Extended Progress Update: 22 December 2023 (Patreon)

Hi Returning Visitors,

Key highlights of this update and reminders:

• My typical gentle nudge to remember to add my email address can be found here. It's important for the TFS character portrait inquiries and welcome message I promptly send out. Also, remember to check your spam folder and to reach out to me, if needed.
• Yes, I've made multiple outlines and I'm checking them twice to find out who gets a naughty or nice scene. 🎄
• More winter themed writings ahead along with plans for a packed start of the year!⛄
• Book Two Snippet: Some Turn the Page antics and creative threats 🍞😤

I waffled on how to start this Extended Progress update for a few minutes before deciding my starter would be about dithering on what to share first. 😌 Technically, I did finish another chapter, except it is a small chapter that's mainly setup to help connect the dots of what's afoot in Fernweh. When I say 'it's mainly setup', I'm talking about it from a narrative perspective. From a reader's perspective, it's fun! You'll see a cause-and-effect from the end of Book One, you will be getting RO moments (e.g. R might flaunt your budding romance to the others or S will ask for a moment alone), bestie scenes, Mal's dynamic will be coming up in a few ways (e.g. another letter, someone else catching on 👀, the MC arriving late, etc.), your opinion on decorating the cabin can be voiced, and more. It'll be variable, informative, and a quicker read. I believe that many readers will have inklings and have spotted clues by this part of the narrative, yet this chapter can help to solidify and further focus the Fernweh Gang before things start to escalate.

(It's to make sure everyone's on a similar page before adding more of them.)

After some much needed down time for the holidays, I'll be working on a nightmare section next that is: chilling. 😮 Now that the MC is staying in town, the ??? is intensifying things. This also ties into how the horror elements are outlined to differ across books. Book Two expands on the MC's abilities that were only hinted at in the first book to make your characters begin to question what (and whom) they can trust. Is their grasp on reality slipping? Loss of control and all of those interesting themes will be in this book, while Book Three takes a very different approach with the horror. I'll stop typing before I accidentally spoil things. :< There's a lot in store! Fernweh's twisted roots run deep after all. Your Returning Visitors will be encountering different conflicts in the town.

Aside from making a holiday reference, I was serious about checking the outlines twice (more than twice). 🎅 I've mentioned before how I have them color-coded as an overlay to the overall plot outline; it helps me see how B's overall romance route in this book differs from J's along with if I need another moment or instance with B within their route. An example of this is: the B kiss in Chapter 2 of Book Two. No, not everyone will have a chance to kiss B. Warrick. It depends on your past choices in Book One (if your MC took some initiative to instigate a kiss) along with being supportive of B during their RO excursion. For B-mancers, who didn't get the option for the kiss or didn't feel like then was the best time, there is another opportunity in a future chapter that will play out differently. 🧡😘 It also alters some of the scenes in-between too!

I'm already planning out January's content. I'll likely pivot and work on that some before diving back into Book Two. We won't have another Extended Progress Update before our next Book Two alpha drop on December 31st. 🐍 The tenderness in it is perfect for this time of year.

[Spoilers Ahead!]

Here's an excerpt from Book Two:

"Are there nuts in this?"

You follow where the teen is pointing to, trying to keep a polite expression in place when you see the placard reads: 'Banana Nut Bread'. There are only a few slices of the loaf left, each one studded with walnuts and moist patches of banana. "Yes, there are," you answer him.

"What kind of nuts?"

"Walnuts," you reply.

"Is that your favorite type of nut?"

He smiles widely at you while his friend muffles a snicker by peering into the rapidly emptying display case. It's Friday, which means your and A's Friday Fun sale is in effect at Turn the Page, enticing people from the community to come stock up on marked down pastries and bread. There's a lot of teenagers taking advantage of the deal and your patience. "Do you want the bread or not?" you ask. "I have other things I need to—"

"At least this one didn't make a nutcracker threat…"

"You've gotta watch out for the sunny ones," the other teen advises.

The two teenagers trade an uneasy look before they step away from the counter with their haul of treats, ignoring your presence again.

Thank you again for all of your support and encouragement! 💚 I hope you have a lovely holiday season. 🥰