S is for Science

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Science is heavily pursued. There are science and technology centers that focus on the advancement of it. They have advanced medical technology, and that is where they have focused their attention. Cancer is a thing of the past. People don’t tend to die of medical issues until they are of advanced age.

There isn’t a focus on *things*, particularly. Their furniture is basic, but comfortable. It’s deemed unnecessary to try to make more variety of those things. It’s not essential to survival, so it doesn’t matter.

The essential things are medical advancements and food/nutrition. Without livestock and animals for protein and a food source, the plants have taken focus. Sustainability for generating power (which is mostly collected via wind), purifying water (which can be collected from outside), and safety of buildings have taken precedence.

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Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Unsurprisingly, my characters (who are totally focused on sex) are not focused on the science behind their food and living situations, and we’ve already addressed the food, which is admittedly not the highlight of the novel. So, bonus random chapter! I’m even going to give you the part that immediately follows my last post.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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Chapter 17: My Virginity

He trailed kisses down my collarbone, across my chest, down my stomach, right to the waistband of my pants. He flicked his tongue along my bare skin there, and I shuddered. We worked together to get my pants and panties off. My shoes slipped off in the process, and I lay naked on the bed.

He stood up and looked down at me. “You are beautiful,” he said, and I felt a blush creep up my chest and face. Then he spread my legs. “No hair?” he said, his voice telling me he was surprised.

“Do you like it?” I asked. I wanted him to like it. Why did I care what he thought?

He nodded. “I would be fine with it either way, but I like it.” His fingertips fluttered along my legs up toward my pussy.

I was trembling. Then he reached my core, his fingers coming together across my bare pubic mound. He lay down and kissed where his fingers had just been. I gasped. Why was he kissing me there?

“Relax, Mara. Trust me. I want to make sure that your pussy is ready for my cock.”

I nodded. I still wasn’t sure what he meant, but I found that I did trust him.

He spread the folds of my slit and pressed his tongue against a little bundle of nerves. I gasped. “Do you like it when I lick your clit, Mara?”

“Yes,” I hissed. My hands reached out to grasp at something, but the sheets were pulled tight against the bed. I finally got a grip on the pillow beneath my head.

He flicked his tongue across my clit over and over again, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. And then he stopped. I watched him lick one finger, and then he slipped it along my slit and into my pussy. It felt so good, and I groaned with the pleasure of it. But before long, he was pulling it out. He licked that finger and the one next to it, and then he pressed both of them into my pussy. But he didn’t push them inside until his tongue was back on my clit. The combination of his fingers and his tongue were driving me wild.

I was gasping and panting and moaning. I couldn’t form words if I wanted to. My fingers clenched. My whole body clenched.

He moved his fingers inside me, and I felt pressure building at my core. I didn’t know what was about to happen. I just knew that it felt amazing, and it felt like something more was coming.

And then come it did.

At the time, I had no word for it, but later, I learned the word orgasm. It was wild.

My toes curled, my muscles clenched—all of them. My pussy gripped his fingers, my hips bucked, my fingers dug into the pillows. And the cry that escaped my throat, I was sure, could be heard back in my building.

---

Who is going to take Mara’s virginity? Haha – you still don’t know because I removed his name!

But still the build up. Can you handle the suspense?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

R is for Religion

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Zebulon is founded on equality and choice. Everyone is allowed to choose their own religions and they often share the public meeting spaces so they can worship in their own way. Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism, and many other religions exist. There are also people who are Agnostic or Athiest, and that’s okay, too. Religion is not something that is pushed on members of the community, and certainly their morals are not founded in religion but in community.

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Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Religion doesn’t take a large role in Exploration: An Erotic Novel, so here’s a random chapter! Enjoy an excerpt from Chapter 16.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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My hands explored his muscles, then slipped around his back and held him to me. His lips pressed against mine, and our kiss became almost frantic. It wasn’t that slow exploration we had shared before. These kisses became short and breathless. He kissed down my jaw, behind my ear, then back again. I gasped and moaned and tried to capture his lips with my own.

When he found his way down my neck to my collar bone, he practically buried his face against my skin. I felt that there was just enough stubble on his chin to scrape against my skin, and it tingled and felt wonderful.

“Mara,” he practically moaned against me.

“Hmm?”

He pulled his face back just far enough that I could hear him clearly. “Can I take your virginity?” he asked.

Fuck yes, I thought, but I just nodded, biting my lip and feeling both nerves and excitement flood my senses.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, sounding a hell of a lot more sure than I felt. But this is literally what I had picked him for. Even though he was a stranger, and this was the longest conversation we had ever had, I wanted it so much.

He kissed me again, his tongue probing my mouth. This kiss felt different, more tender, more full of emotion. It was like he was thanking me for trusting him.

I wrapped my hands around his neck and held him close to me, loving the way our skin felt pressed so close.

He broke the kiss and pulled back far enough that he could look into my eyes. “I am very excited to fuck you, Mara, but before I do, I want to make sure you are good and ready.”

I felt like I was ready. I wanted it. I didn’t know what all it would entail, and the rumor was that it might even hurt the first time, but I didn’t care. I wanted it. I was ready for it. But, it turns out, I had no idea what he meant by “good and ready” because I most certainly was not.

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Who is going to take Mara’s virginity?

Will she really be ready?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

Q is for Queens

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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In Zebulon, each community elects representatives. These ten people go to meetings four times a year of all the buildings in the area. From the approximately 200 representatives, ten of them are elected to meet with representatives from the other cities. No one is in charge overall, and everything is done by committee. The representatives take turns running meetings. Representatives can only serve for three years, and then they must take a break. This is to ensure no one is in power for too long, and that no burns out from the extra travel and work. This excerpt will talk about one of the representatives.

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Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read all of Chapter 4 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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We hadn’t sat there long before James switched off the TV and turned to look at me.

“What?” I asked him, my whole body tingling with nerves.

“I can teach you stuff,” he said, and then quickly added, “if you want.”

“Like what stuff?” I asked.

“Like about the toys they’re using, and the things they’re doing.” He wasn’t looking at me when he said it.

Was he interested in me as more than a friend? I hadn’t ever thought he was, but maybe… “You know I always want to learn, James,” I said, and my voice was barely above a whisper.

He took my hand in his and then pulled me to my feet. “Do you want to see?”

“See what?” I asked. He didn’t mean now? Was he going to show me something now?

He guided me over to the TV and the dresser it was sitting on. He opened the top drawer, and I felt my eyebrows practically hit my hairline. There was one of those plastic things from the video, among other things, all lined up neatly in the drawer.

“What is all this stuff?”

He took the items out one at a time, describing the functions of the ones he knew. He explained about dildos that didn’t vibrate, vibrators of various sizes, butt plugs in all shapes and sizes.

“Wait, does that go where it sounds like it goes?” I asked.

He nodded. “I’ve obviously never used one, but my brother says they can be fun.”

“Has he used one?” I whispered.

“He must have because he told me they’re fun.”

My eyes went wide as I looked at him. “What’s in the next drawer?”

He looked at his watch. “Um, we’ll have to wait until later to find out. We have to be down at the meeting!”

“What time is it?” I asked, looking for a clock in the room.

