Moe Lane's Blog, page 613
January 10, 2022
01/10/22 Snippet, GHOSTS ON AN ALIEN WIND.
Fair use, fair use, fair-use use-use…
Patreon!I looked over to see Oft carefully staring at a wall fresco. “What’s that? Oh, right, those are your gods?”
“Illuvitarians are monotheists,” he replied, with the air of somebody who’s said that phrase a thousand times in his life. “But yes, these are images of the Exalted. At least, as the inhabitants of this world knew Them.”
As frescoes made in a dead alien style, in both senses of the term, the images weren’t bad. I only knew enough of the Illuvitarians’ not-gods to recognize the names, but the One-Eighteeners had used the same kind of iconography as we did when it came to physical objects. I mean, there’s only so many ways you can draw a tree, star, or a mountain. “It’s lovely,” I said truthfully. “Very peaceful-looking.”
“Would that it had been less peaceful, and more protective,” muttered Oft. He then rubbed his face. “Forgive me, Pamela. It is at times like this that I remember how my faith is the last guttering ember left of a church that once sustained trillions of believers. And that we must protect what is left.”
January 9, 2022
‘Fanny Power.’
It’s always going to be my favorite version.
01/09/22 Snippet, GHOSTS ON AN ALIEN WIND.
Just making up stuff, at this point. Like I know how to fly. And like it really makes any difference to the story if I do, or not (I think people overdo this, sometimes).
Patreon!I think I still may be sounding a little blase on the subject of wind-dancing. Like I’m romanticizing something that’s really just a matter of reading overlapping displays and careful adjustments. People talk up their boring jobs all the time, right? Fair enough. Lemme give you an idea of what it’s like, from my perspective:
The original inhabitants of One-Eighteen didn’t use a driver’s wheel, or a single flight stick. They liked to use all four limbs to fly: each hand controlling a separate squeezable trackball, while pushing various buttons with their feet. Including a few things that we’d put on a dashboard, like engine boosters or the emergency air evacuation switch. We’ve been able to put in a regular, Terran-style flight stick for regular use, and it works fine — for, again, regular use. If you want to get creative, you need to use the original configuration. Most people try it once, and then stop trying to be too creative.
I’m not most people.
@KarlKGallagher’s out of surgery.
Karl’s a good guy, fellow author, and former commenter here. I was a little worried when we didn’t hear from him after his surgery last week, but he seems to be at least stable. Maybe go buy a few of his books? Every little bit helps.
Surgery successful. Don't know when I'll released from hospital.
— Karl K. Gallagher (@KarlKGallagher) January 9, 2022
Thank you everyone for your support.
#commissionearned
Patreon Microfiction: It’s Better This Way, Really.
The truth in “It’s Better This Way, Really” is brutal, and many people in that world resist it. But the Cold Equations of situational mathematics are clear. Things have to be the way that they are.
Patreon!Tweet of the Day, I’ve Wondered This Myself About Police Dogs edition.
Albeit, not enough to go actually look it up, or anything. Heck, I’m not even doing that now. I’m as impressed at my meta-laziness as you are, probably.
Buster [Comic]
January 8, 2022
Running into a snag in GARY AND THE WENDIGO.
Problem is, it works better as a love story. But Wendigos eat people. As a person, I am opposed to this. I am also opposed to making it dark. But I don’t want the Wendigo to be just a misunderstood sort of entity, either. These are all at least semi-conflicting issues to have.
It is, as they say, a puzzler.
The final TRAGEDY OF MACBETH trailer.
Not gonna lie: THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH looks so excellently messed up. It’s stark and alarming, with all the askew intensity of a fever dream. I probably will have to watch it on Apple TV, because I don’t think it’s showing around me. Which is a shame.
Book of the Week: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.
This is a pre-order special; I liked Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s MEXICAN GOTHIC a good deal, and I’m looking forward to The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. It looks like a fun 19th century gothic exercise involving passion and monsters, and I’m there for that sort of thing. Lord knows it can’t be more preachy than the original, either. H.G. Wells was never one to let story get in the way of a good, solid polemic…
#commissionearned
