Callinda
I don’t remember writing this story. At all.
My memory for this period of time is like Swiss cheese—whether from the after effects of electro-convulsive therapy, or trying different medications, or being on a mood roller coaster. I do remember creating a meticulous genealogy for the population of Callinda that took weeks to map (fruit of a long spell of hypomania). And I remember editing a scene where the Queen and her Prime Minister are in bed together and thinking, “Huh. This is pretty good.”
What started out as a pure Harlequin Romance in Space morphed into something else. Being so sick at the time, it surprised me that I still had the chops to carry a plot-line and create a new character (Marapura) who was more than a lusty wench for the heroic captain to boink.
I like this story a lot on its own merits, but also because it proved I was still alive under the layers of illness and drugs.
Having said all that, there was a lot of work to be done on this piece. I was, after all, seriously ill when I wrote it. Cognitive function was iffy at best. So, there were lots of holes in logic, lots of wandering around, lots of melodrama. But, after a year of rewrites, I posted the final chapters on March 30, 2012. There’s still more work I’d like to do on the front half, but at some point a writer just has to let it go.
I hope you enjoy reading Callinda as much as I loved the process.
Click here for Chapter One.
Or to find other chapters, roll your curser again over “Heaving Bosoms” and down through the nested files to “Callinda.”
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Map of Callinda
At the Palace
Marapura Taylor—Queen of South Callinda
Robinson Dinh—Staff Father
Adrianna Reneau—First Aide to the Queen
Marissa Singh—Aide to the Queen, criminologist
Mendelsohn Mbutu—Archivist
Tamarla Yee—Aide to the Queen
Briank Juarez—Aide to the Queen, political strategist
Ra Mbutu—First of Palace Security
Francisco Mendoza—Second of Palace Security
Jasper Singh—First of Communications
Gravis Mbutu—Grounds Father
Dr. Deborah Jones—Queen’s personal physician
The Government of South Callinda
Collier Cabot—Prime Minister
Horatio Jones—General of the Southern Home Guard
Delilah Mbutu—Congress Mother
Yvette Jones—Governor of New Hope, Head of the Gibson Line (cousin to the Queen)
Benjamin Gibson—Governor of Azland, Head of the Taylor Line (Friend to the Queen)
Mbana Mbutu—Governor of New Kenya, Head of the Mbutu Line (sister to Gov. Emmond Mbutu of Notre Dam)
Javier Juarez—Governor of Azteca, Head of the Juarez Line
Armand Mendoza—Governor of New Madrid, Head of the Mendoza Line
The Enterprise
Jonathan Archer—Captain
T’Pol—First Officer, Vulcan
Trip Tucker—Chief Engineer
Malcolm Reed—Armory Officer
Hoshi Sato—Communications Officer
Travis Mayweather—Ship’s Pilot
The Government of North Callinda
Kerner Kelly—President
Moira Kelly—his wife
Gerhard, Jackson and Dulcinea Kelly—their children
Covenant Reneau—Vice President
Philippe Reneau—her husband
Jakaya Brown—Staff Father
Clara Brown—his wife
Ang Chan—General of the Northern Home Guard
Gregor Petrovich—First of Security
William—Second of Security
Idayama—Aide
Dharma Singh—Governor of Tao Ling, Head of the Chan Line (sister to Gov. Lillette Singh of Tao)
Lillette Singh—Governor of Tao, Head of the Yee Line (sister to Gov. Dharma Singh of Tao Ling)
Emmond Mbutu—Governor of Notre Dam, Head of the Reneau Line (brother to Gov. Mbana Mbutu of New Kenya)
Visitors from Earth
Jason Running Bear—Ambassador to Callinda
Lydia Gibson Abercrombe—Relative of The Fifteen
Washington Brown—Relative of The Fifteen, Special Forces (Retired)
Alonzo Juarez—Relative of The Fifteen, computer specialist
Tsu Yee Chow—Relative of The Fifteen
Madeline Cabot Tate—Relative of The Fifteen
Isabella Mendoza—Relative of The Fifteen
Donovan Kelly—Relative of The Fifteen, physician
Mary Archer—Captain Archer’s mother
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Credits
All That You Ask Me by Kieran Goss. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Coming Home and O, Sun by Peter Mayer. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Cool, Clear Water by Bonnie Raitt. Permission requested. All rights reserved.
Dante’s Prayer by Loreena McKennitt. Permission requested. All rights reserved.
Dimming of the Day by Richard Thompson. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Love Sneakin’ Up on You written by Jimmy Scott and Tom Snow. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
One More Circle by Peter Mayer. Permission requested. All rights reserved.
When You Come Back Down by Danny O’Keefe. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
You by Bob Thiele. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Mar 29, 2012 @ 08:37:32
Ah HAH! Found it. Reading…looking much forward.
Mar 29, 2012 @ 17:00:05
Sweeeeet! Leave your 2 cents’ worth behind.