Extended Progress Update: 24 May 2024 (Patreon)

Hi Returning Visitors,

This post is part poll, part update! The poll dovetails wonderfully with the update you'll be reading. It isn't a narrative influence or writing poll, just a fun one.

(You can scroll down to the ✨sparkle✨ emojis for the polling question.)

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.

• May's content is coming to a close, but that means our alpha drop looms along with other end of the month posts. I'll be pivoting to prepare for June's content soon!

• The Corvin family dinner is still going strong. We'll get into that in a moment.

• Mal's birthday is coming up in a couple of days! 🏍️💔🥰

• Book Two Snippet: Oof, Ms. Verner and B come face-to-face for the first time!

I've been immensely enjoying your thoughts/reactions to the Alternate Perspectives this month. B's published relatively recently, and I know the heartfelt support many of you and your MCs feel for them is echoed tenfold. 🧡 The collective 'ouch' reaction to the B angst is making me hold B-mancers in my thoughts for, uh, no particular reason. (One of the nightmares is extra rough on you at the end, but it'll be okay. I'm just internally like: 🙃👋🐝)

Moving on from me hearing the 'Jaws' theme when I consider you discovering certain scenes, except I'm the shark here, let's get into what I've been working on. It will shock you:

The Corvin family dinner 

Okay, it didn't shock you if you have been keeping up with my updates. 😉From our recent ones, I'm confident you all know why that is—the scope, the variation, the echo mini-game (👀), romance moments, meeting J's family, and so much more. I believe just this part of the chapter is going to be around 100k words, which is exciting for both you as a reader and me as the writer! (Spending time with the Corvin family isn't all you'll be doing in it; it's the main part though.) Book Two should be over a million words, possibly 1.2? 1.3? We'll see how it goes while I continue crafting the book. The story is what's most important. 🌲

Currently in the outline for the dinner, the MC is seated at the dinner table. (I know some of you might be like: 'Shouldn't this part have happened tens of thousands of words earlier, Aelsa?'🤔💭 Your MCs will get to explore the farm, have social encounters, uncover more of the past (oof), learn what shaped A and J, and other things before they have the delight of tasting Mrs. Corvin's cooking.) The section I just finished is something I hinted at before!

It will let you:

• Establish how/where your Returning Visitor first met B. Warrick! 🫂

  There are a variety of options from meet-cute, meet-ugly (B trips), foster system, university, and more that unlock memories and a backstory. (There is also an option to select something vague if you don't vibe with the provided scenarios for first meetings and want to ~imagine~ something.) These scenes were engaging to write!They will showcase the start of the close friendship that inspired B to support the MC by coming along to Fernweh. (It's the beginning of the end, but make it cute. 😍)

• State what your MC did outside of Fernweh prior to their return!

  This is accompanied by a paragraph about the horror of how that job/course of study/etc. is seemingly losing relevance with each day spent in the town. There is a narrative reason why I left this is left up to you, the futility and decay of your old life. Yet, I still wanted you to be able to share/input this for your own character building/happiness.

  You'll have a list of vocations I selected and made pages for where the characters will react—student, chocolatier, school teacher, researcher, software engineer, and others. Sadly, I can't account for everything. You will have the ability to type in something. (Mrs. Corvin will then be politely interested in whatever you say because: manners.)

• Reveal your care arrangements after you departed from town! 

  The foster care system, a friend of the family, the TFS dad's sister (your MC's aunt 💘) are some of the possibilities. These options are nuanced based on your past choices! If your MC has abandonment issues, they can unlock a unique option where they were left in the foster care system (picked over and unwanted due to their 'haunted disposition' after the house fire) until adulthood, which strengthened those issues. 😔The driver from town can step up and take care of the young Returning Visitor after their original/planned care arrangements fell through. Like with B's first encounter, I wrote pages for when the MC recalls what happened with their driver. I was aiming for something poignant with these memories and an attachment to the driver from you, the reader.

  I'm hoping all of this excites you for replays in addition to customizing your MCs.

  That's the perfect transition into our poll. It's below the Book Two snippet.

[Spoilers Ahead!]

Here's an excerpt from Book Two. (I just picked some Fernweh Gang genders 🌲):

Reese, Becca, and Silas

As soon as you realize Ms. Verner is primly standing in the entryway beside her son, you take measured steps across the marble.

No dallying, delaying, or dragging.

This was inevitable once you heard her voice over the intercom. She isn't the type of woman to let people freely come and go from her home without a word exchanged. There will be a wait for your turn as the others pass by her.

The assessing quality to how she takes in those around her with an untouchable scrutiny is something you've experienced in the past. It is uniquely hers. Silas earns a brief 'hello' from her and a mention of Mrs. Dorran. You're able to detect how Becca stiffens up since you are a half-step behind her. Ms. Verner ultimately overlooks her presence… Or at least it might seem that way if you didn't catch how she glanced away as soon as your friend grew tense. It wasn't a snub, possibly a mercy?

She's too difficult to read.

Ruby, Beckett, and Sofia

As soon as you realize Ms. Verner is primly standing in the entryway beside her daughter, you take measured steps across the marble.

No dallying, delaying, or dragging.

This was inevitable once you heard her voice over the intercom. She isn't the type of woman to let people freely come and go from her home without a word exchanged. There will be a wait for your turn as the others pass by her.

The assessing quality to how she takes in those around her with an untouchable scrutiny is something you've experienced in the past. It is uniquely hers. Sofia earns a brief 'hello' from her and a mention of Mrs. Dorran. You're able to detect how Beckett stiffens up since you are a half-step behind him. Ms. Verner ultimately overlooks his presence… Or at least it might seem that way if you didn't catch how she glanced away as soon as your friend grew tense. It wasn't a snub, possibly a mercy?

She's too difficult to read.

It's interesting to note that this is one of three variations with Ms. V. This occurs when the MC has a better relationship with her. It's a good idea to pay close attention to Lois.

Thank you for your support/encouragement. Wishing you all a lovely and safe weekend! 💚

_ _ _

✨Who is your favorite driver?✨

This individual was mentioned in Book One, Chapter 10 as the Returning Visitor's ride out of town, except they also had a unique personality and disposition towards the young MC. Perhaps, we'll be learning more about them and what happened. It depends on your choices!