Ray Ingles

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 8: Any nonphysical realms?

Maybe? When reality gets rewritten, Jim is shoved face-and-consciousness-first into quantum and relativistic concepts humans aren't equipped to process.

The experience is so unique that denial is just not possible. Nor understanding. 🤯

#SciFi

You wanna talk atriums... the top stories of the spire were 'U' shaped. One side was a huge window; rooms and offices lined the other three sides. Atosho, following some other people, led me onto a balcony on the inner wall, facing the window. Call it three meters wide and a dozen meters long. The side of the balcony facing the window was clear, too. A few couches and chairs were spread around. Then a partition slid across the opening we'd walked through, and the whole thing started moving up. My gasp made Atosho spin toward me. She immediately apologized. "Tehkahpoi, I didn't think. This is how we get to the venunavu." I nodded. "I figured that out." To the left, I saw a similar 'balcony-vator' coming down. "Most 'elevators' in my world are smaller."

#WIPSnips 8: airport

Don't have the word, but definitely have the concept. For both historical and technical reasons, dirigibles are still a thing. They also do very tall skyscrapers. Airports don't take up space on the ground.

#SciFi #ScienceFiction

#TimeTravelAuthors February 2026 1. Introduce your story (optional: use the word "love") 3. Is your work a standalone or a series? 5. Languages in your story 7. Saturday excerpt (optional word: love) 9. Does your story get "political"? 11. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: hug) 13. Love in your story 15. Comp titles? 17. Does your world have the butterfly effect? 19. How honest are your characters? 21. Saturday excerpt (optional word: listen) 23. A time travel book/movie/show that your characters enjoy or would enjoy 25. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: glow) 27. Author's choice/promo All time-travel authors and published works, WIPs, etc. welcome! To join, just answer the prompts on odd days, using the hashtag #TimeTravelAuthors On even days, post what you like! Questions? @juliebihn.bsky.social or @juliebihn.mastodon.social

Yolyku had another reason to worry. "What about the priestesses? They are going to love his story." Everyone glanced at me. I looked uncertain, and flipped my palms up, self-consciously not shrugging. I hadn't followed what she'd said… and even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to help that my existence contradicted their theology.

#TimeTravelAuthors 7: 'love'

I've posted a few snippets on that topic before, so let's cover the opposite. 😀

#ScienceFiction #SciFiBooks

In our history, the German invasion of the Soviet Union got far. (Picture the United States occupied as far as Chicago.) After, Soviet cold war generals absolutely *would not* allow an invasion of their soil, ever.

Cholama's like that about the Mahropa Andano. *Nobody* threatens it.

4/4

Half the Empire was conquered before the defenders could dig in and stall their progress. And it took most of a century to finally throw back the invaders and retake their land.

This has left cultural, ethnic, military, economic, etc. consequences that reverberate today.

3/4

Obviously it's important for commerce and shipping. But also military deployments and so forth. Access is heavily controlled; what we call the Straits of Gibraltar are thoroughly patrolled.

A few centuries back, that blockade got shattered by an invading force.

2/4

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 7:

Empires/nations in the new timeline had radio and telegraph *much* earlier than in our history. So they grew bigger, yet more centrally-controlled. 'Cholama,' the empire Jim lands in, completely surrounds the Mediterranean. Its name translates as 'inner sea.'

1/4
#SciFi

She hesitated, then said in Linachu, "Whatever the judgement of the magistrates, thou hast no mehshaychaikeh."[1] [1] 'Your honor is unmarked' is closest. As I've said, 'neemayaro' as a concept is approximately 'moral voltage.' When it's out of balance, actions must be taken to restore equilibrium. The charge can be positive - mixes concepts we'd call 'honor' and 'duty.' Or it can be negative - a debt owed, a sin in need of expiation. A 'mehshaychai' is like a wound, or a leak in a circuit. You could think of it as 'a mark of shame.' It meant you would carry a negative bias forevermore - you would have to strive actively to maintain your balance of neemayaro. A severe enough one meant 'edahpoineh,' 'damnation.' Irredeemably lost. So, Atosho was saying I hadn't done anything seriously wrong. That even if I hadn't done perfectly, I'd done the best anyone could expect. But she meant in a moral sense, not a practical one.

