October was not my finest hour. Or even a good week. Mostly it boiled down to distress over The Wizard’s Cat.
Status
New Ishmael
I haven’t made any progress on getting those three books polished up. It’s been a struggle to get anything done at all.
The Wizard’s Cat
I had about a third of a novel written on this. I chipped away at it, throwing words at the page for days at a time only to get to the point where I realized none of it was working. I closed the file and went back to the drawing board. It took NaNoWriMo to get me off the starting blocks again, but I’ve kept up with it so far. It’s only day 3 so we’ll see how well this goes.
Audio
I need to light a fire on the next two Tanyth audio editions. They’re not available in the stores and it’s all my fault.
Talking On My Morning Walk
I think I walked twice in October. Now it’s November and I haven’t been out yet this month. Perhaps today. It’s still dark here and I don’t know if it’s still raining. Long time listeners will know I have these fallow periods where I don’t get myself moving. They’re usually related to the periods where I’m not very productive. It’s a problem. I’m working on it.
What Am I Reading?
After a couple of the Foreign Sorcerer books, I’m back into litRPG. Andrew Brooks’s Station Core series takes the alien abduction trope and layers it onto GameLit. Our intrepid hero is plucked from his desperate life as an elite gamer and stuffed into an alien construct that looks like a game. It’s an interesting take and unfolds nicely.
It’s been a particularly interesting take for me because I’ve been able to take a mental step back from the actual story to look at the components that make it compelling for me. I’m attracted to the progression, the way the story builds as Milton grows. The way he makes mistakes and overlooks things that come back to bite him. It’s helped remind me of what I like most about Ishmael’s saga. It’s given me some headspace to let new stories seep in.
Maybe grab a sample and see what you think.
Looking Ahead
If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you already know two significant things happened last month.
The first was my birthday. I turned 69 (nice). The second was that my therapist retired. For the first time in a decade, I’m no longer in therapy. I’m not sure how much those two factors lie at the root of my issues last month but November is off to a marginally better start. I’m keeping up with the NaNoWriMo schedule so far and I like this new take on the Wizard’s Cat story. If I can get my boots on and get out to walk again, things should pick up and even out.
The message I want to leave you with is that even at the best of times – which none of this is – progress isn’t constant. Just like anybody else, there are days or weeks or months when just getting up and taking sustenance seems like a win. October, which is usually my best month, wasn’t that great this year.
Here’s to looking forward to a better month in November. Now all I need to do is actually do it.
Safe voyage.
It’s interesting that October is usually your best month. It’s a time of transition for me, and my lack of productivity and drive surprises me every year (some things I’ll just never learn). I hope that November is better and it was nice to see this post today!
Sorry to hear it’s been hard, Nathan. Happy Birthday and take it easy on yourself. Or light fires- whatever helps most. And write what you want to be writing- it’s all been great so far.
Its tough when a therapist retires. Been there. Sympathies.
Happy belated birthday, Nathan. I’m turning 55 today and wondering about where it all went. I have nothing to show for it. You have done so much and still have so much to do. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Please. Hugs.
YOU are what matters — do good things for yourself and be well, please. The writing will follow. Or not. I’m totally grateful for the books you’ve written, and while I’d love to have more, I also think that the totality of your oeuvre is already enough to be quite proud of.
That Darn Cat! I am looking forward sequel to Wizards Butler but that was such a wonderful surprise when it came out that if it doesn’t happen no worries. There are always surprises around the corner. I will leave you with two quotes that will hopefully bring a smile the first from the movie: My Man Godfrey ( 1936):
Godfrey: Mike, I wouldn’t worry. Prosperity’s just around the corner.
Mike: Yeah. It’s been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner. Well Duke, I’m gonna turn in. Bon soir.
There are a lot better ones from the movie when I need a smile I find a quote page and smile fondly.
The second was the last words spoken by Harlan Ellison when he ended his host duties of the radio show Hour 25, “The Universe will provide.”
Hi Nathan,
It may feel as though Winter is already on you, but that means Spring is due all the sooner.
Like Charlie, I’m grateful for what you’ve written.
Anything new will always be savoured.
Take care of yourself, while we very much enjoy what you write, that is merely the introduction to you as a person, we cant know you deeply of course, but we still are concerned what you go through.
Just wanted to let you know I found so much comfort in your books. They’re brilliant! Good luck with all your work and getting into the groove again. Greetings from Norway
Hello Nathan
Are you going to voice-read the Tanyth audio editions or are you going to have someone do the reading?
No. Veronica Gigguere has done the audio.
I just need to get them loaded up correctly.
I suppose we should send you some brownies. 🙂 I did bake them, but I ate them all. Whoops!!!
Love the stories and the blog posts. May the soft sunshine warm your face and bring smiles your way.
Dear Mr. Lowell:
Since perhaps the age of 9 or 10, science fiction has been my genre of choice, but I was forced at an early age to branch out into other sorts of fiction and non-fiction; my mother taught me to read at age 5, right after I got my first glasses, ( largely in self defence) and I was taught to speed read at age 7 in first grade. I have no idea how many books I have read in my life, but the total surely numbers in the high thousands, perhaps ten thousand or more. At only one book a week, that would mean over 3 thousand, and It is a rare week I don’t read 2 or 3 books. I have had periods where I’d find a new series or author, and read 10 or more in a week.
This not by way of bragging or boasting, but simply to explain that my experience as a reader is
broad. Your work has a gentle, deft touch, limnning the characters you create and the stories that they have to tell in a way unlike any other author I have ever read. You have a gift, a knack for telling stories, somewhat akin to Bujold, or Zelazny, but distinct. “The Wizard’s Butler” was a master’s work, and the Ishmael novels rival Heinlein’s juveniles.
If I may make so bold as to offer you advice: let the story happen. Do not make the story happen, let the story happen. It will come when it is time for it to come, and not before; it will sneak up on you if you are not relentlessly pursuing it. Take joy in the seasons as they pass, cherish the world around you, and be of good cheer, for every day that passes brings you closer to your next master-work. I will wait, for I am confident that my patience will be rewarded.
With warm and patient regards to you and all who serve the Light,
H
Nate,
Hang in there Brother. I have enjoyed reading your work and I hope you have many more stories to share. I am sad to see you struggle. I am not a writer but I definitely have struggles of my own and am constantly finding myself in a rut. Reading has been my favorite escape since my father started reading Tolkien to me when I was five and I sometimes find myself spending way to much time with my nose in a book while putting off things that I need to do for work or for fun. I start every morning with a cup of coffee and a book. The critical point for me every morning is where I force myself to set the book down and clean the kitchen or make myself exercise. It seems like once I start doing stuff I just can’t stop and surprise myself at the end of the day by how much I have been able to accomplish. I believe Nick Rowe once said something about small victories that applies a lot to every day life. If I remember correctly I may have read a parallel theme in some of your work.
I had to hang my cape up a few years ago and a large part of my identity along with it. Our struggles may not be the same but the struggle is real.
Thank you for the work you do.
De Oppresso Liber
Oppressors Beware