Oh fuck. We were already five minutes late.

James grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room. He pressed the button for the elevator, which, of course, took forever. When the doors slid open, he waved his card and pressed the button for 1. He was still holding my hand, and I let him.

When the doors slid open on the first floor, he let go of my hand, and we ran around the corner to the meeting room. Thankfully, there were more chairs than residents, and we were able to grab a couple of chairs at the back of the room.

But then one of the elders spotted us and whispered, “You’re supposed to be up front!”

Oh shit. I forgot. As year 18s, we would be called forward to pick our careers. We slipped out of our seats and tried to make our way quietly down the side aisle. When we got near the front, we found that there were a few empty seats further up.

I noticed that our stern representative who was running the Matchmaking Ceremony this year was glowering at us. “Sorry, Lori,” I whispered, but I was sure she couldn’t hear me.

She was calling forward the year 16s, who would each be given a new room assignment. The rooms were labeled by building and floor, and each one would be a private room. It was the first time in their lives the year 16s really had any kind of privacy. I remembered my own ceremony and getting to know Jean and Carla. It was so exciting. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the year 16s go forward when their names were called.

Then it was our turn. “I will now call forward the year 18s,” Lori said, “When I call your name, you will come forward and declare your career intentions. You will name your top two choices, and we will distribute you in whatever way will benefit the community the most.”

I knew this. I had heard this same speech every year, but this was the first time it applied to me. And what did I want to do? I had no idea. My mind was blank.

I waited impatiently for them to call my name. I was near the middle because they called us alphabetically. We only had one name. We were all part of the Zebulon community, and none of us had the same name, so a second or third name was unheard of. In history books, everyone had two or three names. It was a foreign concept to us.

James’ leg was bouncing next to me. I placed a hand on his knee, and he stopped bouncing and just looked at me. “I don’t know what to pick,” he whispered.

I didn’t know what to tell him. They were calling H names now. He wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

And then I heard his name called, and he went forward. I watched him walk, his movements so familiar. He got up onto the stage and went to the microphone.

“James, what is your first choice?” Lori asked.

“I would like to, uh, work with food.”

Lori cocked her head to the side. We all prepared our own food, and we all knew it, so the way he said that wasn’t right.

“I mean, like teaching kids.”

“Mentoring in cooking?” Lori asked.

“Yes,” he said, “yes.” I could see his shoulders sag in relief.

“And your second choice?” Lori asked.

“Uh,” he said. He had taken my suggestions for his first choice, which meant he hadn’t had any ideas of his own. “Maybe a police officer,” he said finally.

My own plight of figuring out what to say on my turn was momentarily erased. He had never, not one time, expressed interest in being a police officer. Emergency services were a tough job. Most people didn’t choose it lightly. Sure, the hours were the same as everyone else, but there was a lot of responsibility. And the physical fitness tests?

I looked at James, really looked at him. He wasn’t heavy, but he wasn’t fit either. He didn’t spend his recreation time at the gym. He spent it playing games and watching TV, same as me. We spent a lot of time playing card games, in fact. So to hear him say that he wanted to do something that was physically demanding was a shock.

While I watched him walk back to take his seat next to me, I didn’t even realize they had moved through the rest of the J’s and K’s, and Lori was calling, “Mara, please come forward.”

---

What will Mara pick?

What jobs do they end up getting?

Will Mara and James get to play with the toys they’re exploring?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

P is for Plants

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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All food is plant-based, so agriculture is important. House-plants aren’t something that exists because they have no windows to allow for light. In their agricultural centers, the seed bank allowed them to grow all the same things that have been grown for centuries: strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, oranges, lemons, limes, potatoes, cucumbers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and so on. But they aren’t all available all the time.

Many of them can be preserved by freezing so they are available all the time, but to be available fresh is always a treat.

Flowers that are grown for beauty are rare, but the seeds are preserved. Many of the vegetable and fruit plants also have flowers, though, and those are sometimes seen picked and put in water in public areas or dried for art or jewelry.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt of Chapter 2 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel, available now! This is a continuation of H is for History.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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We were given a rudimentary overview of sex. I knew about the different body parts and the variety of genders and gender expressions. I knew that I could be in any number of different types of relationships. But I had no idea what the different types of relationships were.

On the top floor of all twenty residential buildings in our city was an Exploration Floor. It was filled with rooms designed for sexual expression and exploration. Some were private and others were public, but until today, my elevator pass wouldn’t let me up there. Finally, today I would be allowed up onto the 20th floor.

“Do you want some food?” James asked. I hadn’t realized that he had stood up and was looking down at me. I had been too wrapped up in my thoughts.

“Oh, uh,” I said, but my stomach was fluttering, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep down any food. “No, I think I’ll wait until after the ceremony.”

“Suit yourself,” he said. “I think I need some stamina to get through it.” He was smiling now, and I smiled back.

“I’ll join you in the kitchen, though,” I said.

I leaned back against the counter at the far side of the kitchen while he made himself some eggs and toast. The eggs came out of a carton and were synthetic. All of our food was plant-based, but it had been engineered to look, smell, and taste like the food of 600 years ago. I supposed the variety was nice, but no one I had ever spoken to had tasted a real chicken egg or even real chicken, so we weren’t missing out. It was one of those odd things passed down from generation to generation. No one could remember why it was important, but someone thought it was.

“You could teach cooking,” I said to James. He seemed so comfortable in the kitchen.

“Oh,” he replied, “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Really?” I said. “You just seem so comfortable in the kitchen. Those are skills you could pass on.”

He nodded slowly. “I guess,” he said. “I never thought of myself as someone who would want to work with kids.”

“Well, they aren’t really kids,” I said. “Hell, we were those ‘kids’ yesterday.”

He laughed, but we both knew I was right. At 16, we were encouraged to take over all of our food preparations, but we would have a mentor who would help us. We actually started learning younger than that in the training centers, but we didn’t have access to our own kitchens until we were in our 16th year. James had taken to cooking easily, and our mentor hadn’t had to do a whole lot of work with him. I was a lost cause when it came to most food preparations, but I wouldn’t starve left to my own devices.

“How long do we have until the ceremony?” I asked, turning to look at the large clock on the wall.

“An hour,” James said. “Why?”

“Do you want to go up to the exploration floor and poke around?” I asked. My voice was barely above a whisper.

In fact, James didn’t respond for so long that I wasn’t sure he had heard me at all. But then he said, “Already?”

I blushed. “I tried to go up last night, but my elevator pass wouldn’t let me.”

He grinned at me. “Why am I not surprised, Mara? That floor is all you have talked about for the last month.”

“That’s not true!” I protested, but it wasn’t that far off from the truth.

He raised one eyebrow at me.

“So what if I’m curious. Are you coming or not?” I asked, and I took a few steps toward the elevator. The elevator was right in the center of every floor, so it was right in our kitchen.

“Damnit, Mara, let me finish my food at least!”

---

What will they find on the Exploration Floor?

And what will they do when they get there?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back in two days to learn more!

