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New Spin-off Short Story set in “In Other Lands”

1. The News!

I have written a short story set in the world of In Other Lands! Tears Waiting To Be Diamonds introduces us to dwarven Prince Mark, who has the worst day of his life when his father’s subterranean kingdom is usurped and he’s sent up to (shudder) the disgusting surface world, where he hopes for allies and is thoroughly unimpressed to find an arsonist, a murderer, his part-human cousin and the young man referred to by the western fortresses as the Redheaded Trouble…

If you haven’t read In Other Lands, this story works as a standalone about a prince and the terrible people he meets in exile. But if you have, I think you’ll be excited to see 24-year-old Elliot Schafer and friends, all grown up and making a difference in the magical Borderlands (look, the daily diplomatic crises and weathered soldiers begging for mercy and no more lectures is different…)

2. So, Why’d It Take You So Long To Tell Us?

The issue is, I’m a demon for length and everything is my fault. My editor for Tears solicited me for a story, and I thought: yes, it’s time. So I wrote it in summertime. And I handed it in. And then at a convention in September, I was asked a dire question.

EDITOR: Why… is this… three times the length we told you?

SARAH: Oh! You must not know ’bout me…

SARAH: Extremely sorry. Can you still publish it please?

Very kindly, they overlooked my verbal delinquency, and we talked it over and decided the way to handle said delinquency was to publish the story in two parts! This was very pleasing to me, as I love serialized fiction. The greatest compliment ever paid to a writer was a mob running down to the harbour to greet the ship carrying the next instalment of Dickens’s book, all yelling ‘DOES LITTLE NELL DIE?’

3. So, Why This Story?

One of the key things that unlocked In Other Lands as a novel for me was the elves and the different angle they allowed me to talk about feminism. The short story from Luke’s point of view went into the harpies, so I could talk about finding your own body monstrous. Culture clash in fantasy is my jam, and I always knew if I went back to In Other Lands it would be to give the dwarves, and Elliot’s friend Myra of Diamond Clan, their day.

I was really nervous about writing the story, as In Other Lands is so special to me. It’s the book readers talk to me about most, and the last book I finished before I was diagnosed with cancer and my life changed. The experience of writing it felt madcap and joyous, and I always wanted to get back to that, but it was readers who kept the joy alive for me - who loved the book when I didn’t, who kept faith and didn’t forget the story, who reminded me I was a writer. And In Other Lands ends on a precipice - the characters won’t be excused for being kids when they cause trouble anymore. Shit was about to get extremely real. I wanted to give my readers a story that felt both true and joyful. I hope I have!

4. So you have a substack now?

Yes! I’ve been thinking about how much I loved blogging, and talking about stories, but how tough I find it to talk about myself. (I’m fascinating, don’t get me wrong, but there are other stories to talk about too.) So I have an idea for this substack, and I will tell you all about it next week!

Also, I have even bigger news than this, which I can’t tell you yet. I will soon though. (In the true meaning of soon, not like how I kept everyone waiting for In Other Lands news!) Thank you for signing up, you are all jewels and flowers of my heart. Please stay tuned, because I am perishing with anticipation to tell you things.

5. So WHERE AND WHEN?

Tears Waiting To Be Diamonds will be published online in the Sunday Morning Transport. I was very flattered to be asked to write a story for them, as they have published so many of my favourite writers—the latest story I read there was Min Zemerin’s Plan by Katherine Addison, who wrote the amazing book The Goblin Emperor. Part 1 of Tears will be published on January 8 2023 and Part 2 on January 29 2023. So, Part 1 comes less than a month from now! Get ready for trouble.

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Luke: hey how are you this morning Elliot, staring into middle distance: pursuant to mock trial rule 401 all evidence has been previously stipulated as admissible credit @ncsta

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There are so many talented people in this fandom, and I’d love to talk to y’all more! To that end, I’ve made a discord for all our In Other Lands needs. Especially with Hollywood talks on the horizon, this is a great time for it!

https://discord.gg/F5p85qX

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Luke and Elliot: *stargazing*

Elliot: see that one? That’s a planet

Luke: No we’re on a planet

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Dale: I got kicked off the Trigon team!

Luke: Wait, why?

Dale: Apparently I'm "bad at catching" and a "liability" and "Dale"

Dale: The last one's just my name but you should hear their tone when they say it

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Luke: I thought happiness started with an H, but mine starts with U.

Elliot: I think you have dyslexia.

Luke: I didn't say anything about being hungry.

Elliot: Dyslexia isn't a food Luke!

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Luke: Hello.

Luke: My name is Luke Sunborn.

Luke: You hurt Elliot's feelings.

Luke: Prepare to die.

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Elliot: I don't know what to do.

Serene-Heart-In-The-Chaos-of-Battle: Just be yourself. Say something nice.

Elliot: Which one? I can't do both.

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Elliot: Luke, do something!

Luke: I am. I'm ignoring you.

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Commander Rayburn: I won't forget this insolence.

Elliot: I probably will. It's nothing special.

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Commander Woodsinger: You know when grownups tell you everything is going to be fine, and you think they're probably lying to you to make you feel better?

Elliot: Yes.

Commander Woodsinger: Everything's going to be fine.

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Elliot: Luke sneezed earlier and I accidentally said ‘shut the fuck up’ instead of ‘bless you’.

Serene-Heart-In-The-Chaos-Of-Battle: How do you accidentally say ‘shut the fuck up’?

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Elliot: I HATE YOU WITH EVERY INCH OF MY BODY!

Luke: THAT'S NOT A LOT OF INCHES

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Elliot: What happened to you?

Luke: I hit my head.

Elliot: Did you stumble and fall?

Luke: Yeah.

Elliot: Oh, man, I get that.

*Luke leaves*

Serene: You fell out of a tree. You can fly. And you fell. Out of a tree.

Luke: Don't ever tell him that.

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Dale: I'm not gay

Luke: Hi, I'm Luke Sunborn.

Dale: I might be gayer than originally planned

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Elliot: Can you give me directions to Olive Garden?

Luke: No, but we can cultivate our own garden.

Elliot: (sarcastic) That sounds rational to me.

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(alternate universe where Elliot and Luke meet in a gay bar)

Elliot: Elliot. My friends call me Eli; at least they would if I had any friends. So- did they give *you* a name along with all those rippling pectorals?