First things first: we are okay. The Houston storms are far away from us. Thank you for worrying.
I’m sorry there was no updates. The last week was so long and busy.
Gordon had a due diligence medical test on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday flew by, wrapped in writing and editing on the secret project which may or may not exist. Thursday was admin heavy, and again more writing. Also the bills from the surgery are coming in in bits and pieces, and a chunk of time is going to matching them up to the insurance write-up. Friday there was pressure washing, and Saturday the arborist team came through. All of the damaged trees have been removed or trimmed.
We have 2.5 acres and probably close to 100 trees, most of which are oaks growing in clumps. It was a very expensive storm. But could’ve been much worse.
Mostly it’s all about the secret project. It has eaten all of the brain. There is nothing left.
Usually when we write something, it lands in the borderland between the genres. Innkeeper looks like an urban fantasy, but is actually a SF. Hidden Legacy is a modern world fantasy romance that pretends to be a paranormal. But we usually at least know roughly what it is we are writing. With this project, we didn’t. For the longest time, it didn’t have an identity or direction.
But now we know what it is, and that means it needs to be bigger, with more texture and color and details. The villains need to be more villainy, the plots need to be plottier, and so on. It sucks up brain power. We haven’t worked on any side projects.
This week I need to get some pronunciations done for Sanctuary audio. I’ve already had a merch Zoom, so that’s out of the way. Bad news: the coconut fiber unwelcome mat didn’t pass the muster. The design is completely illegible after a month of wear and tear. We will not be offering the coconut, but we will see how the polyester one does.
This is the most boring post.
Um… Okay, so we asked you good guy or bad guy on Thursday. Here is the full character description.
Another man followed, with a second bodyguard close behind. He was about 6’2 or 6’3 and solid, almost stocky, with broad shoulders and a wide face, made wider by a chin strap beard. His light brown hair, probably naturally wavy, fell on the left side of his face in a fringe cut. He wore black as well, but his outfit must’ve cost about ten times more than his bodyguard’s.
His boots were made of some leather-like material I had never seen before, with large ridged scales forming gold and burgundy patterns. It looked like he’d skinned a couple of small fantasy dragons and wrapped their hides over his feet. His black trousers flared above his boots, and a small decorative belt crossed each of his thighs, with large buckles that were probably gold. He wore a red undertunic with golden embroidery and an elaborate black doublet with more gold embroidery. His black belt was wide and studded with gold. A red cloak edged with black dripped from his shoulders but left his chest exposed, presumably so everyone would note a gold chain around his neck.
His clothes were too loud. I’d read that phrase before, but I’d never seen it so clearly illustrated. Nothing he wore was garish or gaudy, quite the opposite. Everything was exquisitely made and tasteful, but every individual part of his outfit, from boots to cloak, was a statement piece with its own voice. Put together, they screamed in unison.
There you go. Well, I’m off to work some more.
While I’m hoping you’re having fun with Schrödingers project, which may or may not exist, I’m having fun guessing. The description is cool, seeing all the search items becoming an intriguing scene – and might still he hero in (flamboyant) disguise.
Glad the week/storms have passed.
I think he is the best friend, fresh from court or some other official function. This is mostly inspired by the fringe cut for his hair, and the feeling that his clothing was so over the top it must have been dictated by his position (with each generation before him adding another ridiculous required piece to the ensemble). This is what I imagined happening next.
First thing he does is groan and get a manservant to help him get the ridiculous, and likely constricting thigh belts off (with complaints about them restricting blood flow to certain critical man bits). Then the doublet is removed carefully and the under tunic pulled off more roughly than the embroidery warrants. His manservant winces. and hands over a looser solid black tunic, embroidered in black at hem and neck. Evidently, the embroidery cannot be escaped. He sits and the gaudy boots are whisked away, to be replaced by …boots that were likely identical 5 years ago but are now well-worn and faded. His casual look.
Ooh! I like this scene! Well done! 📖
My first reaction is that I hate this guy! Therefore, bad!
This guy feel like the atention whore Tonny Stark stile or the magnificente bastart antagonist arquetype like the gargoyles animated tv series vilain David Xanathos.
For those that are curious see more about magnificent bastards bellow.
https://antagonists.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Magnificent_Bastards
“Put together, they screamed in unison.” I have never seen this fashion catastrophe expressed more perfectly. 😍
That’s some outfit. Stands out excellently.
Glad you’re okay. Texas is a big state, but it seems some type of disaster hits each part.
Loved your characters description. Just not going to pass judgement. I need to know more. 😉
Most definitely a villain. Possibly lawful evil, however.
The last time I had a hospital stay, I did what you are doing afterwards (matched charges to the insurance which is really not fun). At the end of it, I felt that I owed X, but they said X+Y. Of course, when I did not immediately pay Y, they threatened me with a collection agency. I contacted them and asked for an explanation of Y. They said “You want your account audited?” “Yes.” hoping this was the right answer.
A few weeks later I got a check in the mail for Z. It seems that I had overpaid. No more collection letters either.
Plottier plots! All the plottiness! Woo Hoo!
Hmmmm… Good guy? Bad guy? Good guy that is disguising himself as a Bad guy or as someone not to be taken seriously? (Yeah, maybe…I like that last guess!) All I can say for sure is this is a character that I can’t wait to read more about! 😁
(Also, really glad to hear you made it through the storms ok. House/tree issues can be dealt with, the safety of HA family and pets is the most important thing.)
I liked “plottier” … I love the plottiest stories!
Glad all is well and House Ade Afefe did their thing to keep the weather from House Andrews. Hope your minds are recuperating–time for some vacation. Also thank you for more snippet, and best wishes with the unnamed project.
