From A to Z in the InCryptid Alphabet: F.: seanan

From A to Z in the InCryptid Alphabet: F.

F is for FRAN (and FRICKENS).

Frances Brown was the Flower of Arizona, the Star of New Mexico, and the darling of the Campbell Family Circus, a small traveling show that stayed alive by hook, crook, and whatever means necessary until it ended in a hail of bullets and blame. Frannie grew up with the circus; she was found outside the main tent when she was barely a week old, tucked into a cardboard box filled with cotton batting. They named her after the snake handler's favorite python, and set her to work. By the time she was six, Fran could ride bareback, fling a knife knowing she'd catch her target, and charm the wallet right out of a townie's hand.

Fran left Arizona with Jonathan Healy after the circus closed, and the pair traveled to Buckley. Neither had marriage in mind when they arrived, and at first, all Fran wanted was to head back to the desert, where things made sense and the sky was a proper size. Then Enid led her into the woods and introduced her to the anuraves—little feathered frogs who flocked in the trees near the swamp. Fran was charmed, and dubbed them "frickens," a name which promptly stuck. She decided that maybe there was virtue in staying after all.

Frances Brown married Jonathan Healy, to the surprise of no one save for perhaps Jonathan. They had two children, Alice and Daniel, and buried one, long before he should have died. She did her best to do right by her family, and by herself, and by the world that she'd chosen to belong to.

No one ever made a choice for Frances Healy. She made all her choices for herself, and on the February evening when she walked into the woods and never walked back out, well. She made that choice, too.

They say she was the best.

They're not wrong.

mrs_norris_mous

February 13 2012, 18:48:07 UTC 5 years ago

New comment

Thanks again, How much of this story do you plan for us to see ( or to put it another way if we buy the books in great enough number does this story get a book or a set of short stories or nothing at all ).

seanan_mcguire

February 13 2012, 19:03:34 UTC 5 years ago

I...don't quite follow the question?

5 years ago

February 13 2012, 18:53:13 UTC 5 years ago

FRICKENS.

February 13 2012, 19:03:44 UTC 5 years ago

FRICKENS FOR EVERYBODY.

markbernstein

bluesmancd

phoenixsansfyr

February 13 2012, 18:56:19 UTC 5 years ago

Fuck yeah!

February 13 2012, 19:03:57 UTC 5 years ago

Everybody loves frickens. TRUE FACT.

ceosanna

February 13 2012, 19:41:01 UTC 5 years ago

Since reading this post, I keep randomly chirping "FRICKENS!" and giggling to myself which makes me think F is for Fran, Frickens, and FUN!

February 15 2012, 18:43:57 UTC 5 years ago

True!

coloursofdusk

February 13 2012, 19:49:13 UTC 5 years ago

Whoo! Loving the alphabet countdown, especially the frickens!

February 15 2012, 18:44:04 UTC 5 years ago

Yay!

notalwaysweak

February 13 2012, 20:27:40 UTC 5 years ago

FRICKENS!

That song's going to be stuck in my head at work today. I will sing it at people and when they ask what I am talking about them I will probably just say, 'FRICKENS!'

February 15 2012, 18:44:12 UTC 5 years ago

That works for ME.

hoppytoad79

February 13 2012, 21:08:20 UTC 5 years ago

Feathered frogs? My excitement builds!

February 15 2012, 18:44:24 UTC 5 years ago

They are feathered! And frogs!

yellowblackhaze

February 13 2012, 21:16:00 UTC 5 years ago

I get the feeling that the InCryptid story and universe has enough in it to fill another 10 books after the first 10. I think they're called decologies, but I know I'm spelling it wrong. I'm positive the aeslin mice could advise me on this.

dornbeast

February 14 2012, 03:32:24 UTC 5 years ago

Decalogy. (It's to books what a decade is to years. Not that you'll need the word all that often.)

February 15 2012, 18:44:34 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, more than that.

knittingwoman

February 14 2012, 00:45:29 UTC 5 years ago

I want a like button to click:) frickens:)

February 15 2012, 18:44:41 UTC 5 years ago

Hee.

dragondances

February 14 2012, 02:45:04 UTC 5 years ago

I love getting to meet the people in your head, even if it's just the briefest glimpses. Fran sounds incredibly awesome, and so do the frickens! Thank you!

February 15 2012, 18:45:05 UTC 5 years ago

You can see more of Fran in "The Flower of Arizona."

celticdragonfly

February 14 2012, 04:00:59 UTC 5 years ago

fordprfct and I were discussing this after dinner. Which came first, the fricken or the egg? (I figure it's the standard question)

But really - do frickens lay eggs on land or in water? I'm betting in water. Do they have a tadpole stage? Are they amphibious as adults? Then I came up with the thought - fricken roosters. Do they have a comb? Do they chorus at the dawn?

fordprfct is of the opinion that they should chorus at DUSK instead, and thinks the comb would combine with the froggy throat pouch.

Does the family eat fried fricken at picnics?

February 15 2012, 17:48:37 UTC 5 years ago

Not often. They're fond of the frickens alive, and that makes eating them awkward.

Also:

http://seananmcguire.com/fgfricken.php

groblek

February 14 2012, 04:16:12 UTC 5 years ago

Thanks for these, it's a lot of fun reading tidbits about the InCryptid universe. Also, this one reminds me that I need to get down to the bookstore and pick up my copy of Westward Wierd, as it arrived yesterday.

February 15 2012, 17:48:54 UTC 5 years ago

Post a new comment
36 comments

Log in

From A to Z in the InCryptid Alphabet: F.

Error