Catastrophe Theory
Much like agriculture started the downfall of man, free will was the beginning of the end for the Lius and Jeong-Espinosas. Their choices could lead to the blossoming of an epic romance or the dissolution of a suffocating marriage, a life spent pleasing their parents or a life spent trying to break from their influence, a life spent exploiting what their world has to offer or just living in it.
But the two skilled families have their pick of life-prolonging talismans. Ambrosia. Books of life. Death flowers. Potions of Youth. In essence, they're not dying or staying dead unless they want to. So while they have their spats and live their lives, their minds churn with the sum total of their experiences, each feeding that ultimate decision, the final choice that might be the most disturbing implication of the Sim universe.
Here's the prologue,
The Color of Fear.
Content warning: Swearing, death, can get too real. Can describe itself as 'post-postmodern metafiction' with a straight face, or as straight a face you can make while saying 'post-postmodern metafiction.' I promise there's no math.
Catastrophe Theory: If, through loose ends, we could resume/Unrav'ling defects from the loom/And soften as the shuttle mends---/Then save for me a few loose ends!
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Comments
Don't think I've forgotten Juliet from that casting call, either. I may have underestimated the amount of plot that has to happen before the Venus in Retrograde auditions. Which is a shame, because I'm excited to finally get all of those guys in a room together!
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
I appreciate that reference.
It was.......................................................................my pleasure!
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
I'll be here! I'm happy you have a thread for one of my favorite stories!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
But I'm sure everybody can all relate to feeling different on some level, right? And if we want to strengthen the SimLit genre, isn't encouraging a diversity of types of stories one way to do that? I'll give it time.
So thank you, @cathytea and @citysimmer and @Irishsong! I also didn't associate the ideas with Wittgenstein until you mentioned that. Did I accidentally quote him somewhere? Many of his ideas are "no, duh"-level in my field (reeeeallly trying hard not to dox myself here).
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
You know, reading and commenting on your story hasn't felt at all like emotional labor! It's felt like eating ice cream after having given it up for lent!
I often feel isolated, too, more and more so the less I camouflage, and so when I read a work like yours, where most of the characters think the way I do--or at least similarly enough that I can understand them--I feel like I've come home, in the best sense of the word.
I can't remember if you've quoted Wittgenstein or not... maybe his name came up once through a character's dialogue? I don't think so.... can't recall... but I just think of Wittgenstein when I read your work! It seems like your characters would be quoting him...
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
@CathyTea: I'm honored! That sense of isolation, that's the main reason I write. I'm glad to have found a reader who sees it the same way I do; in a small community, no less!
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
That being said, there's a huge jump in stylistic evolution from the earliest to the most recent posts, where the focus switches from saying silly things to being driven by emotional gravitas around "The Faceless Mother." Somewhere in the middle the first-person player narration dies an honorable death. To you and any lurkers out there, let me know if this is too jarring; I may just publish a recap of the first few (thirty) posts as a shorter and less silly option.
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
I love all your characters but Charlie resonates deeply with me. I also appreciate Shu and how different and real his serial romantic character and motivations are from the typical Don Lothario archetypes.
I have now followed you and look forward to reading more.
Also, I can’t express how flattering it is, and honestly downright impressive, that you finished the whole thing. Thank you so much!
@citysimmer Oh heck yes. You gotta let me know what happens.
Shu is honestly my favorite, saying a lot given that he’s competing with HIS DAD, and is easily the most complex character. He’ll be explored in depth over the next few months.
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
This entry provides some vital context to Matt and Aileen's wedding that changes the meaning of Grey Wedding, including the title. Warning; this one is quite dark (TW: real bad depression). You may want to get into the right state of mind to read it.
Here's our girl Aileen getting too real: Option 3
And a link to Grey Wedding if you missed it
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Grab your popcorn, 'cause Shu's about to be an even hotter mess: Love Day, Actually
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Even though the point Shu made about Charlie's definition of condependency is valid I think Charlie is right.
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
CT gets its Strangerville hero, kind of: No Place for a Heroine
By the way, if you're just dropping by and need a summary of the story so far, or even just something to help keep track of the characters, I spent way too long making one. Here it is
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Get ready for mood whiplash with the J-Crew: Is this Loss?
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Also, uh oh at what Jo is doing at the end.
If you like Jasper's memes now, there's a part coming up in---let's extrapolate from my current publishing rate---a year or so (!) that you're really going to like. I guess I should be writing faster
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead
Are you better off than you were with the birds of La Vibora: Al Mal Tiempo, Buena Cara
Haunted: Picture Oscar Wilde dating Willy Wonka, also Oscar Wilde is still dead