Following the debut of Apple TV's series Pluribus, which features disgruntled romantasy author Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) battling a post-apocalyptic happiness pandemic, Apple has released a sample chapter (on Apple Books) from her novel Bloodsong of Wycaro, "full of proud, haughty pirates corsairs and Mandovian spicefruit," Deadline reported.
The book's description invites readers to "take sail with Lucasia, Captain of the duneship Mercator, as she traverses the amaranthine sands of Wycaro seeking a cure for the insidious illness felling her crew. As Lucasia navigates a treacherous storm, she is haunted by memories of Raban, the rogue who stole her heart before walking the plank. Seething with passions which cry for release, she soon learns the only thing worse than finding yourself alone in the dark... is discovering you're not alone."
In the pilot episode of Pluribus, Carol describes her bestselling romantasy series as "mindless crap," and "later reveals that the male romantic lead character Raban was intended to be a woman, presumably inspired by her real-life partner Helen (Miriam Shor). Meanwhile, the author wants to focus on her more serious endeavor, Bitter Chrysalis," Deadline noted.
"At the end of the day, no matter how much she may grumble, she loves her fans, but then as soon as an event like that book signing [is] over, she just wants a drink," Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan had previously told Deadline. "That's probably based on me: She just wants to be quiet for a while and then just have a Manhattan."