Multi-Sensory Immersion

As our memories are multi-sensory, reading should also be a multi-sensory experience.

Audiobook

The audiobook is performed by Aaron Fors, an actor, accent coach, and author. See the “Sample the Book” section to hear a sample or to purchase the audiobook.

Music

Ka-Yee’s Writing Playlist

These tracks help put the author in the mindset of The Unnamed Archives. Each song is credited in the video, and we thank the artists for permitting us to use their work. The artwork was one of the author’s attempts at 2D digital art, tracing various elements and figuring out how to make brushes work.

Epigraph Reference

Butterfly Lovers Orchestral Performance:

Scents & Tea

Several teas and fragrances are meaningful to the characters and the author. We have curated these packages for readers, testing and sourcing authentic products from Asia.

Ka-Yee continues to test available products in the U.S.A. as she runs out of tea from back home. If she finds anything suitable, we will provide links here as well, should readers wish to acquire them from other retailers.

Sensory Immersion: Curated Package

Three Scents, in the order of appearance in Time Becomes Relevant

Three Teas, in the order of appearance in Time Becomes Relevant

Instructions

The Three Scents

You will receive the fragrances in vacuum sealed packages like these.

• While the beads look dry, they will feel oily to the touch. please be sure to wash your hands after handling them, and avoid touching your eyes before they are washed off.
• Please keep out of reach from children, and do not ingest these.
• The foil on the lid helps keep a tight seal, please do not remove them.

Set up

1. Simply open the baggy and pour the beads into the respective jar.
2. Close the lid, gently, to avoid piercing or otherwise damaging the foil sealer
   • If the lid won’t close, move the beads around and try again. If it still won’t close, remove excess beads.
   • There are likely excess, for the jars’ volume might vary slightly. We tend to error on the side of providing too many, rather than too few, beads.

To Use

• The fragrance formulae are designed to waft. Rather than bringing your nose to the jar, wave your hand over the jar to coax the fragrance towards you. That way, you’ll pick up the wafting scent as one would with the blossoms.

To Store

• Please reseal tightly, then keep in a cool place, avoid direct sunlight.
• The scents should be true to themselves several months.

A note on Tea “Instructions.” People like their tea differently, and there is no wrong way. Ka-Yee uses her tea in a way that would make the traditional kufung tea master cry. But here are some instructions if you want to do it the way tea masters suggest.

Old-Tree Pu’erh and Highland Oolong

• Tea amount: 8 g tea (entire package)
• Water amount: Approximately 1.5 US cups / 355 mL each round
• Water temperature: 100°C / boiling

Brewing Principle

• These are not meant to steep in a closed teapot or sit soaking for long periods.
• Ideally, use an open container (like a pryax measuing cup) or a setup that allows you to pour the tea out quickly so the leaves are not left sitting in hot water.

Steps

1. Heat water to a full boil
2. First infusion (rinse)
   • Pour boiling water over the tea leaves
   • Wait no longer than 3 seconds
   • Pour the water out immediately
   • Discard this first round
3. Second infusion (first drinking round)
   • Pour fresh boiling water over the leaves.
   • Steep 8–10 seconds
   • Pour all the tea out so the leaves are not left soaking
   • This is your first drinking infusion
   • Leave the tea leaves unsoaked between rounds.
4. Subsequence infusions
   • Should be tasty up to 8-10, the pu-erh can sometimes be good for over a dozen infusions–as long as you aren’t soaking the leaves between rounds!
   • For each new infusion: Add 5 seconds to the previous steep time
   • Example progression:
     • 2nd infusion (first drinking round): 8–10 sec
     • 3rd infusion: 13–15 sec
     • 4th infusion: 18–20 sec
     • Continue adding 5 seconds each round thereafter.

Young Green Tea with Jasmine

This tea, allegedly, taste better when it is brewed light. Ka-Yee likes her tea bitter. So, your call. Here is the official instructions from the tea merchant as translated to English.

• Tea amount: 2-3 g tea
• Water amount: Approximately 1.5 US cups / 355 mL
• Water temperature: 75-85°C / cool a minute from boiling
• Shelf life: 18 months (the flower’s freshness really matters)

Brewing Principle

• This tea is delicate and aromatic.
• Boiling water can mute the jasmine’s fragrance
• Unlike the oolong/puerh, this tea does not require a rinse-and-discard since it is quieter to start.
• The focus is on gently awakening the floral fragrance and allowing the leaves to unfurl.

Steps

1. Place 2–3 g of tea into your brewing vessel (a tea pot, a pryax measuring cup, etc).
2. Awaken the fragrance
   • Add a small amount of water and gently swirl the leaves.
   • This helps wake the aroma and begin opening the tea.
3. Once the leaves begin to unfurl, pour in the remaining water.
   • Traditionally, people pour from a slightly elevated height so the tea leaves circulate gently through the water. Cuz it’s pretty.
4. Steep 1-3 minutes
   • The longer the steep, the less subsequent infusions you can make
   • Pour the tea out into a cup
5. Drink within 10 minutes for the freshest fragrance
6. Steep a minute longer for each subsequent infusions, you can probably get 2-4 good ones out of this.