Getting back to work

I finished about 5 pages in my sequel to Forging Day tonight. I think I've earned some puttering time.

I think about my stories and where I'm headed with things, off and on during the day.  Here are some of the things I've pondered today.

In my story world, the big Change, of some people no longer being human, happened in late June. It's now early February and people being people, these things come to mind...

What is the gestational period of a troll?

What is the gestational period of an elf, or a dwarf? What about a part human, part other child?

Do the new species breed true - yes, I decided.

Do birth control pills work with non-humans? Nope. Not yet. Different body chemistry. I already decided in Forging Day that Dark Elves and Humans are different blood types, and Dark Elves have different reactions to medications. They're not completely incompatible, but they are enough different that doctors need to do some studying.

Trolls and condoms - probably not a great mix due to the talons. I'm thinking that my two troll couples are expecting babies, but I haven't decided when (see gestational period ponderings).

While most jobs are accepting of their formerly human employees, I feel some professions are more resistant - health care, working around children such as teachers or caregivers. For the hairier types - no jobs in food service for now.

How are other countries responding to the Changed among them? I haven't decided yet. I will probably do a little research on how xenophobic some countries are now and extrapolate from there.

I kinda, sorta have a vague notion of where this story is headed, but I also know from experience that sometimes my characters have minds of their own. There are parts of the first book that ended up nowhere near the way I expected. I just have to roll with it. (If I were typing on a typewriter, instead of a computer, that would be punny. If you've never seen a real typewriter, I just sound cracked.)

And on a closing note for today's blog, here's a small excerpt from Chapter One of the still unnamed Book Two.

“Captain Jackson, sir, I apologize.  I guess I’m a little light-headed.  What I observed was that normal flame did not damage the large slimes in any way.  My normal missiles barely singed it.  It took every bit of energy I could muster, and then some, to super charge the missiles enough to take them down.  I will do what research I can, but honestly, I think we’re going to need a sample from one, or ideally a live, whole, slime, in order to test our theories.”

“And how do you propose we capture one and hold it without more of my men getting hurt?”

“I don’t know – maybe a really big glass beaker?”  I remembered, a second too late, that Captain Jackson did not approve of levity – especially from civilians.