Annals: Year 26
A Dustsong story fragment and codex entry—and recommended reading
From the Annals of the Vaporous Realms
One day, the chief of the Children of the Palm told his exasperated wife, "Surely, if I fail to heed your words, it's because I'm far too distracted by your handsome visage and sun-blessed looks!" From that moment on, she spoke nary a word to her husband, and she garbed herself in a hooded tunic of palm fronds that covered her head to toe, except about the eyes. Several of the other women-folk did likewise, though she did not ask them to, for they admired her greatly.
Later that year, the chief fell prey to a prowler as he walked into the brush by the light of the moon. The elders of the clan would not permit the chief's wife, a woman of much wisdom but little patience, to lead in his stead. A few of the younger women, and their husbands and little ones, were of a different mind, and she led them from the clan oasis into the wastes. They called themselves Waetii's Folk, for that was her name.
Codex: Waetii’s Folk
Waetii's Folk were a desert-folk clan of the wandering wastes. They were a matriarchal offshoot of the Children of the Palm, known for their exceptionally modest attire and for their retiecence with outsiders.
Waetii's Folk were sixth of the thirteen clans that followed Len Ghremson out of the wastes. They made their home in the western quarter of Danoh-town. After Waetii returned to the dust, the Children of the Palm reabsorbed her clan inside a generation.
Author Note
It’s been a while, y’all. Going on seven weeks—it’s about as long as I’ve ever gone without posting here since I first got rolling. It’s been a tough stretch for me and my house, which overlapped with the final prepublication crunch for the Steelhearts anthology. Thank you, including those of you who’ve subscribed since I last posted anything, for your patience.
I’m happy to say that the Kickstarter campaign
sponsored for the anthology was a success, reaching nearly 300 percent of its minimum goal. I belatedly wrapped up the editorial work to my satisfaction, secured my wife’s help with formatting and design, got the ebook delivered to backers by mid-month, and got the paperback to print. Seven months into this endeavor, I’m very pleased with what we’ve all accomplished—and of course, that includes authors , , , , and . Both the ebook and a print-on-demand paperback will be available internationally, in the usual sorts of places, in the first week of October (after the Kickstarter paperbacks have been delivered). We’ll make an announcement when that auspicious day arrives.All that to say, I’m glad to be back posting here. In just a bit, my paid subscribers (for whom I’m especially thankful) will receive the definitive, expanded version of my “Watchers” story, partly restyled. Since I’m actively writing again, I’ll be sharing WIP excerpts and/or bonus tabletop character profiles with paid subscribers most weeks. And my monthly rhythm of free posts (like this) and profiles will get back on track.
Below are my carefully cultivated reading recommendations from early July through yesterday. My top nine fiction selections are first, followed by six essays worth your while:
The Brothers Doom by Luke Warfield
The Mage Hunter (ongoing) by Redd Oscar
The Pearldiver's Adventures (ongoing) by The Man Behind the Screen
Conquest and Glory (ongoing) by Harold Ember
"A Conspiracy of the Heart" by BamBoncher
Akiniwazisaga 2: The Inheritance Thieves (excerpted chapters) by M. D. Boncher
"The Fall of Agárion" by Mercedes de Santiago
One Hundred Refusals (ongoing) by Kathrine Elaine
The Haunting of Guaritori Diolco (ongoing) by Bill Hiatt
"A Generation of Media Illiterates" by Reynagus
"Eucatastrophes and the Triumph of Hope Against Despair" by The Brothers Krynn
"In Praise of Imagination" by GMaia
"Goodness of God Is Sovereign Over My Story" by Stephanie Loomis
"What Were Castles Actually For?" by Eric Falden
"Telemachus Calls the Assembly" by maryh10000
Happy reading, folks!
Thank you for the shoutout and for all the work you did on the Steelhearts anthology.
It's good to see you up and running again, and thank you for the tremendous work you did in putting the Steelhearts anthology together.