It is with a deep sense of regret and disappointment that I must officially announce a break in my writing schedule for 2007. For the last few months, I have been badly overextended with a number of commitments, to the point where my health is actually suffering. While I have the raw _time_ to write a story per week, I do not have the mental energy and inspiration necessary to make those stories as good as they should be. I have sensed a slip in quality in recent episodes, and I do not like to write when the finished product isn't up to my standard. Unfortunately, that has been the case and it's time to put a halt to things before they get bad. I wanted to get to the end of the Kronos/Al-arakara arc (which I was able to do) so that the hiatus wouldn't come in the middle of a big battle.
Episode 968, which released on 4-May 2007, will be the last one for a while. My preliminary estimates point to an August return, but I'm not making any promises. I apologize if this is disappointing in any way, but it's the right thing to do, trust me.