Thanks for taking the time to visit my profile page! A little about me and my stories...

Am I still writing? -- Yes. I am currently working mostly on original fiction, with occasional fanfics posted to either this account or my "Windchimed M-Stories" account. My original fiction is not posted online, but I just finished the first book in a YA near-future dystopian trilogy and am currently looking for an editor. If you have any suggestions, please PM me. :-)

Why don't I include more "adult" material in my stories? -- The stories I have posted under this account are all rated T, and I believe in sticking to the ratings guidelines, so they will never include that type of detail. I do have M-rated stories posted under my "Windchimed M-stories" account (there's a link on my Favorite Authors page below) for those who are old enough and are interested in reading them.

In what order should my "Determinant" stories be read? -- Chronologically speaking, "Becoming Determinant" comes first, followed by most of "Determinant." ("Prior Rings" is set within "Determinant" but is intended to be read afterwards.) However, as long as you've read "Divergent" and "Insurgent," you can read "Determinant" just fine. It's completely up to you if you prefer to read "Becoming Determinant" or "Determinant" first. But definitely read "Determinant" before "Prior Rings."

What is the chronological order of the chapters between my "Determinant" stories? -- A number of people have expressed an interest in re-reading these stories in true chronological order. I definitely don't recommend that for a first read, but if you want to try it when re-reading, here's the order:

1) All of "Becoming Determinant"

2) If you want to fill in the time gap between "Becoming Determinant" and "Determinant," I highly recommend Wee Kraken's "Killing Four" story

3) The first 44 chapters of "Determinant"

4) The first 21 chapters of "Prior Rings"

5) Chapters 22-23 of "Prior Rings" and chapters 45-46 of "Determinant" (they're the same scenes from different POVs, so you can read them in whichever order)

6) Chapter 24 of "Prior Rings"

7) Chapter 47 of "Determinant" (it actually overlaps several chapters in "Prior Rings," but this is probably the best place for it)

8) The rest of "Prior Rings"

9) The rest of "Determinant"

What do I think of "Allegiant?" -- The quick answer is that there's a reason I wrote an alternate third book. The more detailed answer is in my book review on Amazon if you're really interested: after the Amazon url, type a forward slash, the word "review", another forward slash, and "R3UA7S35Q4B2Y8" and it should come up (I can't post the link directly, because this site will strip it).

How can you contact me? -- If you have an account on fanfiction, please feel free to PM me. Otherwise, you can email me at "windchimedwriter" at "gmail" dot "com" (replace the at and dot with the obvious punctuation; I can't include the actual email address here, since this site strips all email addresses). I also have a tumblr account under the username Windchimedwriter, though I don't check it often.

Timeline for my version of the "Divergent" world (covers the first two books plus my "Determinant" and "Prior Rings" stories):

Warning -- Contains * * * SPOILERS FOR "DETERMINANT" AND "PRIOR RINGS" * * *

Tris’ birthday = June 20

Tobias’ birthday = May 8

Note: For convenience, I’m starting the Year count with the beginning of “Divergent” as the zero (starting) point, so each year runs from July 1 through June 30.

Choosing Day = July 1, Year 00: Tris was 16; Tobias was 18.

Book References:

There’s no definite indication of what season it was as of Choosing Day, but there are multiple references in “Insurgent” to indicate that it was summer when they were in Amity and among the factionless. It was probably late summer then, because the apple trees had ripe fruit on them, so to some degree we can count backwards from there to figure out Choosing Day.

It was clear and cold at sunset on Choosing Day, which implies it was in the spring. However, it was also definitely cool in the evening even on the hot summer days (for example, the factionless on the train were wearing sweatshirts even though that same day was earlier described as hot).

There’s no reference to a school year concept in the trilogy, so school probably runs year-round, but the odds are that Choosing Day was in June or early July, since that’s when today’s school years end.

Additional Thoughts: We don’t know what effect global climate change has had on this point in the future, and we don’t know what effect the draining of the Great Lakes had on weather in Chicago.

Decision: I chose July 1, partly because of the current school year structure and partly because it’s close to the United States’ Independence Day and partly because it’s exactly half-way through the calendar year, so it’s a likely date to pick if school does run year-round.