 

O is for Oblectation

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Children play a lot of games from before technology was A Thing. They play things like Red Rover, tag, Sharks and Minnows, and other games of the sort. They have indoor playgrounds where they can climb and run and play. Sports played on small courts have survived, like basketball and soccer (though on a smaller scale). Racquetball survived, and there are one or two courts in the gyms in buildings.

Other hobbies that have survived are craft projects like knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint, scrapbooking, games, and media. There is no satellite, but there are digital movies all have access to. New movies are rare, but they do a few new ones every year. Porn is a very common form of entertainment. Making it and viewing it are common.

Reading, writing, and music are also common pastimes.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt of Chapter 57 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel, available now!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

“Are you coming?” he asked. “It’s the weekend. Aren’t you excited?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t. In fact, I felt a bit depressed about it. James was gone for at least two weeks yet. What would I do without him over the weekend? It had been so long since I had spent a weekend doing anything but hanging out with James. And who would cook for me? James was so good at it, and I just wasn’t. A whole weekend of nothing to look forward to except playing video games alone and cooking for myself. It just didn’t sound fun.

“Well, I’m out,” he said. “See you in a few days.”

“Bye,” I said, and I watched him walk out the door. Everyone else had packed up and left before Marchand, so I was alone now. Alone in this large room, with this huge bed. I lay on it, spreading my arms and legs out as far and wide as I could, taking up all the space possible. The air was a bit chilly, and my nipples perked up. If there had been a blanket handy, I would have grabbed it and covered myself with it so I could take a nap. I sighed.

I wondered if there was a blanket in one of the cabinets or drawers around the room. There probably was, but maybe a soak in the bath would be better. No one was looking for me back at my place, so why not.

I opened the door to the bathroom and turned on the heat lamps. Warmth flooded the small room almost immediately. I turned down the main lights and ran the bathwater. I sat in the tub, the water splashing around me. I kept turning the temperature up bit by bit until it was so hot I almost couldn’t stand it. When it was full enough, I turned off the tap and sat in the silence. Every little movement I made sent the sound of splashing water echoing around the room. I tried to stay as still as possible, barely breathing, but the water splashed anyway.

I had no idea how long I had been lying in the water, but it wasn’t particularly cold anymore. It was barely lukewarm. I drained some of the water and added more water, almost scalding hot.

I closed my eyes and let myself sink beneath the surface. It felt so good to be submerged. I couldn’t hold my breath for long, though, and when I surfaced, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

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Who is sitting on the edge of the tub?

What will Mara do with her free time?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

N is for Nuptuals

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Nuptials are a thing of the past. Matchmakers put people together based on information gathered in the four years (from 18 to 22) young adults are living and exploring their world. At the end of that time, the Matchmakers match the people up in the best configurations. They may be matched with up to three other people and live as a family unit. There can be 1, 2, 3, or 4 adults living in a shared space. Individuals may choose to have their own quarters, or they can be in a relationship with someone who also has an individual unit.

Whatever type of relationship they end up in, the relationships are arranged. The Matchmakers decide who is best together, and there is no deviation from that. There is no marriage, so there’s no such thing as divorce. That being said, there is an opportunity once a year for a group or couple to decide to split.

The culture of the community has all but eradicated abuse. The mindset and close living of groups of people has made it impossible for abuse to occur, and when it did in the past, the abusers were kicked out of the community. The swift action of the time has meant that no one behaves that way. Surviving outside the community is all but impossible.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt of Chapter 57 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel, available now!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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“Right,” I said. “So, what did happen?”

“Nothing that exciting,” he said. I waited for more. He didn’t disappoint. “I went through my four years of experimentation. I tried everything. But what I found was that I wasn’t all that interested in a steady relationship. It was a lot more fun to do different things with different people.”

“So why didn’t you tell them you wanted a poly relationship?” I asked. It was common for people to request multiple relationships. Monogamous people weren’t the norm. We shared food, resources, living spaces. Why wouldn’t we share sex, too?

“Because that’s not what I wanted either. I didn’t want multiple committed relationships. I just wanted to be free to do what I want.”

That seemed unusual. People who didn’t want relationships were often aromantic or asexual, but he was sexual for sure, and it appeared he might be romantic, too.

“What we have,” he said with a deep breath, “is perfect. We have a great time together.” I nodded in agreement. “But there’s no push to be more.” I nodded again, but I was a little bit less sure.

Was there no push for more? We were here, at dinner time, he made dinner for me. We spent the afternoon cuddling and napping. Work time was over, everyone else had left. He could have gone any time. And yet, here we were.

“I told the matchmakers all of this, and they let me be free.”

---

Who is “he”?

How does their relationship work?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

M is for Military

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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This is a time of peace. Other countries aren’t communicating with Zebulon or the other cities. Everyone is basically keeping to themselves and trying to survive. With the nuclear winter, satellites fell into disrepair and aren’t available anymore. So, there is no way to communicate across continents anymore. The communities are happy staying the way they are, and no one has pushed for there to be contact outside the existing cities in a long time.

As such, a ‘military’ isn’t necessary. There are local officers who are partially there to keep the peace, but mostly they really just help with an emergency such as a medical issue where someone needs to be transported.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt of Chapter 15 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel, available now! Since there isn’t a lot of military action, this excerpt is just for fun!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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Chapter 15: The Meeting

I took a deep breath as I waited for the door to open. Nicole went into the bathroom and must have given Marchand instructions as well because the next thing I knew, Nicole was slipping out of the bathroom and behind the cameras. I realized that she had positioned them so that the cameras wouldn’t catch each other. One was focused on me, one was focused on the closed bathroom door, and I couldn’t see the third.

The door opened, and the man I had seen in pictures entered the room. He stepped confidently toward me.

“You must be Mara,” he said, and he smiled down at me.

“Hi,” I said, and my voice was light and breathy.

“I’m Marchand,” he said, and his name sounded even sexier on his lips.

He took my hand in his, and I thought he was going to shake it, but instead, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

He was so good at this. And here I was, practically mute. I licked my lips and swallowed, trying to get words to form. “T-thank you,” I finally got out, “it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I echoed his words.

“Would you like to sit down?” He didn’t wait for me to answer but started guiding me to one of the small couches in the room.

We sat down next to each other, and he slipped one arm around my shoulders. “Relax, Mara, I’m not going to hurt you.”

I smiled at him then. He was so easy going, so confident. “I didn’t think you would hurt me, Marchand,” I said almost at a whisper. I liked the way his name sounded from my lips, too. “You have such a beautiful name,” I blurted out.

He grinned, and I couldn’t help but be transfixed, looking at his full lips and perfect teeth. I wanted to know what those lips would feel like on mine. And…other places. “Thank you,” he said. “It was an old, old family name. Back when people had two names, it was a second name. Now it’s given to someone in my family every few generations.”

“I love it,” I said.

His fingers started playing with my braid, and he said, “Thank you,” again. Our eyes locked, and with his warm fingers playing with my hair, I felt a pull bringing us closer together. And then suddenly our lips met, and he was kissing me, his lips firm against mine, his tongue slipping between my lips.

---

How did she end up meeting Marchand?

What’s going to happen now?

