Q4 Noveling Progress

My fourth novel of 2020 is moving right along. 25K drafted so far, with probably another 75K or so before it's complete. Averaging 1-2K each day, writing whether or not I feel inspired to do so. And every time I show up, the story shows up. (There might be a pithy lesson in there somewhere.) Sure, I end up deleting and revising a few hundred words each week, but I'm making progress, and that's what counts. I'm confident I'll have the sloppy copy finished by the end of this crazy year, and then I plan to focus on editing three novels over the first quarter of 2021.

As soon as I finished writing City of Glass last summer, I wanted to give Sera and Dunn their own book. But I decided to go ahead and finish the Captain Quasar and Madame Antic trilogies before starting a new series. That done, now I can focus on Demigods (working title). The challenge so far has been making it work as a standalone instead of book 4 in Spirits of the Earth. I want it to be able to fly solo and be a satisfying spinoff for fans of the original books. Whether Demigods turns into a trilogy of its own remains to be seen; for now, I'm focusing on putting these characters into one tough spot after another and really testing their mettle. 

Sounds a bit like 2020 in general...

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Three for Three

When I set a goal for myself back in January to write four novels this year, I had no idea that a bizarre pandemic would grip the world, changing the everyday life I took for granted. Or that I'd say goodbye to my job, sell our condo, and move two thousand miles away so that my wife and I could live near my aging in-laws. Or that I'd see cities across the country rocked by so much violence, hatred, and stupidity. (Who's up for a second civil war? Not me.)

Despite all of the distractions, stressors, and resultant anxiety, I've managed to carve out time (almost) every day to write. That's how I've met my goal so far: three novels drafted in nine months. My first quarter novel has undergone final edits and is with my publisher, ready to go. My second and third novels are in need of revisions; but since they're in a trilogy and the first book is currently with my editor, I'll wait to polish them up until we get book 1 in the best shape possible.

Writing takes a lot of concentration, and this year I've found that to be my greatest struggle. I've had to let go of my perfectionist tendencies. Drafts are sloppy copies; they're not supposed to be amazing. But having a complete draft is so much better than just a vague idea for a novel or a few pages of notes. And often the best writing shows up during the rewriting phase.

This year has been a crazy one. If it wasn't for my faith in God, the love of my wonderful wife, and this creative outlet, I'm not sure where I would be mentally right now. I'm really looking forward to drafting my next novel, and I can't wait to see what it's about. Sloppy copy #4, let's go!

Captain Quasar Will Return

Thanks to the fine folks at Aethon Books, Captain Quasar and the Space-Time Conundrum will be greeting the world again via a re-release with all-new cover art and first-time audio treatment. It's been five years since this novel was originally serialized, so I'm hoping to hook a few new readers unawares. (If you happen to own the first eBook or print edition, it might soon be a collector's item!) No release date yet, but when I know, you'll know. And unlike the first time around, now a pair of brand spankin' new sequels will be available as well: Captain Quasar and the Mass-Exodus Reversal followed by Captain Quasar and the Phaze-Worlds Dilemma. Together they make quite the crazy comedic space opera trilogy. Brace for impact!

Why Join Me on Patreon?

I'm always up for trying different ways to share my work with readers. Sometimes it's submitting to a new publisher like Aethon Books, which has gone pretty well thus far. (Not only did they publish Spirits of the Earth earlier this year, but they'll also be releasing my Captain Quasar trilogy.) If you've been reading this blog for a while, you might remember my other experiments with Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, Draft2Digital, QuarterReads, Curious Fictions, Wattpad, Kindle Scout, Instafreebie, and Story Origin. Now I'm giving Patreon a try with my novel Those Who Wait.

Patreon offers creative types (writers, artists, musicians, videographers) the opportunity to share our work directly with patrons, who pay a nominal amount each month to access exclusive content and support ongoing creative efforts. Why join me on Patreon? You'll have access to stories and novels before they're available anywhere else. Patrons won't have to wait until my work is published in order to read it; you'll see it first, in-progress, along the way to publication.

This is just an experiment, and we'll see where it goes. Patron-only content goes live on August 1, so don't delay. Join today!

