It’s possible the only reason this news feed exists anymore is to list out the end of the year information properly XD
Novel!
THE WATER OUTLAWS
THE WATER OUTLAWS came out in 2023, and it is most definitely a novel!
Logline: Inspired by a classic of martial arts literature, S. L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws are bandits of devastating ruthlessness, unseemly femininity, dangerous philosophies, and ungovernable gender who are ready to make history—or tear it apart.
You can check out the book here!
Games!
I did a lot of interactive fiction writing this year!
FAIRY TALE THUNDERDOME (CO-WRITTEN WITH TINA CONNOLLY)
FAIRY TALE THUNDERDOME is a comedic fantasy, interactive fiction choice game that was serialized between April 2023 and September 2023. It is complete, and it’s eligible for interactive fiction, gaming, and/or SFF categories this year!
FAIRY TALE THUNDERDOME is a collaboration with Tina Connolly, and is published as two “upper decks / lower decks” halves—think similar to the TV show Once Upon a Time, perhaps? Due to platform limitations, each half has its own link, but it’s telling a single story, and given the level of collaboration and crossing over, we feel it’s most appropriately viewed as a single project credited to both of us.
Logline: A powerful Witch is about to burn down an entire fairytale kingdom because the King reneged on a contract for his firstborn. (Whoops.) Champions from everywhere must compete to save the land… but that might depend on your definition of “champion”. Humor, romance, the occasional time loop, and very queered up fairy tales.
The royal princesses side of Fairy Tale Thunderdome is free to read/play here.
The scrappy woodlanders side of Fairy Tale Thunderdome is free to read/play here.
- What order should you read them in? I recommend reading the first chapter of each and then reading them roughly in parallel—some people recommend switching back and forth every quest! We did a lot of work to make the reading experience good no matter which side you’re a little “ahead” in, and you’ll get slightly different reading Easter eggs either way. 🙂 There’s a single place where order matters more, and we labeled it within the game.
BAKING FOR THE WIN!
BAKING FOR THE WIN! is an interactive fiction choice game that I completed in 2023, but I do not consider it SFF so it would not be eligible for the Nebula Award or any other award with a SFF genre requirement. (Yes, there is some “hyperreal” science in it that is technically SF, but it’s more for humor than anything else—and also because I am a SF nerd and can’t not do a little!—so I wouldn’t be comfortable accepting a SFF-genre-required nomination for it.)
However, if you are a voter/juror for any game or interactive fiction awards that do NOT have a SFF genre requirement, Baking For the Win! was serialized between December 2022 and July 2023!
Logline: Wild cake experiments, epic chocolate disasters, and dollops of both kindness and drama. It’s the baking reality show where you can win $100,000…or face elimination!
Baking for the Win! is free to read/play here.
UNFIT MAGIC
It’s unclear yet whether UNFIT MAGIC will complete in 2023 or 2024 (it’s currently being serialized). I will update this post when I know!
Logline: You’re just a shapeshifter trying to hold down a new job, find romance, and protect your illegal secrets so that your entire life won’t blow up. No big!
