Ep 22 - Dr. Princess and the Soldier

Alien Beer

Episode: 44

Published on Dec 3rd at 8:01am

Before I introduce this episode, I have some news for you.

First of all, you may have noticed the absence of The Multiverse Blues after Chapter Sixteen. I decided to take a hiatus on that, as life had gotten to be extremely stressful. Since this is being recorded towards the end of 2020, I think you know what I mean. On top of the pandemic and the terrifying uncertainty of the election, I had some personal issues going on, over and above the anxiety and depression I struggle with every day. Of note, the toilet in my half bathroom vomited enough sewage to cover the bathroom, the entry room, and half of my kitchen. My wife and I were overwhelmed and have been forced to effectively camp out for the past month and a half while demolition occurred, and while we wait for reconstruction. Oh, and my wife broke her wrist.

So, naturally, since I was already pushed past my limits, I thought to myself, "Hey, why don't I do National Novel Writing Month this year!" Let me tell you, NaNoWriMo is stressful in the best of years, and I'd already been worrying about burning out on The Multiverse Blues.

Why did I do it? I found myself called by a new project. It's a book called Trans Witch. As I write this to you on November 30th, I have just now finished, not just the required fifty-thousand words in thirty days, but I've also completed all the chapters I wanted to write in it. I have a rough draft of my magical mystery tour of a middle-aged transgender witch who finds herself searching for her lost partner within the college for wizards she's found. If that sounds to you like it's a big F-U to a certain transphobic YA author, you're probably right.

Anyway, I plan to resume writing and recording the Multiverse Blues in the next few weeks. Trans Witch should be published by this coming Spring.

I hope you're enjoying The Alien Beer podcast. I'm going to continue the every-other-week format as default for the foreseeable future. In two weeks, you can look forward to a holiday special.

As a palate cleanser for the previous two stories, I give you a final Iron Writer story I wrote in early 2017. The elements were: One hot summer day; A deserted island; Buried treasure; Chicken with its head cut off. I felt the elements went a little too well together, so rather than rehash Treasure Island, I thought I'd do another story with a twist. This story came in first with the popular vote, and close second with an internal Iron Writer vote, allowing me to advance to the tournament. But more importantly, it was fun to write.