Summer Reading 2023

MY SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE

This was my first Summer Camp, and I'm both proud and shocked that I actually made it to diamond. Not knowing what to expect, I pledged for silver, thinking that would be realistically doable. Then I struggled so much in the first week that I couldn't imagine how anyone could possibly get to diamond. I like to play with prompts, but I'm a slow writer who has a tendency to ramble on, and those two things work against me in a format like this. However, near the middle of July, something just clicked, and I found my rhythm. I could get the idea, hit my 300 words and move on. I reached silver with plenty of time to spare, so I pushed on for gold. Then I could see that diamond sparkling in the distance, and I just had to have it. Somewhere between silver and gold, I turned feral, and then there was just no stopping me.
As for the writing quality, it was kind of a mixed bag. There are some articles that I'm very proud of including my Summer Camp magnum opus, #42, where I told the truth about Kantostara and tackled a few little things like the meaning of life, the universe and everything. There are other articles that will need some serious polishing, and then there are those that are really just glorified stubs that need to be completely reworked. Even those are useful, though, as they contain seeds of ideas that will help me continue to learn more about the galaxy of Kantostara.

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A FEW OF MY FAVORITE ARTICLES

CONFLICT BETWEEN UNEQUAL POWERS

I didn't write this prompt because I didn't quite know what to do with it, so when I was reading, I looked for various different possibilities of how others handled it.
The Scorching of Mercury - This was an amazing example of a military conflict in an ongoing war. The details about the people involved made it so emotionally intense. The quote about the Scourge, "Once they guided and protected us, and now they seek the radiant annihilation of us all." was just chilling. I also liked the way the imagery enhanced the feeling. The keystone looked so small and childlike silhouetted against the blazing sun, and yet, she was standing tall, bravely sacrificing herself for the sake of her people.
Teeth vs Claw - This was a more humorous take on the concept of conflict, but definitely still a war. I loved the dialog between Kitty and Butter, and the idea of Wynona being so oblivious to what's going on at home while she's out drinking with her friends.
War on the Press - This one was wonderfully imaginative. Having a description of the characters and a bit of their backstory helped to make them more real. I also liked that there were factions within the factions and a sense of the whole thing being started over a miscommunication. Very often fictional conflicts are portrayed as simply good vs evil, when in real life, it's never really that simple.

A MYTH OR TRUTH ABOUT THE MEANING OF YOUR UNIVERSE

This was my favorite prompt to write, so I was curious to see what others did with it. There were so many beautiful myths in this category, but since I chose to tell a truth about Kantostara, I tend to gravitate towards those who did the same, even if it was done in a mythic way.
The Story of Anvil - I love the way Dimitris described the evolution of World Anvil in this beautifully poetic way. In my mind, I could translate the real world events that he was describing, but at the same time, the mythical language evoked the feeling of what it's been like to be a part of this special community.
The Secret To My Happy Life - I can really relate to Chris's life experience as I am also neurodivergent, and I think it's very inspiring and brave of him to tell his story like this. I also love the way his world of Wizard's Peak reflects the changes in his life.
Reality Encoded - I should start by saying that I'm a writer, not a gamer, but I have often experienced the blurring of the line between "fiction" and "reality." I love the way the Bard described that experience in this article. Who's to say what's real and what isn't? The more time we spend in a given realm, the more real it becomes.

ANIMAL FOUND IN A NON-POPULATED AREA

I thought this prompt would be full of a lot of creative critters, and I was not disappointed.
Chickens - I love the whole idea of Spaceport, but I have to admit that I was very surprised to see chickens in space. I love the way Deleyna takes an animal that we think of as commonplace and describes it for aliens for whom it is an exotic creature. Now I keep picturing flocks of chickens running around spaceships pecking at buttons and wearing little tool belts for maintenance tasks.
Maple Elk - I love the idea of combining plant and animal. These elk seem like such majestic creatures. It must be breathtaking to watch an entire herd of these "wandering trees" running together.
Echostride - I love the sense of wonder that I felt when I read this. There's just something hauntingly beautiful about these creatures. I feel like I can almost hear their call echoing through the forest, and I wonder what they think of the strange creature they've sat down beside to have a look at.

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GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

It's well past time for me to start getting Kantostara ready for prime time, especially now that people are following this little galaxy. So far, I've just been using the kitchen sink method of throwing random articles in with very little regard for creating a coherent journey for the reader. While that's a great way for me to braindump, it's not fair to the wonderful people who are interested in exploring Kantostara.
First of all, I need to write a proper introduction and get this place organized. During Summer Camp I wrote a number of articles that didn't fit into the simple categories I have in my table of contents, so I just stuck them under miscellaneous. That category was only meant to house articles like this one, not actual world building, so I need a more robust TOC.
I'm also working on a character who will act as narator for my stories as well as tour guide for Kantostara. She can show up on my homepage and direct visitors to interesting places to explore and also get them caught up on current events. I'm thinking of adapting some of what I wrote about Titi Tech during summer camp into something like Kantostara's version of social media which could be a fun way for her to share galactic goings on.
I definitely need maps. I have to figure out what method I want to use to create a galactic star map and maps for the main worlds. I also need blueprints for the spaceships and space stations as well as artwork for some of the new articles.
Most of all, I need to engage more with the WA community. This is such a special place, and I really would like to be part of it, but my particular flavor of neurodivergence makes any kind of socializing challenging for me, so I just keep putting it off. I have to figure out a way of doing this that feels comfortable for me so that I will consistently engage with all of you wonderfully creative people instead of just quietly lurking in the background.