diff --git a/public/css/style.css b/public/css/style.css
index aa3b14b..655c937 100644
--- a/public/css/style.css
+++ b/public/css/style.css
@@ -259,20 +259,6 @@ cap {
     transition: opacity 0.5s;
 }
 
-#choices {
-    display: grid;
-    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
-    width: calc(var(--book-width) * 0.39)px;
-}
-  
-#choices *:first-child {
-    grid-column: 1 / -1;
-}
-
-#choices ol.categorized {
-    list-style-type: lower-alpha;
-}
-
 /*
   Class applied to all choices
   (Will always appear inside <p> element by default.)
@@ -582,32 +568,66 @@ ol.choice {
 
 /* Input area */
 #input_area {
-    display: flex;
-    margin-bottom: 15px;
+    display: block;
+    margin-top: 15px;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
+    width: 100%;
 }
 
+/* Command input container */
+#command_input {
+    width: 100%;
+    position: relative;
+    margin-top: 10px;
+}
+
+/* Input wrapper for positioning cursor */
+.input-wrapper {
+    position: relative;
+    width: 100%;
+    display: inline-block;
+}
+
+/* Player input styling */
 #player_input {
-    flex: 1;
-    padding: 8px 12px;
-    border: 1px solid #d1c8b9;
-    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
+    width: 100%;
+    background: transparent;
+    border: none;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid #8b7765;
     font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif;
-    font-size: 16px;
+    font-size: 1.1rem;
+    color: #333;
     outline: none;
-    border-radius: 4px 0 0 4px;
+    padding: 5px 0;
+    caret-color: transparent; /* Hide the default caret */
+    box-sizing: border-box;
 }
 
-#submit_command {
-    background-color: #8b7765;
-    border: 1px solid #8b7765;
-    color: white;
-    padding: 8px 12px;
-    cursor: pointer;
-    font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif;
-    border-radius: 0 4px 4px 0;
-    transition: background-color 0.2s;
+#player_input:focus {
+    border-bottom-color: #333;
 }
 
-#submit_command:hover {
-    background-color: #6d5d4d;
+/* Custom cursor styling */
+#cursor {
+    position: absolute;
+    display: inline-block;
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 1.2em;
+    background-color: #333;
+    top: 6px;
+    left: 0;
+    animation: blink 1s step-end infinite;
+    pointer-events: none; /* Allow clicks to pass through to the input */
+}
+
+/* Placeholder styling - lighter and italic */
+#player_input::placeholder {
+    color: #aaa;
+    font-style: italic;
+}
+
+/* Blinking animation */
+@keyframes blink {
+    0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
+    50% { opacity: 0; }
 }
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index d7bf8b5..4a1c138 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@
                 </div>
                 
                 <div id="command_input">
-                    <input type="text" id="player_input" placeholder="Enter your command..." autofocus>
-                    <button id="submit_command">Submit</button>
+                    <div class="input-wrapper">
+                        <input type="text" id="player_input" placeholder="Enter your command..." autofocus>
+                        <span id="cursor"></span>
+                    </div>
                 </div>    
               </div>
               <div class="l10n-remark" id="remark"><i><sup>*</sup>click on page or press spacebar to fast forward text animation</i></div>
diff --git a/public/js/ai-fiction.js b/public/js/ai-fiction.js
index 0ccdc6c..28a00af 100644
--- a/public/js/ai-fiction.js
+++ b/public/js/ai-fiction.js
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ class AIFiction {
     this.storyContainer = document.getElementById('story');
     this.commandHistoryContainer = document.getElementById('command_history');
     this.playerInput = document.getElementById('player_input');
-    this.submitButton = document.getElementById('submit_command');
     this.speechButton = document.getElementById('speech');
     this.rewindButton = document.getElementById('rewind');
     this.saveButton = document.getElementById('save');
@@ -33,9 +32,6 @@ class AIFiction {
     this.typingSpeed = 30;  // Default value, will be adjusted by slider
     this.typingTimeout = null;
     
-    // Check for kokoro-js being loaded (Now handled by factory)
-    // this.checkForKokoroJs(); // No longer needed here
-    
     // Bind event handlers
     this.bindEvents();
     
@@ -47,6 +43,9 @@ class AIFiction {
     
     // Listen for TTS readiness
     this.listenForTTSReady();
+    
+    // Set up focus management
+    this.setupFocusManagement();
   }
   
   /**
@@ -112,9 +111,6 @@ class AIFiction {
    * Bind event handlers to DOM elements
    */
   bindEvents() {
-    // Submit command on button click
-    this.submitButton.addEventListener('click', () => this.submitCommand());
-    
     // Submit command on Enter key
     this.playerInput.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
       if (e.key === 'Enter') {
@@ -122,6 +118,21 @@ class AIFiction {
       }
     });
     
