Inflicting myself on the internet

Some of the People!  (They are from Elland.)

( Art here... )

There's one book I'm currently writing that I'm going to make available for free on my website when it's done!  It's because it's not my usual genre (it's mainstream fiction, not fantasy) and I'm not really sure that it's publishable quality...  My friend likes it so far, but it's been so long since I wrote anything.

Anyway, I don't really want to talk about that story right now.  I've written a bunch of it, but I can't write any more before my research books get here.  Right now I'm excited about the story I made up while waiting on the books!  Yes, yes, I know I know.  I have too many stories already.  I can't help it.  Anyway, I figure the more stories I have, the easier it'll be to find one people like, right?

So, this story has a bunch of subplots, but no main plot.  It's going to be a political fantasy, and so far the main conflict is between the traditionalists, who are loyal to the sacred royal line, and the lanternists, who want governmental reform even if it's at the price of the moon going dark (since their artificial 'moon' is the only thing providing light, everyone would forever after have to use lanterns, hence their name).  Because the royals are worshiped as gods, the lanternists are heretics and have to keep their identities secret.

Another source of conflict (that ties into the main one) is the queen's search for a suitable mate.  The present queen is the last of the line, and if she doesn't produce children the magical moon will eventually go dark.  She doesn't want to pick a king who would hamper her own political power, while at the same time she wants a mate that will be influential enough to ensure that their birth petitions will go through (the birthrate in Elland is very strictly controlled because they live in a self-contained environment) at the corrupt Ministry of Birth.

There are at least three males she's narrowed her focus onto.  One is a politically powerful defense officer named Clavier.  He would bring the most to the marriage, but he would also interfere with her political autonomy.  Another is her chief advisor, Madix.  He is less powerful than Clavier and she enjoys his company, but he's unpopular and there are rumors that he has a dark secret.  The third is her chief bodyguard, Vevix.  He seems very loyal to her personally and would be the easiest to manipulate; she's also been growing closer to him.  The problem is he also seems to have lanternist leanings--he may or may not be lowborn too, I haven't decided.

I want her to end up with the advisor, but we'll see.

They also have to contend with landwalkers, which are basically land-going zombie whales.

There are so many cool subplots!  I wish I could think of a main one.

 Remember Cu'liannian the cu sith from the end of the Miller's Daughter story?  Here's some headshots of him, making various expressions!  Most are kind of sarcastic because, well, that's the kind of cu sith he is.
( Art here... )

I need to find a better way to describe Jeriah, Matteen and Usurpateur better than "x-expy" or  "lizard", especially Usurpateur.  I've got a clear idea of what he's like, but I'm having trouble describing it cause my brain's still fried.  Can't tell if that's the medication or whatever I have.  Seriously, can't even play the sims.  Ready to not feel like this no more.

Had a weird dream about trying not to run into a bouquet of axes, someone i-guess-drunkenly? arguing a point, and trying to find a cheap kitchen to keep in my sister's basement.  Because I was hungry, and obviously nothing but an entire kitchen in someone else's house (which was made of blankets) would suffice.  There was a weird hole in the floor to give us access to the food somehow.

Bored.  wish I could find something that wasn't too hard to concentrate on that was still fun.