#WIPSnips 7: redeem

Translation is always fraught. A lot of practical morals map across cultures, but the way they're conceived has a strong influence on the implementation, so to speak.

#SciFi #ScienceFiction #SFF

😈

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 6: Flora/fungi found in a notable forest?

Humans either get Vitamin D from sunlight on skin, or from their diet. Oily fish and mushrooms are common in the cuisine of Cholama. In times past, they were harvested from forests, then sun-dried before consumption.

#ScienceFiction

The next day was a sixth day. So, a church day. I almost looked forward to it. A distraction from how wildly underprepared I was for tomorrow's [inquest]. Manayka didn't even bother trying to get a new outfit, I wore one from those early days in this timeline. Y'know. Last month.

#WIPSnips 6: sixth

The calendar system in this culture involves months made of three 10-day weeks. Jim's adapting.

He has to.

#SciFi #ScienceFiction #SciFiBooks

True! Just about anything you say about 'humanity' has to include an asterisk. 🤣

Book 1 is his lowest point, I promise. The situation has what you might call a 'hard ceiling' on how happy the ending can be, but "bittersweet" is definitely an option.

Jim has a looong journey ahead, and he'll have to grow in lots of ways.

#TimeTravelAuthors February 2026 1. Introduce your story (optional: use the word "love") 3. Is your work a standalone or a series? 5. Languages in your story 7. Saturday excerpt (optional word: love) 9. Does your story get "political"? 11. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: hug) 13. Love in your story 15. Comp titles? 17. Does your world have the butterfly effect? 19. How honest are your characters? 21. Saturday excerpt (optional word: listen) 23. A time travel book/movie/show that your characters enjoy or would enjoy 25. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: glow) 27. Author's choice/promo All time-travel authors and published works, WIPs, etc. welcome! To join, just answer the prompts on odd days, using the hashtag #TimeTravelAuthors On even days, post what you like! Questions? @juliebihn.bsky.social or @juliebihn.mastodon.social

#TimeTravelAuthors 5: Languages in your story

If you change things even a few hundred years back, modern languages won't sound the same, if they even survive. When it's a few *thousand* years, there won't be familiar languages.

So it's lucky Jim took a couple linguistic courses getting his Ph.D. 😬

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 5: Got any deserts (of the hot OR cold variety?)

Hasn't come up yet, but thanks to vagaries of history, one empire claims Europe and north Africa into the Sahara, while another one claims the Sahara from the south. Truly stupid border conflicts have resulted in the past.

Atosho's clan was in textiles. Baiyokee's 'bride price' had been some kind of economic interest for his mother. In the vein of shares, or a seat on the board? Maybe both?[1] [1] I was surprised that they did a bride price and not a dowry. In my world, agricultural societies tended to go with dowries. It was pastoral or human-powered agricultural societies where the groom paid for the bride. I talked it over with Manayka and Atosho later. In my world, women did a lot of work in such societies. The 'bride price' was recompense for depriving the family of a laborer. In large-scale agricultural societies, establishing a household took not just labor but wealth. More wealth than young people were likely to have. Women's work mostly didn't produce significant wealth in such societies, so her family would put up a chunk of money or goods intended to give the couple as good a start as possible. At first blush, I'd have expected Cholama - with lots of agriculture - to go for dowries. (Except, of course, that the boy's family would cough up the dough.) However... here, men did a lot of work. It was their purpose in life. Apparently the 'deprive family of laborer' factor outweighed the 'start-up wealth' consideration. By their math.

#WIPSnips 5: except

The way people live affects their whole culture.

#SciFi #SciFiBooks #ScienceFicton #SFF

RUN. RUN FAR AWAY FROM THIS CONTEST.

“We want to do Nazi stuff but women gonna nag us about it, lol,” thinks subhuman Elon Musk

Also makes me wonder if its formation was entirely natural...

Liver Me Timbers - Penny Arcade Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

Yeah, that sums it up pretty well.

www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2026/0...

