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Making Context Feel Organic

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Thu Jul 24 2025

Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and Cece

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Making Context Feel Organic"

Podcast Information:

Title: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, CeCe Lyra
Episode: Making Context Feel Organic
Release Date: July 24, 2025

Introduction

In the episode titled "Making Context Feel Organic," host Bianca Marais, alongside cohosts Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency, delves into the intricacies of crafting authentic context within a manuscript. The episode features an engaging discussion with debut author Telly, who seeks guidance on refining her query letter and the opening pages of her novel, "Coming of Rage Horromans."

Author Interview: Telly

Bianca Marais welcomes Telly to the "Books with Hooks" segment, setting the stage for an in-depth critique of her work. Telly expresses her enthusiasm for the podcast, stating, "I'm a big fan of the podcast which has been an incredible resource throughout my writing journey." (03:22)

Query Letter Reading

Telly reads her query letter, outlining her novel's premise and her personal background:

"I am seeking representation for the novel 'Coming of Rage Horromans,' a 70,000-word coming-of-age horror romance that blends Latvian mythology and folklore with an examination of critical theory." (04:00)

She details the story of Stassi, an ambitious painter thrust into a deadly competition that intertwines magical art with sinister intentions.

Critique from Cohosts

Carly Waters lauds the quality of Telly's query letter:

"This is such a brilliant query letter. You did such a good job reading it too." (06:12)

Carly highlights the effectiveness of Telly's plot points and the urgency conveyed in her writing. However, she suggests sharpening the protagonist's motivation to make Stassi's fight more personal: "There could be potential to sharpen the why her angle." (06:38)

CeCe Lira provides detailed feedback, focusing on the accuracy of genre labeling and the manuscript's tone. She points out the term "horromance" is awkward and recommends clarifying the target audience (YA vs. adult):

"I kind of thought it was adult because 'coming of rage' is upon a coming-of-age, which is generally more like an adult." (10:59)

CeCe emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between genres to appeal effectively to agents and readers.

Discussion on Genre and Tone

The hosts engage in a comprehensive discussion about defining the novel's genre. Telly shares insights from her conversation with an editor at Macmillan, who noted the crossover appeal of her work:

"But it falls into young adult as well because of the writing and especially the first person and the voice, I think, could appeal to young adult." (12:10)

Carly and CeCe debate the challenges of marketing a crossover novel, emphasizing the need for clear genre classification to ensure successful representation and targeting.

Manuscript Feedback on Opening Pages

Transitioning from the query letter, Telly summarizes the opening pages of her manuscript. The initial scene introduces Stassi in her school environment, hinting at underlying tensions and magical elements.

Carly Waters commends the evocative writing but notes discrepancies between the query's tone and the manuscript's initial pages:

"The tone isn't there. Like, we don't have a horror romance tone." (26:07)

CeCe echoes these sentiments, advising Telly to infuse the beginning with a more immediate sense of danger and atmosphere:

"You have to be building that tone so that the reader starts to get those creepy vibes." (42:04)

Strategies for Organic Contextualization

The cohosts provide actionable strategies to help Telly make context feel natural within her narrative:

Integrate Context Through Action and Dialogue:
- Instead of explicit explanations, weave contextual information into characters' actions and conversations. For example, CeCe suggests starting the story with a high-stakes scene that naturally reveals character backgrounds and plot points.
Utilize Atmospheric Language:
- Employ descriptive language that sets the mood without overt exposition. Telli considers introducing eerie elements early on, such as a mysterious character visit or unsettling events that hint at the underlying horror.
Focus on Character-Driven Disruptions:
- Begin with moments that disrupt the protagonist's routine, propelling the story forward and organically introducing essential context. Carly recommends incorporating immediate conflicts or challenges that reveal key aspects of the world and characters.

"Your job is to do it now. There's no such thing as, 'Oh, it'll come later.'" (40:12)

Brainstorming Alternative Openings

Telly and the cohosts brainstorm alternative opening scenes to better align with the desired genre and tone. CeCe proposes an opening where Stassi visits the brothel under the guise of a different purpose, leading to unexpected revelations that set a suspenseful tone.

"You have to focus on a place that's going to surprise the reader with character development and in a way that unlocks layers of surprise." (35:33)

Bianca encourages Telly to prioritize storytelling over excessive explanation, ensuring that context emerges naturally through the narrative flow.