Q3 Noveling Progress

We're halfway through 2020, and I've managed to draft two brand-spankin' new novels. Feeling pretty good about that, despite all the craziness going on in the world. I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future. So until He tells me otherwise, I'm going to keep sharing my stories with anybody who will read or listen to them. As this life gets stranger around us, tales of good conquering evil might be in high demand.

Captain Quasar Book 3 is undergoing edits and should be ready for Aethon Books by the end of the month. Madame Antic's Book 2 (working title: Underground) will be sitting and festering for a while, as I wait on Book 1 edits from Montag Press. I had a slew of ideas for my third quarter novel, but I decided to go with Madame Antic's Book 3 while the story's still fresh in my mind. The working title is Airship, but it's not steampunk; it's Victorian Surrealism with plenty of mind-bending inter-dimensional action and adventure. If all goes according to plan, I should have this one finished by October, when it will be time to decide on my last novel of the year.

2020 will live in infamy for a variety of reasons, but I hope to remember it as the first year I drafted four novels. Taking this challenge one day at a time has gotten me halfway there already. Perseverance and perspiration will see me to the finish line. Then it'll be 2021: The Year of Edits.

New Audiobook Now Available

At long last, the sequel to The Suprahuman Secret (Books 1-4) is now available in audio, produced by the same talented voice actor who brought hard-boiled detective Charlie Madison to life last year: Robert Rossmann. In The Gifted Ones, Charlie is up against all-new obstacles as his past returns to haunt him. Along the way, he discovers answers to questions that have plagued him since Girl of Great Price. It's bittersweet, but a fitting end to this future noir series full of sci-fi adventure and intrigue. Enjoy!

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Victorian Surrealism

I'm about 50K into the sequel to Madame Antic's Hotel Grotesque (working title: Underground), and I've been pondering the genre. When I wrote the Spirits of the Earth trilogy, I knew it was post-apocalyptic science fiction (Mad Max meets X-Men). When I wrote the Captain Quasar trilogy, I knew it was comedic space opera (Buck Rogers meets Galaxy Quest). When I wrote the Charlie Madison, Private Investigator series, I knew it was future noir (part Maltese Falcon, part Blade Runner). But my current project has defied genre classification — until now.

Whenever my inspiration doesn't start out as a "What if?" question, it's the result of a vivid dream or nightmare. That was the case with Madame Antic's; all the worldbuilding I needed to do was right there for me to see, and I just had to put it into words. But now with the novel forthcoming from Montag Press and most of the sequel drafted, I've been looking for artwork that really conveys the mood and style of this series. My search for "uncanny Victorian artwork" brought me to this artist's site where I discovered the term "Victorian Surrealism." And it fits like a misshapen glove.

While nothing like Mr. Harp's creatures appear in my novels, they very well could. Looking over his artwork is like peering into a pocket universe inside the world I've built, as every image conveys a similar sense of wonder and dread. Add some menacing robots, weapons firing lightning bolts, aerovehicles careening through the sky, not to mention plenty of blood and gore, and you've got the alternate history / Gothic horror / sci-fi adventure I'm working on. And I couldn't be having more fun.

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Dahlia, the last human child, has been summoned to a banquet in her honor by the Elders of the Great Council.

Her escort, Brawnstone the trollgre, must carry her through the dangerous ruins of an ancient human city, deep into the abandoned warehouse district where the feast is to be held.

No one knows this little girl's dark secret — not even Dahlia herself.

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Science Fiction / Fantasy

Short Stories originally published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Perihelion Science Fiction, and Triangulation.

Q2 Noveling Progress

We're a third of the way through the second quarter of 2020, and I'm 15K into my second novel. The Phaze-Worlds Dilemma ended up being around 80K, but this one should be closer to 60. It's a direct sequel to Madame Antic's Hotel Grotesque, and if I maintain my current 1K/day writing regimen, I'll have the first draft finished by mid-June. My goal is to draft four novels this year, something I've never attempted before. Writing two last year was a first, but I'm always up for a challenge. So far, so good!

Spirits of the Earth Book Tour

With the Spirits of the Earth trilogy now complete, it's time for (you guessed it) a virtual book tour!

Click the banner below, and you'll find the dates and websites for each day of the tour: