Thanks to a fun little exercise at ConvertKit (my email provider, believe it or not), February got back on track and I made up three of the days I blew off in January. I also got my first vaccine shot a week ago and should get the second Real Soon Now.

No bad news this month. I just let the world go on without me while I worked on the 2k a day habit.

Status

Salt – Book 1 of the Barbarians – came back from Karen over the weekend. I let my co-author have first crack at it but I’ll be digging in over the next coupld of days.

New Ishmael
I’ve been beavering away on this story all month and it’s not over yet. I talked about it in one of my recent podcasts. I know where I want this story to go. I have some ideas about what it might look like but none of these characters are cooperating. Right now I can’t tell if I’ve got one book (that will need some serious pruning) or two books that might serve as the first two legs of a trilogy. The trilogy? That’s probably going to need sequels.

Wizard’s Cat
Every time I turn around, this story slaps me. I really need to clear Ishmael off my desk so I can get to this. Ever had a cat lick your arm and not stop? Yeah. Like that. But my brain. Stay tuned.

Tanyth Fairport
A lot of people have been asking questions on social media. Questions that I answered with “Tanyth Fairport.” Clearly, I’ve been thinking of her a lot. Salt is set in her universe, just not with her.

Audio

Dark Knight Station: Origins is due from Podium on April 20. It’s still in production but it’s getting closer.

Tanyth Audio
The producer (not Podium) still hasn’t given me the files. I need to find him again and get an update. If he can’t do it, I know somebody who can.

What Am I Reading?

I read so much in February. Tons of Glynn Steward. More litRPG. Deanna Chase. All three of T. A. White’s Firebird Chronicles. I just dove into those books like a 12-year-old cannon-balling into the hotel pool.

But somebody recommended this quirky book by C. Litka – The Bright Black Sea.

I’ve seen this book come through my various timelines off and on but the cover and the subtitle turned me off. “The Lost Star Stories, Volume One.” Made it sound like a collection of shorts and I’m too old to read short stories. This time something made me give it a try and I’m really glad I did.

The writing is quirky, atmospheric. The pacing is slow, almost glacial, but the story keeps strolling along. It takes a bit to find the rhythm of it but it’s clearly done with purpose. It’s almost steampunky in flavor but without all the steam powered rocket ships. The characters–specifically the captain Wil Litang–bring this story to life.

I’m about halfway through it but I’m enjoying every page. Maybe grab a sample and think what you think?

Last Words

February was a transformational month. I’ve got my writing going again, at least for the moment. I’ve had my first vaccine shot. Over the last few days I feel like I’ve gotten my feet back under me. In the metaphorical as well as literal sense.

It’s too early to claim victory in my war of the words. I’ve got a solid month behind me, a lot of momentum, and stories that I want to tell. I’m cautiously optimistic about finishing up the first quarter strong with at least one new book in the pipeline even while we work to get Salt produced and out for you to read.

In the meantime, stay safe. Keep reading.

So, May didn’t actually work for me.

I only got 1/3rd of my goal in word for the month and made almost zero progress on any of the projects. I didn’t walk very often, managed to wrack up my rib cage while changing the filter in our furnace, and then got sick for a few days, just as icing on the cake.

Quick recap.

I have covers coming for Troy Harbor and Dark Knight Station: Origins.

Audio for the Shaman Tales will be coming this fall from Podium. I owe

Karen the draft for Troy Harbor tomorrow. I’m going to be late.

I have yet to find the thread on any follow up project which is the root of the problem.

• Ishmael and Company started up but I can’t find the handle on them. They’ve all achieved their goals and now they’re just boring.
• I’ve toyed with several choices of Shackleford House stories but can’t seem to make any of them gel the way that Butler did.
• I’ve explored other “Origins” stories but – as with everything else – nothing grabs me.

One positive note: I got the draft for Hostage back from the co-writer.

So, I’ve got three drafts waiting for me to do something with while I’m fighting a goal (2k a day every day) that feels more and more arbitrary as I go.

Perhaps I’ll be able to turn things around in June.

February came through for me. I kept to my basic plan of 2,000 new words every day and using the rest of the day to work on second drafts, production, etc. I didn’t get as much walking in as I needed to, but there’s next month. Early on, I was still recovering from the January surgery. I got more walks in–and more talks in–near the end of the month.

Statistics:

February:	63,534
For the Year:	141,480
Current WIP:	117,500
Streak Words:	375,614
Days in a Row:	139
Average words per day:	2,702

Status:

Audio:

• Home Run is currently available for pre-order on Audible. It drops March 3.
• South Coast is in production at Podium. No word yet on narrator or schedule. I’ve contracted with Podium to produce all three Shaman’s Tales.

Paper:

• Cape Grace is currently available in a non-refeshable cellulose display edition.

Ebook:

• No new books dropped in February.

WIP:

• The Wizard’s Butler is with the editor and I’m still waiting for the cover art.
• Hostage (Book 1 of the Barbarians series) is in second draft. This book will be a while in production because I’m co-writing it and we both need to agree on the draft before we give it to the editor.
• Dark Knight Station: Origins remains the current first draft, new words project. I should find an end here in the next couple of days. When I do, it’ll slide into the “afternoon” queue.
• Next project might be Troy Harbor – the last of the Shaman’s Tales. I’d like to wrap that series up before I forget too much about the story line.

What Am I Reading?

I neglected to recommend a book in February so let me recommend Carol Van Natta’s Central Galactic Concordance series. I inhaled the first two and forced myself to put down the series and address some of the samples waiting in my TBR pile. Great world building. Interesting characters, but (fair warning) there’s kissing. Which – for the record – I support.

Book 1: Overload Flux

Last Words

Two months into the “2k for 2020” campaign, I’m keeping up with the words. Shifting gears to work on a different book in the afternoon is more hampered by my ability to actually get the 2k in before lunch than my ability to shift my brain to a different story line.

Mid-month I felt the rise of incipient burn-out. I pushed too hard and neglected some of the self-care that I need. I’ve made some adjustments on calendar and expectation. The burn-out seems to be averted for the moment.

I feel good. I’m happy with the work. I’m looking forward to publishing at least one of these WIPs before April and I’m ready to roar into March.