Marketing Insights and Final Advice

Towards the episode's conclusion, Telly raises questions about marketing strategies, such as participating in a public "race to an agent." Carly advises against such tactics, emphasizing the importance of building a professional author brand focused on long-term goals rather than short-term competitions.

"When you are trying to build a platform and a brand and followers, what you are trying to do is attract querying writer followers." (44:08)

Carly and CeCe reiterate the significance of serving the story first, assuring that a well-crafted narrative will inherently attract readers and industry attention.

Excerpts and Closing

The episode concludes with the hosts sharing an excerpt from Telly's latest novel, "A Most Puzzling Murder," showcasing their support and providing listeners with a taste of her writing prowess.

Key Takeaways

Balance Context and Action: Integrate critical information seamlessly through character interactions and plot developments rather than explicit exposition.
Define Your Genre Clearly: Understanding and categorizing your novel's genre is crucial for effective marketing and attracting the right agents and readers.
Focus on Storytelling: Prioritize compelling narratives and organic context to engage readers, ensuring that the story remains the central focus.
Professional Branding Over Gamification: Building a sustainable author brand requires strategic content creation that aligns with long-term writing goals rather than participating in transient marketing gimmicks.

Notable Quotes:

Carly Waters (06:12): "This is such a brilliant query letter. You did such a good job reading it too."
CeCe Lira (10:59): "I kind of thought it was adult because 'coming of rage' is upon a coming-of-age, which is generally more like an adult."
Carly Waters (26:07): "The tone isn't there. Like, we don't have a horror romance tone."
CeCe Lira (42:04): "You have to be building that tone so that the reader starts to get those creepy vibes."
Carly Waters (44:08): "When you are trying to build a platform and a brand and followers, what you are trying to do is attract querying writer followers."

This episode offers invaluable insights for emerging writers aiming to enhance their storytelling by making contextual elements feel natural and integral to the narrative. Through constructive critique and strategic advice, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe empower authors to refine their work and navigate the complexities of the publishing industry.

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Transcript

Bianca Murray (0:00)

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Carly Waters (1:37)

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Cece Lira (1:43)

Self will thank you Beta Reader Matchup time is happening again. It's been so gratifying over the summer to be tagged in so many posts about beta readers who've become writing besties and who are still going strong many years after they were first matched. Some even travel to meet up and do writing weekends together. Which sounds incredible. I can't guarantee any of that. That's entirely up to you. But what I can guarantee is that you'll be matched with a group of people working in your genre and or time zone who will critique 3,000 words of your work as you critique theirs. In return, you can sign up from now until the 31st of August with the matchup emails going on the 1st of September. Head to my website Biancamarae.com and look for the Beta Reader Matchup tab. Hi there and welcome to our show, the Shit no One tells you About Writing.

Unknown (8:10)

Okay, good. Okay, good, good, good. I'm putting you on the spot. Okay. Because so for me, the way that I read this one is that where the hook should be. What you have is Latvian mythology and folklore with an examination of critical theory. Like, that's where your hook should go. And so you are coming off super academic here when what we need is, like, that's where the juicy part of the. Of the hook goes. So I'm glad to hear that you have a hook, that you have an elevator pitch. Do you want to hear some of my examples? I went through with my query formulas and put together some for you. So I'll run through them. So keep them, you know, leave them, whatever. This is also a good exercise for everybody listening because it just shows there's lots of different ways to write your hook in a way that, you know, can service your story in different ways. So last time I went through some examples of the character goal obstacle formula, the character situation complication formula, the character desire conflict formula, the what if question formula, and the irony or twist formula. So I'm going to kind of use those formulas. These are all from my author's publishing playbook, so everybody has access to them there. And if you're not in the playbook, you know where to go to find it. Okay, so let's go through some of your examples. I want to start with the In a World format. So this doesn't work for everybody, but because there's some world building here, I just wanted to run through some examples. I actually think In a World works here. So anyway, I'm going to run through them. In a world where magical art is born from women's blood and power is wielded by a sinister patriarchy, Stassy wants to elevate her social standing, improve her worth, only to discover she must risk everything to fight for the very women her society intends to silence. I kind of like it. Like, In a World One here, just throwing that out there. Another one. In a world where elite families exploit and disfigure magical women, Stassi wants to win a prestigious art residency, but she finds herself caught in a deadly conspiracy in a forbidden romance that forces her to choose between survival and revolution. So again, some more examples here all of our Substack subscribers will see. I've written out five different examples for everybody to check out. And just showing you there's different ways to write your hook in a way that can service the story, service the query letter. You also don't want to make your query letter too long by writing a hook that essentially like, summarizes the query letter in itself. But I'm glad to hear that your more recent edition has a hook in it because this is a very hooky story. And I think that you weren't, like, doing the pitch justice by just kind of running through the plot points as opposed to. Let's just start off with something that's really going to grab our attention. So, so glad to hear that. The word horromance. I am not familiar with the term horromance. It doesn't roll off the tongue especially. Great. I know on this show we, we read them aloud. So if it is something where, you know, TikTok is talking about horromance and it's a thing that we need to lean into, then that's fine. But it's again, doesn't roll off the tongue super, super easily. But, you know, not my business if that works here. My last question is kind of like.

