End of the month, end of the quarter. I’ve gotten a lot done.
I missed a quite a few days of the podcast but I only missed the walk four times last month. I also upgraded my main computer, made some progress with my game, and – oh, yeah – got a book out for editing.
Status
School’s Out: SC Marva Collins, Book 1 – I finally got it whipped into shape after almost three months of wrestling with it. I’m very pleased with the way it came together. Sorry to all the beta-reader hopefuls, but I tossed it over the fence to the editor already so we can get his train rolling.
Working Class: SC Marva Collins, Book 2 – I’ve finished a first damage assessment pass on it. Other than the opening chapter(s), which took a beating because Book 1 ended differently, it flows pretty well. I’ll be reserving an editor slot for this one for May, if Karen has one available.
Hard Knocks: SC Marva Collins, Book 3 – Waiting in the wings. This is the last book for this series. It’ll go under the microscope as soon as I finish with book 2.
All three of these new Ishmael books have already been contracted to Podium for the audio production and I have cover art in the works for all three.
The Wizard’s Cat is peeking through the window. I’ll be starting that (again) as soon as I’ve cleared these three Ishmael books off my desk.
What Am I Reading?
The March classic for my 2023 reading challenge was The Tale of Genji, a 1000 year old novel set in Japan. Stories haven’t changed much. Neither have people, I’m sorry to say.
I read a lot of really good books that you can find on my BookWyrm instance, but the one I want to recommend this month is Hexes and Hot Flashes by Lisa Manifold. [Transparency: I know Lisa personally. She’s another Colorado writer and we worked together with the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers for a number of years. In spite of that, I loved this book.]
The story centers around a mid-life ex-wife, Wynter Chastain, as so many paranormal women’s fiction stories do. Magic takes her unaware and leaves her with a massive problem, a new role in life, and a large, handsome man to help. If she can. It’s not a given that she’ll succeed, or even if she wants to.
Wynter and her friends – living and dead – help her as much as they can but it ultimately comes down to her.
Great characters. Great setting. Loved the story with all it’s twists and turns.
But – as always – don’t take my work for it. Grab yourself the sample and see what you think for yourselves.
Notes in the Margin:
You can find the other books that I read – and enjoyed – this month on my book review account on the Unseen City.
Looking Ahead
I feel like I’ve wrapped up the quarter with a bang. Cover art sorted, audio contracts signed, one book at the editor, another almost ready for the blue pencil. I’ve restarted Talking On My Morning Walk, even though it hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like.
I even took a few days last month to upgrade my main computer with new SSDs and shifted everything to Linux, leaving Windows behind. It feels like a new machine.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’m hoping to get Working Class ready for the editor and start combing out the tangles in Hard Knocks so that it’s ready when she can fit it in.
That will clear the deck for The Wizard’s Cat. For a one off, stand alone, just for the heck of it book, The Wizard’s Butler touched a nerve with a lot of people. I’m not complaining. I knew when I finished it that I would be back to Shackleford House sooner or later. I could wish it had been sooner, but cancer has a way of refocusing one’s priorities.
I still have a lot of medical check-ups, appointments, and the like ahead of me but, fingers crossed, we’ve put that trial behind us.
Until next month, crew. Safe voyage.
-N
Great to hear things are going well Sir, I just finished re-reading the solar clipper series last night (well, the ‘core’ 9+3 books at least), and I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Kind regards from the middle kingdom,
Keep on keepin’ on!
This was a really good update to read – you can hear the healing and optimism through your words. I can’t wait for what’s next 🙂
Wow, you really accomplished a ton of projects!!!
I am so ~happy~ to hear the news about the Wizard’s Cat. The Wizards Butler is one of my favorites, and I’m re-reading it for the third time now. Pls note, I rarely re-read books, so this is crazy 😉 fun stuff.
I may have missed early notes, but is SC Marva Collins named after https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marva_Collins and a teaching ship?
Yes, indeed.
The academy’s first training freighter.
What a wonderful update and what a busy month you’ve had. Sending positive wishes for your good health and happiness!
Can’t wait for some new Ishmael books!
I have been really busy since November and haven’t had time for anything, so when I read that you have a new series out, I was excited. Then you say all 3 of the Ishmael book are in? What? I wasn’t expecting any! This is fantastic! Nathan, I’d like you to know, you are doing a really great job. Thank you.