Dauntless Training – July 1 through July 26, Year 00: Training lasted just under 4 weeks based on a literal interpretation of “Divergent” and was probably really that.

Book References: “Divergent” states that Visiting Day is a week and a half after Choosing Day; that day was when they received their stage 1 rankings, and the next day was a free day, so effectively stage 1 lasted close to 2 weeks. Stages 2 & 3 appeared to last one week each. (Scores were released the last day of stage 2, and the next day, Tobias showed the initiates the fear landscape and said that the final examination would be “next week.” Also, on the train when Tobias told Tris about Erudite’s plans, he said that he discovered them “a few weeks ago, before training started.”)

Chicago Civil War – July 27 through Nov 16, Year 00: It’s very difficult to tell how long the war lasted, because references in “Insurgent” contradict each other, but I decided to go with the longer range and say that the war lasted 3 1/2 months.

Book References:

There are multiple references in Amity to it being hot (Tris and Tobias both used that as an excuse for having short hair), and there’s a later reference that specifically indicates it was summer. It was probably August then, since the corn was tall but hadn’t been harvested yet and there were ripe apples getting ready to fall off the trees. It’s hard to say how long Tris and Tobias stayed in Amity, but it was probably only a week. They probably stayed with the factionless for another week after that.

They stayed longer in Candor. At least one week passed between their interrogation and when Tobias attacked Marcus. (Tobias told Tris, “You haven’t cared about what I do or say for the past week.”) Right before they went to spy on Jack Kang, Tris commented that Tobias wasn’t cutting his hair like the Abnegation anymore (whereas in Amity, she wished that he didn’t cut it like the Abnegation, since that’s part of what caused the Erudite to notice him), so clearly enough time had passed between those events for his hair to grow noticeably. By the time they got to Dauntless again, it was two inches long. Also, Eric recovered enough from being stabbed to sit up during his interrogation and execution.

Overall, it’s reasonable to say that they stayed in Candor for at least a month, maybe two.

It’s hard to say how long they were in Dauntless, though it seems to be less than a week. The biggest measure we have is that after Shauna was shot, she recovered enough to be moved to Dauntless and to be released from the hospital.

Note: The bruise on Marcus’ face doesn’t fit into the timeline. Tobias gave it to Marcus when he punched him in Candor, before the Dauntless elections. When Tris saw Marcus again in Abnegation (after escaping from Erudite), it was still dark. This doesn’t seem reasonable, given at least a week (and probably more like two or three) passed between those two events. I’m assuming that this was an author error (those happen), and I’m choosing to ignore it.

Tris’ shoulder never fully healed during “Insurgent,” but that could be because she didn’t stop using it. Tori’s leg recovered partway.

Tris saw her breath in the cold air on her way to surrender to Erudite, and thought about the fact that winter would be here soon.

There’s no way of telling how long they were in Abnegation after escaping from Erudite. We only see a bit of that time, but there are hints that it might be longer.

Overall, 3 months seems like a decent guess for all of “Insurgent.”

From the beginning of “Determinant” until the end of the mission – Nov 16 – Nov 25, Year 00: Starting with the last day of the Civil War, there were 9 days before Tobias’ broadcast on the morning of the 10th day. Tris was 16 and Tobias was 18.

Tobias joined the support group – December 1, Year 00: Tris was 16 and Tobias was 18.

Tobias went to Pittsburgh to retrieve Anna’s ring – late June, Year 00: He went during the heat of the summer, just before Choosing Day; Tris was 17 (barely) and Tobias was 19.

First Choosing Day after the mission - July 1, Year 01: At this point, it was 7 months after the end of their mission; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19; they were apart at the time.

Morgantown incident – July 7, Year 01: This happened while Anna was in Chicago; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tobias returned Anna’s ring – July 11, Year 01: 7 months and 25 days after the end of the mission; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tobias wrote his “letting go” letter – July 11, Year 01; the same day he returned the ring; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tris and Caleb were kidnapped – Early August, Year 01: 1 month before the UCA’s first election, 8 months after the mission ended; during the summer heat; a few weeks after Morgantown; Tris was 17, Caleb was 18, and Tobias was 19.