Carly Waters (21:15)

I am making a face because I have a lot of notes, so I will not be able to share all the notes. But you can absolutely read my notes once you have them and let me know if you need me to elaborate on anything else. Unlike the query letter where I was like, I have no Notes. I have a lot of notes. My first note is there are some really beautiful lines. I really, really enjoyed the care that you put into this. I made sure to, like, highlight the moments where you were like, oh, my God, this is beautiful writing. Thank you. Thank you for writing this beautiful writing. I'm gonna read one for our listeners. The boom slicing our anticipation like a blade against bone. It's referring to a movement with a knife. It's simple, right? But it's so evocative, the imagery so powerful, and it's so baked into the scene. Like, this is in the middle of, like, dialogue. So you did a really good job there. And I could see the care that you put into this. So thank you. There were also really good moments of emotional calibration. There's one moment where the calibration's off, but all the other moments, it was perfectly in tune. And again, hard to do. So really want to congratulate you for that. I do have a lot of notes on how to improve this. The first is tone. So Carly mentioned horromance. Horror romance. I don't know how to say this either. It's very hard to pronounce. I totally agree. It does not roll off the tongue. I know it is a thing because I'm obsessed with Isabel Kagnas, specifically vampires of El Norte. But really, anything the woman writes, I will read. And it's 100% like a genre. People are obsessed with it. I'm obsessed with it. So I do think we should have picked a better word as a community. But we didn't, and that's fine. The tone isn't there. Like, we don't have a horror romance tone. A horror romance, whatever. The word is tone. I encourage you to read the genre to see how from the very first chapter, there's that eeriness, that. That sense of danger. Like, we have her eavesdropping. I thought, oh, there's gonna be danger because she's eavesdropping. But there isn't. Her interiority actually tells us, you know, no use being caught. I'm gonna be late for class. It's all very low stakes and safe. Like, you're keeping her safe, and you can't keep her safe. If this is your genre, it read like ya. When I read the query letter, I did not think it might be ya. I didn't catch that. That's on me. But when I read the pages, I was like, this. This reads like ya. You have to decide what it is, obviously. And I 100% agree with Carly. You have to make a decision. If you try to make your manuscript crossover, nine times out of ten, what happens is it's. It ends up being neither, you know, so you end up actually losing both markets as opposed to gaining both markets. It sounds unfair. It is unfair, but it's also life. So let's. Let's live in life. But the tone and the writing, I think you need to decide what you want it to be, and I can't make that decision for you. I would be more excited if it were adult, kind of like Isabel Kagnas. That's my preference as a reader. But this isn't my book when it comes to interiority. One note I have for you, and this is an easy fix, but you're going to have to go through your whole manuscript. You are clearly writing this for a non Latvian reader. Like, you're clearly writing this for a US reader, I imagine, right? Or. Or Canadian reader. My point is, like, she's saying things like, it's the highest honor, a Latvian artist. Like, she's saying things that you wouldn't think. Like, I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I wouldn't think this is the greatest honor that a Brazilian. I would just think this is the greatest honor. You don't think to the audience that you're writing for. The protagonist doesn't think for the audience they're writing for. The protagonist is in their own bubble. They might say things like, we're talking about a competition. But they might say things like, all of Europe recognizes this honor. Or, you know, it's a top honor in Europe or in the world or internationally recognized. They might think that. But you don't keep qualifying your location because it's just normal for her. That's. That's the only place she's ever lived, right? So that's really, really important to remember. And it's one of those tells where it's like, not authentic, you know? Like, I get that it's probably your background. I imagine it is anyway. But my point is, you're not thinking like somebody who grew up there. And you have to, because you have to inhabit her head. The other thing, and this is really the big note, Charlie, I am saying this with love. I am going to diagnose you. Are you ready for your diagnosis? Not if you are. Shake your head if you are not. Okay, you are. All right, here goes your diagnosis. Drum rolls. You are, my dear, an over explainer. It's what you are. You are explaining way too much, way too much. Like, you are going to be tired of reading my notes because in every page there's like three or four highlights with me going, why are you explaining this to me? Why are you explaining this to me? And even things like trying to think of a really good example. But when she's thinking about her friendship with her now rival, she thinks back to the little village where they grew up. And you explain where the village is.

