The entire saga is complete, from Haruka's first memory of his Shichi-go-san ceremony through his dreamtime advice to Watanuki in his afterlife.

Obscenely long: Chapters 1 and 2 together are over 12K, but I tried to keep the pace fairly fast without losing content.

Chapter 1: Childhood
Rated PG for war-related privation, injury and death

Chapter 2: Adolescence
Still some mildly disturbing privations; rated R for sex.

Chapter 3: Young Adulthood
Rated PG-13 for mild sexual content.

Chapter 4: Married Life
Rating: R for (omigosh!) heterosexual sex.

Chapter 5: Grandparenthood
Rating: PG for brief descriptions of brief fights, mentions of sexual matters, and character death.

Chapter 6: Afterlife
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content (including Doumeki/Watanuki) and language.




Comments, concrit, adoration, suggestions, discussion of Japanese history, Buddhism, or any other topic brought up by the story are all welcome.

I've decided to post my original gay erotic science fiction romance novel here at the top. I dated this entry in the future to put it at the top (I wanted something in the 25th century since that's approximately when the story takes place, but LJ won't cooperate.)

I'll continue linking to the newer chapters up here...



( Chapters 1 & 2Collapse )

( Chapter 3Collapse )

( Chapter 4: The Divine and the DanceCollapse )

( Chapter 5: Dance and DesireCollapse )

( Chapter 6: Anticipation and...Collapse )

( Chapter 7: FulfillmentCollapse )

( Chapter 8: UnderwayCollapse )

( Chapter 9: OvernightCollapse )

( Chapter 10: LearningCollapse )

( Chapter 11: ConcernsCollapse )

( Chapter 12: BirthdayCollapse )

( Chapter 13: Office VisitsCollapse )

( Chapter 14: Unexpected VisitsCollapse )

( Chapter 15: ArbitrationCollapse )

( Chapter 16: VerdictsCollapse )"

( Chapter 17: EnduringCollapse )

As always, concrit is welcome!

Here's the rest of my original yaoi-influenced science fiction gay romance--a work in progress.

Tyr is now a thirtysomething psychiatrist on the first settled exoplanet, Gaia. The time is somewhere in the 25th century.

Chapter 1: Across a crowded cafeteria
Rated PG-13 for sex-themed conversation and a couple instances of profanity.


Concrit, suggestions, compliments, fanfic, fanart and any other respectful commentary is eagerly welcomed.

A few things I have in mind:

More about Akka: A little on the short side, curvy, tiny bit plump, long curly dark-brown hair usually braided and wound around her head or in a braid down her back but sometimes side hair pulled to back and held with hair clip. Tends to wear secondhand clothes, often patched by herself. Loves music of just about every kind as long as it's not very negative or violent. Reads irregularly but enthusiastically, mostly library books she returns but she has a couple of bookcases of mostly secondhand books at home--small-print-run or handwritten on magic, some fantasy novels of various periods, herbology, gardening, raising chickens and ducks (therein lies a tale). Has a treadle sewing machine in the main room. Really a bit too trusting of people; friendly to just about everyone. She had two children. Her daughter died young with her second husband--can't decide whether of disease or an accident. She left her first husband; never a proper divorce but when you emigrate half a world away in the early 1800s that doesn't matter legally...

More about Al: average height, light brown skin, wavy dark-brown hair that's a bit long, beautiful dark, dark brown eyes, average build except broad-ish shoulders. Likes computer gaming (but not a Pokemon Go person) practicing his abilities, some TV, not sure about his music tastes yet. CAutious about trusting people until they start proving themselves. Comfortable with adult women, shy around teenage girls. Likes both cats and dogs. Odd jobs he did to raise money: dog walking, cat sitting, a little babysitting for young neighbors, cutting grass, weeding, clearing out stuff from houses, bagger at grocery store (the only "business" job he's had). Has an active but nearly expired learner's permit. OKay in school, teased a bit but neither an outsider nor insider; best classes are math and computer science, but good at writing. Doesn't really like sports except no-stakes (which means not in PE or on a formal team!) soccer and basketball. Really prefers kicking/dribbling a ball around.

Things Akka and Al have in common: not highly ambitious. Al has no idea what he wants to do for a living except Not a Paperwork-Pushing Desk Job. Akka is content to do magic for friends and neighbors, garden, mend her own belongings and home, just as she's done most (all?) of her life. They both enjoy music; Akka is more passionate about it while Al is more interested in reading fiction and playing computer games. They're both fairly omnivorous about food and enjoy most things; Al has the "cilantro tastes terrible" gene and isn't big on plain tomatoes or on eggplant that's not smothered in sauce and cheese. Both are tea drinkers (Al's mother worked in an organic store specializing in the herb and teas section, and Tara liked tea also.

