Let's get this out of the way - Halloween is my favorite holiday. It's sort of my Christmas. I share it with the goths.

Every year I like to get in the spirit of the season (pun not intended but impossible to avoid) by writing something creepy, like last year's Halloween story and... this year's Halloween story! You can read the 2010 story on the 30th and 31st, but I wanted something to keep you busy until then. So I asked everyone on Twitter to send me Halloween story links. As it is with Peacock King, all of these stories are available online to read for free! It's just like trick-or-treating, except I guess tricks don't happen unless someone's server goes down. Please enjoy these stories and support the authors if they show you a good time.

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NOTE: If you post a URL in your comment, it might take a moment to post as I'll have to moderate it. Sorry bout that. Don't panic!

This week I'm starting a little game for my WebLit homies out there. The game is: name a webfiction (meaning fiction published on the web) character in the comments, including a description (or copy-pasting a pre-existing one in). Also, link to the story they're from, and let me know who the author is.

The first five complete (as in, enough for me to do a drawing based on) descriptions get a sketch (the theme, pose, subject matter and whether it's chibi or more realistic are all up to my choosing) from me. I'll post it in the blog here and link to the story, and it'll mean that the audience here gets exposed to some new stuff, which is always good.

Rules:

This week for WIP Wednesday: another sneak peek of the PK Prequel, and a preview of this week's upcoming chapter of Book 3.

First, a bit of the Prequel in which Char shows us the Judge's little-known larval stage.

* * *
Arik
* * *

She looks back at me as we walk through the doors of the High Court, almost as if she's seeking permission from me to enter. I don't want her in here. She doesn't belong here, with her smiles and laughter and constant flinging of the Law into the winds. I want Rhia back, not this strange new creature--

My stomach lurches again, and my vision wavers.

"Arik... theoni?" At least she's remembered to properly address me this time. I wave a hand at her, warding off any possible attempts to touch me.

It's Wednesday again, and both Char and I have some awesome excerpts to show you!

First off, Char's writing something that'll interest those of you who've been wondering what this Chethar place is that 'Sy and Luciprochoros keep talking about, and who this guy Emperor Theos is, and why 'Sy especially is so awkward about what happened in his past. Also, there's a lot of odd names that get used for certain individuals in certain very official circumstances - you get to learn the origin of those. Char's giving you answers about all of that, because Char's awesome like that. The whole story will go up after the finale of PK Book 3, but until then we'll feed you some excerpts on Wednesdays. Awesome? Awesome.

(Seriously, I squee about this story every time she writes more of it.)

* * *
Arik
* * *

Nothing much to say, other than this poem is lovely and makes me think of Arms:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2700917/sharp_a_poem_by_gabriel...

Gabriel's main site is here if you yearn for more.

There's a post up on Novelr that's asking everybody just why they read online fiction. (While the post is aimed at authors of web fiction, those of you out there who don't write are welcome to go comment there. In fact, PLEASE do so.) I'm really curious, however, as to why readers are reading the Peacock King. So, if you go over and comment on Novelr's post about why you read web fiction, you get a coffee bean for your trouble.