Voices from the Cynosure

Posted by Athena Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/02/23/the-big-idea-r-z-nicolet/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59582

Heroes come in many sizes, shapes, colors, and… fabrics? Author R. Z. Nicolet is here to show that your choice in clothing can be more than just stylish, it can be functional, perhaps even magical. Don your finest accessories and check out the Big Idea for her newest novel, The Cloak & Its Wizard.

R. Z. NICOLET:

Have you ever been reading a book or watching a movie when you really wished you had a different character’s perspective on events?  Maybe wondering what the tavernkeeper thinks of the rowdy adventurers or what the aliens think of the bumbling human explorers?

Some of my favorite books are those that literally take an alien viewpoint – like Chanur’s Pride by C. J. Cherryh or any number of recent novels by Adrian Tchaikovsky.  What would it be like to see the world through another set of eyes?  Or none at all?

Years ago, I watched Doctor Strange.  It was fun, but Strange was Iron Man with magic and not that interesting.  I was more intrigued by the other characters, especially the Cloak of Levitation.  What was its story?  What did it want out of existence?  Why did it decide that this random sorcerer was worthy of its attention?  When it gets muddy, does it go in the laundry?

I was in the middle of a very serious fantasy thriller manuscript, but I decided to write one chapter of something lighter.  Just for fun.  I took Doctor Strange, filed the serial numbers off, and out came a scene about the Cloak of Sunset and Starlight deciding that newly minted wizard Veronica Noble needed better outerwear (much to her chagrin) with as much snarky commentary about human foibles as I could pack in.

Just one chapter.

One chapter turned into two, which turned into three.

At this point, I realized I had a serious problem on my hands.

I’m normally an outliner.  I start with plot and then cast my characters in the requisite roles.  This time, I was doing it backwards: the vain and mischievous cloak came first.

The tricky part was turning the amusing sidekick into the lead.  To emphasize the depth of the challenge: the folder on my computer that’s got all my drafts and notes is named “Untitled Cloak Book,” a reference to the video game featuring a notoriously chaotic goose.

Supporting characters have an advantage: they can be flavor instead of substance.  Like Strange’s Cloak of Levitation, they show up as a convenient plot device or a humorous diversion and then fade into the background.  They don’t have to make the hard decisions or save the world.  Quirks don’t linger long enough to become grating.  Character development is optional, as is backstory.

If I wanted to keep the cloak at the center of the narrative, I needed it to be more than just the sidekick.

A part of the solution was to let Noble, the wizard, act as the cloak’s foil.  She’s the serious, dutiful contrast to the cloak’s love of excitement and drama.  Her reluctance to act gives the cloak reason to intervene.

The rest was treating the cloak like any other main character.  When I got to editing, I had to adjust those first few chapters to make sure the stakes were clear – and that it was the cloak dealing with them.  The how is very different from a human character, but many of the deeper why reasons are similar – from wanting an interesting life to protecting its friends.

Perhaps that’s the real Big Idea: however peculiar the perspective, they’re still a person trying to be the hero of their own story.  (And hoping to avoid a trip through the laundry machine.)

The Cloak and Its Wizard: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookshop|Powell’s|Kobo

Author socials: Website|Bluesky|Mastodon|Instagram

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/02/23/the-big-idea-r-z-nicolet/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59582

Posted by John Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/02/23/new-cover-chasing-cars/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59567

I promise you that I am doing other things with my time than just making cover songs, but I am making cover songs too. For this one I decided to actually play some of my stringed instruments, so whenever you hear guitar or bass on this track, that’s me fumbling about either on my Little Prince SG, or my Bass VI. I’m not ready to go on tour with either instrument, but it’s good enough (uh, with maybe a smidge of quantizing) for this song. Hope you like it.

— JS

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/02/23/new-cover-chasing-cars/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59567