, please follow @AuthorSolomong on Twitter, click “Like” and comment on blog posts. Thank you all for your time and take care of yourselves.
Until next time my friends, keep growing!
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There She Grows 