busy
the_vulture suggested that I remind people of series they may have forgotten about. This seems like a good opportunity to do a quick overview. More detailed descriptions, along with links to published poems, appear on the Serial Poetry page. Also, remember that when I post polls for selecting a series, I usually include one of the less-active ones as an option. If you're not sure what to prompt for a given theme during a fishbowl, consider checking the Serial Poetry page to see whether any of the series seem like they would intersect that theme in an interesting way.I've included a poll below about your most favorite series and the ones you enjoy generally. Everyone is encouraged to vote in it. (There's a maximum of 15 slots and I have 16 series, so "The Psychic Photographer" didn't fit into two of the questions; if necessary, you can write that one in a comment.) I would also like to hear what makes a given series your favorite or what you love about the series you are reading, if you want to share more.
Most Popular Series
These are the series that have the largest number of poems written for them, get regular prompts from audience members, and are making forward progress.
Monster House -- suburban fantasy featuring a household of humans and preternatural beings, with a focus on family life and the communal dynamics of a shared house with very different cultures/species in it, plus the challenges of interacting with the mainstream culture all around. 21 poems, of which "Restoration" is currently in microfunding.
The Origami Mage -- Asian fantasy about two rivals, one practicing origami and one practicing kirigami, as the tension between them shifts over time. 19 poems.
Path of the Paladins -- low fantasy about a world ravaged by divine and mortal warfare, featuring the paladins of a deposed goddess as they struggle to move in more positive directions. 15 poems, of which "Will Not" is currently in microfunding.
Fiorenza, the Italian Herbalist -- historic fantasy set in an Italian village and featuring its herbalist, with a focus on magical encounters and the social challenges of life in a small community. 14 poems, of which "From the Free City" is currently in microfunding.
Midlist Series
These series have a good handful of poems. Some of them are complete, or haven't been added to in a while. Others get some attention but are still in early development.
Queen Choufa and the Rebel Drones -- sociological science fiction about an insectoid species as they evolve from instinctual to sentient behavior. 6 poems.
The Clockwork War -- military science fiction about disabled soldiers on active duty repelling a mechanized invasion force. 4 poems.
The Ocracies -- sociological fantasy showcasing different governmental systems beyond the usual "fantasy = monarch" stuff, often revealing how characters' political background influences their perspectives and the choices they make. 4 poems.
Sort Of Heroes -- low fantasy about a young man, a troll, and the enchanted sword that's trying to teach them how to be heroes; plus the friends they meet along the way. 4 poems.
Small Series
These are the series most likely to get forgotten, but some are still pretty neat. They only have a few poems. They tend to be intermittently active at most. Some are old, others are newers.
Alien Ants and Butterflies -- sociological science fiction about two alien species whose sexual symbiosis seems weird to humans. 3 poems.
Glimpses of Minoa -- a combination of historical nonfiction and Pagan spirituality inspired by the ancient Minoan culture and artifacts. 3 poems.
The Inkseer -- low fantasy about an oracle and her complicated relationship with the sea and its creatures. 3 poems.
The Odd Trio -- fantasy about a relationship consisting of a female dwarven fighter, a male elven bard, and a male human cleric; the first two are a transpecific erotic couple and the third is polyromantic asexual. They have adventures and raise a family together. 3 poems.
Phobic Starships -- science fiction with overtones of horror and kink, in which shapeshifting mechanical beings encounter tentacled aliens in hyperspace. 3 poems.
The Adventures of Aldornia and Zenobia -- high fantasy about lesbians who go sane, become good, run away from home and fall in love. 2 poems, of which "The Accidental Hero" is currently in microfunding.
Gloryroad Crossing -- low fantasy set in a town that caters to adventurers, largely inspired by roleplaying games with input from assorted flavors of pulp fantasy. 2 poems.
The Psychic Photographer -- science fantasy about a woman who can take pictures beyond the ordinary. 2 poems.
Which is your most favorite of the popular series?
Monster House
7(43.8%)
The Origami Mage
2(12.5%)
Path of the Paladins
7(43.8%)
Fiorenza, the Italian Herbalist
0(0.0%)
Which is your most favorite of the midlist series?
Queen Choufa and the Rebel Drones
1(6.2%)
The Clockwork War
1(6.2%)
The Ocracies
2(12.5%)
Sort Of Heroes
12(75.0%)
Which is your most favorite of the small series?