+    // Handle cursor position based on input changes and caret position
+    this.playerInput.addEventListener('input', this.updateCursorPosition.bind(this));
+    this.playerInput.addEventListener('click', this.updateCursorPosition.bind(this));
+    this.playerInput.addEventListener('keyup', this.updateCursorPosition.bind(this));
+    
+    // Handle cursor visibility based on input focus
+    this.playerInput.addEventListener('focus', () => {
+      document.getElementById('cursor').style.opacity = '1';
+      this.updateCursorPosition();
+    });
+    
+    this.playerInput.addEventListener('blur', () => {
+      document.getElementById('cursor').style.opacity = '0';
+    });
+    
     // Toggle speech
     this.speechButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
       // Check if the handler is available (it should be if button is enabled)
@@ -133,7 +144,6 @@ class AIFiction {
         
         // Set user activation flag for the handler
         window.ttsHandler.hasUserActivation = true; 
-        
         const enabled = window.ttsHandler.toggle();
         this.updateSpeechButton(enabled);
         
@@ -249,11 +259,10 @@ class AIFiction {
       
       // Scroll to bottom and focus input
       this.scrollToBottom();
-      this.playerInput.focus();
+      this.playerInput.focus(); 
       
       // Re-enable input (failsafe)
       this.playerInput.disabled = false;
-      this.submitButton.disabled = false;
     });
     
     // Game saved confirmation
@@ -298,7 +307,6 @@ class AIFiction {
     
     // Disable input temporarily
     this.playerInput.disabled = true;
-    this.submitButton.disabled = true;
     
     // Add command to history
     this.addUserCommand(command);
@@ -312,10 +320,15 @@ class AIFiction {
     // Clear input
     this.playerInput.value = '';
     
+    // Reset cursor position to the start
+    const cursor = document.getElementById('cursor');
+    if (cursor) {
+      cursor.style.left = '0px';
+    }
+    
     // Re-enable input field after a short delay (or after 8 seconds as failsafe)
     const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
       this.playerInput.disabled = false;
-      this.submitButton.disabled = false;
       
       // Remove thinking indicator
       const thinkingElement = document.getElementById(thinkingId);
@@ -502,6 +515,85 @@ class AIFiction {
       container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
     }
   }
+  
+  /**
+   * Update the custom cursor position based on input text and caret position
+   */
+  updateCursorPosition() {
+    const input = this.playerInput;
+    const cursor = document.getElementById('cursor');
+    
+    if (!cursor) return;
+    
+    // Get the current caret position
+    const caretPosition = input.selectionStart || 0;
+    const inputText = input.value;
+    
+    if (inputText.length === 0) {
+      // If no text, position cursor at the beginning (placeholder visible)
+      cursor.style.left = '0px';
+      return;
+    }
+    
+    // Create a temporary span to measure text width
+    const tempSpan = document.createElement('span');
+    tempSpan.style.font = window.getComputedStyle(input).font;
+    tempSpan.style.position = 'absolute';
+    tempSpan.style.visibility = 'hidden';
+    tempSpan.style.whiteSpace = 'pre';
+    tempSpan.textContent = inputText.substring(0, caretPosition);
+    document.body.appendChild(tempSpan);
+    
+    // Set cursor position based on the width of text before caret
+    const textWidth = tempSpan.getBoundingClientRect().width;
+    cursor.style.left = `${textWidth}px`;
+    
+    // Clean up
+    document.body.removeChild(tempSpan);
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Set up focus management to ensure input field is always focused
+   */
+  setupFocusManagement() {
+    // Focus input field when the page loads
+    window.addEventListener('load', () => {
+      this.playerInput.focus();
+    });
+    
+    // Focus input when user clicks anywhere in the document
+    document.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+      // Don't steal focus if user is clicking on a button or link
+      if (
+        e.target.tagName !== 'BUTTON' && 
+        e.target.tagName !== 'A' && 
+        !e.target.classList.contains('suggestions') &&
+        !e.target.closest('.suggestions')
+      ) {
+        this.playerInput.focus();
+      }
+    });
+    
+    // Re-focus input when user returns to this browser tab
+    window.addEventListener('focus', () => {
+      this.playerInput.focus();
+    });
+    
+    // Re-focus input when user returns to the window 
+    window.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
+      if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
+        setTimeout(() => this.playerInput.focus(), 100);
+      }
+    });
+    
+    // Focus on input after narrative is added
+    const originalAddNarrative = this.addNarrative.bind(this);
+    this.addNarrative = (text) => {
+      originalAddNarrative(text);
+      // Short timeout to ensure rendering completes
+      setTimeout(() => this.playerInput.focus(), 10);
+    };
+  }
 }
 
 // Create the application when the DOM is fully loaded