Six months behind me. Six months ahead. A good place to take stock on how the year’s going.

Status

School Days (Marva Collins Book 1) is out in ebook and paper. I pushed a typo correction out a couple of weeks ago but it’s not clear whether or not it has registered with Amazon. Podium says the Audible edition should be available Sep 15.

Working Class (Marva Collins Book 2) is out on ebook and paper as of today. Podium has the manuscript. No word on availability.

Hard Knocks (Marva Collins Book 3) is back from the editor. I have yet to get through all the edits. This one was a bit rough. I’m expecting cover art mid month.

The Wizard’s Cat is on the word processor. It’s taking a while for me to get it settled down but I think I have a solid story. At least in my mind. Getting it all on the page? Yeah. Still working on it. I’ve got an editor slot reserved but getting the manuscript ready for her? Yeah.

What Am I Reading?

I haven’t picked a classic for the month yet. Might go with H G Wells.

Just finished John Wilker’s Any Job Will Do – a fun read with a serious Firefly vibe, but my recommendation is book 1 in a fantasy series, A J Lancaster’s Lord of Stariel.

The main character Hetta Valstar has a serious problem when her father dies. Over and above the loss of a parent, the estate needs a new lord. Hetta has to return to the family home, leaving her career and lifestyle behind to return to what promises to be just another bucolic ramble.

Yeah. Hijinks, as they say, ensue.

Loved the characters. Loved the setting. I’m reading book 2 right now because I needed to know what happened next.

As always, don’t take my word for it. Maybe grab a sample and see what you think.

Notes in the Margins:
I read a lot over the course of the month. I review many of them on my BookWyrm account at The Unseen City.

Looking Ahead

This year has been one of the most productive I’ve ever had. I owe a lot of it to work that I did in 2021 that got sidelined by 2022. Another big piece is that last year gave me a reset point. It’s a rare opportunity to re-imagine – and then build – the kind of life I want to live.

Thanks to all of you and the support you continue to give my work, I’m in a position where I can do that.

I don’t have any big plans for works beyond The Wizard’s Cat other than to take a couple of weeks off from writing to give my brain a chance to regroup. I need to let the well refill, as they say.

I’ll continue to write my daily haiku. Continue the morning walks. Continue working on my mindfulness.

And I’ll probably play a few games, just to see what stories my brain might tell me when I give it a chance to talk to me.

Until next month, safe voyage.