(woop imma go on a nostalgia rant)
How it started / How it’s going
Congrats to @aliiveswrites on WRITING A FREAKING BOOK! The Winding is a witty LGBTQ+ futuristic fantasy that, I can confidently say, has been nearly 15 years in the making.
I count myself among the lucky ones to have witnessed the world Ali has built - from the sidelines - starting back in senior high school classes and lunch breaks, where doodles of an eyeless man with floating eyeballs and a pair of dice would make his way into Ali's ongoing sketchbook.
To countless hours where we should have been doing homework, and instead making "zaney" (heh) characters of our friend group, lovingly called The Epitome of Science. To witnessing these fun little doodles evolve into independent characters, with their own thoughts and personalities.
"To those we carry with us" Ali held onto this idea over the years, and it was always a joy to see new art she'd created, or hear about a new direction a character was going in, or a new thread on this story she was building and a mystery at the heart of it.
I couldn't be prouder of the hard work and determination Ali has gone through to make this book a reality. Turns out, the publishing industry is hard AF. I love that she found a publisher in Literary Wanderlust that believed in her vision for the world she built. And now it exists and I still can't believe I can hold it in my hands (The cover is VERY SOFT 10/10 would recommend).
To see "Book One in the Epitome of Science Trilogy" is something my brain can't fully comprehend. I'm so excited to reconnect with these characters - old and new. We are so lucky that these characters refused to leave and had a capable host to tell their story.
The Winding by Ali Ives
"In a world of gods and monsters, the future rests on a toss of the dice"
Order through your local bookstore! Check it out at https://www.literarywanderlust.com/product-page/the-winding