New Mailing List Story Coming Tonight!

2/28/2018

EDIT: The story is away! If you were signed up for the mailing list by 9:30 EST tonight, you should have already received it! If not, fear no more, sweet child: send me an email at <[email protected]> and I will deliver it to you with my own hands.

You remember a few weeks ago, when I asked you for short story ideas? I took one suggestion from among them and made it into reality. It's coming tonight!

There were a lot of intriguing ideas in your comments, and I actually found several ideas I wanted to pursue. For instance, several people suggested following major events from the perspective of minor characters. Not A Raccoon (who is probably a raccoon) requested a day in the life of an ordinary servant in the Emperor's palace from Elder Empire. Mick wanted a Traveler's Gate story from Lycus' perspective, Q wanted a Cradle story about Fisher Gesha's life, and more than one person asked about a Traveler's Gate story from the POV of random non-Valinhall Travelers.

I feel like this could be a short story collection: extraordinary events as seen from the perspective of ordinary people. I'll come back to this topic in the future.

Several people wanted something entirely new, which admittedly was my first instinct as well. I haven't written anything outside these three universes in a while, and while I love them all like my children, sometimes you need a break from your kids. Kaden and the Godking of the Outer Lithosphere both suggested original stories, though I'm pretty sure Kaden is already the Godking of a different layer of the Earth, so they may have colluded.

But by far the most common request was for a scene with Simon conquering a room in Valinhall. It would be churlish to ignore the will of the people, and I don't think of myself as a churl. So...Ben, you're the winner! As are the rest of you who specifically supported this idea--Oliv, Dragon, Anon, Nightwold, Shantanu, Nikk B, Chris, Zach, Blake, and Shane--and all the rest of you who generally voted for Traveler's Gate (too many to list).

Simon feels the love, though he's shy about it. Leah is going to try to recruit you all for Damasca.

Tonight, through the mailing list, I will release The White Flame, a short story about how Simon earned a power from the forge between Crimson Vault and City of Light. For those of you disappointed that this story isn't set after CoL, don't worry--there's new material in here, I promise. You'll be pleased.

If you're not signed up for the mailing list yet, I've got good news for you! Scroll down to the bottom of this very page, and enter your email into the field provided. If you're using a Gmail address, sometimes it eats my emails, so add <[email protected]> to your contacts.

Short story will be released before midnight EST! Enjoy!

-Will

47 Comments

Tren

2/28/2018 01:41:36 pm

Silly Will, the lithosphere isn't an atmospheric layer! It's the hard rocky layer of the earth made up of the crust and the outer mantle that floats upon the Earth's yogurty magma interior.

Will link

2/28/2018 01:44:41 pm

Thanks, Tren! I guess that explains the litho- root. It's now changed, but my shame remains forever.

I'm a writer, not a geolomaticianist.

2/28/2018 02:04:38 pm

That's okay. I can't speak for everyone, but you're still my favorite disappointment.

Divine Sovereign of the Lower Troposphere

2/28/2018 11:41:34 pm

Ha, these pitiful dirt-deities are unworthy of the -sphere suffix.

GodKing of the Outer Lithosphere

3/1/2018 05:36:35 pm

Curses, my old nemesis, the dusty layer of air that sits just above the ground.

You are as stale and damp as ever, Troposphere.

Tom

3/4/2018 11:49:21 am

Aha, I get it. Because the lithosphere is the outer crust of the earth so the outer lithosphere would be the surface of the earth.

Meanwhile the lower troposphere would be the part of the atmosphere that touches the ground, which would also be the surface of the earth.

Mason

2/28/2018 01:42:34 pm

Can’t wait for this! Dying for some new material to read

2/28/2018 01:44:56 pm

Then die no longer, Mason!

2/28/2018 02:04:10 pm

Yeah, I'm still pretty excited. Fisher Gesha would have been fun ... but I do enjoy Simon. I hope there are some dolls. The dolls are one of the most genius ideas Will has had (in my opinion.) Dolls and goldsigns. Actually ... good question ... Will, which idea are you most proud of in your three series?

