Press Start 5

{== [<img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExYjNoMnc1bnh1c2t6YXV1eXhtenAxdjBxMXp3NWcxM3k3cDRqa2JxNyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/iMzBirPRPMxht1ZsEk/giphy.gif" style="width:700px">]<loading| (click:?loading)[(go-to:"CHARACTERS")]

{==(set:$process to 1)<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/writing-process.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> When did you choose the epigraph?", "2") (link-goto:"> Wait -- the 80's is historical fiction??", "B") ]

{=(set: $epigraph to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/epigraph.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What other research did you do?", "3") (link-goto:"> What does Heschel have to do with the 26th century?", "C") ]

{= <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/research.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What other books were you reading and thinking about?", "4") (link-goto:"> Check out Reddit", "D0") ]

{=(set: $inspo to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/inspo.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link:"> Why this kind of structure?")[(set:$five to "structure")(go-to:"5")] (if:$process is 0)[(link:"> How did that shape the way you wrote Homebound?")[(set:$five to "process")(go-to:"5")] ] (else-if:$process is 1)[ (if: $detour1 is 0)[(link-goto: "> Take a detour", "video1")] (else-if:$detour1 is 1)[ (link-goto:"> Were there other sci-fi influences? Let's talk about the robot!", "E") ] ] ]

{= (if:$five is "structure")[(set: $structure to 1)<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/structure.png" style="width:700px">] (if:$five is "process")[(set:$process to 1)<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/writing-process.png" style="width:700px">] (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> Why the 80s?", "6") (if:$definegames is 1)[(link:"> Wait, the 80s is historical fiction?!?")[(set:$F to "eighties")(go-to:"F")] ] (else-if:$definegames is not 1)[ (link-goto:"> What is a 'text-based adventure' game?", "F")] ]

{=(set: $why80s to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/why80s.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> Why a computer game? Are you a big gamer?", "7") (link-goto:"> What does a lamp have to do with anything?", "G") ]

{=(set: $processgame to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/gamesprocess.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> It seems like there's something kind of meta happening here...", "8") (if:$detour2 is 0)[(link:"> Take a detour") [(set:$back to "7")(go-to:"video2") ] ] (else-if:$detour2 is 1)[(link-goto:"> I'm sensing a theme around people //seeking//...", "H") ] ]

{=(set:$power to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mybackground.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What was editing the book like?", "9") (if:$structure is 1)[(link-goto:"> There's a lot happening around the idea of 'belonging'...", "I") ] (else-if:$structure is 0)[(link-goto:"> Why choose this (complicated!) structure for the book?", "I") ] ]

{=(set:$editorial to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/editorial.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What was going on GMA like?!", "10") (if:$inspo is 1)[(link:"> Did you go to school for writing?")[(set:$J to "background")(go-to: "J") ] ] (else-if:$inspo is 0)[ (link:"> What other books inspired you?")[(set:$J to "inspo")(go-to: "J") ]] ]

{=(set:$gma to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/gma.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What did you learn about yourself, writing Homebound?", "11") (if:$detour3 is 0)[(link:"> Take a detour")[(set:$back to "10")(go-to:"video3") ] ] (else-if:$detour3 is 1)[(link-goto:"> From the library all the way to GMA?!", "K") ] ]

{=(set: $makingart to 1)(set:$lastslide to "library") <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/writingwhileafraid.png" style="width:700px">

{=(set: $spark to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sparkstart.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> Say more about the epigraph", "2") (link-goto:"> How did you research the 80s?", "B") ]

{= (if:$worldflow is not "addprocess")[(set: $research80s to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/c_pet_still-edited.png" style="width:400px"> (click:?page)[(char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What other research did you do?", "3") (link-goto:"> How did you build the world in the 26th century? That's a long way from the 80s.", "C") ] ] (if:$worldflow is "addprocess")[(set:$definegames to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/whataretbg.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What other research did you do?","3") (link-goto:"> Was the game always part of the book?","1-2") ] ]

{=(set:$worldbuilding to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/worldbuilding.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (if:$worldflow is not "addprocess")[(link-goto:"> What other books were you reading and thinking about?", "4") (link-goto:"> How did you use Reddit to do research?", "D0") ] (if:$worldflow is "addprocess")[(char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What other research did you do?","3") (link-goto:"> How did you connect Yesiko and Becks? Was that always the plan?","1-2")] ]

