So, So Smug. That moment when you realize you have the PERFECT name for a new pokemon. ::twinkle::
Happy Shiny Smug
Category: Random Asides
Event – Pokemon GO!
How did I miss the special even that started last night and only runs until 6pm today (local time)?!? Walk with your Farfetch’d and make 10 excellent throws in order to evolve him into Sir Fetch’d! Also, Ponyta (Galaran) unicorns are in the raids today! ::wants one::
Not many of my friends are walking with Farfetched, so I’m spreading the word. Wanna friend me on Pokemon GO? Email me your friends code at always.forthright @ gmail.com
Fandom Anniversary
Fourteen Years. This year, I have good reasons to celebrate September 22. Here, I can even provide a list:
- It’s the Autumn Equinox, and I adore Fall. Historically, it’s been one of my most creative seasons. (Many of my fanfics began, ended, or were updated on this milestone day throughout the years.)
- It’s release day for Mikoto and the Reaver Village (Amaranthine Saga, #4), which you can pre-order (digital edition) on Amazon and/or pre-order your signed copy from me.
- If all goes according to plan, I’ll be posting an IY x Amaranthine Saga crossover. That’s right folks. Argent meets Sesshoumaru. ::twinkle::
- A larger project has been underway all summer. As we near my “fanniversary,” I’ll be posting quotes from some of my fics. Like this one:
More to come!
This time for sure!
Take Two. After chatting with support, I believe we’ve discovered a way to prevent a full post from arriving in your inboxes. While not completely ideal, I’m told that Word Press developers are finessing everything so in the future, I can once more determine exactly where the cut appears. Improvements on the way! Better things ahead! More to look forward to! (Yes, I’m padding like a NaNoWriMo-er on November 29, but I have no idea how far into a post the cut will auto-interrupt, so I’m giving it plenty of space.)
And we’ll introduce the cut here. Chanting html incantation…
::TWINKLE::
Testing, Testing
Don’t mind me. Just trying to figure out WordPress’s lovely new imposition on my usual routine. They revamped some stuff. Gotta get this rigamarole down! Especially the part where you have to click through to my blog in order to read a chapter. (Basic business practice, you understand.)
Continue reading
Post Fest Post
#PokemonGOFest2020 took up most of my weekend, and in the nicest way. I had fun, which was my only real goal. I’ve never experienced the like, and I’m glad I decided to splurge on a ticket.
- I finished 3 audio books while I played. ::twinkle::
- Although it was a bit of a scramble, it was nice, nice, nice to be able to invite reader friends (or be invited by them) to participate in raids. I now have So Much rare candy. Must distribute strategically. ::plots::
- My longtime Pokemon buddy (Lucario) earned his “Best Buddy” badge yesterday, so I nicknamed him Sempai. He’s had to step back so I can walk with some of my new (shiny) Go Fest acquisitions, but his place at my side is assured.
- Did I mention shinies? I caught at least a dozen. (Not sure on the exact count, but the thrill will never get old.)
- Most notable, I somehow managed to catch what I’ve long considered the holy grail of shiny Pokemon, a golden Magicarp. ::swoon:: I actually named her Grail.
Screencapped a few for y’all. I’d share more, but they’re off defending gyms at the moment. And do you REALLY want me to bore you with a slide show?
Do you name your pokemon? When I single out strong ones to train up, I generally give them names at that time. For example, the shiny Growlithe/Arcanine was immediately dubbed Kinpatsu (Japanese for blond). And Marimo (Sanji’s nickname for Zoro in One Piece) was a no-brainer for my shiny Tangela.
As always, if you also play Pokemon GO and you want to friend me, email me your friend code @ always.forthright at gmail dot com.
… and now, back to writing.
Too True
Whisper of the Heart. I’ve been rewatching (for the gazillionth time) Whisper of the Heart, one of Hayao Miyazaki’s films from Studio Ghibli. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s lovely. Libraries and antiques and musicians and artisans. The young lady in the lead (a bookworm after my own heart) has a way with words and decides to try her hand at writing.
Just hit this scene, which describes my summer in a single line of dialogue:
I can’t decide if I feel called out … or seen. ::twinkle::
Pokemon GO!
Let’s Be Friends. It worked so well the last time I asked that I’m going to do it again. Because one of the first challenges issued by Professor Willow this morning (for the new missions leading up to GOfest) was … make a new friend. Anybody else need a friend? ::twinkle::
Email me – always.forthright at gmail dot com – with your friends code!
Snapshots
Little Things. While working on today’s chapter, I’m treating myself to the LAST of my stash of kuro goma daifuku. This one looks rather well on a little plate I picked up at a Japanese variety store, which in turn looks rather well with the pajama pants I’m currently wearing. ::twinkle::
For the uninitiated, “kuro” is black, and “goma” is sesame. They’re my personal favorite of the many varieties of daifuku, which are anko (red bean paste) filled mochi rolled in black sesame seeds. If your grocery store carries international foods, check the freezer section. They come in several varieties, including shiro goma (you can work that out, right?), green tea, and sakura.
I don’t usually post a lot of personal snapshots here on the blog. They’ve become one of those things I use Patreon for, so if you like these kinds of peeks into my habits, collections, and whims, consider becoming a patron. Glimmer tier starts at just $1/month. forthright on Patreon >>
Moth Clan
Dimityblest. One of my friends likes to surprise me with enamel pins that suit my stories. Each book in the Amaranthine Saga has a pin or two that fits. This wee giftie doesn’t fit a specific book, although the Dimityblest clan has been mentioned regularly enough to hint at how large a part they play in the day-to-day workings of the In-between. I find this moth clan’s soft gray-browns soothing.