2/28/2018 06:49:32 pm

That IS a good question. I'm proud of the dolls, because I do think they ended up being one of the best storytelling mechanics I've used, but off the top of my head I think the idea I'm most proud of is the Territory concept.

Alone, it's not that original: planes of magic are very common, and drawing power from a place isn't rare. But the Territory structure organizes the magic system well, there's a built-in progression system in that Travelers have to explore their Territories, each Territory is distinct, it's tied to a cool location, and the themes of the different Territories all add flavor to the same world...

It worked out way better than I'd planned.

3/2/2018 10:39:12 am

I must admit that it is a pretty great magic system. It will be interesting to see how it continues to grow and evolve. I am also impressed with your other two magic systems. Refining the Wuxia storyline for Cradle was imaginative (personal favorite) and creating the intent requirements in the Elder Empire was well thought out. What impresses me most I think are the limitations that you impose on the different systems. For example, the different technique types and limitations of each type of madra. Anyway, I think you have a quite a few great ideas. I can't wait to see those ideas continue to evolve.

Clint

2/28/2018 02:37:28 pm

Blessed be the Creator of worlds!
May the will of Will prevail!

2/28/2018 06:51:00 pm

The Will will will prevail.

Will will will it so.

Sean K

2/28/2018 02:40:19 pm

SUPER excited! I believe I stand for everyone here that we are happy with anything you write! Although I still want something from Fisher Gesha and so does 'Q'!

2/28/2018 06:50:37 pm

Cradle's on the back burner right now, but I AM trying to squeeze in a slice-of-life Fisher Gesha chapter into Ghostwater. Or at least a scene.

3/1/2018 03:59:59 pm

WOOT! I'm super glad Fisher Gesha isn't just being forgotten! I super happy with her scenes in Skysworn!

Ravi

2/28/2018 02:52:22 pm

Woohoo! Thanks Will! Now we need Simon to go on a date ;)

2/28/2018 06:50:05 pm

As long as you realize that if Simon goes on a date, something terrible is going to happen.

Something terrible always happens to Simon, no matter what he's doing.

3/1/2018 06:28:07 am

W-wait? I thought that was a given! Simon has days when something terrible *doesn't* happen to him????

manty05

3/2/2018 02:17:13 pm

I think the closest thing we've seen to Simon having a date included him tossing his partner almost to the ceiling(he caught them though). Terrible but quite amusing.

Finn

2/28/2018 07:03:50 pm

Just read it - super good! Now we need Simon epically failing at a room and Chaka has to save him (-;

2/28/2018 07:14:00 pm

Actually, is Chaka an Edward Scissorhands reference? I think Hoid from The Stormlight Archives is a Willy Wonka-ish character, is there an epic fantasy Johnny Depp conspiracy? I’m onto you Will!

And this is what happens when I post at 11:00 at night :-(

Sam

2/28/2018 07:28:23 pm

Awesome! Is there anyway to get copies of the previous short stories you've sent out? (For those of use that haven't always been subscribers to your email list.)

Sam I Am

2/28/2018 08:10:07 pm

https://us11.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=ba4bf39fb09712a9c982f3bc8&id=9a4055d765

Shhh. Don't let Will know we have the secret link.

2/28/2018 08:34:14 pm

Thanks!

Searching

3/12/2018 02:53:09 pm

I too was looking for this... thanks!!

DesprateFan

2/28/2018 08:04:56 pm

Yayz, Will has broken his blog-silence.

Liam

2/28/2018 09:04:41 pm

Just read it. And can honestly say I was surprised by how much I'd missed Simon. I'd love to see him take more of a leadership/mentor role. Maybe training Lycos or givin out missions to others and havin to step back and let other succeed or fail and how he'd struggle with that. And though I aint a romantic a love interest wouldn't hurt lol. Like to see how that worked. Everybody all about Leah but hey maybe someone new?

Mick

2/28/2018 09:38:11 pm

An enjoyable read and goes to the heart of Simon's care for his friends.

Your Territories short stories are some of my favorite aspects of your work and the idea of another collection of short stories is great. This way I can pay you for your creativity.