{==(if: $reddit is "cincinnati")[<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/rcincinatti.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (if:$reddit is "sailing")[<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/rsailing.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link:"> Let's talk about structure")[(set:$five to "structure")(go-to:"5")] (if:$process is 0)[(link:"> How did you go from Reddit and research to //book//?")[(set:$five to "process")(go-to:"5")] ] (else-if:$process is 1)[(link-goto:"> Let's talk about the robot", "E") ] ]

{=(set:$scifi to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/scifi.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (if:$process is 0)[ (link-goto:"> What other research did you do?","3") (link-goto:"> How did all of this come together into Homebound?","1-2")] (else-if:$process is 1)[(link-goto:"> Why the 80s?", "6") (if:$definegames is 1)[(link:"> Wait, the 80s is historical fiction?!?")[(set:$F to "eighties")(go-to:"F")] ] (else-if:$definegames is not 1)[ (link-goto:"> What is a 'text-based adventure' game?", "F")] ] ]

{= (if:$definegames is 0)[<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/whataretbg.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (else-if:$definegames is 1)[<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/c_pet_still-edited.png" style="width:400px"> ] (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> Why a computer game? Are you a big gamer?", "7") (link-goto:"> What does a lamp have to do with anything?", "G") ]

{=(set: $htbg to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/gameshistory.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> It seems like there's something kind of meta happening here...", "8") (if:$detour2 is 0)[(link:"> Take a detour") [(set:$back to "G")(go-to:"video2") ] ] (else-if:$detour2 is 1)[(link-goto:"> I'm sensing a theme around people //seeking//...", "H") ]]

{=(set: $outsiders to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/outsiders.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What was editing the book like?", "9") (link-goto:"> There's a lot happening around the idea of 'belonging'...", "I") ]

{= (if:$structure is 1)[(set:$ecosystem to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ecosystm.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (else-if: $structure is 0)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/structure.png" style="width:700px">] (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What was going on GMA like?!", "10") (if:$inspo is 1)[(link:"> I'm putting this together with Cannery Row...")[(set:$J to "background")(go-to: "J") ] ] (else-if:$inspo is 0)[ (link:"> What other books inspired you?")[(set:$J to "inspo")(go-to: "J") ]] ]

{= (if:$J is "background")[(set: $background to 1) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mybackground.png?w=768"style="width:700px">] (else-if:$J is "inspo")[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/inspo.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What did you learn about yourself, writing Homebound?", "11") (if:$detour3 is 0)[(link:"> Take a detour")[(set:$back to "J")(go-to:"video3") ] ] (else-if:$detour3 is 1)[(link-goto:"> How did working at the library shape Homebound?", "K")] ]

{=(set:$library to 1)(set:$lastslide to "learned") <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/library.png?w=768" style="width:700px">

{==(set:$process to 1)<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/writing-process.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link-goto:"> What books inspired you?", "4") (link-goto:"> How did you use Reddit for research?", "D0") ]

{=(append: ?SideBar)[(if: $end is 0)[ [<img src="https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExaTk3ZmdzODVkczNpaGpjZXVybmE1MTZpbHRjNjFhd202andoM3M2cCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/PpG2vZ8MCLCIOqKFHU/giphy.gif" style="width:128px">]<fire| (click:?fire)[(go-to:"END1")] ] (display:"icons") ]

{=(if:$chaya is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-chaya.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$becks is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-becks.png" style="width:20px">] (if:$epigraph is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-epigraph.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$solo is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-solo.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$yesiko is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-yesiko.png" style="width:20px">] (if:$heschel is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-heschel.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$ecosystem is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-ecosystem.png" style="width:20px">] (if:$elders is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-elders.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$gma is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-gma.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$library is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-library.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$inspo is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-inspiration.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$writingprocess is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-process.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$htbg is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-historygames.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$publication is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-publication.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$worldbuilding is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-worldbuilding.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$makingart is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-artwhenafraid.png" style="width:20px">] (if:$power is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-powerofstories.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$wtbg is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-whataretbg.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$scifi is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-sifi.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$background is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-background.png" style="width:20px">] (if:$outsiders is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-outsiders.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$reddit is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-reddit.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$research is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-research.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$structure is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-structure.png?w=768" style="width:20px">] (if:$editorial is 1)[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-editorial.png" style="width:20px">]