Carly Waters (26:52)

You have to trust that the reader doesn't have to know everything right away. That's part of it, but it's also like, it can't be a situation where you're explaining it to me. It needs to be a situation where it comes naturally, inorganically. A really good book for you to read for this line is the Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff. In the first chapter, we have her, the protagonist, letting the reader know that Saloni, the woman that Geeta is talking to, Geeta is the protagonist, was her childhood best friend. But she doesn't explain it. She weaves it in. She bakes it into the story in a way that feels really, really organic. And when it comes to the world building, especially because this requires so much world building over explanation can just kill the mood, you know, it removes the reader from the story. It reminds the reader someone is writing this for my benefit. My benefit being the reader. And the reader doesn't want that. So the best way to learn how to do this is to read another book. A book I highly recommend is gutter child by J.L. richardson. Take a look at the way the author wove in what the gutter system is like. We have references to the gutter system throughout the beginning of the novel. Had no idea what it was. I had theories. I had a notion that the gutter was a scary place and that the protagonist didn't want to go there and that as much as she was in the school, at least it wasn't the gutter. But I don't know what the gutter is. And when we finally learn what the gutter system is, it's in dialogue, it's super organic. It makes sense. It's not two characters talking about things they already know. It's so, so baked in and well done. So I highly recommend reading that book, too, so you can take a look at how to do that. It's going to elevate your craft so much. That, all being said, I'm not convinced that you're starting in the right place. There's not enough of disruption. I don't know if you meant for the disruption to be the eavesdropping, but that's low stakes because it's not a big deal. All she's doing is eavesdropping. There's no danger. I don't know if you meant for the disruption to be the fact that she gets. She gets the position, right? Her and her friend. But that's, like, good news, you know, so it's like, not super. I just, again, I think that if you're going for this genre blend, which is honestly one of my favorite genre blends, possibly my favorite, and it's so much fun to read a book that has both horror and romance. Did you notice how I avoided saying the word there, the hard word? I just think that it has to be a different place to start. And I don't know if you have other ideas of places to start. I just don't know. But you have the talent, and I think you should trust your talent and stop explaining, because I promise the reader will get it.

Unknown (30:02)

So, Kali, I agree with Cece. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I definitely think we're not starting in the right place. And you're writing this for the reader, not for the story. And I think those are some problems that I would. I would diagnose here. I would think. I'm trying to think back. I haven't read Mexican Gothic in a while, but doesn't that start with her in a carriage on the way to the house? I'm thinking that that might work here better, where it's like, she's already, you know, a finalist, and she's, like, on her way or something like that. I think that could work there, because then it's like. I think she kind of describes the landscape in the house, like, as. As she's driving up towards it. From what I remember, it's been a while. That could work here a bit better. I think the. The school setting feels young again. If you want it to be ya, it's ya. It is. Very clearly, she's in a school, so that definitely solidifies that. I also. I also kind of felt like this felt a bit more modern than, like, a 1900s setting. I don't know if that was a goal for it to read a little bit modern, which isn't a bad thing. I was just kind of curious about. Yeah. Your relationship with it as a historical. Because it's essentially, it's a horror romance, but it's also kind of a historical fantasy as well, because there's magical elements in a historical setting. So there's. There's lots of things to play with here. It's very interesting, and I think that's what Cece and I keep, like, circling around. We're like, this is fascinating. We're sold. Like, you sold us on this concept from the query, from the hook, like, you got us. And now we're thinking, okay, now we're worried that you're just not writing it in the right way to get the outcome that you want. And I think that's what we're coming up against. So it's always hard, again, for us to read five pages and feel like we're giving a full assessment or anything like that, because we're certainly not. But there is often a lot that we can see in the first five pages that dictates where we potentially think things might go. So you'll see all my notes in the margin, but to me, it almost Felt like she was breaking the fourth wall. Like, that's how much I thought that she was talking to the reader. And so if you want to break the fourth wall, that's a strategy. You lean into that.