Will he actually hurt her?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

L is for Language

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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The language of Zebulon is English, but of course it has changed over the years. There are some words that are all but obsolete. Most animals can only be found in books. Cats are the only animals that have survived, and that was because they went down underground with the people. There were once a few dogs, but there weren’t enough to carry on the species. Other animals may exist outside the confines of the community, but no one sees them.

Otherwise, language is much as it once was. Although texting and pictures were once the primary mode of communication among young people, that technology didn’t exist for a long time, and has fallen out of favor. Living close together meant that it wasn’t necessary to communicate that way. In fact, children aren’t allowed personal devices until they turn 16, and then they are heavily restricted until they turn 18. At 18, the restrictions are lifted, but being glued to their technology isn’t the norm.

So, most of their communication happens face to face. Once a week meetings for each floor of their community buildings, and once a month meetings for each building are the norm. Four times a year, delegates from each building come together to discuss how things are going, and the host is rotated among buildings.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt of Chapter 19 from Exploration: An Erotic Novel, available now!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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Chapter 19: Connection

I knew Marchand was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. I took a deep breath and tried to get my body to understand that this wasn’t going to be sexy time. The rush of feelings in the last 36 hours had been intense, and keeping my hands off of him was proving to be difficult.

“Can you call Nicole?”

“Yes,” he said, and he reached for his phone. I hadn’t even realized he had it in there. He hadn’t used it once in the time we were together. He fired off a text message and then wrapped his arms around my waist.

“You had better let me go, Marchand,” I said. My voice was choked.

He did, and I moved so that I was sitting next to him instead of on top of him. “So,” he said, “do you have any brothers or sisters?”

I blinked at him a few times. My brain was having trouble keeping up with the topic change. “No, my parents only had me.”

He nodded but didn’t volunteer any information.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“Yeah,” he said, “I have an older brother and a younger sister.”

“Oh really?” I said, my interest piqued. “How old is your sister?”

“She’s a year 17.”

“So, she’s getting ready to do what I’m doing,” I said without thinking.

“Well,” he chuckled, “not exactly what you’re doing.”

I blushed hard. “That’s not— I meant—”

He laughed and brushed his fingertips along my jaw. “I’m just teasing you, Mara.”

My skin tingled where he touched me, and I was thinking about climbing back into his lap when his phone dinged. He reached for it, and I held my breath, waiting for what he was going to say.

“Nicole said to give her half an hour, and she’ll get cameras here.”

I blinked. Half an hour. That was so long. Way too long to sit in this bathtub. “We should get out of the tub,” I said.

“Yeah,” he agreed. He got out first and picked up a towel. I expected him to wrap it around himself, but instead, he motioned for me to get out. I did, and he wrapped me in the fluffy cloth. I shivered just a little, but before I knew it, he had wrapped his body around me. He kissed me lightly on the side of the neck, and my knees started to buckle. “Woah there,” he said, and he picked me up and carried me into the bedroom. He set me down gently on one of the couches and went back for the camera. When he had it set up, he sat down on the couch next to me but made sure he was far enough away that we weren’t touching.

“This is torture,” I said.

“I know,” he replied. We sat in silence for a minute, and then he said, “Let’s talk about something.”

“Such as?”

“Anything.”

---

Why do they need Nicole and the cameras?

What are they going to talk about?

And what will they do once the cameras arrive?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

 

K is for Knowledge

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Knowledge is highly revered. All children go to school and live with their schoolmates, but they are encouraged to learn through play initially. Then from age 7-17, they are taught a little more formally, but they are allowed to progress at their own pace. There are certain milestones everyone must meet within the confines of communication (includes language), technology (includes math and science), home skills (includes cooking, sewing), and community (includes history, community building, relationship skills, and sexual knowledge).

From 18-22, young adults are moved to separate living quarters to live on their own and experiment with different types of relationships. During that time, they become apprentices at a career of their choice. They may use this time to try different jobs, too. This is when people who want a specialized career would advance their knowledge of technology, etc.

At 22, they choose their career and are moved into living quarters based on their preferred relationship type. Sexual knowledge is shared freely, particularly once they reach 18, and relationships are encouraged then.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read Chapter 3 from my novel Exploration about Mara gaining some intimate knowledge.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

I was impatient for James to finish his food, but he ate quickly, and I called the elevator to our floor. We lived on the 16th floor, so sometimes the elevator took a while to reach us. But not today. The door opened almost immediately, and we got in. My identification was clipped to my belt, and I pulled on the retractable cord to wave it past the reader. Then I hit the button labeled 20. And the doors closed, and the elevator moved.

“What happened when you tried last night?” James asked.

“Nothing,” I said. “I hit the button, but the doors never even closed.”

A gasp of excitement left my lips as the doors opened onto the 20th floor.

I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that the elevator doors opened into a room that looked exactly like the floor we had just left. I stepped out, ready to be incredulous, and then I turned to my left.

The room on our floor next to the kitchen was a dining room with space for the 12 people on our floor. But instead of a dining room, I was looking at three large beds pushed together.

“Wow,” I said. The adjoining common room looked similar to the one on our floor, but the couches were pretty much all facing the beds.

James stepped out after me and was running his hand along the soft sheets covering the bed. There was no comforter, just sheets and pillows. “I guess if you’re going to have sex in the middle of the common room, you don’t need to cover up,” James said with a smirk.

“James!” I said, shocked.

“What?” he asked. “You are the one who wanted to come up here.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. James was usually more reserved than that. In fact, even though he was my best male friend, I couldn’t remember him ever uttering the word sex.

When I didn’t respond, he shrugged and moved on. He didn’t walk through the room with the couches. He went for the hall beyond them. The first door was ajar. On our floor, the door would lead to his room.

I followed him, and what we found was nothing like his room. “Wow,” I said, taking in the space in front of me.

Similar to the main room we had just come from, this room had two large beds pushed together. There were couches surrounding the beds for much closer viewing than the main room offered. James sat down on the couch closest to the door. “Just imagine, Mara,” he said.

“What?”

“Sitting here and watching people have sex right in front of you.”

“I can’t imagine it,” I said, “I have no idea what it would look like.”

“Come on,” he said, and he stood up suddenly and grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the room.

“Where are we going?” I asked. My stomach fluttered horribly, and I was very glad I hadn’t eaten.

Across the hall was another open door. He dragged me through the door, and we found a room very similar to our regular dorm rooms, but instead of a desk and small bed, there was a large bed. But there was also a television and a sofa.

He picked the remote up off the dresser where the TV was perched and clicked it on. The interface was the same as the interface on the TV in my room, but James’ deft fingers quickly navigated to a section of movies I had never seen before.

“Sit down,” he told me.

I blinked at him. Did he really want me to sit down next to him while we watched porn? Was that even what this was? I wasn’t entirely sure, but the word wasn’t foreign to me.

“Mara, sit. I won’t bite. I promise.”

I sat down next to him, making sure my thigh wasn’t touching his. But he was totally relaxed. He sat back as the black screen came to life in front of us.

On the screen, I recognized the room we had been in just minutes ago. A woman I didn’t know lay on the bed, completely nude. Her full breasts were tipped with large nipples, already hard with arousal. Her pussy was on full display and was shaved or waxed or something. It was perfectly clean of hair.

