The month started slow with home repairs and renovation. The dust hasn’t settled yet but the place looks pretty good.
Status
Shackleford House
I’m slowly unraveling the Gordian knot. I’ve written close to 150k words that never worked right. Just this past week, I think I’ve figured out why. Every story needs a focus. The focus I had – the cat – was the wrong one for the story I needed to write. Here’s hoping I’ve finally gotten the correct one.
Tanyth Fairport
As reported last month, the Tanyth Fairport audiobooks have been pulled from publication. Spotify hijinks made me flinch. I’m still looking to resolve this problem and get the books back out so you can get them.
What Am I Reading?
June was Melissa McShane month here. I worked through her Last Oracle series and then browsed a large collection of samples looking for something I could recommend. Must be something about oracles because I’ve just started T. J. Deschamps’s Westside Oracle, Book 1 of Midlife Olympians: The Oracle Chronicles. I’m a sucker for a wisecracking main character and the midlife magic stories always appeal to me – for obvious reasons.
Lydia Kourakos, aka Madame Francine, gets booted from her old, uncomfortable, but barely tolerable life into the political maelstrom of Olympus with all the Greek pantheon playing their roles. So far I’m loving this re-imagining of the mythology including a bad-ass Persephone and a scorching hot Hermes.
I’m settling in for the long haul with this series. Perhaps you might grab a sample to see if you might like it, too.
About the Newsletter
I’m still publishing them on the 15th of the month. They’re not all getting delivered but you don’t need to subscribe to get a mid-month update from me. You can find them archived on my ConvertKit public page.
Looking Ahead
It feels like I’m seeing more clearly lately. Maybe it’s just that things are beginning to settle out. I started getting more regular with my morning walks. They really do help but only if I take them. Funny how that works, eh?
In other news, I have hearing aids now. That’s not terribly newsworthy but I bring it up because they’re like magic. The world’s most expensive ear buds but they sync up with my phone and whatever computer I’m sitting in front of at the moment. It’s only been a couple of weeks but they’ve improved my quality of life in ways I never would have anticipated.
Getting the house in order. Getting my hearing improved. Just getting things straightened out seems to be helping me comb out the snarls in my writing and that feels pretty darn good.
Here’s hoping that trend continues.
Until next month, safe voyage.
N
Yay for improved hearing, home improvements, and a different story focus.
Copying from last month: A question for you. After the death of his mother in Quarter Share, Ishmael sees only two possibilities — to join the marines or to sign the Articles. Do the marines feature in any of your other books?
In your copious free time (ha!), feel free to write a novella, book, or series detailing what might have happened had Pip’s aunt not been at the Hall that day and Ishmael joined the marines.
Beyond the mentions of Core Worlds Navy, I don’t plan on any military stories. Space Opera already has too many of those.
That said, several people have asked for a Margaret Stevens story or three.
I would also happily read about Margaret Stevens, too!
Does this mean that the Shackleford Cat is on the back burner for the time being, while you try another tack?
Margaret Stevens seems like one of those semi-mythical people who shows up (like Doctor Who) to give guidance and/or a helping hand when there is trouble afoot. I can imagine someone from Pip’s clan seeing her hanging around somewhere for no obvious reason and shooting her a look: “Well, what’s in the soup now?”
The Cat is still the front burner project as I slowly unravel the skein of knotted yarn.
Which hearing aids did you go with? My wife is looking for her first as well and has not been happy with the various ones she has tried.
Phonak. I call them the world’s most expensive earbuds, but I swear they’re made of magic.
I’ve also been oh so curious about Margaret Newmar’s history! Where does she come from, what made her such a master of Tai Chi and lover of plants or her relation with her father, founder of the Newmar system? Was she there from the beginning? So many questions!
Margaret Newmar is a fascinating enigma.
Yes, she’s much older than most people imagine, believing her to be Oscar’s granddaughter. She started learning tai chi as a young girl back on Sigma Draconis IV, only moving to the Western Annex when she could join her father on Newmar.
Apologies if these have been asked/answered before. Is there an Eastern Annex? If so what is it like? What’s Earth’s status? Thanks for the great stories!!
Yes, there’s an Eastern Annex. I don’t know what it’s like. Yet. We might go explore it one of these days.
Earth has taken on the role of “Largely Irrelevant To Any and All Discussions.” It’s too far away to be of interest, too much played out to be more than an historical artifact.
Hearing aids really do make a difference. Not sure if you are up for it, but I tell everyone how much of a difference they make. Captain’s share actually played a small part in my getting my own hearing aids. How do you see Gwen’s experience now that you have your own? How would you write it differently now?
I don’t think I’d change a thing. My experience of denial moving to acceptance and, finally, embracing them doesn’t change Ishmael’s view of Gwen coming into her own and embracing a new life as captain and partner to Avery Wyatt