Unknown (31:58)

You. You carry the reader along and you talk to them, and they're your companion. Like, that's a. You know, again, that's a structural, stylistic thing that you can do. But if you're not trying to break the fourth wall, then there's a lot of work you have to do to think about what can I just, like, cut, delete, don't need. But I also agree that we're not starting in the right place. So. So I think we have to start closer to. I always say we have to start at the most interesting point in a character's life, starting at the regular day at school, even if the outcome is going to be surprising. You're starting at a regular day at school. And maybe she does or doesn't know that the announcement is going to be made today. Would she have been late if she knew the announcement was going to be made today? Like, I just don't think the interiority was focusing on the right things. You know, I don't want to be late today. Today's the day of the announcement. Right. Like, that's a different thing than. I got a little distracted wandering into school. Oh. All of a sudden, my life has changed. So I think what is the most. I mean, you know, better than me, it's your story. What is the most interesting point in this character's life? It's going to be the day she probably shows up at the state, in my opinion. So those are some things that I'm thinking about. You know, you'll see all my notes. But I definitely think it's ya. And I definitely think you have to think about who is the story serving. And as much as you, as a aspiring author, want to be serving the reader, which is, again, so much good intention, as Cece and I said, like, we could see all that good intention. You want to serve your future reader, which is incredible. You also have to serve the story, you know, and just like that purity of storytelling, which I think you're thinking about your future reader as opposed to, like, what's the purest version of the story that I can tell, because your hook is there, your story's there.

Carly Waters (35:33)

Okay, this is what you do. This is going to be a very good idea. Get prepared. Your brain's gonna explode. She is walking to the brothel. We don't know this as the reader. Okay. But we see the anticipation. She has to get work done. She wants to go in and go out and do what she has to do and live this life. She runs into someone from the school. Okay? The someone from the school talks to her, and through dialogue, we understand she's a student. And so we, the reader, are assuming, oh, the place she's going is something to do with the school. That's the anticipation. That's the urgency. But she doesn't like school, clearly, because she just wants to, you know, get in and get out. And she lies to this person because it's a secret, right, that she's a sex worker. So she lies to this person. Very important to lie. And she tells this person, you know, oh, I'm just going to go, I don't know, buy a book or something. Like you're going to figure out what the thing is. But something inoffensive and the person gets suspicious and goes, you wouldn't be here to buy a book. You're clearly trying to get an edge in the competition by going to so and so's house. House or something. Like, they have a theory that has nothing to do with a brothel. And so the reader's thinking, oh, my God, is that what she's actually going to do? And so the reader now thinks that this person's theory is correct. And because we see her get nervous, she can't find out. But there's actually something more. She gets to the brothel, but again, we don't know it's actually a brothel yet. And then we are surprised, we the reader, by her doing something like, I don't know, taking her clothes off or something, because it's like, oh, that's not a magical student. Job description. So now the reader is surprised. The reader has been surprised many times now, but then, then bam, there's a second surprise. The person she actually takes her clothes off for or whatever is it that she's going to do. Maybe that's not her style. Goes, no, no, I'm not here for that. I am actually here to deliver you news. I'm just pretending to be a customer. And then they deliver her the news that you just shared. As you were going through your options of where to start, you were focused on information, on conveying information, not what you have to focus on. I have to grab your brain and like, pull this urge out of your brain right now. The urge to explain. You're focused on kickstarting the chain of events in a way that honors the information. And that's not your job. You have to focus on a place that's going to surprise the reader with character development and in a way that unlocks layers of surprise. And so I love the idea of her going to the brothel because that's her secret life. That's what she's had to do. We have a hint of that in the pages where she says, you know, this would ruin me if people found out and stuff like that. Have that Urgency, have that really, really emotionally charged scene, but make us think it's something else. And then, bam, when we finally have a surprise, we think, now I know everything there is to know about her. But then she is surprised. The reader has been surprised, but now she is surprised by the customer not actually being the customer. That's what I think you should do, Kali.