I was suddenly self-conscious about my own pubic hair. Could I remove it? Would I want to? Was this one of those things we would learn about this week? So many questions.

A man came into view of the camera, and he was also nude. I had never seen a penis outside of our computerized textbooks. The drawings I had seen didn’t do this one justice. It was huge. He stood confidently before the woman, erect. I was so transfixed on his cock that I didn’t notice that he held something in his hands. But it was hard to ignore when he pressed the object to her pussy, and she started to moan. Were those good moans? They seemed like good moans.

I tore my eyes away from the screen to look at James. He was focused on the screen, but he must have noticed my glance, because he said, “What do you think?”

I wet my lips with my tongue. “Of what?”

He nodded in the direction of the TV. “Of that.”

“I don’t know what to think,” I said.

“Do you have any idea what they’re doing?” he asked.

I shook my head, my eyes glued back to the screen, watching the man pushing the object in and out of her pussy. “Do you?”

“Yeah,” he said.

“How?” I said, looking at him fully.

“You know I have an older brother,” he said.

“Yeah, but when would you have been able to talk about that?”

“He told me on my last visitation day. I went to his apartment, and he showed me all sorts of things.”

“Woah,” I said. I didn’t have any siblings, and I wasn’t about to ask my parents about sex. I was counting on the fact that all the other year 18s wouldn’t know anything either, but maybe I was wrong about that. Would I be the only one who didn’t know what that object was in the video? Shit.

---

Where are they?

Will she be the only one who doesn’t know?

Find out all that and in Exploration: An Erotic Novel available now! Or come back tomorrow to learn more!

J is for Judicial Systems

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

---

Zebulon has a central justice system for the 25-building community. There are some people who are assigned to carry out justice and keep everything safe. However, it’s a very black and white situation. The laws aren’t created by a governing body, but each policy is voted on by the people. However, their overall constitution is about equality for all. No one is ever to be considered lesser than, and no vote can overrule that.

These laws have been around as far back as anyone can remember, but were obviously created once the communities were formed.

Otherwise, the laws are basic rules: Be safe, be kind, respect your community.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 8 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

“Hey,” I replied. Being alone was awkward now that we had that kiss between us. “So, what job did you get assigned to?” I asked.

“Police,” he said.

“Really?” I replied. Not his first choice. I wasn’t sure what to say. It had surprised me that he had put it down at all.

“Yeah,” he said.

“What are your instructions?”

“I meet my job mentor tomorrow morning. And I’m supposed to bring a bag with whatever I need to take for three weeks of training.”

Woah. I hadn’t ever heard of anyone going away for three weeks like that, but then again, I hadn’t known any police officers personally. “Three weeks?” I repeated.

“Yeah,” he said. “There was a bag to pack in my room when I got back from the meeting.”

“Wow.”

“What job did you get?”

“Huh?” I was so wrapped up in the thought of James, my best friend, being gone for three weeks, that I couldn’t even think of my own job assignment. “Uh, actress.”

“Really?” he said. “Theater?”

“No, actually.” I got up and handed him the letter from my desk. He sat down on the couch to read. I sat down next to him and curled my feet up to the side.

“Shit. What the hell is a ‘Special Assignment’?”

“I have no idea,” I said.

I watched him turn the paper over, read it again, all the things I had done before. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Have you told your parents yet?” he asked.

“Nope. I haven’t seen them, and I have no desire to go over and talk to them about it. They’ll just be disappointed all over again that I didn’t pick healer or childcare.”

“Are you disappointed with your choice?”

“I’ll tell you after tomorrow,” I said, but then a pang of regret hit me as I realized that I wouldn’t be telling him anything for three weeks.

We locked eyes, and I knew that he was thinking the same thing.

A few beats of silence passed between us. I hadn’t realized how close we were.

“Mara,” he took a deep breath, “about that kiss.”

“Yeah?” I said. I could feel my heart pound. Was he about to tell me that he regretted it?

“I’m sorry it got interrupted,” he said.

“Me, too.”

His hand wound its way into my hair, and he pulled my face close to his. “Kiss me again,” he said.

I bit my lower lip, and then I closed the gap between us. Our lips met, and this time we knew better what we were doing. My tongue explored his mouth this time, and I moved to straddle him again. I liked being in this position of power. I liked taking control of our kiss. My fingers wound into his short hair, and his hands moved up and down my back. When he moved underneath my shirt, I moaned into our kiss and pressed my pussy against the growing bulge in his pants.

“Mara,” he gasped, pulling back from me.

I just sat on top of him, panting.

“Is this what you want?” he asked.

I blinked at him and nodded.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, James, yes, please.”

He nodded, and he kissed me, standing up and carrying me over to my small bed.

He lay me down gently on the bed and then climbed on top of me, his taller frame pressed down the length of mine. He kissed my lips again, and my hands pulled gently at his hair.

James broke the kiss and moved back, his hands finding their way under my shirt again, but this time in the front. I helped him get my shirt off, and my bra was revealed to him.

My bra was simple. Pale pink, no-frills. He kissed the top of my breasts protruding from the bra. I went to help him remove, but he pushed my hands aside and said, “Let me, please, Mara.”

I nodded, biting my lip. I wanted him to hurry up. I wanted to explore his body like he was exploring mine. I was not feeling very patient.

And then, another knock at the door.

For fuck’s sake.

---

Why is it awkward for them to be alone?

What is this “Special assignment”?

Who is at the door?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back Monday to learn more!

I is for Interior Design

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

---

Interior design is another form of expression for the over 22 crowd. From 18-22, residents live in pre-decorated dorms. They don’t have a lot of choice in décor, but once they are placed into a home with (or without) others, they have more choices. They can choose to paint their walls whatever color(s) they want. They can choose their linens, pillows, bed spreads, and couch and chair covers.

Otherwise, the places are uniform. The same sizes and styles of chairs and couches, the same beds, dressers, closets, kitchen appliances. With limited space for manufacturing, they don’t do a lot of variety in appliances or large items.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Today, I have a special treat! I took the time to make maps of my world using Visio. Today, I’m going to share with you the floor plan of the Exploration Floor.

---

Exploration Floor

---

What is on the Exploration Floor?

When will Mara explore it, and how?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

H is for History

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

---

The year is 2600. In the early 2000s, no one is exactly sure when, nuclear winter destroyed the climate and environment. A group of people were able to go underground and survive. Using the stockpiled canned food, they were able to sustain themselves until they were able to set up a community underground. They figured out how to grow plants underground and used a seed bank to gather enough food to sustain the community. During that dark time, records were hard to come by, so exact dates aren’t certain.

Frequent storms and cold weather keep people in their underground tunnels and reinforced buildings. Each building is made up of 20 floors, but about half of them are underground. Not that anyone would know since there are no windows anywhere. It was one of the safety precautions the builders used. Everything is made to be reinforced.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 2 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

The few hours before the Matchmaking Ceremony went fast. I don’t know what I filled the time with, but before I knew it, I was getting on my nice clothes and getting ready to go downstairs. I waited in our common area. Each floor had groups of couches we could hang out in. Later today, we would have a meeting there with everyone on our floor. But right now, the common area was mostly empty.

