February Newsflash #1 (Patreon)

The biggest thing this fortnight has been that the Royal Affairs epilogue coming out! I'm so thrilled that people have been enjoying it. It was a lot of fun returning to the characters and figuring out how they might have changed a bit in the year between the previous ending and the epilogue, and I'm just pleased to bits.

I've been working on Chapter 8 of Honor Bound this fortnight, and am so very close to the end of the draft. A couple of blips related to some frustrating real-life issues meant that I didn't quite finish it in January, which I'd hoped to, but I hope to get it done and play it through next week. There are quite a few bits which are complicated and I want to make sure they flow properly before I send the chapters off to my editor.

I straight-up added all the Roadwarden soundtrack to my playlist, and here's a song I'm listening to right now.

Chapter 5 will be going up for Sneak Preview subscribers next week! If I manage to do it before then, I'm going to add a few more references to what happened in the Royal Affairs epilogue, as some of it will be publicly known by ordinary people. If not, I'm planning to add it sometime later.

Honor Bound current wordcount: 320948

Honor Bound fortnight wordcount: 16477

Honor Bound current average playthrough: errr, something longer than 75000 words. Chapter 8 is not passing RandomTest at the moment so I don't know for sure!

Behind the Scenes:

I've been on a real Silvia Moreno-Garcia kick, and enjoyed Untamed Shore a bunch! I've also been hiking and cycling a lot. It really helps my mental and physical health - the times when my shoulders or hips get in a bad state are when I'm at the computer too much and not doing physio or getting out - and has skyrocketed my energy levels.

My favourite bit:

I've been exploring a bit of how Matia and Korzha are behaving during the early days of a polyamorous relationship and I really like feeling out how they feel and act. They've been friends for a long time and wouldn't have considered getting romantic if it wasn't for the PC, so it's been fun to think about that in ways that I didn't when I was writing Max/Delacroix/PC and Beaumont/Trevelyan/PC where the other two in the triads can get romantic as a couple if they're not with the PC.

Sneak peek:

A little bit of Catarina and Viola drama here:

Matia's still recovering from ${mat_their} fractured wrist and is busy in Elene's Prospect today, and Raffi's stuck in bed thanks to ongoing pain from ${raf_their} bruised ribs. But you're out and about in the cornfields with the rest of them, supervising Catarina as usual.

${varenn} is over with Simone's group, keeping an eye on her, while Savarel's with Henriette and Diego, not working with any particular skill but putting in a decent effort regardless.

In theory, Catarina and Viola are working in a team, but they're more interested in chatting than in picking corn.

"My mother wrote and asked how my showjumping was going," Viola complains, twisting off a corn ear with cross energy, "just because that's what she did when she was at school, but I can't stand going fast on horses. They're too high up. I've told Maddalena I want to switch to Art lessons instead but my mother apparently called and said it's not allowed."

"You could just do it anyway," Catarina says. "Swap and pretend."

Viola's jaw clenches as she tosses corn into the pile. "She wouldn't like that. She'd find out."

"Not if you were smart about it," Catarina says. 

Viola's scowl deepens. She shoves Catarina's shoulder roughly; Catarina squeaks in indignation, but Viola ignores it. "I don't care what you think is smart," Viola snaps.

Best of wishes for February, everyone! I hope you have a good weekend!