Extended Progress Update: 5 January 2024 (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.
• New TFS character portraits are completely finalized! 🤩
• Reminder: The collection of requests for the Q&A session ends on January 6th. 📢 (You can read more about it and its logistics on this month's lengthy Content Schedule.)
• Preparing for a writing surge by going back over some earlier coding and links. 😎
• Book Two Snippet: A befriended B can be invested in the RO routes too.

You'll notice I linked the Content Schedule in the above bullets because its synopsis of content became rather lengthy this time around. (I was excited while typing it up!) I won't rehash it all, but after the holidays, I've been planning out (more like forecasting) the early months of TFS Patreon content. 🌲 It's important to me to take the time to do this! Hopefully, it gives you something to look forward to each month; plus, it goes hand-in-hand with our alpha drops to ensure a balance of moods, characters, and writings. So, that's how I've spent the holiday lull.

Eagerly preparing, happily planning, and ultimately ensuring that everything is in place for a: writing surge, which is just a slightly dramatic way to refer to how I fixate on sections. It's how I write; it works! (Stopping and going isn't for me.) I've been revisiting some scenes in the early chapters and even within Book One to make sure my notes are ready—the symbolism, the links across books/RO routes, the proper variable names, the variation continuation, etc. All of these moving parts need to align or else you can break both the story build and the actual game, lol. It has been more intense because this intricate section draws on a lot of your MC's past choices.

I'm loving it though! 🥰

A more concrete example is: the opening scene. Within it, your MC undergoes a role change in the Stats, your RO route is referenced (including if Mal is involved), your MC's opinion on the TFS grandfather comes into play, your MC's eye color being the same as their grandfather's gets some added text, that emotion your MC gave into in Book One might crop up, the memorium is mentioned again, and, of course, there is a more obvious choice button on the screen too.

Knowing the variables/outcomes and then illustrating them on the page is why I'm taking time to prep. The creepiness of the nightmares comes from how they tend to aim right at your MC. It's very much a: Me 🤝 ??? dynamic to get you and your character to feel uneasy with dread. So, yes, not quite as much writing this past week due to my advanced Patreon planning and reacquainting myself with all of the nuances I want to bring back up. The writing surge is very impending.

✨New TFS character (RO) portraits are completely finished!✨

I wanted to wait until all ten were finished before sending out Patreon DMs to inquire about your character selections. I'll be starting with my seasoned patrons to honor their continued, awesome support, but like with the original portrait sets, these will eventually be offered in the future to all long-time TFS patrons. There are also some of you who have yet to complete the first, original set, so I will be continuing those DMs too. (I appreciate your patience. Some of you know I sent out batches yesterday afternoon!) I wanted to wait to make this exciting announcement before sending out more DMs that relate to the new set. Be on the lookout!

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement that has allowed me to devote more time to Fernweh! 💚

[Spoilers Ahead!]

Here's an excerpt from Book Two:

James and Becca

"I think Detective Corvin's waiting."

You turn around to find James leaning on the hood of his truck, arms crossed and expression schooled into that of the Detective as he studies the cabin. You're certain he wasn't there a second ago, but he's good at going unnoticed. As if feeling your attention, James's head angles in your direction, severity ebbing from his bearing as he moves to politely open your car door while Becca watches on, intrigued.

"Bye, Becca." Your prompt coincides with the door unlatching.

"Wha—? Okay, yeah bye."

She leaves just in time by slipping out the other side.

Jane and Beckett

"I think Detective Corvin's waiting."

You turn around to find Jane leaning on the hood of her truck, arms crossed and expression schooled into that of the Detective as she studies the cabin. You're certain she wasn't there a second ago, but she's good at going unnoticed. As if feeling your attention, Jane's head angles in your direction, severity ebbing from her bearing as she moves to politely open your car door while Beckett watches on, intrigued.

"Bye, Beckett." Your prompt coincides with the door unlatching.

"Wha—? Okay, yeah bye."

He leaves just in time by slipping out the other side.

B. Warrick can really be (supportively) like: 👀 on certain routes and choice combinations.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!