How do you talk about trying to brute-force a dream into reality? How do you talk about something you desperately need to make in a weird art-compulsion way whilst also REALLY TRYING to be commercially appealing for the people who fund games? The answer is: WITH DIFFICULTY.
HELLO I'M MAKING THE VIDEO GAME CRESCENT COUNTY
IT HAS BEEN REALLY HARD
Trying to be an artist making a gay witch video game about motorbike broom drifting and messy self discovery whilst ALSO trying to convince game publishers that there is a very specific audience for the game that I KNOW will love this has been akin to pulling teeth with tongs slathered in lard . Slippery, painful, and at a certain point you start wondering that there has GOT to be another way.
So we're doing a Kickstarter! It is very difficult to ask for things but I'm asking this from my favourite place on the internet; if you like video games and you like supporting queer art (I know you do) and you like making stuff a reality that otherwise probably won't exist, please check the Kickstarter for Crescent County out. Follow it, share it, pledge to it when it goes live next month if you can. Cause fucking HELL I need to make this game and our tiny tiny team has been working SO HARD, but the industry is on FIRE right now and we can't make this without your support.
LOTS OF LOVE, TIME TO DISAPPEAR INTO A VULNERABILITY PIT
I'm experiencing The Locked Tomb again, and the Second Reading (or listening in my case, I'm doing audio books this time), is absolutely DELICIOUS. It's like, a whole different book. Littered with details that couldn't possibly be enjoyed without having read the subsequent story beforehand!!
I've had to pause and jot some things down just because they make me feel ways (this is obviously full of spoilers):
In Chapter 6:
1) Aiglamene is teaching Gideon how to wield a rapier and tells her, her hands "Shouldn't be twins, but sisters", that they have different roles, but should be aware and support each other or something. And I was, Tamsyn are you sending me secret messages about the Third?
2) Harrow is speaking to the congregation and Gideon is thinking about how full of shit she is, but then Harrow says something like how no one will ever love the Ninth like she does, that "her heart is interred here", and Gideon is like well actually that bit sounded sincere. Oh boy. It sure is Harrow. Sounds like Ninth Poetic Gothic Nonsense, but in Hindsight, really quite literal. Well done Muir.
3) This one is a little less direct but when Gideon realizes she may never return to the Ninth and thinking that that somehow makes it seem fragile, that by turning her back on it, not looking at it, it might fall apart. Likes she's destroying it... Omg 😰 Just sort of rang like a precursor to how she felt about Harrow "turning her back on her" with the lobotomy y'know?
4) So Harrow and Gideon are getting on to the shuttle to Canaan and tension is high, they are not happy with each other and Harrow says "I want to watch you die", and Gideon, just super hyped to finally be escaping, smugly saying "Well you won't do it here." (Here being the ninth) 😭 Tamsynnn
Chapter 9:
When Ianthe catches Gideon hiding in dark, listening in on the third, she refers to "the necromancer of the third house", necromancer SINGULAR. Nice little drop there.
Chapter 14:
Harrow says "I'm not equipped to deal with a spirit attached to a live nervous system, you're so noisy!", implying Harrow is equipped to deal with spirits NOT attached to live nervous systems, like say, a bunch of dead kids haunting you???
Chapter 15:
Harrow says "She never liked that cursed thing anyway" in regards to Gideons longsword, said she always felt it was "judging her". Which is a weird thing to say about a sword Harrow
Also my current crazy theories that may debunked during this book or the next two because I don't remember all the lore:
1) Teacher is John? The colorful belts and the bracelets mentioned on Ianthe and Kiriona are like... Control belts or something. John needed a way to "be" on that planet without going to the system. John got hyper paranoid after all his Lyctors betrayed him, and wanted security measures on his Princes?? Like clearly he isn't aware of what they doing all the time, but maybe he can, remote in? Idk. Crazy theory.
2) Cytherea is the only reason Gideon made it through the aversion trial. Or Harrow rather, because I'm not convinced Gideons body didn't die. (Or do her escape death trick). During that sequence Gideon starts throwing up blood and seems like it's going to end very quickly then Dulcinea is like No! And the blood dries up, and the soul sucking pain is described as moving around Gideons body... I don't think Harrow would be experienced enough to adjust her siphoning like that. Also Dulcinea was clearly very intent on that key. At first I thought in half memory of the scene that maybe she was just interested in seeing if Gideon COULD survive the trial. But I don't think she cared who got her that key really.
Idk! I'm only on Chapter 20 of Gideon. I've gone completely nuts about these books.
Are you referring to "Harrow's Bone Marrow Special Explosion In Your Mouth And Other Parts", yeah that should definitely be in there. But I crack up thinking about a recipe that is just, step one, take bread roll, step two, put in drawer.
Is it OK if I adapt the Blood Moon Dishes art into a cross-stitch pattern? I wouldn't sell it - it would be primarily for personal use and any distribution would be free (and with your permission)