Terry

2/28/2018 10:05:47 pm

Hi Will, I have an idea. Why don't you put all your short stories into a book and sell them on Kindle? I'm happy to pay for them to have them all in one place and I'm sure others would want to too! :)

TheJason

3/1/2018 10:35:07 am

Great story! My only issue with it is if the forge lesson is basically to fight without your powers to your limit to show basically that you are willing/able to do so......then why didnt he get the power the first time? He was burned to a crisp in dealing with the snake and he kept fighting on till he won.

The guardian also gave him the white flame so was it because he killed the snake before the white flame was given? Just a little confusion why he got it this time and not the first time. Any clarification would be amazing will please!

3/2/2018 02:33:27 pm

Well I am not Will but I'll offer my view of the lesson. I understood that the lesson was about of not relying on your traveler powers alone in a fight and trying to fight with your base abilities as far as they reasonably go. Basically highlighting a great weakness of a Valinhall traveler and a good way to counter it.
By the way Will will the lessons turn more complex deeper in the house.

Ben

3/1/2018 11:50:59 am

Hooray! I am the champion of the world! And it was everything I wanted it to be.

Dave

3/1/2018 02:01:58 pm

Please send me the new short story

3/2/2018 09:17:22 pm

Go to this link for the archive of all short stories:

https://us11.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=ba4bf39fb09712a9c982f3bc8&id=9a4055d765

3/3/2018 11:00:01 am

Great short, Will. Thanks for your work!

Lord of the Tower

3/3/2018 07:08:08 pm

Just read it , an holy crap!!! He can eat them! ... I wonder if he was trying to use simon to get out of that part of the house? And the House is endless!! And even Valin couldnt use powers from the unbound rooms?!!?!?!? =O

Adarsh

3/4/2018 08:54:48 pm

Well, Incarnations can only use the powers of their Territory. The "Unbound rooms" are likely a region adjacent to but not within Valinhall. So any powers there would need to be added to the house first before they could be used by anyone else.

Diego

3/8/2018 12:27:59 pm

I think it was mentioned there the iron law of Valinhall prohibits even incarnations from using powers they themselves have not earned.

The unbound rooms probably lack something that allows someone to earn it. At least in the traditional way....

Question

3/4/2018 08:51:41 pm

How strong do you thing the White Flame is? Like would it purge underlord level toxins? Higher levels ones? Is it a cure-all for any sort of disease, even things like radiation sickness or lead poisoning? Does it just burn away anything foreign to the body? These inquiries need to be answered.

3/6/2018 05:28:47 pm

I think it's strenght depends on how much you can actually pull from Valinhall.

All of Simon's powers are basically Underlord level when he's wearing the mask. When he doesn't have it on Simon is basically around highgold.

Justin

3/5/2018 06:53:07 am

Great short story Will! Love these... Now for a random question: Do you( or anyone else on the thread) have any suggestions for xianxia type novels? I have reread the cradle series for the third time now and think it might be time to try something new for at least a little while. Are there any series that influenced your books specifically? You may have already addressed this but I missed it somewhere....

marc luce

3/7/2018 02:02:05 am

Hi Will!
I was hoping I could get a hold of the Simon short story.
-Marc

3/8/2018 07:38:29 am

Just a random thought does anyone know of a science-fiction wuxia story.

Jason Briggs

4/7/2018 11:09:44 pm

Hi , Would like a copy of the short story about Simon too please ,

Niraj Desai link

4/8/2018 09:36:23 pm

So I'm a huge fan...thought I needed more Simon after so long, but now I need more Cradle! MOAR!!! Can I get on this fabled mailing list for all these short stories you're sharing? Thanks!

-Niraj

Brandon

7/19/2018 10:42:08 am

Hi Will!

I sent an e-mail to you on July 11 based on this thread...it's Gmail, so I'm not sure if it reached you or went to spam (or you're just busy, which wouldn't be surprising in the least).

I wrote a lot, but was also asking to have the short story sent to me. Is this possible still?

In which we ramble on.
And by we, I mean me.