My room’s door opened practically into our lounge area, and I would walk through there to get to the kitchen or dining room. But I wasn’t hungry anyway.

“Hi, James,” I said when I saw the dark-haired boy sitting on the couch. No, not boy. Young man. Or, just man. Whatever. We were considered year 18s now, not kids. What a difference a day makes, or something.

“Hi, Mara,” he said. Usually, he smiled when he saw me, but he wasn’t smiling now.

“What’s wrong, James?” I asked.

“Do you know what you’re going to pick for your job options?” he asked.

I chuckled. “Um, not really. You?”

“I have no fucking clue.” The language might feel harsh to you, dear reader, but the most offensive curse words lost their impact decades ago. Now the young adults and teenagers like to say them because they’re funny old-timey words.

I sat down next to James and put my hand on his arm. “Worst case,” I said, “pick a job at random, and if you hate it, pick something else.”

He shrugged. “Not a bad idea. I just want to know,” he said, emphasizing the last word.

“I know, James, me too,” I replied. If there was one frustration I had with our community, it was that sometimes we had to wait to make choices.

I wanted to get on with my career and meet my partner NOW, but I couldn’t. I had to go through four years of training and exploration first. Ultimately, I got to make my choices, even though the Matchmakers guided my choice of partner. I could always walk away if I didn’t like the person. Or, more to the point, if we didn’t like each other.

In my city, Zebulon, the Matchmakers would decide who my best match, or matches, were, and we would live together. But there was no marriage like there was at the beginning of the 21st century, 600 years ago. At the end of each year, we were given the choice to stay together or end our relationship. If we ended our relationship, the Matchmakers would try again. But even our matches were chosen based on the information we provided. So ultimately, it was our choice, guided by the experts.

So, today we would give our top two career options, and tomorrow we would start training. I understood James’ concern about making a good choice. But all I could think of was that we now had access to all the exploration rooms. Who would I lose my virginity to? And what would I learn in the viewing rooms.

---

What is a Matchmaking ceremony?

Who will Mara lose her virginity to?

And what is in those exploration rooms?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

G is for Geography

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Zebulon is broken up into sections, and each one has a number. Zebulon is the main community and within it, there are about 20 residential buildings called Zebulon 1, Zebulon 2, etc. There are an additional 5 buildings that are full of resources: growing centers, childcare centers, manufacturing, food production, technology development, etc. The residential buildings are all based on essentially the same floor plan, so some of them can be repurposed when there are more children in the community.

Underground tunnels connect the buildings within Zebulon. Underground trains connect Zebulon to other communities. The closest community outside Zebulon is an hour trek on a high-speed train. The closest one is called Enfield, and there are others besides that throughout the continent. They only focus on their interconnected communities as the geography has made it impossible to traverse to other continents.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 27 from my novel Exploration. This one is actually just before the one posted yesterday!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

I couldn’t believe Marchand wasn’t going to tell me where we were going. I wanted to know, but at the same time, there was something thrilling about not knowing. Would we go to his room? Was his room just like mine? Would he take me to a room on an Exploration floor? No, he wasn’t supposed to do that. Were we supposed to be doing this? No one had told us we couldn’t see each other, just that we couldn’t have sex with each other off-camera. So what the hell was this?

Marchand guided me out of the building and turned me to the left. When we got to the end of the building, I expected to turn left toward my building, but we kept going straight. Building 15 was looming in front of me. It was just a residential building. Was it his residential building?

He waved to the person at the desk when we entered, and I knew something was up. It was too late in the day for a regular shift at the desk.

We went to the elevator, and he pressed a button. Down and down and down we went. The doors opened up to an empty hallway, cement floors, dim lights. I looked at Marchand, but his face gave nothing away.

He took my hand and led me down hallway after hallway. I would never be able to get out of this place on my own if my life depended on it. And then finally the hallway ended in a door. He knocked on the door, but it wasn’t a regular knock. It had some kind of pattern to it. I wondered if a regular knock would have received the welcome we did.

A tall, red-haired man opened the door. “Welcome,” he said, and he stepped back to let us enter.

“Hey, Pete,” Marchand said.

“Hi, Marchand. Who’s your friend?”

“This is Mara.”

“Hi, Mara, welcome to The Underground.”

---

What is The Underground?

Who is Pete?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

F is for Food

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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The children are, of course, fed in their communities, but once they reach their teen years, they are required to prepare their own food. Starting at age 12, children are taught to cook under strict supervision. At 16, they are given their own communities and a mentor to help them learn to cook. By 18, the mentors have fazed out. Each floor in the building has its own shared kitchen, dining room, and living room, but each person has their own room. These floors are made up of 12 people ages 18-22.

At 22, choices will be made for living arrangements, where people may live with up to three other people. In that case, they will have their own kitchen, but those who choose to live alone have a shared kitchen for food preparation.

Since everything must be grown inside, fresh fruits and vegetables are provided on a rotating basis. So, strawberries are still available, for example, but not all year around. But, of course, there are some staples. Potatoes are always available. Sugar, flour, plant-based meat of various types are always available. Spices are always available, too, since they are dried. Vegetables masquerading as meat is common. They are grown on a rotating basis, but in large enough quantities that they can be available all the time. The food is delivered weekly to each kitchen.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 27 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

“No really, Marchand, what is this place?”

“It’s supposed to be like the dance and sex clubs before the nuclear winter.”

I nodded. Yes, that was what it looked like. Or, what I imagine those places looked like. “How did it form?”

“I don’t know, but no one talks about it. You have to know someone to get in.”

“Yeah, about that,” I said. “I just signed a document that says I won’t tell anyone about this place, but you told me.”

“Once you’ve been here a while, they let you bring friends.”

“Do you come here often?” I asked.

He shrugged, “When I can. I like it. It’s relaxing.”

“Do you dance?”

“Usually,” he said.

I had never danced before. Not in front of people. Music was sometimes a thing, but dancing really wasn’t.

A woman wearing lingerie and carrying a tray approached us. “What can I get you?” she asked.

I looked at Marchand, speechless.

He held up two fingers. “Punch,” he said.

“Sure thing,” she said and walked away.

“What was that?” I hissed.

“A waitress.”

“A what?”

“Waitress. A woman who brings us food and drinks.” I just blinked at him. I had never heard those words before. “Back before, there were restaurants where people made food to order. They would pay money and be given food from waiters and waitresses.”

“Who wants to do those jobs?”

He chuckled, “Apparently some people, since they’re here.”

The woman came back with two drinks. She set them down in front of them on the table and then asked if they wanted anything else. “Maybe in a bit,” Marchand replied. “I have a virgin here,” he winked at her.

“Ah yes,” she said with a smile.

Virgin! I was no virgin!

---

Wait, is Mara a virgin?

Why aren’t there wait staff?

Where the heck are they!?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

E is for Economy

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

---

Money is a thing of the past for Zebulon. The community supports each other. Everyone works a job that’s suitable for them. Everyone works the same amount of hours and is allowed the same amount of recreation time. There has been a cultural shift that encourages people to work hard without extra compensation for it. Rewards are provided in time off from work or a party thrown in their honor, but there’s no financial compensation.