UCA Elections – Early September, Year 01: 9 months after the mission ended; Tris decided to return to Chicago and called Christina about it at the same time; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tobias renovated an apartment for Tris – Early September through mid-November, Year 01: He started on Election Day; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

UCA officially assumed power – Sept 10, Year 01: almost 10 months after the mission ended; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tris returned to Chicago – Mid-November, Year 01: 11 months after the end of the mission; Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Tris and Tobias dated through the rest of year 01 (through winter and spring); Tris was 17 and Tobias was 19.

Zeke and Shauna’s wedding – June, Year 01: Tris was 17-18 and Tobias, Zeke, and Shauna were all 20.

Second Choosing Day after their mission (Tris and Tobias became engaged) – July 1, Year 02: Exactly 2 years after they met; 7 months after Tris returned to Chicago; Tris was 18 and Tobias was 20.

Tris & Tobias’ wedding - Oct 10, Year 02: Tris was 18 and Tobias was 20; Shauna was one month pregnant with Lionel.

Lionel’s birth – June 8, Year 02: 8 months after Tris & Tobias’ wedding; Tris was almost 19 and Tobias, Zeke, and Shauna were all 21.

Babysitting chapter – Mid-April, Year 03: Lionel was 10 months old; Tris was 19 and Tobias was 21.

Letter chapter – Year 06: 4 years after getting married; 6 years after they met; Tris was 22 and Tobias was 24.

Tris read Tobias’ real letter – 2 months after the Letter chapter, Year 06: 4 years after getting married; 6 years after they met; Tris was 22 and Tobias was 24.

Peter joined the support group – November 4, Year 09: Tris was 25 and Tobias was 27.

Tris became pregnant with Abigail – Mid-November, Year 09: Tris was 25 and Tobias was 27.

Uriah & Christina became engaged – February 12, Year 09: Christina, Uriah, and Tris were 25 and Tobias was 27.

Abigail’s birth - Aug 15, Year 10: Tris was 26 and Tobias was 28.

Uriah & Christina’s wedding – September 25, Year 10: Christina, Uriah, and Tris were 26 and Tobias was 28.

Peter was honored for 1 year in the support group – November 4, Year 10: Peter was 27, Tris was 26, and Tobias was 28.

Tobias was honored for 10 years in the support group – December 1, Year 10: Peter was 27, Tris was 26, Tobias was 28, and Abigail was 3 1/2 months old.

Christina became pregnant with Emily – Early February, Year 10: Christina and Uriah were 26-27, Tris was 26, and Tobias was 28.

10th Anniversary of the UCA – Sept 10, Year 11: Almost 11 years after the end of the mission; Christina was near the end of her pregnancy with Emily; Tris was 27 and Tobias was 29; Abigail was 1.

Emily’s birth – Oct 23, Year 11: Tris, Christina, and Uriah were all 27; Tobias was 29; Abigail was 14 months old.

Tris became pregnant with Eli – Mid-August, Year 15: Tris was 30, Tobias was 32, Abigail was 4, and Emily was close to 3.

Eli’s birth – April 11, Year 14: 17 months before the Epilogue of “Determinant”; Tris was 30 (almost 31), Tobias was almost 33, Abigail was close to 5, and Emily was 3 1/2.

15th Anniversary of the UCA – Sept 10, Year 16: Almost 16 years after the end of the mission; Tobias was 34, Tris was 32, Abigail was 6 and in first grade, and Eli was 17 months old.

Character Information:

Warning -- Contains * * * SPOILERS FOR "DETERMINANT" * * *

Tobias: My view of Tobias revolves heavily around the fact that he's a child abuse survivor. There are certain personality traits that go with that background. He has a lot of self-doubt, and he works extra hard at being strong to overcome that. He doesn't fully feel like he deserves anything good, especially Tris. He's very defensive of her because he couldn't protect his mother, who is the only other woman he's loved. He worries enormously that he's like his father despite his attempts to be otherwise. Also, because he was so isolated as a child, he struggles with how to interact with others in normal daily life.