{=(set: $end to 1) [<img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExY3FvenVwa2FjbG4xOXU2ZXFic2gxbTF0bjFyamRxcjB5MHkwNGRubCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/UUJ2VN2UI5NU47LgAu/giphy.gif">]<dark2| (after:5s)[(hide:?dark2)(show:?dark3)] [(click:?page)[ (if:$lastslide is "learned")[ <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/writingwhileafraid.png" style="width:700px">] (else-if:$lastslide is not "learned")[<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/library.png?w=768" style="width:700px">] (click:?page)[ Thank you for listening and playing along! Questions?] ] ](dark3|

{=(set: $tamar to 1) (set:_charsum to $chaya + $yesiko + $becks + $solo + $tamar) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/lab1280x720.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ [[> What was the first seed of the book?->A]] (if: _charsum is not 5)[ [[> Back to characters->CHARACTERS]] ] ]

{=(set: $yesiko to 1)(set:_charsum to $chaya + $yesiko + $becks + $solo + $tamar) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/galley1280x720.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (link:"> Far-future world-building")[(set:$worldflow to "addprocess")(go-to:"C")] (if: _charsum is not 5)[ [[> Back to characters->CHARACTERS]] ] ]

{=(set:$becks to 1)(set:_charsum to $chaya + $yesiko + $becks + $solo + $tamar) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/room2.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ [[> How Becks started the whole book->A]] (if: _charsum is not 5)[ [[> Back to characters->CHARACTERS]] ] ]

{=(set:$solo to 1)(set:_charsum to $chaya + $yesiko + $becks + $solo + $tamar) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/spaceship1280x720.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link:"> What is a 'text-based adventure game'?")[ (set:$worldflow to "addprocess")(go-to:"B")] (if: _charsum is not 5)[ [[> Back to characters->CHARACTERS]] ] ]

{=(set: $chaya to 1) (set:_charsum to $chaya + $yesiko + $becks + $solo + $tamar) <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/lab1280x720.png" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ [[> Was Chaya always in the book?->1]] (if: _charsum is not 5)[ [[> Back to characters->CHARACTERS]] ] ]

(hide:?loading)(show:?start)] [ [<img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gma-cover.jpg" style="width:200px">]<homebound| (click:?homebound)[ (link-goto:"How did you juggle all those characters?", "1") (link-goto:"It all started with Becks", "A") ] ](start| (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[==

{== (if: $becks is 0)[ [[> Becks->BECKS]] ] (if: $tamar is 0)[ [[> Tamar->TAMAR]] ] (if: $solo is 0)[ [[> California Solo->SOLO]] ] (if: $chaya is 0)[ [[> Chaya->CHAYA]] ] (if: $yesiko is 0)[ [[> Yesiko->YESIKO]] ]

{= <img src="https://portiaelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/reddit.png?w=768" style="width:700px"> (click:?page)[ (char-style: via (t8n-delay:pos*40)+(t8n:'instant'))[== (link:"r/Sailing")[(set:$reddit to "sailing") (go-to:"D")] (link:"r/Cincinnati")[(set:$reddit to "cincinnati") (go-to:"D")] ]

(set:$detour1 to 1) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://videopress.com/embed/ZZypyzFa" loading="lazy" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="clipboard-write; presentation"></iframe> <script src="https://videopress.com/videopress-iframe.js" async></script> [[> Go back->4]]

(set:$detour2 to 1) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://videopress.com/embed/hkGEJwVn" loading="lazy" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="clipboard-write; presentation"></iframe> <script src="https://videopress.com/videopress-iframe.js" async></script> (link:"> Go back")[ (if:$back is "G")[(go-to:"G")] (if:$back is "7")[(go-to:"7")] ]

(set:$detour3 to 1) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://videopress.com/embed/CXOAYHjJ" loading="lazy" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="clipboard-write; presentation"></iframe> <script src="https://videopress.com/videopress-iframe.js" async></script> (link:"> Go back")[ (if:$back is "J")[(go-to:"J")] (if:$back is "10")[(go-to:"10")] ]