Hello, Readers! Clevenger here.

Happy Star Wars Day!! May the Fourth be with you!

Throughout this project, I have learned what it takes from me to get a story out there. I’ve learned the lines I’m willing to stand on, others that I didn’t, and some I didn’t even see. But through this, it’s been a constant growth and the person asking for changes was Graham. So our collaborative spirits, our willingness to give each other their own victories, have been implied. From story elements to writing styles, we’ve learned each other’s idiosyncrasies and met in a happy middle that allowed us to tell this story.

But then Graham has to think bigger. What if someone else gets involved? How would we handle a publisher, or someone willing to buy the intellectual property? What would we be willing to give and take on? And the answer is… I don’t know.

Some things are easier to decide on, questions like “Can we not make Jesse gay?” Answer: “No. He is who he is, love him.” Questions like “Did you have to hurt [SPOILER]?” Answer: “Yes. We want you to feel that pain so that it pays off later.” Graham and I can look at these and know that they are essential to this story being the way it is, without them, we lose something.

But other concerns like “Does Thorn have to be so vulgar?” Suddenly, the line isn’t so clear. I mean she fits the tone of the book. But if you are making a show out of it, I think we can dial it back… maybe?! As long as she’s still… her.

And it’s hard for me to think about those things. I want everyone to love this story as much as I do. And while Graham has had a bit of experience dropping short stories here and there, for me this has been my first. I still look at it as “my baby.” A bit protective, a bit possessive, and unable to see any flaws in it. (However, the editing process has made that last part a bit more real…. grrr.).

Graham and I have talked back and forth about, should we have SO many non-human races? What if we put everyone back to human? Well, for the book… no. We like that. Fantasy has been missing fantasy for a long time, let’s bring back the mystique and fantastic creatures that make this world magical. But again, for a show? Well, if it was animated, that would work, right?! Live action… uh oh. Well, let’s do our best.

Maybe all of these concerns are for nothing. But when this story gets out into the world, if people find it and fall in love with it like Graham and I have, then maybe these conversations will be important. Only time can tell.

I just don’t want to cross that line and look back to not recognize our own work. Jesse and Symon deserve more.

Well, next week, Graham will close this topic, and we’ll figure out where we go next. Until then…

Be Kind.

-Clevenger