Unknown (49:54)

Chapter 1 Destiny Sunday, 9:57am Destiny Whip warily eyes her bedside table, which could easily be mistaken for a miniature graveyard, what with all the little pills neatly lined in staggered rows, positioned upright like tiny headstones. It certainly feels as though she's regarding the burial ground of her hopes and dreams, haunted by the specter of the enormous potential she so dismally failed to live up to. When you're declared a child prodigy, everyone expects you to go far in life. But all Destiny has managed today is a slow shuffle to and from the bathroom. Even that required Herculean reserves of energy. Balancing her laptop on her knees, she reaches to the farthest side of the bed for her emotional support urn, pulling it close and tucking it into her armpit as though cuddling a teddy bear. She kisses the top of the teardrop shape, the metal cold against her chapped lips. Bex appears in Destiny's doorway, leaning her head against the frame. Morning, sunshine. Her best friend is still too scrawny, but not nearly as emaciated as she was a year ago when all she feasted on was beauty magazines and models, Instagram pages rather than anything resembling food. Bex looks mostly healthy again, her long chestnut hair gleaming, the hollows of her cheeks no longer reminiscent of sinkholes. You okay? Bex asks, the corners of her mouth turned down. It's the anniversary of the accident today. One year somehow crawling by on scraped knees. Some people act like severe depression is a tarnish that can be polished off with the application of enough elbow grease. Luckily, Bex isn't one of them. Destiny tries to speak, but a knot of regret is so tangled up in her throat that the words don't stand a chance. Her laptop suddenly squawks with an incoming video call. In the months since Destiny has been seeing Dr. Shepherd, they've never had a virtual consultation over a weekend. But today is going to be a tough one. Which is why the psychiatrist insisted on the appointment. As the ringing continues, Destiny gently places the urn beside her and reaches for her notebook. She pages to the list of tasks the doctor suggested last month. Bex sidles up, reading over her shoulder. 1. Leave the apartment once a day to go for a walk or grab a coffee. 2. Reach out to an old friend or colleague to suggest a meetup. 3. Replace all the dead plants. 4. Keep a dream journal about the white haired ghost woman. 5. Email the council expressing my wish to return. 6. Accept one of the consultancies I've been offered, one that doesn't require travel. 7. Work on forgiving Nate. 8. Limit my interactions with Bex. Bex side eyes the last item on the list. Rude, she huffs. You'd think I was a bad influence or something. Rather than answering Bex or the incoming call, Destiny thinks of how she's never flunked an assignment in her entire life, always top of her class, and despite being admitted to University as a 12 year old, Destiny cannot fathom this degree of failure. She's ticked nothing off the list, not even throwing away the plants whose shriveled corpses goad her, their untimely deaths undoubtedly due to the curtains constantly being drawn tight. That and Destiny forgetting to water them. The laptop's ringing grates on Destiny's nerves, but she can't force herself to answer and face Dr. Shepard's disappointment. It will be carefully concealed, of course, with the psychiatrist gently pointing out there's always next week or the week after that to achieve these seemingly simple goals. But it doesn't matter how much of an extension Destiny is given, it's no use. For how can she possibly cut ties with Bex, who's her dearest, not to mention only friend? Plus, there's no way the Council of Enigmatologists will take her back after she's been AWOL for so long. Each time an envelope drops through the mail slot, Destiny fully expects it to be a letter informing her that they've revoked her membership. It hurts to remember how thrilled she was to be appointed president of the prestigious group just 13 months ago, and how she, Bex, and Nate all splurged on a fancy dinner to celebrate when the call finally dropped. Bex exhales a long whoosh of defeat. I know I shouldn't enable you with all the talking, but it's not like I can call anyone on your behalf. They both look down at the image on the home screen of Destiny's laptop. It's a photo that was taken 13 years ago, when Destiny was eight. In it, her mother's arm is flung across Annie's shoulders, happiness radiating from the two best friends in waves. Destiny's eyes fill with tears as she studies her mother's straight black hair and pale skin and those enormous glasses obscuring most of her face. Jutting her chin at Liz, Bex murmurs, I wish I'd known her. Destiny nods before turning her attention to Annie, with her striking Afro and beaded shoulder duster earrings and her smile as bright as the sun. The image was captured two weeks before Liz died, and a year before the paperwork would go through to officially make Annie Destiny's second adoptive mother. Their deaths were wrenching losses, tearings in the fabric of Destiny's being that she never quite stitched back together. There were times in the before when Destiny experienced the sting of loneliness, that awful yearning of the one forever stuck outside, nose and palms pressed against the cold glass, gazing in at what belonging looked like, foreheads bent together, raucous laughter elicited by inside jokes, sentences finished by those who knew you best. But this is not loneliness, in the same way that a drop of water is not a deluge, the way a sigh is not a hurricane. I'm so sorry that you're having such a rough time of it, beck says, reaching out to tuck a flaming red curl behind Destiny's ear. She freezes upon seeing Destiny's expression, her hand hovering like a ghost between them. A year is a long time, though, and Dr. Shepard is right, despite the fact that she clearly has it in for me. You need to move on. God, that Bex is apologizing to her of all people, when everything that happened was Destiny's fault. No, I'm sorry, destiny says, her voice pulled so taut that it snaps, seeing the pills all standing to attention, no longer a cemetery full of headstones but rather an army ready to fight the last battle. Destiny reaches for the urn again, stroking it like a security blanket. If you stop talking to me, Bex, I