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 4: Geography of a notable mountain or range

In my WIP, Jim gets to visit a castle in what *had been* Spain. I'll let him tell it:

#SciFi #SFF #ScienceFiction

T'ramoi stood up, seeming only a little nervous. The younger magistrate took over. "At the prior hearing, you undertook to determine if his genetic abnormalities presented any urgent medical issues." She tried for a while, she really did. "My ladies, this boy's genetics are truly unique, and of genuine scientific interest. Requesting input from other scientists has, I admit, drawn attention from more than the academic world..." The senior magistrate interrupted, dryly. "Who would have imagined that so many talk show hosts would have such keen scientific curiosity?" T'ramoi knew she was in a weak position, but persisted. "[Ahem.] However that may be, continued access is greatly to be desired..." The junior magistrate interrupted this time. "Have you uncovered any complications that could not reasonably be managed at the Achapo facility?" T'ramoi plodded on. "Not at present, my ladies. My analysis, however, is necessarily incomplete..."

#WIPSnips 4: position

A handful of 'professoras' are trying to help Jim navigate the legal system of the new timeline. Unfortunately, he's been dealt a bunch of weak cards.

#SciFi #ScienceFiction #SFF

That would be funny! I'm sure it'd drive marketing types crazy, but definitely funny. 😀

I can't tell you the titles yet because they'd be spoilers

I promise an enjoyable step-off point in the next one. (My alpha reader said, "Are you sure you want to make it *that satisfying? 🤣)

If people want Jim's *further* adventures, more will be available. 🤞

#TimeTravelAuthors February 2026 1. Introduce your story (optional: use the word "love") 3. Is your work a standalone or a series? 5. Languages in your story 7. Saturday excerpt (optional word: love) 9. Does your story get "political"? 11. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: hug) 13. Love in your story 15. Comp titles? 17. Does your world have the butterfly effect? 19. How honest are your characters? 21. Saturday excerpt (optional word: listen) 23. A time travel book/movie/show that your characters enjoy or would enjoy 25. Wednesday POST-SIZED snippet (optional word: glow) 27. Author's choice/promo All time-travel authors and published works, WIPs, etc. welcome! To join, just answer the prompts on odd days, using the hashtag #TimeTravelAuthors On even days, post what you like! Questions? @juliebihn.bsky.social or @juliebihn.mastodon.social

#TimeTravelAuthors 3: Is your work a standalone or a series?

I still laugh at myself when I started writing SECONDARY, thinking it'd be one big book. Two weeks in it was clear it'd be a series. First, I figured two books. Now, it's settled on four.

Number two has a really solid ending, tho. 😀

#FebruaryWorldBuilders 3: Got any maps?

It's still Earth geography, so they aren't really needed. Some maps get mentioned - with incomprehensible national borders, odd projections, and north/south reversed. The MC remembers enough to at least identify where some cities *used to* be.

#SciFi #SFF

The administrator was clearly angry, now. "However narrow my vision, my authority is broad. I have no choice but to reassign you." A nasty smile. "We will place this matter in saner hands. Or at least, ones less in love with embarrassing themselves on TV." She leaned back, confident. "We shall look into this... 'Jeema's' stories." That was accompanied by a dismissive wave. "His genetics are more interesting." I was sitting up in alarm. Atosho didn't even look at me, she just held up a hand, fingers spread, asking me to wait. "And how would you learn anything, without Jim's cooperation? You would not even be able to speak to him, let alone examine him, without my permission." "Eerahno shall assume custody..." the Limafai began. Atosho wore the nasty smile now, as she interrupted. "Inquirer Nusuku is his buzihloi, and brought him to me. The only reason this opportunity exists is because she is my friend." A tight grin. "In fact, she made me kumukai." The 'dean' blinked, and both women seemed at a sudden loss. "If you believe she would withdraw that, you are welcome to make the request of her." It was weird. A woman, I'd expect to ladle a little sugar on that savage smile. You know, at least pretend to be polite. Atosho was... well, it reminded me of dick-measuring bullshit between men.

#WIPSnips 3: confident

A bigger snip than usual for me, but this has both the word and the concept. Jim's becoming a contested game piece, and he doesn't get to make too many moves.

#SciFi #ScienceFiction

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