I hadn’t realized how much time has passed since the last post. The Clockwork Alchemy steampunk convention in San Mateo was a blast. I met a lot of new people and a lot of old friends, and while I didn’t have a new book ready, I presented a new workshop on making maps for authors and gamers which went better than expected for my first time.
What I’m watching:
Currently in the middle of Indian Matchmaker. The show takes place in India, the US and the United Kingdom. The life and philosophy of Sima Aunty. the professional matchmaker is interesting and something I wasn’t familiar with.
Matchmaking is something I had a completely different idea about; I had always thought it was more for the family money than what either of the matched kids might want but I was pleasantly surprised to see that that’s no longer (or maybe never was) the case. That said, they never talk about fees or money on the show (it’s more the romance angle) so I’m not sure I can explore the idea yet for any of my cultures…I need more information. Food for thought.
The other is Cook-A-Long. I journeyed back to South Africa and learned a lot about farm to table food production. For instance, the baobab tree takes 200 years to bear fruit, and then will produce fruit for the next 1000 to 2000 years. Definitely using that somewhere. I also found two excellent quotes that embody the spirit of Port Liberty.
The first is from Kagiso Modupe. “It’s important to be always open to learning. From all persons. And that what you don’t know, ask, and learn from the ones that do, no matter their age or background. Be the student.”
And the second is from Chef Benny Masekwameng, who, in addition be being one of the chefs on the show, also happens to be one of the judges on Ultimate Braai Master. “It is important to pass on your knowledge. I look at where I come from and how I got to be where I am. I was given an opportunity by somebody else that shared their skills and knowledge. I have a big duty to do the same for those that come after me.”
These are two quotes that I fully believe in, and their spirit is the backbone of the Multiverse of Fusion. Everyone has something to teach me, no matter how small, and I always pay that knowledge forward by teaching it to someone else.
What I’m writing:
I’m doubling down to see if tag teaming projects might be more productive. Similar to She-Wolf in Shorts, I’m working on the “Author’s Cut” of the pulp superhero short stories I’ve written about Elle Quartermaine and Talia Pembroke, currently Saving the Multiverse as Dorado and Dark Claw. (Not coincidentally, New Arete is the superhero metropolis that Port Liberty is a suburb of, so the characters will interact with each other.)
Also continuing my first draft of Murder by Spandex. I’m leaning a lot about laying clues and scattering red herrings by listening to Agatha Christie on Audible. It’s a lot more intricate than I thought. Words are slowly starting to flow!
That’s it for now! Hope all y’all have amazing adventures until the next installment!
Dover Whitecliff 