don't know what I'll do. Not gonna happen, bex replies breezily. And then, more firmly, she says, okay, it's tough love time. You seriously need to shower because you're stinking up the place. Plus the kitchen needs cleaning. Those takeout containers have grown thumbs. I swear I caught them trying to hitch a ride to the nearest primordial swamp. Destiny laughs at how incredibly bossy Bex is, especially for a dead person. Still, it's reassuring that no matter how much has changed, some things stay exactly the same. Chapter 2 Destiny Sunday, 10:15am Destiny flinches at the unmistakable sound of the mail slot creaking open and a letter fluttering through. If she was waiting for a sign, then the arrival of a letter from the Council would surely be it. Ignore it, bex pleads as Destiny pushes her laptop aside to get out of bed. Who needs those losers anyway? Bex has never understood Destiny's affinity for the Council, but then, why would she? Even before she died, Bex always managed to fit in. Near the end, when her eating disorder began devouring her whole. Most people didn't even notice because she constantly surrounded herself with similarly emaciated women in an industry that normalized her illness. But until the Council, Destiny never knew what it was like to have peers. When other children her age were being invited to birthday parties or endlessly obsessing over their first crushes, Destiny was attending lectures at Yale, not only thoroughly annoying her professors who felt they were above babysitting duties, but also the other students who saw her as a precocious pain in the ass whose presence made them all look bad. Nerd. Geek. Dork. Dweeb. Freak. Brown nose. Boffin Propeller. Head. Prodigy. Wonk. They called her everything but her name, making Destiny feel like a lone pelican in a flamboyance of flamingos so bumbling and awkward that she'd never fit in even if she doused herself with pink paint and walked on stilts. But the day she got the Council's invitation, those hallowed hallways opening for her, Destiny found a squadron of other pelicans with their shoulders hunched and giant beaks agape, devouring knowledge as hungrily and indiscriminately as she did. They welcomed her as a contemporary, someone to be consulted rather than avoided, allowing Destiny, for the very first time in her life, to embrace her very pelicanness. And now here she is, about to be booted out of the only club she's ever cared about. Shuffling to the front door, she spots a dove gray envelope that's landed face up on the bamboo flooring, her name written across it in antiquated script. Destiny Whip. There's no address or stamp, which Destiny thinks is strange until she remembers that it's a Sunday and that no postal workers will be delivering mail today. She peers out through the peephole, spotting a cloak so black that it's almost blue. It disappears into the elevator with a swoosh, a matador challenging a bull before the doors ding closed. A heaviness gathers and settles in Destiny's stomach. Apparently the Council is so desperate to take her name off their letterheads that they've sent an emissary on the weekend. She wonders which one drew the short stick. Her money's on poor Dodkins, a delightfully eccentric little man whose area of specialty is 19th century puzzle box boxes from the Hakone region of Japan. Sighing, Destiny trudges back to bed. Her laptop rings again, Dr. Shepard calling once more, but Destiny slams it closed, not wanting any witnesses to this humiliation. Beck sits next to Destiny, ineffectually trying to fluff the pillows. The envelope doesn't have the pretentious wax seal, so it can't be from the Council. Maybe you've been nominated for another award, she exclaims, ever the optimist. But no, that can't be it. All of Destiny's work correspondence occurs over email. Her inbox full of hundreds of unread emails can attest to that. After slicing the envelope open with the lone jagged fingernail she hasn't gnawed off yet, Destiny withdraws the page. Dearest Ms. Whip, I hereby acknowledge receipt of your application to replace Ms. Leroux as the Scruffmore family historian. I'm sure you know how coveted the position is. It's no secret that ours is a most illustrious and mysterious lineage, and so I congratulate you on your compelling application and for making the shortlist of two approved applicants. Our family history has been a rather fascinating one, with most of the information required to unlocking it hidden within the Scrufmore vault, safe from prying eyes. Were you to be successful, you would be one of the rare outsiders granted access to those thousands of records that have come from all over the world, wherever a Scrufmore has lived in the past 2000 years. Come via the last ferry on the 27th of February, and then make your way to the Grimshaw Inn and Tavern for the night. Tell them arrangements have been made and all expenses will be taken care of. Be at the castle on the morning of the 28th ahead of your interview at 12pm should you be awarded the position, the secrets of the vault will be yours to be revealed. Until then, Mordecai Scruffmore Scroughmoor Castle, Erie Island P.S. your ferry tickets have been purchased. The ticket Number for the 27th is L 234 - 5778891212141414164 - 7 and that of the return is W 1710242451121112459819 the original read through is confusing. Told you it would be something interesting, Bex crows. But I'm not a historian, destiny replies, brow furrowed. And I never applied for this position. Weird, beck says, tapping her French manicure against her chin. Have you ever heard of the Scruffmore family? Destiny mulls it over. No, the name is unusual enough that she'd remember it. Google them, Bex instructs, her answer to everything. Destiny opens her laptop again with a pang of guilt over Dr. Shepard's two missed calls. She makes a mental note to pay for the consultation and email an apology. Googling the Scruffmore family gets zero hits. Same goes for Mordecai Scruffmore. Nor is there mention anywhere of the job listing. Erie island comes up as a vague blip on the map, about 30 miles offshore from the town of Gwillimbury. While the ferry terminal is listed as being a three hour train trip away, there isn't any mention of the island's castle or the Grimshaw Inn and Tavern. There are no pictures of the island at all, not even satellite images on Google Earth.