Things I don't know: Al's and Akka's parents' names (I want to name Al's jerk face father "Don" after a Certain Person but might name him "John" after my ex-husband); more about Akka's second husband (first was a jerk much like my own first husband), what Akka's mild psychic abilities are.

Akka describes her first marriage to Al:

"I was nineteen, I didn't know better. I thought I was in love, and he gave me gifts and treated me like I was special. Oh, and I wanted babies. Partly hormonal, partly that I simply love kids." Akka sighed. "It didn't go especially well and after three years and one miscarriage he simply left "on a trip" and I got good and angry after about five months. As best as I could work out, he wanted to marry me because he thought my parents were wealthy and important in the magical world. Important, perhaps, Wealthy?" Akka shrugged. "We had a small, old partly ruined castle and always plenty to eat and some nice furniture. Oh, and I think he wanted to get into my undies.

Al smirked at Akka's last remark.

"That isn't what they say, is it?"

"More like, get in your pants."

"Well, I didn't wear pants then. Do you want the rest of the story?"

Al nodded.

When he came back nearly seven months after leaving, no explanation and very little money, our life together went from bad to worse as they say. Eventually my parents and I agreed the situation was unacceptable and as Papa wanted to get out of Italy anyway for various reasons and he was very excited about the new United States, we simply left one day while I was "visiting" my parents.

Al is much more advanced in both raw psychic ability and in skilled use than Akka is.
She will teach Al general underlying principles of both psychic abilities and magic, and help him practice both, which is how she can teach something she doesn't know as well as he does. She will state early on that a teacher learns as much as they teach. Also that daily life brings up teaching moments, which is why they weed and cook and do other stuff together as well as specific training and practice. She'll chat with him while kneading bread or sewing or weeding or making soup or making the bed.

Been exhausted-sick the last couple of days. Seems to be a combination of sinuses, depression from husband's horrific work situation, and maybe still some immunity issues/subclinical Epstein-Barr/whatever. Arrgh!

Got at least half a page full of "magic system" info for one of my stories-in-progress after lunch Monday and scribbled them down. Very little yesterday and today except Akka's parents discussing leaving Italy for the US in the 1800s (probably) sometime:

Papa:"Perhaps we should go to America. Plenty of room there, and excellent growing land, I have heard"
Mama: "Settled by intolerant Protestants who despise Italians and would assume we are Catholics also. And they burn witches."
Papa: "They stopped doing that."
Mama: "When? Last week? Close enough to then for associating magic-using humans with evil to still be in the descendants' minds."

We'll see whether any part of that makes it into the story. Oh, I worked out where Akka's name comes from. Mages don't use their real names because of the power they hold, so Akka got "nicknamed" after the first word she said (Most mage-infants say their element-word before "Mama" or "Papa" or "milk" and she couldn't quite get "acqua"--"water"--quite right.

Her real full name at the moment: Rosamaria Elisabetta [last name not decided yet].

Some of the magic-system bit: Most people can control/work well with one or two elements. Akka's are water and earth, like her mother, hence they are herbalists among other things. Dominant elements depend on region: four elements in Europe, five (adding metal) in Asia per real-life traditions. Magic--the ability to manipulate reality--is genetic, dominant in the female and recessive in the male, I think. Psychic abilities are naturally occurring on a range from minimal (most humans) to pretty powerful and also depend on one's elements: pyrokinesis is related to fire, clairaudience to air, etc.

Might dump some of this, but it's there to play with. Philip Pullman says (I'm paraphrasing from his amazing collection of speeches, Daemon Voices,) that a storyteller leads readers on a path through a forest. The more work and thought the storyteller has put into the forest the better the "path" will be. And the forest is easier to create than a really good path that shows the readers just the right things for a good story.

If you have any interest in fiction-writing or like Pullman at all, you must read Daemon Voices The linked review is quite good, but damn it, both that AV Club review and Pub. Weekly name only his male influences, not the women authors and storytellers he references including Philippa Pearce. and some folktale tellers and collectors.

"Peace, Salaam, Shalom," written and performed by Emma's Revolution.




"Bread and Roses" performed by Joan Baez and Mimi Farina (damn, how do you get tildes in DW? Help is unhelpful on the matter)


"Everything Possible" by Fred Small, performed by The Flirtations:



I so love all three of these! I've been privileged to see Emma's Revolution live several times, and to go on a hike with Pat and Sandy (the core members) & chat about labor rights and the beauty of the Mid-Hudson Valley.

But now I can't think of it.

So, have the website for a totally awesome gourmet chocolatier that is worth the money I just cut and pasted it into an email I sent to husband to add chocolates from this company to my birthday/Christmas wish list. (It's also my contribution toward ideas for his mom's birthday and Christmas gifts).

We went there on our vacation in August--the Walpole NH store is only about 20 minutes from where husband's sister and her family live. His niece and her friend debated extensively over what to get, so sister intervened and suggested getting a sampler box. Husband's mom got a larger sampler box and shared with us other two grown women. Husband got a tall glass of drinking chocolate that I begged 2 sips from. All heavenly!

