Winter, Part Deux

Our winter turned into something quite atypical as the weeks went by.  Very little snow, and very high average temperatures (as things go).  Right now it's early March, about 8C and raining, so that's unusual.  Or maybe it's the new 'usual'.  In any event, we're not frozen solid and there's nothing to shovel and/or scrape, so that's nice.

Writing is moving along very well.  The first book of the new trilogy is at 55000 words and counting.  I'm thinking the final count will come in somewhere around 90000, but from book to book I've been pretty consistently wrong on estimating that sort of thing.

In other news, I've recently joined (rejoined?) a local dungeons & dragons club for adults, and I'm looking forward to it more than I expected.  Last month was my first time attending, and I had a blast introducing the team to their new friend: Hiram Redleaf, the cleric who has had it up to here with his deity.  He's not even a religious person, as halflings go.  He thinks the gods are a bunch of thugs and bullies.  But at the same time, he's not an idiot: when a god tells you to do something, well, religious person or not, you do it.  I'm looking forward to providing updates on his adventures, assuming he doesn't get smited (smitten?) or otherwise falls victim to misadventure.  Three cheers for bad choices!

Yay, winter.

I'm not really the sort that loves winter sports.  Unless you count 'shovelling snow' or 'scraping the ice off the windshield', in which case... no, wait, I don't really love that either.  I suppose the right person could convince me to try tubing or snowshoeing or skiing, as long as when I'm done I have ready access to (a) drinks, (b) a fireplace, and (c) an ambulance.

Instead, I've been spending the winter so far surrounded by books.  I work part-time at the local libary, which has been great.  The patrons (and the staff, for that matter) are the most delightful collection of smart, friendly, and eccentric people.  

When I'm not there (and not shovelling/scraping/etc.) I'm locked away in my hovel, scribbling furiously away at the new series.  I'm 35000 words into the first book (so maybe halfway?) and it's going great.  It's the first draft, so naturally it's still quite rough and/or incoherent, but pages are filling up at comfortable pace.  Some new (and old) characters are starting to shine, and I'm having fun getting to know them.

For those of you who love winter, boy, are you in luck around here.  Go out and enjoy yourself.  When you get back, the drinks will be cold, the fire will have gone out, and the ambulance won't start.  But that's the magic of winter.  Isn't it?

 

Sitting Outside the Principal's Office

Okay, so it's been a hot minute since I was last in a high school, sitting outside the principal's office.  But that's where I was this morning.

I was at St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School over in Tottenham, not far from the Compound, waiting for a student to come and escort me upstairs.  I was thinking how strangely familiar it was: the sights and sounds of the office, and of the students coming in to hesitantly ask something of the office staff.  A tardy slip; a broken padlock from a locker; a missing wallet.  

I didn't have long to wait; two students came to get me.  I'd been invited to speak to the Grade 12 'Writer's Craft' class about writing because I am, apparently, an 'expert'.  That's not something I've ever thought about myself.  

But there I was, at the front of Mrs. McCabe's class, nervous as hell, introducing myself and starting to talk about writing.  About world-building and character building, and how to finish the first draft at all costs, and how to work with that first draft to (slowly) turn it into gold.

My nerves slowly faded away, and I think I connected with some students who showed genuine interest.  Some others were, as I once was, just high school students waiting for lunch.  I remember that feeling, too.

Hopefully, some of them found something useful in what I was talking about; I reinforced my points by giving a handout (with shameless self-promotion on the back, as suggested).  If even one of those students pushes through and finishes their own creation because of something I said, then the day was a huge success!

Thanks again to Mrs. McCabe and the class!  It was great meeting you all!

What Comes Next

Here at the Compound, it's been an unusually hot and dry September, and the start of October is looking to be much the same.  It's the time of year when the wildlife starts looking for somewhere warm and safe to spend the winter; right now, I'm pretty sure I can hear something snoring inside the wall.  It might just be a particularly loud-sleeping squirrel, but I'm not sure.  I mean, it might be a rhinoceros, for all I know.  I'll have to keep an eye out for horn-holes poked in the siding.

The new trilogy has been out for a while, and thank you to everyone who has enjoyed it so far.  I've received some great feedback, as well as some questions about what comes next.

What's next is another trilogy.  I've had a few ideas for a while, and they're starting to come together into a coherent (for me) plan.  We'll be following a little while after the events of Salvation & Sacrifice, seeing what Mell (and other people) get up to next.  There will be some new characters coming to join the story, and some big events are lined up that will (ideally) spin everything out of control.

It's going to take a while to get the outline finished up -- hopefully by the end of October or thereabouts -- and after that I'll get started on the actual writing, which will probably take a year or more.

Of course, everything is subject to change (isn't it always?) and I'll pop back in here from time to time to update what's going on.

'Salvation & Sacrifice' is now available!

I'm not sure how, but it's August already!  And that means it's time for the third installment of the 'What Was Lost' trilogy.  Two versions are available in the Amazon store: a paperback made of, well, paper, and an e-book made of lovely bits of data. (clicky)

While this concludes the introductory story of Jan & Mell (and company), we haven't heard the last of them.  I'm already working on the next story, where we'll find out what happens next.  Stay tuned!

Thanks again to everyone who has picked up a copy and enjoyed the story, and for all the support.  You're awesome!

Is it me, or is the sun a bit closer today?

 

 

'Corruption & Meltdown' is now available!

Happy Canada Day!  It's July already!  That means the second book in the 'What Was Lost' trilogy is now available.  The e-book and paperback versions are ready to go in the Amazon store.  (clicky)

I'm delighted at the reception the first book Heresy & Hyperspace has received, and hope everyone enjoys the next part of the story.  

The story will conclude with Salvation & Sacrifice, which is ready for launch on August 1st!

Why not visit Oxide Flats this year?

'Heresy & Hyperspace' is now available!

With the arrival of June, the release of the three-part 'What Was Lost' trilogy has begun.

The first book, Heresy & Hyperspace, has just gone live on Amazon.  The e-book version should be available right away, and the paperback version will follow in a day or two.

I hope you have a chance to come along with Jan and the people he meets on his adventure.  Have fun!

Come visit Pillar.  It's lovely this time of year.