Doc Sherwood's 300th Vocal Submission Party

The turn-out for Doc Sherwood's 300th Vocal submission party was a little disappointing. Jenny didn't come, and nor did The New Girl. The Golden-Haired Girl meanwhile arrived twenty years early, and although Doc Sherwood's female friend from that same five-parter did show up, he couldn't help but notice she spent most of the party chatting with Morgan. About him, most likely. Not to mention comparing notes.

Happily, the cast of The Four Heroes have for the last twenty-nine years been on hand whenever Doc Sherwood needs them, and this was no exception. On that note the Doctor, having by then consumed sufficient volumes of inexpensive champagne to be convinced everyone was really interested, commenced an interminable speech in which he revealed that this significant Vocal milestone would have been reached far sooner had it not been as late as Shapeshifters (Chapters 1-4) when he began diligently backing up his work, following a nasty ransomware incident. It was the first and only time anyone ever attempted holding Doc Sherwood's literary masterpieces to ransom, and it goes without saying the culprit received nothing for his efforts, owing mostly to the Doctor's limited means. So, whilst there are on Vocal some stories set earlier in the Four Heroes continuity than Shapeshifters, these the Doctor committed to email only by chance and together they represent in no better than patchy fashion the first twenty-five instalments of The Four Heroes Season Five. Doc Sherwood however assured the merrymakers that should any of the missing stories ever come to light in electronic form, Vocal would be the first to know. In the meantime he begged that no-one lose sleep over it.

This jogged the memory of one particular party-guest, who on a related note raised the perennial question:

"Doc Sherwood, where exactly in this monstrous heap of what is now 300 stories here on your Vocal page are we possibly expected to begin or end? Would it have been too much trouble, Doc Sherwood, to indicate some sort of reading-order? Or which of your series are related to each other and which aren't? Or maybe just publishing them in the proper sequence, such as anyone else would have done?"

To which the Doctor replied: "I thought it was obvious." Just like he always does.

Suddenly upstanding from the head of the table, Doc Sherwood caused great consternation among his guests over fears he might be on the verge of bursting into song. Just like he always does. What ensued, however, was the following:

"Had any real people been invited to this party, then first on the list would have been Kiesha, Mackenzie, Marc, Mariann, Gene, Anita, Carol, and everybody else out there in Vocal-Land who has ever taken the time to peruse my works of thrilling science fiction or ambiguously erotic domestic drama. For every comment, every insight, every like, every morning I consult my stats and see someone has been kind enough to give my writing a try...you have my deepest gratitude. As do the Vocal Team, for publishing each and every one of the 300 stories that appear on my profile, for making me Top Story once, and for several wholly unexpected financial rewards. Even without which, Vocal would nevertheless have made me by far the richer."

The Doctor paused, consumed some more inexpensive champagne, and concluded thus:

"Each of the good people here enumerated have helped make Vocal a place I love. A place where friendships are formed. A place where mutual support and encouragement allow creativity to flourish for all. Thank you, everyone. I could never have made my triple-century without you."

HERE'S TO THE NEXT 300!