Tag Archives: Writing

The Devil’s Details: F-ing Handwriting

It’s so easy these days to create legible writing using a computer keyboard that it’s easy to let legible handwriting fall by the wayside. I have become such a typist that I can’t actually remember how to write in cursive:

I haven't written in cursive since the fourth grade.

I haven’t written in cursive since the fourth grade.

I did need to write by hand of course throughout school, and when push came to shove I found I could print faster than I could write (cursive). It’s still not anything I’m terribly proud of, but at least I can (mostly) keep it in a straight line:

"This is an example of my handwriting at its neatest." For those who still can't read it.

“This is an example of my handwriting at its neatest.” For those who still can’t read it.

My history exams came out looking a bit like that bottom line. There was a kid in that class who could write ten pages in the time I wrote two…he got an A.

Now Little Satis has been having quite some difficulty forming letters, and his handwriting is difficult to read at its best. If he’s patient and takes his time he can actually write quite well, but he’s eight. The odd thing is how he has learned (or taught himself) to write:

Left: Standard writing direction. Right: Little Satis' writing direction.

Left: Standard writing direction. Right: Little Satis’ writing direction.

Rather than starting at the top, he starts every letter at the bottom, and traces it up from there. This particularly causes problems with descenders, since they too start on the line, and not below it:

"Qountem and the Apocalypse Theif", for those who are struggling.

“Qountem and the Apocalypse Theif”, for those who are struggling. Don’t ask.

However, although his handwriting is in dire need of attention, check out the F:

What a lovely F!

What a lovely F!

Isn’t it pretty? How did that come out of…well, that?

The Redemption of Erâth: Book 2, Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Raid on Voènarà

It was some weeks before Brandyé had healed from the latàhní’s wounds, in which time he was allowed to rest and perform only minimal duties in Khana’s home. Khana, despite his injured leg, appeared unbothered by any pain, and limped quite contentedly here and there until his was able to better bear weight upon it. Brandyé was quite struck by the man’s resilience, for so it had been on Tahn-khafawō after the attack. No further sounds had been heard that night, whether by Andèlin’s vigilance or good fortune, but come the morning Brandyé had slept little, and was still in great pain.

Khana, however, was bright and sharp at first light, and managed to drag the latàhní’s carcass through the forest and over the plains, ensuring always that Brandyé was well and with him. For his part, Brandyé had begun to feel faint and feverish, though thanks to Khana’s remedy his wounds had not become infected. How Khana was able to descend the cliff stairs to the boat bearing the weighty carcass Brandyé was unsure, but somehow they found themselves in the open sea once more, having passed under the great rock arch at the lowest tide. Khana had […]

Read the complete chapter here.

The Redemption of Erâth: Book 2, Chapter 4

Chapter 4: On the Lonely Island

Rumor of Brandyé’s defiance of Abula Kharta, and how Khana had bought him from their lord, spread rapidly, and it was not long before Brandyé was the subject of much gossip and whispering, which was a thing he was only too familiar with. Khana himself fell under the scrutiny of the Cosari, for while the purchase of a servant was entirely legitimate, to rob their lord of the subject of his wrath was seen as terribly unwise, and it was wondered how much wealth Khana had parted with in order to do so.

Neither of the two were much perturbed by this however, for Khana was a commander and captain of no small reputation and thus able to distance himself from the common folk’s tongue-wagging, and Brandyé of course bore it with sadness and resignation that he would likely never be truly accepted anywhere in all of Erâth. Rather, the bond between the two strengthened, though Brandyé remained manifestly his servant, and had many daily chores and orders to be carried out. Even this, however, did not greatly bother him, for he discovered that it gave to him a satisfaction – a sense of purpose, as it were – and he found […]

Read the complete chapter here.