Last night I was contemplating my blog post for today. I try to reserve a significant part of Saturday for writing endeavours: research, critically reading authors I like, surfing my RPG books, actual writing, etc. I decided that I would post additional The Jagged Earth Lore, probably on the Aurora City IceCats. It’s only a passing mention by Rachel (Twilight Huntress) in Orchids Ablaze, but it’s one of those details that makes the setting larger than a single story.
Then I woke up this morning.
Out With The Old
Last week when I was refining the plot for the followup to Orchids Ablaze, I needed background for a character. Without giving too much away, I built an outline for a historical revolution in the Tuarsahzi tribe. It needed work, but the more I worked at it the less I liked it! I was determined to fix it and was failing miserably. So I began this bright Saturday morning with a quick scan of an RPG book that I hadn’t finished yet. So far, a fairly mundane start to the day. I didn’t have anything specific in mind. I was just giving my revolution idea time to percolate.
In With The New
That was when the RPG book reached into the back of my mind and yanked out the character sleeping in there. Two hours later the grand historical revolution was utterly scrapped. A completely different character background had been scribbled (yes, scribbled on paper) into existence. Of course then I had to integrate that background into the overall Veiled Cosmos background! A fresh pen; several failed drawings of holy symbols later (did I pique your interest?); a quick trip to my old character files for reference; and a new legend for the Tuarsahzi tribe of The Jagged Earth is percolating.
Oh, The Glamour!
At which point your intrepid writer looks up and realizes not only did he miss breakfast, but he’s in danger of missing the deadline for his Saturday post. And lunch. Mind you, if you promise not to tell anyone, I haven’t gotten out of bed yet.
There are four books, three pens, and two pads of paper (one lined, one graph) scattered over the blankets. There was probably a partridge perched on the pear tree outside that I didn’t take time to look for. A sprint shower later, a gulped glass of juice, and I dive for the keyboard.
Voila! The post you so patiently are perusing appears on my development site. A few edits later and out it goes to production an entire minute before deadline!
I hope you enjoyed it. I can go eat now!
DDW
