the importance of bubble tea
In this newsletter:
Some notes on why CROWNWORLD has been so slow in the writing, Ninefox VN Nonsense prologue prototype, the usual FAQ (Foxily Asked Questions), ObCatten pic.
Have a Ninefox Gambit VN text-only prototype of the prologue! This is written in Inkle Studios' Ink (narrative scripting middleware) - no graphics, sound, anything, just text (and notes-to-self like so: NOTE blah blah). Should be about 5 minutes to play - any comments/feedback appreciated! Please let me know how (if at all) you'd like to be credited for testing/feedback. Email notes to: yoon@yoonhalee.com
If you want updates/progress reports as I blog intermittently about development, you can find them at the website. (I don’t think anyone wants to be emailed dev notes 3+ times/week!)
Why are you still working on CROWNWORLD?
:pained laugh: My agent and editor are familiar with the story. It was supposed to be done and handed in almost a year ago.
What I am willing/able to share about the past year:
I had more than one family member almost die of health crises, some of which are ongoing, and some of which required me to drop everything else in favor of family member support/care.
I went to the ER with a major issue; beyond that, I’ve had debilitating health stuff for the past few years and which is still ongoing.
In hilarity, I had two root canals in the space of a month when we discovered that the first one didn’t resolve the issue and there was a second dead tooth on the other side. I suppose it says something when you straight-up forget about two root canals in a month because, as much as they hampered my ability to get anything done, they were so incredibly minor compared to everything else.
I’d dearly love to have completed this book already! But Life happened, so I’m doing my best as I can despite :waves at the world:. Especially since I have characters to destroy.
You can tell where my brain is because I have roughed out two versions of the (looping) music theme for Ninefox VN’s prologue lol. I’ve arranged permission to play and record Little Wars’ store piano during quiet moments! (The store’s not too busy during weekday mornings or afternoons.) I appreciate their generosity; that piano has a lovely warm, sonorous, “vintage” timbre. I have resolved to learn/improvise more game and anime music piano arrangements for that crowd. And trust me, we spend plenty at that store. ;)
FAQ (Foxily Asked Questions)
What are you doing lately?
Besides surviving? Writing CROWNWORLD as life permits. I have a shiny spreadsheet and color-coded Scrivener project and everything.
I continue to work on Ninefox Visual Novel Nonsense as, essentially, therapy + distraction from health stuff.
What have you read lately?
I was fortunate enough to read an advance copy of Zohar Jacobs’ terrific novelette “On the Night Shift,” in the March/April 2025 issue of Asimov’s (on sale now, I believe—I need to pick up a paper copy!): “What if a hurricane hit Houston during the first crewed Mars mission? In the midst of a chaotic evacuation, a young flight controller meant to be working the night shift has to take charge.” Highly recommended.
What’s a game you’re excited about?
The forthcoming Horizons of Achaea, recently featured in this article. Indie CRPG with (apparently) Skies of Arcadia vibes. I say “apparently” because I have played zero JRPGs, so I don’t have a frame of reference. I’m hopeful that Joe will play for me and I can help steer any RP decisions, which is how we’ve played a bunch of games “together” in the past.
How about math?
By way of mathematician, writer, poet Ursula Whitcher, I learned that apparently the moving sofa problem has been solved by Jineon Baek, a postdoc at Seoul’s Yonsei University! That’s been a languishing unsolved problem for 50+ years. (I did a double-take only because that was my father’s alma mater and he taught there for a time, so I associate it with medicine even though they teach/research other topics!)
What music are you listening to lately?
We’re revisiting my Blackmore’s Night CD! :)
That said, back to work!
Yours in calendrical heresy,
YHL