All amenities are available to all. Movies, games, activities, services are free for all. There are no restaurants, but there are places to get tattoos, jewelry, haircuts, etc. Food is rationed, but everyone has enough. Since food is grown and is synthetic, there isn’t anything super special that would require less or more money. Jewelry is similarly lab-created, so while there is a limit to how often someone may get more jewelry, there aren’t specific limits or precious stones anymore.

Housing and technology are standard across the community.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 11 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

“Hello,” a pleasant woman greeted me. “Is it your first day?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said automatically.

“Wonderful! Welcome to Zebulon 14.”

I couldn’t help but smile. She was so bubbly. “Thank you.”

“Do you need help finding your location?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “My letter says Zebulon 14, Floor 10, Room 10.”

“Great,” she said. “The layout is the same as in your building.”

“Thank you.”

I waved my card at the doorway and went to the elevator. The first floor looked different than my building, but as she indicated, the elevator was in the same location. In my building, we had our main meeting room, the gym, and some recreation items (game tables and such), but in this building, it was just a hallway leading right to the elevators with closed doors all down the hall. I wondered what was behind the doors, but I didn’t think asking would be wise.

The elevator whirred up to Floor 10, and the doors opened in front of me. It looked very much like the Exploration Floor. I hadn’t spent enough time there to know for sure, but there was a kitchen right outside the doors, just as in my building. I didn’t see anyone there, though, nor on the beds or couches in the central area. I moved past there and found the door marked 10.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened, and another woman greeted me with a smile. “Hello, you must be Mara.”

“Yes,” I said.

“I’m Nicole. I’m the filmmaker. Come on inside.” I followed her in, shutting the door. “Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the couches.

There were six small sofas and two large ones. I picked a small one to sit on, and Nicole pulled a chair up so she could sit right in front of me.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

“I’m okay,” I said.

“Good,” she said. “I’m sure you have tons of questions.”

“I don’t even know where to start,” I giggled nervously.

“I know, this has to be overwhelming, and you just becoming a year 18.”

I nodded. I focused on looking at her. Her incredibly beautiful, dark skin, her dark hair that had a full texture, her incredibly sharp eyes. She was looking at me like she could see inside my soul.

“Well, let’s start with this,” she said, “Let me introduce you to your personal stylists.”

“Personal stylist?”

“Yes. They are going to help you look and feel your best every step of the way.”

“Jean, Joanna, can you come in here?”

Jean? My pod-mate, Jean? It had to be. There were no two people in Zebulon who had the same name.

---

Is it that Jean? Why is she there?

Why does Mara need a personal stylist?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

D is for Death

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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There are retirement communities for those who need more help and can’t live independently anymore, but death happens in the regular communities as well. Bodies are cremated and taken out of the community, should that be the case. Each person may have their own religion or belief system, so there is no specific afterlife. Funerals are similarly individualized, but the community provides the means to carry out the deceased’s wishes. Everyone is required to set up a will and end of life plan at age 25.

---

Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. #SpoilerAlert There’s no death in this book, so please enjoy a random excerpt from Chapter 15 of Exploration!

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

The door opened, and the man I had seen in pictures entered the room. He stepped confidently toward me.

“You must be Mara,” he said, and he smiled down at me.

“Hi,” I said, and my voice was light and breathy.

“I’m Marchand,” he said, and his name sounded even sexier on his lips.

He took my hand in his, and I thought he was going to shake it, but instead, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

He was so good at this. And here I was, practically mute. I licked my lips and swallowed, trying to get words to form. “T-thank you,” I finally got out, “it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I echoed his words.

“Would you like to sit down?” He didn’t wait for me to answer but started guiding me to one of the small couches in the room.

We sat down next to each other, and he slipped one arm around my shoulders. “Relax, Mara, I’m not going to hurt you.”

I smiled at him then. He was so easy going, so confident. “I didn’t think you would hurt me, Marchand,” I said almost at a whisper. I liked the way his name sounded from my lips, too. “You have such a beautiful name,” I blurted out.

He grinned, and I couldn’t help but be transfixed, looking at his full lips and perfect teeth. I wanted to know what those lips would feel like on mine. And…other places. “Thank you,” he said. “It was an old, old family name. Back when people had two names, it was a second name. Now it’s given to someone in my family every few generations.”

“I love it,” I said.

His fingers started playing with my braid, and he said, “Thank you,” again. Our eyes locked, and with his warm fingers playing with my hair, I felt a pull bringing us closer together. And then suddenly our lips met, and he was kissing me, his lips firm against mine, his tongue slipping between my lips.

I couldn’t help but compare it to the kisses I had shared with James. James and I had fumbled a lot, bumping noses, uncertain, but comfortable. Marchand was not fumbling. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he was doing it very well. His tongue explored my mouth until I was gasping for breath. His hand stopped playing with my hair and cupped the back of my head, keeping our mouths pressed together. I had to breathe through my nose before I passed out. Was that what I was supposed to do? I didn’t know, but I had no choice.

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What picture did she him in?

What do Marchand and Mara do next?

Will this be her first time?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back Monday to learn more!

C is for Clothing

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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Clothing is fairly uniform. Men and women can choose what types of clothes they would like to wear, but they mostly wear skirts, dresses, pants, and t-shirts. Since they never go outside, there’s no reason for outerwear, but sweaters and sweatshirts are available for those who tend to be colder. There are choices of colors, but to a limited degree.

The area where people can have personal expression is in jewelry and tattoos. Necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are popular. Piercings and tattoos are common. Many women have their nipples pierced, but nothing is forced on anyone. Every community has a tattoo parlor and piercing shop, and services are given for free. The best artists work there.

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Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

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Part 1: Meet Mara

Chapter 1: Mara’s Birthday

I stretched as I woke, my sore muscles protesting. I could feel my joints popping as my fingertips brushed against the wall at the head of my bed. I worked my tongue around my mouth. I was parched. Sitting up, I reached for the glass of water I left by my bed. I tried to remember why my alarm wasn’t going off. Usually, I didn’t wake up until the beep-beep-beep told me it was time. But there was no alarm. Was it a day off?

And then I remembered. It was my birthday.

Actually, it wasn’t really my birthday. But it was Matchmaking Day. For most people, it didn’t mean a whole lot, though there would be people moving residences today, and there would be a whole bunch of 22-year-olds who got their matches. But for me, just 18, it meant that I was considered a young adult now. My entire life was about to change. But, at least I didn’t have to move.

I swished the water around my mouth and slid my feet into the slide on shoes I liked to wear. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and was perfectly comfortable. I opened the door to the adjoining bathroom. I listened briefly to see if anyone else was in there, but I didn’t hear any noises.

The bathroom I shared with two other people only had one toilet, but it was in a stall, so it didn’t matter if I wandered in when someone else was in there. The shower was a similar setup, with a dressing area outside the shower for convenience. While I was in the bathroom stall, I heard someone else enter.

“Jean?” a voice called.

“No, it’s Mara.”

“Oh,” Carla replied. “Jean left her clothes in the washer. Again.”

I rolled my eyes, even though no one could see it, and then exited the stall. I glanced in the mirror as I washed my hands and saw that my ponytail had held up well to sleep. I smoothed back the flyaway auburn hair with my damp hands and then finished drying them on a towel on the wall.

