Sunset on Lake Ontario. Summertime. Rochester NY

Back in the beginning, when The Marann was newly released and I was writing the prequel short stories contained in Into Tolari Space, I went to visit family in Rochester, a very picturesque small city on Lake Ontario. It is located in Monroe County, New York—and the name of my new Tolari province dropped into my lap. Monralar, you see, is based on Monroe.

Now you might justly protest that the climate in upstate New York is not even slightly akin to the climate on Tolar’s equator. Quite right! However, I am, as a person, a desert creature, a lover of dry heat. I have lived nowhere the weather pleased me so much as it did in south central Texas. Monralar is probably not as dry as I would like (and Bertie thinks the summers are beastly, but he comes from New Norfolk in Britannia’s North Isles, so you mustn’t listen to him), but given the choice between Monralar and Suralia? I’ll choose Monralar, no question, no hesitation.

Why not Parania? I hear you asking.  A good question, and the answer is this: I prefer purple to green. It’s as simple as that.

I live in Monroe County now, having moved here from Texas in 2021, and I freely admit that the weather does not please me—so I turn up the heat and pretend it isn’t there. I am, you will understand, still in Monralar, and if it is not hot, and it is not dry, well. Living in the heart of my family makes up for living where the air hurts my face. We, the Husband and I, purchased a house here last year. We are putting down our roots for the last time. We intend to spend the rest of our days here, watching the grandchildren grow up.

Perhaps I shall call my new home the Stronghold in Monralar.

Yes. That sounds very well.