Author’s Thoughts

  I love watching how the characters I create change the course of their own story. This was originally supposed to center entirely around the main character Jay, and Lilly was supposed to end up as his girlfriend. I’m not sure at what point I found out that Lilly and Nohana were a couple. Certainly by the end of the Spring section I knew that they would end up together, but at the start I had no idea that Nohana was gay or that she had family issues. I also enjoyed watching the story itself move away from the main character to focus on others. It was unexpected, as was the fact that this thing turned out three times larger than the original plan.

  I had been contemplating how to write a story about farming for what seems like forever and a day. At some point I came across the idea that the story shouldn’t be about farming, but about the lives of the people living in a small town and how the addition of an outside influence might affect the day to day. Really, I wanted to write a short Slice of Life story. Something mundane that happened in a fantasy world. I think I’m going to attempt more of these in the future.

  Characters

  Jay Higgs - Average height, medium build. Starts pale work to a tan. Short brown hair and a well managed short beard, coal black eyes. 25 years old.

  Lilly (Lillyana Illiana) Fisher - Tel’ani, 23, black hair, golden eyes, light purple skin, small horns, tail, 5 foot nothing, 110 lbs soaking wet, lithe, always wears skirts, choker, freckles on her chest, cooking and making her own clothes, perverted mind, has a silver band on right hand ring finger with the words “love you forever” inscribe inside, Lilly almost never takes it off and claims she picked it up in the city during a sale.

  Nohana Cooper - 22, Human, blonde, brown eyes, average 5'-8" 136 lbs, plump/curvy but not too much, pants Jeans, tank tops, average build, soft, not quite chubby, bass guitar, has a stainless steel ring on a necklace chain with the words “forever always” inscribed on the inside in some type of code, claims she got it in the city on sale…. For some reason I always see Nohana as lucoa from miss kobayashi's dragon maid. Smaller endowments and a far less bubbly personality.

  Beton Cove - Home of the Benton Cove Resort, only open in summer.

  Holton’s General Store - the only store in town - serves coffee too - (if you can’t find it here, you don’t need it)

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Thomas and Megan Holton - ageing couple, own and run the General Store.

  Tel'ani - Race of tieflings, sort of. (At the time of writing this)

  Casey Corman - ???

  Harahk Sinclair - Tel'ani. Mayor. County commissioner, recorder, and librarian.

  Kyle Corrinson - Jay's grandfather, mother's side.

  Tamra Higgs - Jay's mom.

  Hal Fisher - Tel'ani, Lilly's brother. town's only postman, fireman, emt, and police officer.

  Milana Fisher - Lilly and Hal’s mother.

  Selena Fisher - Hal’s wife… plain looking, finds Lilly’s crass humor amusing.

  Amanda Fisher - Estranged older sister of Lilly and Hal.

  Corbin Smithson - Fifties, sawmill, logger, weathered face with a perpetual squint and always holds his chin up when he speaks.

  Kade Wells - Town’s handman, wielding, construction, plumbing, inspections.

  Tousen - Town’s Teacher/homeschooler person.

  Toma and Shin Lee - ???

  Tero - town healer and priest.

  Samuel - Survivalist guy who looks like a nerd.

  Nathan - Nohana’s over achieving brother.

  Description

  Jay Higgs can’t stand his soul sucking cubicle job any longer when his grandfather dies, leaving the deed to a small property in the tiny, middle of nowhere Resort town of Benton Cove. Packed up with a business plan, his life savings, and a life path that doesn’t include four tiny walls and a picture of a stupid cat hanging from a tree branch, Jay makes his way to his new home.

  Stardew Valley, meets a fantasy D&D-esk world, meets slice of life anime in this short story about life in a small town. The people who are stuck there, the people see it as salvation, and the people who simply come and go.

  Starring:

  Jay Higgs. A generally decent human being who exchanged a life of drawing lines on a computer for a life of roasting coffee and growing lettuce.

  Lilly Fishier. A chaotic Tel’ani girl known as the town weirdo, anime addict, and a pervert with no filter on the random shit she says.

  Nohana Cooper. The hottest girl in town who has no interest in being the hottest girl in town and would rather simply play video games and practice her bass guitar that is apparently too loud for her neighbors.

  Hal Fisher. Lilly’s older brother who is the town Mailman, Police Force, Fire Department, and EMT.

  And a number of other more minor characters.

  Warning: This story contains Adult Content, Foul Language, and the Responsible Use of Alcohol.

  Connect with the Author

  To see current projects I’m working on, follow me on Royal Road @ RCDavis

  Now on Patreon. @ patreon.com/rcdavis