“Oh no!” all the ethnically diverse and swiss-doll-styled kids say in unison as they hurriedly clasp hands together, “It’s mean Mr. Inkston again with his dEviL mUsiC!”
You bet your bones.
Now Enjoy:
Brought to you by the
~Sensual Chill Saxophone Band~
Now that I’ve burnt your eardrums with another fine smooth jazz selection, let’s talk about the really important stuff.
Certain Vengeance Delayed… AGAIIIIIIIII-
You heard it here first, or uh, second, folks.
I’ve had to delay Soot Knight’s third and final book one more time to ensure it’s moving the way it’s supposed to. These are some of the hardest scenes I’ve ever had to write in a book, as not only do I have to effectively close out the narrative of the novel in a way that’s impactful and brings everything home, we also have to find a way to effortlessly tie in Mort and Effie’s next adventure with Rondi and her other nine knights.
That said, you can expect this to be the last delay before the novel’s release on August 19th.
I think it will be worth the wait.
Progress has been excruciatingly, terribly, outrageously painfully dreadfully slow, but I think all this nail biting has actually done me good. I’ve learned a lot about both the writing craft, and the productive process on this book, and I think it’s going to lay the bricks down nicely for our lovely book babies following – all in service to The Great Work!
That said, if you would like to lend me a hand, I am accepting three more beta reader applications for this one – it’s a first come, first served basis, so act quickly if you’d like to have a hand in shaping the final book. Just email me at kell@kellinkston.com.
New Post: Ether and The Minionry
Here’s a nice short update for a not-quite-so short lore post.
Have you ever wondered how Chaos and all his weird solid… liquid… cool-guy death stuff works?
Oh, Ether, yeah, that’s what we’re calling it.
Anyway, I did a write up to help people navigate the wild and wonderful world of Chaos and his Minionry’s prime building block: the mysterious substance known as Ether.
If you’re up for a longer read, why don’t you chiggity chizzeck it izzout?
With that noted, I have a really weird sidebar for us today:
A video game review!(?)
The Outer Wilds: now one of the top ten games for me in the past ten years
Alright, you may not know too much about all my hobbies, but I like to play games every now and again between gardening, beekeeping, and reading. My other activities are too calm, I just need adventure and bloodshed every once in a while, you know?
I played this one as part of that neat Xbox Gamepass membership on PC, and I’ll tell you, this one took me entirely by surprise. It wasn’t recommended to me by anyone, but I had heard from around the internet that it was one of those “special” experiences that not many has the fortune of really enjoying in its fullness.
It took me a few hours of playing, but when that little lightbulb in my head clicked, it clicked hard. It’s been months since I’ve beat the game, but it truly was one of those rare experiences that sticks with you. Usually a good game dies off in my mind after even a week of finishing it: a story that has its end, but The Outer Wilds sinks its teeth into you in a way that few games can.
Anyway, The Outer Wilds is a space-exploration game on The Switch, PS4 Xbox One, and PC, in which you take the role of a intrepid young alien explorer who may or may not have accidentally had their psyche encoded by an ancient, also alien technology.
Nothing seems different at first, but let me tell you, after your first tour of the galaxy, it becomes immediately apparent that something has gone terribly awry. I don’t want to spoil what happens, because one thing leads naturally to another, and the game revolves entirely around the knowledge you have of the universe and its laws.
Piloting your rather cute and very ramshackle ship, you sail across the stars to unique planets of all sorts: inhabited, feral, forlorn, and magnificent, all in the search of the one great question: “What happened?”
And that’s all I can say about the story. I feel that to tell you any more would be a disservice. The story is so cleverly hidden amidst a sea of information and intrigue, that you will repeatedly pass by key areas and concepts before you pick up on the greater narrative surrounding this galaxy and it’s particularly strange set of circumstances.
As far as capability and taste notes go: It’s a reasonably technically-challenging game, often asking you to skillfully traverse dangerous terrain for get that next crucial scan. I would not recommend the game for folks that don’t have at least cursory familiarization with first person shooters, because the jetpack, while delightful once mastered, takes a long time to get used to in low-to-no gravity environments.
Another worth-while piece: the game is unexpectedly scary: There’s not much in the jump-scare department, but the build-up to danger will make it clear that some severe fright’s closing in. There’s enemies, both gigantic and “you-sized”, as well as moments of eerie environmental deception in which it becomes difficult to trust even the ground you’re standing on.
Enjoy being an alien in space: it’s a deeply refreshing game, and again one of the few games that is just too good to spoil. It’s constructed almost entirely around those wonderful “Aha!” moments one gets when solving difficult puzzles: with all the satisfaction that comes with it.
Aside from that, I will now stop obsessing over nerd stuff, and bid you the farewell of the day.
I look forward to writing to you again.
All the best,
Kell Inkston
(P.S. What’s a game you would recommend?)
4. Kell recommends using chemicals to block the sleep receptors in your brain to prevent the onset of healthy and natural rest – What a LUNATIC.
Coffee... WRITING!... COFFEE!! 