Category: children

PGA, 7

These segments will be a small chapter as I was taken to task years ago about “head hopping,” changing the internal monolog from one character to another with little or no warning, so the reader becomes confused. With one one deliberate exception that comes to mind right now, I do not do that anymore. So, since this little bit around the campfires is all Pai, I’ll separate it.

Having a cute gal from a country allied to yours for a century wander into your camp can be vaguely disturbing or, with accent, somewhat endearing. Pai uses that to push them and gets a surprise. Have I mentioned how seriously I, and they, take loyalty?

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PGA, 4

I guess you could call this segment “bullet dodged.” As the writer, I am trying very hard to make sure that Alix does not come across, as she says, just as a breeder. It is very difficult and slows me down more than a “normal” story. I was also pleased to learn that Graf and Pai have fights. All couples do; perfectly normal. So long as you love someone, it’s fine to not like them for awhile.

I have a suspicion that things will get very, very ugly when Alix’s mother comes back and finds Pai there. Fun times.

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PGA, 3

Yeah, definitely a sore point with Alix’s family. When you won’t even eat dinner with your own grandkids, that’s petulant. I am glad that Alix and Graf seem comfortable with how things are. And, we we see at the end of this segment, how things are going. Pai makes a characteristic entrance, but she and Alix are obviously trying to not ratchet up the tension. We’ll have to find out from Pai just what she and her husband do in place of a sexual relationship. Trust me, being married for nearly 35 years, it is an important componant; we are a soul-body fusion, not some Platonic ideal, so I am curious as to what their “work-around” is.

I do wonder what it was they were eating.

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Pai-Graf, 9/x

If you ever want to sidetrack people, get them talking about their kids. Even I am guilty of that, proud of my two debt-free, employed daughters (cough hint cough) that I am.

The importance of children echoes through all of my stories. Those who cannot or can only have a few are devastated by that knowledge. Reina, also, is NOT at pleased at the prospect. The world of the Change is not one of GrrlBosses and WineAunts. You marry in your late teens and get knocked up ASAP; FFS, Empress Fussy has ten kids. Personally? I think that may be because I’m a mule and my wife sterilized by chemo when she was 28. We adopted two. One of the reasons it was so easy for Pavel and Reina to adopt Tay, I suppose.

Anyhoo, Graf forgets what he was told and nearly dies. He is technically the main character, so I rather that not happen.

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Irrational Pai, 3/5

They are so pushy. All of them. At least Pai, it seems, know enough to realize when she goes too far, such as grabbing Graf by the throat in the last segment or demanding he marry her.

Nonetheless, it was still funny she took him to bed so fast. Hey: I don’t care what her claims are, if a cute girl wanted 17-year-old me? I would not even have asked my parents. In the Breakup/Change, families matter more than in our time, and even more for the Winsteads, what with their loss.

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Irrational Pai, 2/x

After ending yesterday’s segment with who she is, here we begin to learn what Pai is. A little. Anyone familiar with Machine Civilization should have a pretty good idea where this is going. Although, Part 3 starts a little comedically as they walk toward Madison after an interesting night together. Mark XV’s are amazing, especially as Pai’s mom can afford to buy any mods and upgrades she wants.

This is pushing my 5000-word limit, so I’m assuming there will be five parts, with the last out this Friday. However, that leaves a lot untold for me to get back to the theme of “meeting in the middle of a river;” I mean, they already did, but I wanted a similar close. To me, that implies the second submission to this anthology will probably carry on with Pai and Graf.

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Knoxville Shopping Trip, 6/end

This has been an adorable 3k words, just following Henge around for a day as she tends to her life and sees to her family. There really is nothing more important. In this final segment, the rest of the family comes home – Aurie in her typical style – and then dinner. To make it easier for readers, I have them speaking aloud, even though I think they normally just “think at” one another. I did like how neither child is the remotest uncomfortable with their parents’ physical affection. Not really sure where that entered into American culture, but I think kids should see their parents hold hands, kiss, casual contact; it’s normal.

For the next story, I was shown something just before Mass yesterday and am trying very hard to not think about it. An unpleasant situation for another of Fussy’s kids I’ve never really mentioned. We shall see.

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Knoxville Shopping Trip, 4/x

Keeping house, seeing to your children and man, feeding them and keeping them healthy and happy, there is no better job in the world. I know many will find this idea outdated if not hateful. That does not mean it is not true.

A Machine-turned-human, made of “diamond dust and star-stuff,” Henge could be any thing she want to be. And, so, she did. A quiet little transition; I bet Aurie will be bursting through their front door like a bomb in the next segment.

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Knoxville Shopping Trip, 2/x

“Out of the mouths of babes,” and all that gives a little exposition into Henge’s substance. I think, but do not know, that she was so focused on her love of Gary that she never fully considered the extent of what someone such as her would do to a recovering community. She’s obviously welcome, but I suspect there is still an undercurrent of “what is that?”

Which is precisely the last line of this installment. Next one will be tricky, so likely out late tomorrow. Cheers, all.

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Fusion (5/5 – End)

Fusion comes in at 4400 words and shall be a part of my next collection. Looking at the scrap of paper I made before Christmas, there were seven ideas on it. One was folded into Martian Wonderland and another here. As of this typing, no one in my head has given me the slightest idea as to what to do, next.

With Ash Wednesday, perhaps that’s why: I need a small break. No, of course I’ll not give up writing for Lent – that would kill me – but a little pause right now might be in order. My liver certainly thinks so.

As has so often happened before, be it music or images, the image at the end has been behind my eyes for much of this. I had no idea who she was; my oldest daughter explained it to me. Hope to see everyone no later than a week from today with a new story.

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