Hey, guess what? City of Angles just celebrated its two year birthday! It’ll be smashing a birthday cake on YouTube then crying when the string on its party hat snaps any moment now.
City of Angles was born in 2012, one of the worst years of my adult life, where anxiety and insomnia and sleep apnea and mild depression were perpetually grinding me down. In January I started losing sleep, then getting anxious about losing sleep, which lead to more losing sleep. Various doctors came and went without any clear solutions. Oddly, the worst part about it all was that it wasn’t some all-encompassing doom spiral which leads to straightjackets and rubber rooms, it was JUST annoying enough to impede but leave me plenty of uptime as well. My problems let me lead a life while perpetually reminding me Hey, We’re Still Here.
By June I was starting to get a handle on it all — and one of the ways I did it was to start a fiction series ABOUT anxiety and depression and the overcoming thereof. City of Angles let me explore concepts of fear and dread in a safe space, since from an author’s perspective, you’re completely in control of the horror. You know what’s coming up and what awful things are going to happen because you designed every bit of it. It’s a bit less certain for the READER but quite comforting and calming for an author to gleefully write up various scary woogums menacing people.
My life gradually improved by early 2013, and CoA rolled alongside that. I’d like to think it helped contribute to my recovery as well. Running a successful Kickstarter, proof that enough people cared about me and my work to let it show fiscally, was quite educational in that regard.
Now we’re two years and two-point-five books in and City of Angles will be ending soon. (Where “Soon” means “Several months from now.”) It’s been a very, very strange journey. Once it’s over… I’ll have some downtime, then likely be starting a new journey soon enough. Hope you’ll come with me for that one as well.
This week we celebrate this milestone by… well, serving up a pile of scenes from the middle of a story in the middle of a book. Not exactly climactic, but hey. Read and enjoy and I’d love your feedback.
Oh, and in the comments below… how’ve your last two years been? How’d City of Angles find you and walk alongside you during that time?
Jeremy Jinkerson says
Also, glad to see you’re musing about the next project.
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
I don’t have any SOLID ideas yet; I could resurrect my “Bureau of Postmortem Affairs” idea but I’m not sure yet. I’m going to be running a poll at the end of vol//003 like I usually do after each book, but this time granularly breaking down tone, genre, elements, etc. Again, not that I’m beholden to popular opinion, but it helps get me thinking and can lead to something more folks wanna read.
Andy says
The last couple of years are kind of a blur, with highlights including various trips and books. My kids occupy most of my energy, and my reading time is more limited than I would like. I am glad to have this series to enjoy.
Jeremy Jinkerson says
Yeah, that’s a good question.
City of Angles is my weekly introverted reprieve. I’m a highly extroverted person, and this is something that I do myself (although I relentlessly promo the series to little avail).
I’m in a hybrid/distance grad school myself, and whether I’m on the road or at home, CoA is there with me. As life goes by with an overall 4 years of grad, 6 years of practice, 8 years of marriage, and my first kid born in the past year, I keep following Stefan.
I always say you’re favorite author. You’re writing is like when you visit a local band’s show, and you realize the band’s so good they’re probably never crossover to mainstream. Maybe you’ll cross someday. In the meantime, I’m just happy to enjoy the quality of your writing.
~Jeremy
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
Thanks so much for reading me across the years, and doing your best to spread the word. I’m glad I’ve been able to provide you with something to enjoy in those quiet times.
Lirazel says
Lessee… In 2012, I was about done with The Whole Cancer Thing and about ready for knee surgery. So I’ve done that, knitted two lace shawls, a sweater, and a bunch of hats, and applied to and gotten into grad school. Starting that in September.
The grad school thing has been in the works for a few years, as my job prospects are just about dead due to having too much experience and being old (60 next birthday). The spouse always said he thought I should have an advanced degree, so after 36 years away from the classroom (and 40 years since I last received a grade), I will be working towards an MS in Ethics and Public Policy. I even got a scholarship for nearly half the tuition. After that, I expect to cause some trouble.
Mentally, aside from some very silly anxiety dreams about being naked while hating on Aristotle, I am in good shape. Not having to deal with workplace BS has mellowed me considerably. But then, as you know, I am constitutionally a happy person. All of this is in my LJ, if you have a month or so to read it.
Lirazel says
Oh, and as to City of Angles… part of it has been anxiety-making, due to accidents of personal history. I was more closely acquainted with the revenge aspects of Bedlam as a child than you might think.
But it’s also been affirming in a strange way, and an entertaining puzzle. I think it’s some of the best world-building you’ve done.
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
I look forward to the trouble you’ll cause for society. I predict it will be very good trouble indeed.
Lirazel says
MUAHAHAHAHA!