Dimityblest Quotes:
Sansa brought cups of tea and took the seat beside Tsumiko’s. “The clan who makes our paper also trains scribes. Dimityblest craftsmanship is good, yes?” —Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox
Of the four Amaranthine who arrived with the caravan, the first to seek him out was from one of the moth clans. Linlu Dimityblest was lithe and soft-spoken, with short hair mottled in powdery shades of brown and cream. The irises of his large eyes were nearly the same color as his skin—cool as river clay and glossy with interest. —Marked by Stars
Urban enclaves were more daring, interacting to a greater degree with the surrounding human community. One enclave had become world-famous as chocolatiers, and she knew of a group of Dimityblest designers whose line of specialty papers could be found in any craft store. —Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Even in human guise, Lulu looked every inch a lady of the moth clans, with soft browns and creams in the subtle plaid of her skirts and the graceful drape of her short cape. —Governed by Whimsy
In the tradition of his clan, Yulin’s designation was scribe. Scribe Yulin Dimityblest, son of Linlu Dimityblest, one of Wardenclave’s less-famous founders. A moth. —Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Whoops! How did that sneak in?
::twinkle::
Behind the Name
Argent. I often go with (what I consider) unimaginative names for my characters if I think they’ll provide a secure hook for readers. Argent is a good example of this. A silver fox whose name means silver? Perhaps trite, but it suited him.
Since the release of Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox, I’ve fielded a few questions about Argent’s name. One was … why doesn’t he have a Japanese name? The answer to that is simple. He’s not from Japan. He landed there during his proving journey. In fact, his name is probably a mouthful for Tsumiko, who would likely pronounce his name AH-roo-GEN-toh. Reminder: Argent was named by his mother, Lady Estrella Mettlebright, whose long connection to the Silverprong clan suggests European origins. (But that’s another story.)
Inventory
Behind the Scenes. I usually restock my books when my tidy piles dwindle to five copies left. I’m teetering on the edge with six copies remaining of multiple titles. So I feel like I’m sitting on a fence. Aaalmost there. Do you want to sneak in an order to tip the scales? ::twinkle::
- Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox – $20 (includes shipping)
- Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal – $20 (includes shipping)
- Tamiko and the Two Janitors – $25 (includes shipping)
- Governed by Whimsy: The Anthology – $25 (includes shipping)
- Meadowsweet (Galleries of Stone, #1) – $25 (includes shipping)
- Harrow (Galleries of Stone, #2) – $25 (includes shipping)
- Rakefang (Galleries of Stone, #3) – $25 (includes shipping)
All prices are in US dollars. International orders are welcome, but you’ll need to cover shipping. More about the Galleries of Stone trilogy to be found on this post. Information on signed books in general on this page. All orders come with some sort of swag tucked between the pages. So! Who’s up for a book splurge?
Every Word Matters
Word Nerd. I love words. I was thinking it would be fun to do a series of graphics that celebrate some of the key words (and names) in the Saga & Songs. Stuff like this will probably start cropping up here and on my other social media:
I think it would also be fun to do a series with the different varieties of Ephemera. And maybe even one for clan names. Time will tell. ::twinkle::
Pokemon GO!
Let’s Be Friends. I first stumbled across Pokemon ages ago, and I’ve often referenced James (from Team Rocket) as my first anime crush. I first started playing Pokemon because my kids were really into it, and I wanted to share their excitement (and grasp the lingo they were throwing around). So I became a Pokemom and have kept up with new game releases ever since. In recent months, I (grudgingly) accepted the modern necessity that is a cell phone, though I stubbornly refer to it as a step counter & gaming device.
All that to say, I have a Pokemon GO! account and I’m looking to make friends. Yes, yes, I’m aware you can go onto sites where people randomly upload their friends codes. But I’d really rather be playing with people I know. It’s friendlier that way, and much like Michael, I get attached. So … do any of you play with pocket monsters? ::twinkle::
Email me – always.forthright at gmail dot com – with your friends code!
Taking Inventory
Next Mailing. I’m prepping another pile of books for shipment, so this would be a convenient time to lay claim to signed copies of any of my books. At the moment, all titles are in stock, though a few piles are getting low. Gonna have to restock soon. A fresh batch of address labels just came in, and I had to refresh some of my swag. Just some of the puttery things I take care of behind the scenes. ::twinkle::
Mikoto and the Reaver Village. I’m not quite ready to set a release date for the fourth book in the Amaranthine Saga. While it’s getting really close, I don’t want to make any promises I can’t keep. (Real life stuff seems primed to interrupt my best intentions.) However, I did add the title to Goodreads this week. Shelve it!
Photo Challenge. I’ll do a more official post in the next week or so, but this is a heads up. I’ll be hosting another Amaranthine Photo Challenge. Many of you now have copies of Governed by Whimsy: The Anthology in hand, but I’m accepting creative snapshots of ANY of the Saga & Songs titles. Start staging those photo shoots. Fabulous prizes in the offing!
New and Updated. I added a Patreon tab to this blog, and I updated the Amaranthine Saga tab, which now includes sections for the 1) Amaranthine Saga, 2) Songs of the Amaranthine, and 3) Amaranthine Interludes. I hope you’ll find the assorted information helpful.
Taking Pride. I have a bad habit of revealing important information in comments. In case you missed my passing remark, I plan to post a new chapter of Lord Mettlebright’s Man every day in June. Because it’s something I want to do. Because I’m terribly fond of Jacques, and I suspect it will please him. Fun Fact: We’re actually synced calendar-wise with LMM, because Stately House is gearing up for Dichotomy Day. (This year, the summer solstice falls on June 20.)
