Grassin’ season starts today!

Actually it’s cold and wet here. We’ve had snow all weekend.

Several bits of good news.

Podium’s edition of Quarter Share is available for pre-order. Release date is May 10.

The Starbound anthology – with Exile in it – is free for a few days. Grab it while you can. It’ll be coming down soon and the story will come home. My plan is to put it in the beginning of Milk Run. That’s where it belongs.

Speaking of Milk Run, it’s finally coming together. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the completion of first draft this month so I can move it on to the editor who’s been waiting for it since November!

Once I get that off my plate I’ll be working on To Fire Called, but I’ll be lucky to get it out before Christmas at the rate I’m going. My estimating ability has proven to be horribly unreliable so I’m not going to push my luck.

I will not be attending BaltiCon this year. It’s my younger daughter’s high school graduation weekend and I’m needed here. So it goes.

We’re not quite there, but the next time I blink it’ll be July so I figured I better drop in with an update.

Things are moving albeit slowly.

Milk Run got a shot in the arm with the publication of the short story – Exile – in the Starbound anthology and then took a dive when I realized I had a great set up and no where to go. I’ve been cogitating and I think it’s bearing fruit. We’ll see. I’m trying to trust the process that has worked in the past. Just slinging words down only seems to work when I’m ready to sling them. Apparently I’m not quite ready.

I started walking again a few days ago. My legs are complaining so I’ve taken today off but expect to be back on the road tomorrow. I need to get the body moving again after what’s been a terribly long and spotty winter. Fingers crossed and you can keep any eye open on Talking On My Morning Walk to see how well I do. One pattern I’ve noticed is that my emotional state improves when I walk regularly and that generally translates into ‘more words.’ I plan to test that theory going forward.

That’s it for now. I’ll keep you posted as things develop.

ETA:This anthology was a limited time deal. The deal expired in May. The book is no longer available. My story – “Exile” – came back to me and is now where it really belongs – as the first three chapters of Milk Run. The manuscript is with the editor now and you should look for Milk Run in early September, 2016.

If you’re in the Golden Age Facebook group, you’ve already heard that I’ve got a new short story in an anthology. Starbound released the other day.

When Audrey Faye invited me to participate in this anthology last November, I agreed immediately. While I’m not that great at writing shorts, the opportunity to explore some new characters proved irresistible. The story is “Exile.” It introduces the two main characters for the new Smuggler’s Tales series – Natalya Regyri and Zoya Usoko. It hints at some Toe-Hold space background and sets them off to begin their new adventures.

The first book in this series – Milk Run – has drawn me in and I’m hoping to get it written this month and over to the editor as soon as I can get into her queue. Don’t hold me to that.

For those who are eagerly awaiting To Fire Called, I can’t write that book until I get Milk Run down. I need to know more about that space before I send Ishmael and Pip off to get in trouble there. 🙂

I’m honored to be included in Starbound with ten other excellent authors – some of whom you’ll recognize.

And if you haven’t already heard – Audrey Faye’s next Karmacorp novel is out. You might want to grab a sample of Grower’s Omen while you’re picking up Starbound.