#like I got into rdr because my parents got him the game for christmas and I was watching him play

[earl-grey-love]

Despite being intensely into two different rockst*r games for multiple years (self shipping with some well written kings/queens), I never got that into GTA5. I love the online mode for the cars but the story mode didn't pull me in. It's one of my husband's all-time favourite games which is why I tried to so hard.

[12timetraveler]

Hello,

I'm a foreign reader who deeply loves your articles. I've hit your "Something in Orange" more than 70 times; it's my favorite piece. This isn't because your other articles aren't excellent, but because the relationships you created in this one are so logical and endearing! (and it’s a hard thing in AU work)

As someone who also spent little time with my parents since childhood, your article has given me immense comfort and touched me deeply. Even though my English isn't very fluent, I sincerely want to say that your writing is incredibly excellent, even after translation. I truly love your work!

I also wanted to politely ask, how did you come up with the character of Hosea? Your portrayal of him is so wonderful that it feels like I've really met such a person! Additionally, I'd love to know if you incorporate real-life experiences into your stories because your stories are so rich, making people feel happy and warm!

Thank you once again! In our language circle, RDR is quite a niche work, so I feel very fortunate to have come across such an excellent piece!

Thank you so much for your high praise! It means a lot knowing my story impacts folks like this.

A lot of things went into building my modern Hosea. Some were super simple. The red glasses he has are the same as the ones Hosea's actor, Curzon Dobell, wears.

Then of course there were canon events in his life that I wanted to play with in modern times. His illness, his hippie tendencies, his wild youth, Bessie, being drunk for a year, etc. moving all these things into a modern AU helped build his character in different ways.

In planning the story I had a lot of fun world building. Looking at the story map and figuring out how things may have changed in the 120+ years since the story took place. Growing up and living in the Western US, I still see a lot of remnants of these original towns and how they've grown and changed. So I utilized that to sort of play with the map. In doing so, Hosea became my historian as a sort of expositional way to paint pictures of how I think things changed. When he discussed how things were historically, I'm able to paint a picture of how we went from what we see in game to what I imagine it looks like nowadays. I actually have a map of the game that I've edited, showing how I think the towns expanded, where a freeway might go, etc.

As far as pulling from real life, yes a lot of things I've pulled from real life experiences. Like in chapter 2 when they go boating, I've done that a few times with friends. I love going to my local reservoir, even just to swim. The pins on the stockings is also a personal tradition. My parents started it when they got married, and every year we all get a new pin on our stockings. I added it in because it's nostalgic for me, but it's also worked as a great way to sort of show reader becoming included in their little family.

I also grew up riding and training mustangs. Even though I haven't ridden a horse in... God nearly 15 years I think, I still love and miss it terribly. So getting to write about horse riding has always been a highlight of writing for RDR, for me and I love putting my love of horses into my works. (God I miss riding. I hope I can ride horses again someday soon.)

Then there was the Christmas chapter where they explored the historic district on Valentine, all dressed up for Christmas. This was kind of a combination of a few things. When I started this work is just gotten back from the Red Dead event in Tombstone, AZ, which was such a beautiful little place, everything nicely preserved but all the buildings being utilized in one way or another. So I wanted to imagine a similar place but further up north where it would snow the way I'm used to. And that's how I sort of came up with the Valentine historic district. I've always loved dressing up and looking at Christmas lights in the snow. Such a peaceful experience.

So yeah I guess in short, most of the character and world building come from taking the events that the characters experience and putting them into a modern lens. And this is what I've come up with.

Thank you again for reading and supporting my works. It really means the world to me. I hope to have the final three chapters out soon for you to read 💙💙