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Halloween I.F – “That Which Lingers” – Wrap-Up and Q&A

So, back in September, I’d been complaining to Meredith about a lack of fantasy novels with polyamorous protagonists, which was what I was really in the mood to read. I’d even had a dream about a cute trio, one of whom was a vampire, who were doing some smooching, and I wanted that to exist so I could read it…!

Well. Well. One thing led to the other, and around the time we took a day-trip up to Whistler, I’d come up with a vague outline of some ideas for this story. Many of the initial ideas were spun up as we wandered around the ski village, including, yes, taking the gondola up to the top of the peak. Spoilers: there were no vampires there. It was foggy and we just turned back around again.

This is starting to read like the introduction to a recipe blog. Anyway, the point is, you unfortunately have the power to manifest dreams into reality, it just takes a lot of time and effort. I really did originally plan for this just to be a much shorter story captured within October (maybe 20K to 30K at most) but it quickly developed a life of its own, and I figured, I was already committed to this, why not just let it be the story it wants to be?

My cats (and both of us, I suppose) have suffered from a series of late bedtimes, and I’m looking forward to a restful December, but I’m happy to have written this and happy that so many of you came along the way to encourage me to keep going and to give me some fantastic ideas for how you wanted to steer the story along the way. This is the longest piece of writing I’ve ever completed (by far), and I’m very happy with the characters and the story I was able to tell! I have lots more in mind for future adventures with this crew, just… not right now.

In the meantime, one more huge THANK YOU to my lovely readers, and of course the most maximum thank you to Meredith for letting me play in the Uncanny Valley world that she created, and for her endless and unwavering support and brilliance ♥

Now, ask me questions! About the story, about the writing process, about the characters! There are some things I will decline to answer, of course, if I plan on circling back to them later, but AMA is open! (In lieu of questions if you don’t have anything to ask, feel free to share a favourite character or line or thing you’d love to see more of in the future!)

9 Comments

  • Prince Charming

    That was amazing! I love the story and all the characters so much! ❤️

    Some things I‘d like to know.

    In the beginning, what if we‘d decided to contact the Hallow Society or the Fae? Or if we‘d gone to Pax first thing?

    What if Webb had gone to the Inquisitor straight away when they first saw them?

    What would Lore have done if we‘d decided to snoop at their tower?
    Or if Webb wanted to speak privately with them first?

    If Webb had shaken Pax‘s hand, would he have really tricked them with something?

    Who did Faraday remind Webb of?

    What kind of being is Ibis? Are they Fae?

    And what kind of beings were the not-ravens?

    I‘m curious. What was Webbs name before he changed it?
    And why or how was Webb changed when they escaped the Erl-King?

    Thank you! I enjoyed this so much!
    And I love the pictures you’ve made. ❤️

    • Aveline Reynard

      Prince Charming! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I was so happy that you commented each day ♥

      I’ll try to answer as many of your questions as I can:

      • If you decided to contact the Hallow Society or the Fae, you likely would have had different NPCs that you met and had a chance to make relationships with. The story would have eventually lead to a similar place but could have looked very different along the way. I can’t say that I mapped those paths out in great detail – once a door was closed, that path vanished (though maybe some of those potential characters could show up later in other ways…)

      • One of the Inquisitors was a potential character to try to win over to your side, as well. It might have been Hard Mode, but…

      • Snooping around at Lore’s tower would have made trying to win them over to your side more difficult, since there would have been some lost trust, there. If Lore wanted to speak with them privately, things may have gone similarly, but Webb even at that point was getting some emotional support from Ariadne and Faraday being around, so it may have been harder for Webb.

      • Pax is a trickster! I don’t know that he would have necessarily tried to pull something BIG over on Webb at that point, but you miss every shot you don’t take, right?

      • Faraday reminded Webb of Jasper as he was in his… better times. Long hair, fashionable, a little flamboyant, confident.

      • Ibis is friend-shaped 🙂 They aren’t fae – Webb wouldn’t have felt comfortable staying if they got that vibe.

      • The not-ravens were sent by the Erl-King, so they’re fae, of some kind.

      • Webb changed their name a long time ago, as did Ariadne – I didn’t even come up with former names for them. With trans characters, or those that change their names for various other reasons, often it’s just not important to know or bring up.

      • The fae can change the world around them just by others being exposed to it. Kind of like magic radiation? Playing off some of the types of stories of people going to the land of the fey and coming back ‘changed.’ Webb got too close to a powerful fey being and was changed as a result.

  • meredithakatz

    Thank you for doing such fun and wonderful things in my little world, my love. I was delighted with every single chapter <3

    Some questions:
    – I'm also curious about the Hallow Society in a general sort of way! Obviously you don't want to spoil any specific later things, but were there any specific contacts you'd planned on us meeting if we went that way?
    – In what way did Webb usually interact with the dryads? You mentioned a Naeemah… but like, also, after What Happened, were they part of healing Webb up or just necessary contacts despite Webb's qualms?
    – I want to know more about how Ariadne & Faraday fell in loooooove. I know Faraday was obviously kidnapped and it was as much a meat cute as a meet cute, but …what happened next (or maybe a side story for xmas? :3)
    – Do any of them have tattoos and of what. I don't think you've mentioned tattoos so far, just piercings, but maybe I'm wrong.
    – What did Webb's old group's thing with Pax look like? I remember mentions of Pax hanging out with them, but how did that happen, and what were they up to?
    – Will Webb get in touch with Sia after this?
    – Were there any inspirations for the characters, main or background, that you think it would be fun to share?

    idk more coming if I think of them

    ps thanks for not describing the strange horrors and terrifying wonders we saw in the mist at the top of that gondola. Some things are better not put into words.

    • Aveline

      Some secrets are meant to be kept safe…

      • I had no specific contacts in mind for the Hallow Society yet since it didn’t end up going that way! But I’m sure you haven’t seen the last of them one way or the other.

      • Webb recovered in a human hospital and didn’t much enjoy that experience, either. They spent as little time with the fae as possible – Naeemah was someone they knew that worked mostly within the city parks out of necessity. Maybe she’ll show up later?

      • Ariadne and Faraday was a meat cute yes dfkgjh. I don’t think I’d do a side story for them at the time since Ariadne was not very happy and not really her best self back then. But suffice it to say that younger Faraday was considerably more impulsive and less chill and settled. He was a combination of cocksure and reckless (seeing as how he, you know, put himself in a position to be kidnapped by vampires) which Ariadne found appealing and probably a bit annoying… but he was also kind enough to be a listening ear and sincere under his charisma. Hours with them both being bored and a little curious – Faraday started trying to make a sympathetic friend to help him worm his way out of the situation, but ended up caring for her instead.

      • Niall has tattoos 🙂

      • Webb’s old group… hmm, “club-hopped” is the wrong word, exactly. But they would frequent establishments similar to the Drawing Dead, bars and social places. The equivalent of adventurers taverns in D&D world. Pax wasn’t always in such an upscale gig! He moved his way up in the world. I can see him working at a

      • I don’t think Sia is top of mind for Webb, since Jasper mentioned that Sia outed them to Jasper. But if they’re looking for information in the future, she might be a good source for it.

      • I think YOU’VE heard of most of the inspirations, but Webb has a little bit of Elliot energy from “In Other Lands” by Sarah Rees Brennan. Faraday is a bit of an homage to my long-standing love of pretty wizards in fancy coats. And Lore developed somewhat as a response or foil to Lithway. That’ll be a meeting someday perhaps???

    • Aveline

      Oops, cut off one line, there. I could see Pax working at a university pub, is what I was going to say. University students are here and ready to make the worst decisions.

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