“Do you need the washer, Carla?” I asked. “I can take Jean’s stuff out.”

“Oh, no, Mara, that’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”

I smiled as Jean banged through her door. Each of our rooms adjoined the bathroom suite through a different door.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jean said as she rushed over to the washer. It was a great machine that washed and dried our clothes, and Jean had a habit of forgetting to get her clothes out of it when they were done.

“Relax, Jean,” I said. “It’s fine.”

She looked at me. “Are you sure, Mara?” I watched her tiny frame as she dug out her clothes. She looked frazzled, her curly red hair a bit of a mess.

“Yes,” I replied.

She looked at Carla.

“It’s fine, Jean,” Carla said, and she smiled. Carla looked very well put together for someone who had just rolled out of bed. But then again, she always did. She must not have moved in her sleep, because her long blonde hair always looked perfect.

Jean, Carla, and I had been pod-mates since our 16th year. We didn’t all have the same birthdays, obviously, but we were broken up into groups by year. In fact, nine other people lived on our floor who were all in the same age group we were. Other than our vastly different hair, we all looked like we could be sisters. We had the same non-exciting brown eyes, perky breasts, and enough curves to be comfortable. Jean was just a head shorter than Carla and me.

Jean quickly took her clothes out and put them in her basket. Carla put her clothes into the machine. “Do you have anything to wash?” she asked me.

“I’m good for now,” I said.

“Are you sure?” Carla asked. “Do you have your nice clothes ready for tonight?”

“Yes, yes,” I said. “I washed mine the last time I wore them.” I stuck my tongue out at Carla, and she laughed. Carla and Jean were both last-minute type people. I liked to have everything organized and precisely in its place. I rarely was running out of laundry and freaking out about it. I certainly always washed my nice clothes every time I wore them.

On an average day, we all wore basically the same thing. We could choose between a skirt, pants, shorts, or a dress, and then we had t-shirts in the short and long-sleeved variety. There were different colors, but that was about it. We never ventured out into the wasteland outside our building, so we did not need jackets or boots, but of course, we had sweaters, sweatshirts, and socks in case we got chilly inside.

But today was not an average day. Today, we were having our Matchmaking ceremony. Today I would be wearing something with an embroidered pattern on it. It wasn’t something we got to wear every day as they took a lot of time to make. Everyone in our building would assemble in our first-floor meeting room, and new couples and groups would be announced. I wouldn’t be getting matched yet. I had a few years before I would find out who my match was going to be. But I had to make the most important decision of my life. I had to pick a career.

I wasn’t locked into it yet, but if I picked well the first time, I would be able to focus my four years of training on that instead of jumping from job to job. But, there was nothing wrong with that either. I also would be given the opportunity to experiment with people of my age.

Experiment with what, you ask?

Sex.

It was very likely that I would lose my virginity in the next 24-hours.

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In 24 hours!? How in the world will that happen? And why?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!

B is for Birth

from Rebekah Loper’s book called The A-Zs of Worldbuilding: Building a Fictional World From Scratch

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There was a period of time where there weren’t any births. It was a scary time for Zebulon because they weren’t sure the human race would continue. So, when the first woman was able to carry a baby to full term, there was much rejoicing! Babies are precious to the community, and they embrace all children. Even children who are born with challenges are embraced.

The community raises children together, and some people are responsible for the children’s well being from nutrition to education, but the parents are always allowed to visit their children. The child centers are open for visitation, but children stay with other children so that they learn to socialize and live in groups as they will be expected to forever.

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Above you see my description that I wrote based on the extensive questions in The A-Zs of Worldbuilding. Below, you can read an excerpt from Chapter 5 from my novel Exploration.

Remember this (and most) of my posts contain adult content!

---

I got in front of the microphone, and heard her ask, “Mara, what career would you like to choose?”

I found James’ face in the crowd and focused on him. I couldn’t pick what he had picked. I couldn’t. I was rubbish at food prep. But maybe sewing. I was handy with a needle and thread. We could mentor kids together, maybe. Or no, it didn’t really work that way. Shit.

“Uh,” I said. Lori seemed a bit impatient.

“Mara,” she prompted, her tone a warning.

“Uh, yeah, sorry, I would like to be an actress,” I said.

I didn’t even know where that answer came from. I liked watching TV. I liked the old stuff and the new stuff. But I had never joined in much when the other teens did theater. They were all groomed for theater, and here I was, with no clue what I was doing, saying that I wanted to go into theater.

“Okay, Mara,” Lori said. “And your second choice?”

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I saw James’ face, and he was looking at me. I wondered for the briefest of moments if I should pick a police officer like James had, but instead, I said Emergency Services.” That was pretty close to being a police officer, but it was more focused on transportation.

“Thank you, Mara,” Lori said, and I knew that I was dismissed to go back to my seat.

When I got there, James put his hand on my knee. I was shaking. “Acting and Emergency Services?” he whispered.

I nodded.

“I had no idea you were interested in either of those things.”

“Me neither,” I whispered back.

He squeezed my knee lightly and then placed his hand back on his own lap.

The rest of the ceremony seemed to drag on forever. I had seen the people that were matched up before, but none of them were my friends or family. None of it made an impression. All I could think was how I had made a fool of myself by not being ready to answer the questions on stage. I knew what the questions were going to be. Of course I knew.

But why did they have to ask me in front of everyone anyway? Why couldn’t we just write it down on paper, and they could just tell us at the ceremony? But I knew why. Part of their evaluation was your presentation. If you were comfortable declaring your choice in front of your community, you had a better chance of being successful than if you declared your intention on paper. It was the same reason they matched people in front of the community. You were less likely to break apart your relationship if you knew the whole community was watching you.

Finally, we were released. My parents found me quickly at the end.

“Mara!” my mother said.

“Hi, Mom,” I said.

“I’ll see you upstairs,” James said, and he slipped off. I wanted to grab his hand and pull him back, but I didn’t.

She questioned my career choices, too, but my dad didn’t say anything at least.

“I don’t know why I said it, Mom, I just did.” I was frustrated, but more at myself than at her, and I was trying not to take it out on her. I knew from my community lessons that I needed to direct my anger appropriately. “Mom,” I said, taking a deep breath, “I can’t take it back now, so can we please drop it?”

She sighed and said, “Yes, of course, Mara.” She put her arm around my shoulders. “I am sure you will be brilliant at whatever the Matchmakers choose for you.”

“Thank you, Mom,” I said.

“Are you coming for dinner tonight?” she asked.

I nodded. It was generally expected that families ate together on Matchmaking Day.

“Pretty soon, we’ll be coming to your place for dinner on Matchmaking Day,” she said with a grin.

“Mom,” I said, exasperated, “I have four more years before I get Matched.”

“It will fly by, just watch,” she said.

I rolled my eyes, but I knew she was right. It felt like just yesterday I was getting my year 16 room assignment, and here I was picking my career two whole years later. “Let’s go, Mom,” I said.

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Who is James?

What is this ceremony?

Why doesn’t Mara live with her parents?

Find out all that and in Exploration or come back tomorrow to learn more!