Alien Ants and Butterflies
1(6.7%)
Glimpses of Minoa
0(0.0%)
The Inkseer
4(26.7%)
The Odd Trio
0(0.0%)
Phobic Starships
0(0.0%)
The Adventures of Aldornia and Zenobia
8(53.3%)
Gloryroad Crossing
0(0.0%)
The Psychic Photographer
2(13.3%)
Which is your most favorite series of all?
Monster House
7(43.8%)
The Origami Mage
1(6.2%)
Path of the Paladins
7(43.8%)
Fiorenza, the Italian Herbalist
0(0.0%)
Queen Choufa and the Rebel Drones
0(0.0%)
The Clockwork War
0(0.0%)
The Ocracies
0(0.0%)
Sort Of Heroes
1(6.2%)
Alien Ants and Butterflies
0(0.0%)
Glimpses of Minoa
0(0.0%)
The Inkseer
0(0.0%)
The Odd Trio
0(0.0%)
Phobic Starships
0(0.0%)
The Adventures of Zenobia and Aldornia
0(0.0%)
Gloryroad Crossing
0(0.0%)
How many of these series do you enjoy reading?
Monster House
16(11.3%)
The Origami Mage
13(9.2%)
Path of the Paladins
15(10.6%)
Fiorenza, the Italian Herbalist
15(10.6%)
Queen Choufa and the Rebel Drones
5(3.5%)
The Clockwork War
9(6.3%)
The Ocracies
7(4.9%)
Sort Of Heroes
16(11.3%)
Alien Ants and Butterflies
3(2.1%)
Glimpses of Minoa
4(2.8%)
The Inkseer
9(6.3%)
The Odd Trio
8(5.6%)
Phobic Starships
2(1.4%)
The Adventures of Aldornia and Zenobia
11(7.7%)
Gloryroad Crossing
9(6.3%)
With ten being the most, how much do you like Monster House?
Mean: 9.20 Median: 10 Std. Dev 0.98
1
0(0.0%)
2
0(0.0%)
3
0(0.0%)
4
0(0.0%)
5
0(0.0%)
6
0(0.0%)
7
1(6.7%)
8
3(20.0%)
9
3(20.0%)
10
8(53.3%)
With 10 being the most, how much do you like The Origami Mage?
Mean: 7.93 Median: 8 Std. Dev 1.75
1
0(0.0%)
2
0(0.0%)
3
1(7.1%)
4
0(0.0%)
5
0(0.0%)
6
0(0.0%)
7
4(28.6%)
8
4(28.6%)
9
2(14.3%)
10
3(21.4%)
With 10 being the most, how much do you like Path of the Paladins?
Mean: 8.80 Median: 10 Std. Dev 2.14
1
0(0.0%)
2
1(6.7%)
3
0(0.0%)
4
0(0.0%)
5
0(0.0%)
6
1(6.7%)
7
0(0.0%)
8
2(13.3%)
9
2(13.3%)
10
9(60.0%)
With 10 being the most, how much do you like Fiorenza, the Italian Herbalist?
Mean: 8.27 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.93
1
0(0.0%)
2
0(0.0%)
3
0(0.0%)
4
0(0.0%)
5
0(0.0%)
6
1(6.7%)
7
1(6.7%)
8
7(46.7%)
9
5(33.3%)
10
1(6.7%)
September 20 2011, 12:21:12 UTC 9 years ago
September 20 2011, 15:15:21 UTC 9 years ago
September 20 2011, 16:34:34 UTC 9 years ago Edited: September 20 2011, 16:36:22 UTC
It's kind of interesting, but my interest in the series grew whilst exploring the ideas for that poem.
Yay!
September 20 2011, 20:28:05 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Yay!
September 21 2011, 09:52:49 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Yay!
September 21 2011, 20:48:41 UTC 9 years ago
Yay!
September 20 2011, 20:39:41 UTC 9 years ago
Well...
September 20 2011, 22:05:57 UTC 9 years ago
It can be hard to come up with really short descriptions to what can be complex series, especially in terms of distinguishing them when there are 16 to choose from. Most of those are fantasy, interestingly enough, and they run heavy to female characters.
Re: Well...
September 21 2011, 09:27:39 UTC 9 years ago
The description was adequate; I just completely forgot what poems were in that series.
Re: Well...
September 21 2011, 20:43:55 UTC 9 years ago
Yeah, it's not always easy to remember what goes where, when there are a lot of categories and a zillion individual items.