I think the over-fashion conscious guy is really a bodyguard and the important person is hiding as the ignored ostensible bodyguard, sort of how Queen Amidala in all the face paint and clothes was a servant and Padme the servant was the queen (Star Wars).
When I saw the damage in Houston, I thought “Alexander Strum had a temper tantrum.” 😀
YOU KNOW. I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED AT MYSELF. I fell in love with my first glimpse and read of Puffles – and have pleaded all these years that you might bring that awesome story to full life. And then when you were mentioning the possible stories coming up – and there it was: PUFFLES – all I could see was Wilmington 3. So, I apologize for the lack of appreciation! I just got lost. Sigh ….
To me he’s a guy who thinks he’s a player but is really a poser. A villain wanna be
Gold neck chains always make me think of a sleazeball.
Glad y’all are doing okay, other than probably need an extra day to chill and do nothing. Arborist do good things, but i’ve seen those bills. don’t envy that!
Sounds like a villian or an over the top side character who thinks he’s subtle. Definitely not lead character…if he is, he’s going get made fun off extensively. 😁🤣
sounds like a rogue, chaotic neutral to me
I kind of like him. Hoping he’s not a villain. Maybe neutral who has a soft spot for the heroine. Maybe he’s like Captian Shakespear in Stardust . . .
Yeah I’d say EVIL first impression. Dude wears boots covered in the scales. “It looked like he’d skinned a couple of small fantasy dragons and wrapped their hides over his feet”. Good people don’t wear the skins of baby dragons.
Also just wanted to speculate that the secret project is Maggie or Puffles. Or maybe they’ll give us something new? Omg so excited! Anticipation is half the fun of new releases!
Well now I’m going with good guy in a disguise that needs to be over the top to fit in.
I love all the guessing games and can’t wait to see the pre-order link! 😁
I spit out my ice cream when I read about the plot needing to be plottier lol
Any word on Maggie’s fate?
We can neither confirm nor deny anything about Maggie at the moment. 🤫
Ohhh interesting! Bigger, more texture and colour and detail sounds good! Love a plottier plot and an extra villainous villain! There’s a part of me that whisper-shouts “Maggie! Maggie! Maggie,” every time posts like this come out, lol. So excited to learn more about the mystery-maybe project!
As for the man, my vote is villain, but maybe with a fun streak? A little ambiguous to keep things interesting? But not a straight up good guy.
Hopefully there is some rest coming your way soon! Dealing with medical appointments (even routine ones), medical bills, property damage from trees etc doesn’t sound like much fun. Sending good wishes your way!
ps. My arcane books arrived and they’re beautiful! I’m just waiting for my toddler to go to bed before I take off the plastic wrap. Must beware tiny tyrant’s sticky fingers!
I just wanted to say my arcane society special editions came in, and there are the most exquisitely beautiful books I own and already a beloved treasure.
Good bad guy. It makes me think of a Duke of Versailles. He knows he is rich, entitled and arrogant.
I’d say bad guy because of the point that each piece of clothing was trying to make a statement, and the statement was “Look at me, I am rich and powerful and you are not.” Even if he is presented as a “Good Guy” he really isn’t. No one who tries that hard with their clothes and misses the mark is the hero of the story.
“The villains need to be more villainy, the plots need to be plottier…” HAHAHA. I can hardly wait!!!!
Sounds like the poor sod is just teying way too hard.
nope, Bad Guy.
the Bodyguard is a dead give away, he is badly dressed, so the peacock? large colourful bird pays Bad, so villain
Anime is influencing my brain. 🙂
.. it’s all an illusion spell.
I stand by my first impression:
You’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover or a man by his clothes. I am guilty of both at times! Gaudy for the sake of vanity is an absolute no. Perhaps not a villian but definitely a fool.
Oh, my! I’ve never seen a better description of the nouveau riche! I’m sorry to hear about the mats. I hope the polyester ones work, because I love the message. (I want to get mine out the next time proselytizers of any variety grace my doorstep. And to accompany a “No! I’m writing!” sign.) I’ll be watching for further developments.
I’m going with new rich guy who is leaning HARD into the stereotypes because he does not LIKE the richy richy upper crust society and he absolutely adores making them get that little twitch in their eye when they have to look at him in all his sartorial splendor. And he makes sure they have to look at him by being invited to all the same parties and knowing how to make a spectacle of himself. Probably a spymaster and smarter than your average bear. Good guy, but the reluctantly good type who knows exactly how much work doing the right thing is going to be and is sharply sarcastic about it.
I don’t know whether he is good or bad because—as people have said— this could be a Pimpernel moment. However, as soon as I read the word “stocky“ I suspected that he wouldn’t be the main love interest. It’s not a word that is often given to the lead character.
Omg, been a busy week! So now I’m playing catch-up, seriously. Love reading everyone’s comments. I learn so much.
Had to Google chin strap beard, oh my, now I’m not sure if he should be good or bad guy, could go either way.
I’m intrigued to find out now. Then I had to Google Damian Angevin, as it’s been so long since I read the Kate Daniels series. (apologies, though I’ve started listening to the Graphic Audio versions-Love love love them!!!)
The blog post “Grand Master Damian Angevin, In His Own Words”, on Sept 18, 2020, was very interesting, and a great overview of the major events in the series. (spoiler alert if you haven’t read all the books).
So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens here (whilst bouncing up and down impatiently on the inside – my knees won’t allow it any other way..)
Glad you’re all ok, though.
The combination of small dragon boots and the dreaded chin strap beard makes him sound like a WWE wrestler, in full kit.
I often think I want to write a book, then I do all the things I need to get done in a day and the sun goes down. Then I cook dinner and do all the things I need to get done in an evening. Then I go to bed and think, “I should write a book in my spare time.” So that is going exactly as it sounds, not well 😂