I love Ben Franklin and his witty wisdom, but I have to say that chocolate is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It's an antidepressant--beer is a depressant, dear man.

Oh, another frequent quotation of mine:
"Aliens." Said calmly and deadpan, whenever a program we're watching on The History Channel mentions something that's mysterious in origin. Occasionally it *is* said to be aliens, but more often it's an underground vent or something.

I got two wonderful groans Sunday at Stitch'n'Bitch for the way I want to be introduced when I walk into the Time Travelers' Ball at the con later this month: "Her Holiness Pope Ruth I. Ensuring that the Vatican is no longer ruthless."

Go to bed, Zlabya.

I have a new fandom. And it's brand-new: the book came out in the spring. Ada Palmer, a history professor with a sterling academic background (Bryn Mawr and I believe Harvard) published her first novel, Too Like the Lightning. How to describe it? A realistic but overall pleasant (I wouldn't quite say "utopian") 25th century for us humans. No aliens, but other interesting... well, you'll have to read it. The book is very dense with world building and a little overwhelming even for a hardcore "soft" SF fan like me who likes her worlds well fleshed out with lots of history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and other good stuff as well as some future engineering and hard science (biology being my big love). Ms. Palmer's got that all in spades, as well as politics flavored with enough personality and culture to interest me, and oh man her well-rounded characterizations!

The plot? Let's see, a very unusual child, cared for by a person from a very famous family that controls the travel patterns of millions of flying cars (see? I said there was some hard science) and a criminal with an unknown crime but a humble manner that hides a brilliant mind and more. Also, a journalistic/political crisis involving the same family and more and more complications that develop. Round about page 100 we get some history on how the current sociopolitical system got its major start, through the clever means of reciting 300 year old speeches on the future-world's equivalent of the US Independence Day. Also bits and pieces before then so you've got a kick board of sorts while trying to stay afloat in the ocean of the 25th century Earth.

The writing feels a bit too chaotic but otherwise brilliant. And yes, there are 2 more books coming in this series so we'll get more. I'm hoping this is just the first of a new Goddess of Science Fiction to sit in my pantheon along with Lois McMaster Bujold and Ursula K. LeGuin.

And oh, man, do I want to have fandom talks--about why set-sets might be called that, about what "Hive" each of us might belong to, about which characters are shippable with which others (the canon couples and poly groups are appealing on their own) and about the ways gender & sexuality, crime, work, family and other elements of society are handled.

Too Like the Lightning will be a gold mine of thought-provoking stuff especially, I think, for melannen, lavendertook, proudcockatrice, twistedchick and I think elainegrey. I'd loooove to talk with any or all of you about if you read the book. AndI think others of you who like character- and soft-science-driven SF will enjoy it too.

Pulled the "cataloging copy" of Hip Hop Family Tree, book 4 at work today because we had a cataloging issue, discovered other potential issues, and started leafing through the book while I was on hold with a coworker at a branch who was pulling copies of the earlier volumes to send me. It's a darn good graphic novel--darkish colors and gorgeous angles and curves that suit the subject matter wonderfully, engaging stories about various hip-hop figures, and overall coolness. Might read more to educate myself on a genre I know almost nothing about. I definitely recommend it

I've been slowly reading an advance copy of Rolling Blackouts, which deals not only with creator Sarah Glidden's travels in the Middle East to talk with people affected by the second Iraq war, but with the moral questions and ambiguities of journalism. I read it only at lunch, and it's good in little bits though one could read it in larger doses. The link shows the color version--my advance copy is in grayscale with just a couple of sample pages in color that don't look as good as those in the link. I'm excited to see the actual book!

I bought three new-to-me manga from RightStuf when they had a big sale (figuring I didn't attend Otakon so I missed spending dough in the dealers' room), but none of them interest me as much as Princess Jellyfish, which recently came into my workplace. I'd ordered a small number of copies based on reviews plus hearing a fair amount of buzz about it; also it's not quite like the mostly adventure and fantasy manga we have in our branches and it seems to have major fangirl appeal. The writing is good, the art is very Josei (for young women as opposed to preteen and teen girls as with most popular "girl" manga) and unique in style.

My adult-and-Teen-fiction-buying coworker, a nerd woman like myself and clearly someone who has an acquaintance with mental-illness issues, turned me on to Jenny Lawson, "The Bloggess" and author of two hilarious and sometimes deep books about her life and illnesses (depression, ADHD and some physical issues). One of her recent blog posts is about a fantastic dream she had, and says a lot about depression and about people. I thought it was beyond worth sharing--I felt required to share it so it gets out in the world more.

Thank you, Jenny, particularly your subconscious. Thank you, people who are Light in the Darkness.