Tris: She's young and is still growing into herself. Partly because she grew up in Abnegation, she never learned some of the social dynamics that others her age know, so she feels awkward socially. She has good instincts and has the sense to trust them; I see that as being partly related to her Divergence, though not entirely. She values her strength, and it's a large part of what bonds her to Tobias. She still struggles to show her feelings and her femininity, but she's learning. My biggest objection to how she was handled in "Allegiant" is that she was always right. Human beings are too flawed for that, plus you can't learn anything if you're always right; we learn through our mistakes, so Tris makes some in my stories, and they help her grow. And no, she does NOT die in my version. She has too much to do. :-)

Uriah: He's one of my favorite characters. I've always felt that he and Zeke have some of Finnick's ("Hunger Games") flair, so you'll see an occasional nod to Finnick in their behavior. I also see their connection as brothers as being a strong part of their characters, though they've had to go different directions due to necessity. I view Uriah as having affinities for Amity and Dauntless, with Amity coming first, and I really like his kindness, so that's a recurring theme in how he behaves, but he's also brave, and that bravery grows through "Determinant" as he has to rise to new challenges.

Zeke: He's a lot of fun, and I tend to see humor first in how he faces the world. However, he's also consistently been a good friend to Four, who isn't an easy person to befriend, and a great older brother to Uriah. So, there's no denying that he's a caring person. On top of all that, he's brave -- brave enough to be a double agent against the Erudite and to rescue Tori from there when she was discovered. So, hey, what's not to like about him?

Christina: She's very self-assured for her age and is a strong, loyal friend. I see her as rising to whatever situation she faces, even when others doubt her. Out of the group, she's the most attached to the factions, since she truly loved the idea of being Dauntless.

Cara: It took a while for me to start liking her, but I finally started to see her strengths. She's good at setting aside her own feelings and doing what needs to be done, and she analyzes situations well. She sees things that Tris misses sometimes, so she works well in group dynamics. I tried to help her develop a sense of humor, but somehow she kept resisting that, so I've kept her as a largely serious character.

Tori: She defined her life strongly around her brother's death and then had to find a way to redefine it after realizing he's still alive. She's still dealing with a lot of feelings of betrayal, between George, Tobias, Evelyn, Tris, and the Dauntless traitors before that. However, she has tremendous internal strength, so she'll fight for the city even if she's mad at everyone in it.

Marcus: In many ways, he's the most complex character in the series. He's certainly not likable, and he's done things that can never be justified (and no, he's not just a victim of the Suggestibility Serum -- he's responsible for his own actions). However, he's not entirely bad, either. He can set aside his personal interests for the sake of the city or the country as a whole, and he's built his life around that. He plays a big role in "Determinant," in both good and bad ways, because life isn't simple...

Caleb: He's young and is much more easily manipulated than Tris is, and he made some terrible mistakes because of that. I see him as regretting that deeply (it bothered me that he was essentially remorseless in "Allegiant") and as trying very hard to change, so I've given him opportunities to grow and become a better person.

Peter: He's an intriguing (and sometimes downright confusing) character. There are a huge number of hints about his nature in "Divergent" and "Insurgent" that were dropped in "Allegiant," so it took me some time to figure out what to do with him. But overall I like how he's grown in my stories. Hopefully, you'll like how his back story evolves.

Evelyn: She's another complex character who's difficult to entirely like or entirely dislike. She's not in the middle part of "Determinant," but she appears again at the end.

Amar: I grew to like him in Veronica Roth's short stories, though I felt he didn't do a whole lot in "Allegiant." He's one of Tobias' only friends and his only male role model, so I've chosen to give him a major role in my story.

George: He's virtually a blank slate, so I used his connections to Tori and Amar to build his character. Like Evelyn, he's not in the middle part of "Determinant" but appears again later.

Anna: I see her as being a lot like her granddaughter, but with much more life experience. She's a very strong leader who plays a major role in the city, though we don't see much of it as it happens in "Determinant." You see a lot more of her in "Prior Rings."

General: Not everyone survives "Determinant." However, Tris and Tobias do both live. After "Allegiant," I feel it's important to state that up front. I also promise that I don't kill anyone off gratuitously or meaninglessly.