2025 Writing Log, Part Two

[rynling]

- I posted a page about An Unfound Door, my original gothic fantasy novel, on my public-facing blog (here). This is still a work in progress, but I hope it looks okay.

- I’m slowly chipping away at “The Case of the Phantom Portrait,” an original wizard detective story set a decade or two after An Unfound Door. I’m currently finishing the bridge to the big endgame scene.

- I wrote the second chapter of What Dreams May Come, a Bloodborne-inspired Legend of Zelda AU. I’m slowly feeling out the details of the plot as I move forward.

- I’m halfway through the first chapter of The Last Green Knight, a Legend of Zelda AU based on Arthurian legend. I’m writing this for a fairytale-themed pan-fandom big bang event that has an account on Bluesky (here). Signups are open until February 7, if you’re interested in participating.

- I got back a set of (remarkably helpful and insightful) editorial comments on my Elden Ring essay for Bloodletter Magazine, so I added some extra polish and sent off the final draft. I’m really proud of this piece, which should be published in March. Although I wish I could say otherwise, the essay’s message that “academia is in trouble” is only becoming more relevant as the weeks pass. Fun times we live in.

- I’m still working on my paper on analog nostalgia in travelogue comics about Japan. This week I finished the first analytical section and got started on the second.

- This week’s post on my book review blog (here) is about Hoshikuzu Kazoku, a two-volume graphic novel set in an alternate universe where prospective parents need to obtain a license before they can have children. I randomly picked this up because of the cover art, and I was amazed by how interesting it is. I’m definitely going to check out the artist’s other titles.

- I wanted to create a Legend of Zelda drawing for the Year of the Snake, but there aren’t actually that many snakes on the plane in the games. I ended up drawing an illustration of one of my favorite items in the series, the Snake Whip from Spirit Tracks. I posted it on Tumblr (here).

- This isn’t the best art in the world; but, when I compare it to the toon-style art I made when I first started drawing (like this), I think maybe it’s not the worst art in the world either.

My car has been giving me serious trouble for the past several months, so I traded it in and got a new one. I’m grateful to be at a point in my life where this is possible; but also, all day every day I dream about trains.

Comments

[lassarina]

Yay for new car! I use trains as often as I can, but unfortunately my daily life requires a car sometimes. (More often than in my previous residence, alas, but it's worth it for some of the perks here.)

So many things done!

[rynling]

I'm so happy you have a good and reliable car! I'm happy I have a good and reliable car too!

Philadelphia got a fair amount of snow yesterday, and I'm pleased to say that my new car handled it just fine. What a joy it is not to have my life completely upended by the weather.

I guess there are two wolves inside of me. One wolf is like, USEFUL AND AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NOW, and the other wolf is like, EVERYONE DESERVES A SAFE AND RELIABLE CAR. They're both good wolves.

[lassarina]

They're both good wolves! Chicago is pretty decent at public transit if what you want to do is get from varying parts in the city and close suburbs down to its center, and they're expanding some stuff on the south side that I'm really glad to see since it's historically been an underserved area. But also, sometimes you need to transport things that cannot be carried onto the train or bus. (I would really not like trying to drag all the supplies for a party home on the bus, I have to admit.)