The new year will bring new challenges and new opportunities. Before we get into those, thank you to all the readers who’ve been so patient and supportive while waiting for The Wizard’s Cat.

Status

The Wizard’s Cat
Most of you know that the ebook has been released. I’m still waiting on the print proofs but will release that edition as soon as I can. The audio book will come from Podium. They have the manuscript and will let me know when they have something like a release. It’ll take a while but the wait should be worth it for you audiophiles.

Everything Else
Nothing much has changed in terms of my catalog. I still plan on more Ishmael, more Tanyth, and – of course – more Shackleford House.

What Am I Reading?

I read just over 3 books a week this past year – 155 in 52 weeks. Some were so-so. Some were great. A lot of them in a series. All but one, self-published. (That one was Loomans’s I’ve Got Time. Non-fiction on the zen of time management. Sometimes I have to make an exception to the rule, especially for non-fiction.) So, this month, rather than a single recommendation, here are five series I discovered this year and loved.

Eric Uglund’s The Good Guys series (16 books) took up a lot of April. LitRPG isekai tale that kept me turning pages like a madman, wishing I could play that game along with him.

Cássio Ferreira captured me in two different Hidden Class series – Handyman and Pacifist. The first about playing a game where you advanced through crafting and the second when you could do no harm. I loved the twists away from combat oriented litRPG.

Jaxon Reed’s Star Farmer’s 12 volumes took me back to Space Opera. It takes place mostly on a frontier planet as Tom Savage sets up a homestead on one of the “worst” plots on the planet. Hijinks, of course, ensued.

Victoria Danann’s Not Too Late series (8 volumes, so far) scratched my fantasy itch. Newly divorced Rita Hayworth (yes, it’s a running gag) inherits “a fine retail property with residence.” I love this trope. Mysterious inheritance of a spooky mansion, trunk of mysterious contraptions, or even Lovecraftian dire artifact that kicks off an adventure. Danann delivers.

Always RollsAOne’s Soldier’s Life (6 books) kept me busy for a long time. A gritty litRPG-styled fantasy where the main character, Eryk, finds himself in another world, apparently drawn there by some mystical means. It’s a classic overly powered, modern man tossed into low tech fantasy world but needs to keep his past hidden. It’s another Web Serial fiction brought to book form (Think The Wandering Inn, among many, many others) and I’m here for the next one, whenever it gets portaled over.

I also caught up with a lot of new releases in established series and explored a ton of book 1s that never took me to book 2. I revisited some new works by familiar authors and picked up on the recent works of authors I met in 2024.

All told, a great year for reading.

Looking Ahead

We start the year having just weathered a major remodeling job in the house between Christmas and New Year’s Day. We replaced all the windows and exterior doors. A very chilly couple of days here filled with the noise and stress of having strangers in the house. If you’ve ever had to move every piece of furniture at least 3′ from any window or door, you can understand the disruption.

The work is over. Like, The Wizard’s Cat, the results are good.

Now it’s time to think about what comes next. It’s probably going to be another Shackleford House. In the writing of the Cat, I found a lot of different stories that I thought might be good ones. Stories that weren’t The Wizard’s Cat, which caused me no end of difficulty.

I’m not soliciting ideas at this time!

What I’m doing is taking some time to not write so my brain can relax after literal years of wrestling with the story that I sometimes thought would never leave my desk. I’ll play some games, watch some movies, read some books. I don’t know how long. Another week maybe. Perhaps a month.

But rest assured I’m already letting ideas about what happens next percolate like hot water through perfectly ground beans.

Until next month, safe voyage.

I’m late posting because I took some family time and wanted to make sure I had something to give you before reporting in.

Status

The Wizard’s Cat
I have an ebook cover, a completed (and cleaned) manuscript. I’ll be working on formatting next so I can get the paperback cover over the next couple of days. This book will be available by Christmas, barring Fate.

Everything Else
Nothing new. I’m just trying to focus on getting the cat out the door. There will be more. Just it may take a while.

What Am I Reading?

I’m back at the Wandering Inn (book 17). I’m a glutton for punishment, it seems. Almost all of my reading in the last month has been playing catch-up with series already in progress including Level One Bookshop, The Lightning War, From Chef To Crafter To Conqueror, and Hidden Class: Handyman. Perhaps I’m just looking for comfort reads but so many of the series I’ve enjoyed before had new volumes.