I wrote all three in a single file in late 2021. Started breaking them into individual books in early 2022 before the cancer thing happened. All work stopped while I focused on getting through that. The chemo brain took a toll for several months beyond but after fighting through it, I’m really enjoying being back in the trenches again.
Glad to see things are improving. Won’t lie, I’ve been worried. Looking forward to the new books.
Thanks.
Not gonna lie. I was a bit concerned myself. Still worried it might not be actually over. Once burned… as they say.
True, also nothing is ever over. But it’s all grist for the mill.
Be well, write lots.
Thank you for the books.
Fabulous news! Very intrigued and can’t wait for the both the ebook and audiobook. I listen to those during my car & air trips.
I am seriously, seriously tempted to do what you did and ditch the Win 11 on this ‘puter. I’ve got Mint on a secondary box…and because Win 11 is a nightmare, I’m VERY limited on what it can do. And most of it, I know I can do on Linux. I should check the last few things.
I’ll keep my WIn 10 box, as Win 10 still runs older games, and one never knows, there’s a lot of stuff out there that’s Windows only.
So my spring reading is locked up, huh? Whhheeeee!!!!!
Cap’n,
Great news…just finished your Course Corrections newsletter…and I’ve gotta ask (although I know I’ll probably have something thrown at me): got a release date for “School’s Out”? Inquiring minds want to know…and want to plan their spring reads 🙂
Thanks for the updates…glad things are going better…
No release date yet. I’m still waiting on cover art and have no delivery date for those atm.
I’m still working through book 3. When I get that done, I’ll start formatting and getting the books ready to go once I get some cover art to wrap them in.
I’ll let you know when they’ll be available as soon as they’re available. 😀
May I ask for what and how you’re using Linux in your day to day? I do this myself as a software developer (Using Ubuntu’s Long Term Support version as that’s what we use on the production hardware) as for the lion’s share of my job it makes things much easier due to tooling compatibility, but I’m fascinated by the idea of its use in less technical and more general purpose verticals.
Firefox for the web-based stuff like Mastodon, WriteFreely, BookWyrm, 4thewords, etc
LibreOffice handles all my word/number processing needs.
Liferea is my feed reader at the moment.
Slack and Zoom work fine.
GIMP for Images
VLC for music
Just started using ObsidianMD for my note-taking/note-making. It keeps a daily planner keyed off a task list. It also olds my story bible details and organizes my daily haiku.
I play Ark Survival Evolved when I want to unwind. Works fine through Steam.
My typical day starts with opening the daily note and working through a “morning maintenance routine.” I check of the standard set of tasks that need attention. Then shift to the work schedule of writing, editing, walking, podcasting, etc. I sometimes have extra tasks that need doing – taking out the trash, paying estimated taxes, doctor appointments. The daily note picks them up and posts them for me so I know what I need to do that day.
For the podcast I use Audacity to edit the raw audio that comes off my phone. Kid3-qt to tag the posts. gftp to upload them. (that’s on a separate machine that’s been running Linux since I got it a decade or more ago.)
The only hold up for me not moving to All-Linux earlier was testing whether or not I could play my game. With the SteamDeck gaining popularity, a lot of the Steam games are being ported over. Once I proved that I could keep playing, the rest was just swapping drives and installing a distro. (I picked Mint/Cinnamon)
Thanks for taking time to sate my curiosity. Steam on Linux is really a game changer, no pun intended.
I’m a little late to the show…..
Just started listening to The Wizards Butler from a recommendation on another authors Facebook. I am loving it! The audible reader is perfect! I truly hope to read more of Shackleford house!
I’m so happy you’re getting better! I know from personal experience with my sweet hubby that cancer changes you physically in ways you can’t predict! It’s all precious life!
You reeled me in with Tanith and The Wizard’s Butler.
I’m happy to hear that the Wizard’s Cat is still expected at some point.
Thank you!
Glad you’re doing well & really looking forward to the new books. So I’ve been rereading Smugglers & Seekers and am wondering: is there a post somewhere explaining the Port Lumineux discrepancy re Pip and Chief Stevens?
One of those in explicable circumstances that’s hidden by the nature of Pip’s relationship with Port Lumineux. While he visited many times, he did not grow up there.