This book could use a little heart.
This book could use a little heart.

After months of delay—well, let’s face it, after 2020, pretty much—Reclamation Project: Year Two is finally starting to take some shape. I still have to write my own story for the book, but I have many very good submissions, including lots of returning faces.

But I feel that something is missing, which I described on Twitter as “soul,” but I think it might be better to describe as “heart.” Most of the submissions so far have put a lot of emphasis on action, and have been very fun to read on that basis. But one of the things I was most surprised and pleased by in Year One were the quieter, more reflective stories, that (for lack of a better term) “humanized” this world full of furry adventurers, flying cities, and deranged robots. So far this collection doesn’t really have a “Dark Garden Lake” or “Flavors of Sunlight” to give it heft. It also doesn’t really have much “solarpunk,” veering more into “cold war” style intrigue between humans and furries, or post-apocalypse action.

In The Reclamation Project “Formula” I touched on some of what is missing in the “Character Is King” section; but I think it needs some emphasis. Year Two still needs at least one story that is really about emotional connection, even when that involves blowing up rogue bots or having fun playing with the details of the setting. It also really needs some good solarpunking up—although what that might look like, I’m unsure of. (That’s why I’m editing the thing, instead of just writing it all myself! ;D )

So if you’re out there and you have something you think might fit the bill, please send it along! The “submission cutoff date” has been stretched so many times at this point it’s snapped, and I’m not going to worry about it. My goal is to have the book on the table at AnthroCon 2021, assuming that actually happens, but as mentioned I’ve still got to write my own story for it as well, and I’d rather have a great book that came out late, than an “all right” book that came out on time.

So hit me with your furry solarpunk awesomeness!

Writer, artist, coach for creatives. Creator of The Suburban Jungle (www.suburbanjungle.com). Eternal optimist and lifelong nerd.

Comments (2)

  1. Royce Day

    I’m sorry my story wasn’t more along those lines. My first idea was more solarpunky but I just couldn’t make it gel. I may try and polish it up for Year Three if that gets optioned.

    • Certainly no apologies are necessary! It’s not like anyone has done something wrong. 🙂 It’s just the nature of a creative project that it will need hewing into shape.

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