Speaking of, an author I’ve read a lot of in the past, Michael Chatfield, has started a new series. LitRPG with a dash of system apocalypse. I read Book 1: Restarting the Apocalypse and dove head first into book 2 only to come a cropper when I realized book 3 wasn’t out. Just as well. I had a lot of other works to catch up on.

Lots of familiar tropes. Some fun main characters that reminded me a lot of Ishmael and Pip. Just with more violence and bloodshed. I liked the supporting cast members, too. If that wasn’t enough, it has a side-trope I’ve loved ever since Twain’s Connecticut Yankee.

But, as always, don’t take my word for it. If you’re up for a little over-the-top baddie bashing, you should probably check out a sample of Restarting the Apocalypse.

About the Newsletter
I publish a newsletter every month on the 15th. You don’t need to subscribe to get the mid-month update. You can find them archived on my newsletter’s public page at Kit.

Looking Forward

The manuscript has been sent to Podium for audio. I’ve got Alex Rito signed up and waiting for the cover measurements for the full paperback cover. That should happen this week. I realize it’s already Tuesday and I’m running behind. I also realize that I’ve not formatted a paperback in years so I’ll probably have to relearn LyX to make it work. Still. Hope springs eternal.

I got my 40 miles in last month. Fourth one in a row. I’ve missed one day so far this month, but it’s only the second. If I can pry myself out of the chair today and tomorrow, I’ll be back on track. Recognizing how much better I feel now compared to June and July because of the changes in my habit should carry me.

Fingers crossed that I didn’t just jinx it.

As for outstanding issues with Tanyth Fairport and audio, I still need to get with Dan and get the audio for Zypheria’s Call squared away before I can get it released again. That’s on me.

The collaboration with EJ on the sequel to Salt is still percolating through our collected unconscious. Between the two of us, there are too many projects on the table.

And that’s all over and above the expected (and unexpected) amounts of holiday frufraw to come before the New Year graces us.

It’s a lot and I have a greatly diminished capacity to deal with it. For that, I apologize. I do feel like I’m getting better.

So, happy holidays. Until the New Year, safe voyage.

Progress is being made, even if it’s got very little to do with me.

Status

The Wizard’s Cat
The manuscript is with the editor. She’s taking her time and doing it up right. It’ll be a little longer before it’s back but I expect it by mid-month. Ditto cover. Waiting on the artist but expect that soon, too.

Everything Else
Nada. I’m letting the world spin on its own for a bit. See more about what’s going on below.

What Am I Reading?

I did a lot of catch up with some series in progress but picked up a clever take on cozy fantasy and inhaled the three existing volumes over the course of a few days.

I’m a sucker for a good magic system and Delemhach has set up a fun take on how a wizard’s power gets implemented in The House Witch. It doesn’t hurt that the main character, Finlay Ashowan and company, bring just the right level of humor, action, and interaction to a rich feast of a story.

Did I mention he’s a cook? Yeah. Icing on the cake.

But don’t take my word for it. Grab a sample and see if this is the story you’ve been hungry for, too.

About the Newsletter
I publish a newsletter every month on the 15th. You don’t need to subscribe to get the mid-month update. You can find them archived on my newsletter’s public page at Kit.

Looking Forward

October was a month for recuperation. I knew I was running on fumes toward the end of August but had no idea how deeply I’d dug into my reserves. Getting the book off my desk took a massive load off. I spent the month playing games and reading. Along with an extended series of dental procedures to repair some of the damage the radiation did to my teeth. I thought I’d dodged a bullet but apparently it only needed time to become apparent. It took part of September and most of October but it’s done for now. We’ll revisit in January.

The “two out of three” walking days managed to hang on through October. Even when I missed a walking day, I made it up by walking on the not-walking one. I celebrated 120 miles in 3 months yesterday.

Bottom line, I’m in much better shape now than I was a month ago. I still have a lot of ground to make up in terms of getting my physical and mental health in order but I’m feeling good about the prospects going forward. We’ll just have to see how it all shakes out this month.

Until next month, safe voyage.