Red, White, and Rue

July 2, 2013 by Nathan Lowell 18 Comments

Happy summer, everybody in the northern hemisphere. It never ceases to amaze me that I need to qualify that kind of greeting because some of you are in the throes of winter. For you winter isn’t coming, it’s here. Bundle up! 🙂

I’m currently hiding in the cool cellar of my home, closeted with the word processor and trying to get this contract job off my desk.

So far, I’m now on the fourth start–appropriate for the Fourth of July–but hardly conducive to actually finishing it. I was actually hoping to get Double Share and Captain’s Share released by now, but I don’t feel right about publishing my own work when I have a contract job overdue. Sorry about that.

Here’s the news in brief:

Medical:
The good news: I’m getting new glasses next week. The eye surgeries went very well. It’s odd to look into the mirror now and actually see my own eyes clearly. Before, I had to wear glasses to see them–which obscured them. Now, well, I was able to get the “corrective lenses” restriction removed from my driver’s license. Now I just need some spectacles that match the implanted lenses.

The bad news: My arthritis is kicking up. I’m not sure if it’s just a resurgence of my diagnosed strain or if I’m now developing a different flavor of pain. Medications help with the inflammation but don’t do much for my ability to focus.

Psych: The stress related depression is abating slowly. Last weekend was the graveside service for my sister who passed in mid-winter. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn about it until the last minute and was unable to get a flight east. I had my own small memorial here and now it’s time to move on. Thanks for all the good wishes.

Publishing: If you’re of the Nook or Kobo persuasion, keep an eye on those stores. I’ve established my direct publication account there and started easing the backlist up there as time allows. Sooner or later I’ll be up to date and will be publishing to those venues at the same time as Kindle. No, I will not be publishing through Smashwords. I might be publishing to Apple through Direct2Digital–the jury’s still out.

New Narrations: I’ve posted two new (to me) links for recent narration work–one from last November and one from this week. I did the “Observation Post” story by Alan M. Steele so long ago I’ve almost forgotten it. It was a good story and I was honored to read it. You can find that over on Star Ship Sofa. Crime City Central posted my reading of “Blue Murder” – another story I recorded back in the dark ages of last year. There are some others in the hopper and I’ll post them as I see them.

In the next week or two, a radio play I contributed my voice to should be released. The final mixdowns and renderings are coming along. As a full cast audio production, it had to have been a lot of work. I’ll let you know when I see it come up.

That’s about it from here. Remember that I post a daily (almost) podcast for those who want to know more about what I’m thinking and doing from day to day. I’m trying to be more consistent with that after a bit of a choppy winter and spring. Find out more at Talking On My Morning Walk.

That’s all for now. Safe voyage.

Hearts and Flowers

February 17, 2013 by Nathan Lowell 11 Comments

It’s been too long since I left an update on publication status here. I forget that not everybody follows Talking on My Morning Walk nor does everyone check Solar Clipper or Lammas Wood.

So on this weekend after Valentine’s Day please accept my apologies … and this status update.

Covers:
I now have them for all the books that are currently written. They should appear here as the new titles get re-released. It’s taking longer than I’d hoped.

Re-releases:
Full Share has been at Amazon for a week waiting on ebook review. It’s only supposed to take twenty-four hours but they haven’t told me there’s a problem and there’s nothing I can do until that clears. Half Share and Quarter Share are already out and Double Share has been edited. It’s just waiting for me to wade through the copyedits and fix them. I’ve got that on a schedule for March. Fingers crossed.

New Releases:
Captain’s Share has been back from the editor for a couple of weeks now, but I haven’t been able to get to it to get the changes made. That’s on the schedule for April. Owner’s Share hasn’t been to the editor yet. It’ll be awhile before that’s ready but mid-summer is not out of the question.

South Coast has a cover as well, but needs editing. Haven’t been able to get that to the top of the pile yet.

Project Pile:
I’ve got a bunch of projects that are moving now. I’ve just finished a narration for Crime City Central and have another one for Protecting Project Pulp in my audio editor. I’ve got a couple more small pieces that I’ve promised people.

The podcast of Zypheria’s Call is on the schedule for release on the vernal equinox. It should be eligible for the Parsec competition this year but won’t be if I don’t get it done. I missed having a book in the running last year. I don’t want that to happen again.

I’ve got a novella promised to Scott Sigler for his Galactic Football League series — The Gangster. It’s the story of Greedok the Splithead and I’m really looking forward to having a little fun with this.

Looking forward:
The last book in the first Tanyth Fairport series — The Hermit of Lammas Wood — is next on the block. I’m shooting for a Summer Solstice release on that to wrap up the first series featuring Tanyth. I suspect there will be more work set in her universe.

Cape Grace – the much promised sequel to South Coast — is next on the schedule and I’m *really* looking forward to digging into this one. I’ve learned a lot since I wrote that book and I think Otto and Sarah will surprise a lot of people.

After that, we’re back into the next Ishmael Wang stories. I’ve been banging ideas together to see where sparks fly and I think it’s going to be fun. Ishmael has some unfinished business in the Deep Dark and those who’ve wanted him to meet up with some of the Lois McKendrick crew will get your wish.

There’s also the matter of more stories in Odin’s Outpost. That kinda got set out there and left. It’s still one of the more popular stories I’ve published and I think I may try to sandwich a bit of criminal activity in between the other books. We’ll have to see how things go.

Looking backward:
There are reasons that the progress hasn’t been as fast or as regular as it might have been. When I got the titles back from Ridan in November, I thought it would be easily handled and re-issued with new books out by Christmas.

Didn’t happen. In this case, it’s all on me. No fingers to point. No excuses. I just didn’t get it done.

Several things have happened in the last few weeks that have allowed me to get back on the horse and start riding along the trail once more. Chief among these was the passing of my younger sister. She lost a two year battle with cancer on January 31 and, with her passing, a very difficult period is drawing to a close. I’ll be flying to Maine for the interment ceremony in the spring when the ground thaws. She was a remarkable person, my sister Laurie. Some of her lives on in Tanyth Fairport and much more lives on in my heart. I’m comforted knowing that she’s come to the end of her journey and beyond the pain. As her burdens have been lain to rest, now I find that I’m looking forward to picking up my own again with renewed enthusiasm.

Thank you:
I’m grateful for all of you who’ve been waiting — patiently and otherwise — for the next steps in the saga. Without you none of this would be possible. Here’s to a brighter tomorrow and many more stories.