Unknown (69:02)

Destiny mutters. Her mind begins to fizz like it's being carbonated. She welcomes the old familiar sensation. How alive it makes her feel. Doing a deeper dive, Destiny scrolls through dozens of search engine result pages before finally being rewarded with one grainy photograph of Mordecai Scrufmore. It's listed with no explanation beyond being captioned with his name on a defunct website that was designed before Destiny was even born. Well, isn't he delightful. Bex murmurs, studying all the star tattoos inked across Mordecai Scruffmore's forehead. While Destiny can believe some kind of administrative error resulted in the letter being sent to her, she can't understand why there's barely any mention of the Scrufmores or their island anywhere on the Internet. Especially not if the family is as prestigious as they claim. Picking up the page, she reads it again, noting that today is the 27th of February, the day on which she's meant to arrive. She wonders if this is some kind of prank, but something about the letter niggles as she studies it more closely. Destiny's jaw drops when she spots the key to unlocking the hidden message. You now have all the information you require to figure out the key to unlocking the hidden message. You can find the letter in the accompanying booklet. Pause your audio to solve the puzzle now. Or if you're unable to do so at this time, but would still like the opportunity to do so later, continue listening. If you aren't interested in solving this puzzle, go to Answers Puzzle one the Hidden Message Chapter two Destiny Continued Once the secret has revealed itself, Destiny's hands begin to shake so violently that she puts the page down so she won't rip it. This is the letter she's been waiting her entire life for, the one she never dared believe would actually arrive. She feels lightheaded, sick with expectation. The last time she felt this way was when she found the other letter, the one that arrived mere days before her mother's death. That one was signed Yours, Kai. Mordecai and Kai, two mysterious letters arriving 13 years apart, signed with similar names. That can't be a coincidence, surely. Destiny's heartbeat stomps out a rapturous percussion of something she hasn't felt in a long time. It takes her a moment to identify it as hope.