Status Updates:

Very little has changed but maybe spring is in the air. I'm feeling genuine optimism. At least about writing.

What's Next:

The Wizard's Cat​
The ice is slowly melting. It's still a long way from where I want it to be but it gets closer every day.

Future Ishmael​
Still a "yes." Also still "later."

Tanyth Fairport​
Unchanged. Still on the back burner.

What I'm Reading:

It's not just the writing ice that seems to be melting. I've had an early spring flood of reading for the last week or so. Sorry, it's not space opera, but Eric Ugland's The Good Guys series has kept me reading almost non-stop for days.

First some caveats. The main character swears. A lot. Like a 14 year old who just discovered the F-bomb and "yer mom" jokes. Also, violence. So much violence executed with almost slap-stick glee.

And yet, I laugh regularly while reading. Well, maybe chuckle a lot. It's almost absurdist in its over-the-top presentation of this crunchy, isekai litRPG tale of a drug dealing thug from Detroit who gets sucked into a fantasy world where he has to manage his stats and levels while dealing with people and monsters constantly trying to kill him, the various political entities who want to control him, and the odd deity who might just be inter-planar network executives.

Honestly, this is so far away from anything I'd write - except that the story hinges on this poor schmuck dragged into a world where he has to build a city in the wilderness and lead (or drag) his people into a world that's better than the one he left.

I'm sucking it up with a straw.

But, as always, perhaps grab a sample to see what you think.

Looking Ahead:

I'm still working. I had an epiphany recently that the problems all started when I started thinking in terms of "consistency" and "productivity."

Way back when I started this journey, I just wrote for the love of seeing the story emerge from the blank screen. For the sake of having something to read for the podcast because it was fun to do. Those were the 10,000 word days. They were long days but at the end of it, unlike playing games, I had stories to share. Not exactly "concrete" things but still something, if only flights of fancy.

Then I tried getting serious and, honestly, that's when things went awry.

So I'm trying to have fun again. To unlearn some of the bad habits that crept in while I wasn't paying attention to what really mattered.

The story, however it might emerge. Binge writing. Breaks between books. Unpredictable in execution and yet satisfying in ways I have no words for.

I think I've decided I don't need those words. I can take satisfaction in the story.

Since then, I've written a lot more. Fingers crossed, it continues.

Until next month, safe voyage.

-NL

Remember ​
I update the blog every month on the first so if you're wondering what's happening, you can check there to get an interim report until the next one shows up in your inbox.

Beta Readers:

Every so often, I put out a call for beta readers. These are people who are willing to read the work in progress in a short period of time with only the briefest of notices.

I'm going to be fine tuning this process going forward but if you'd like to be considered for future works, then click this link.
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​It puts a tag on your address in the email list. You don't have to check anything. The ConvertKit people (who store the addresses) will handle it and then take you to a page to tell you that your preferences have been set. By clicking that link you're done.

And thanks.

Fine Tuning:

Would you prefer to get ONLY new release notices?YES, PLEASE​

Note: Newsletter people will get New Release notices, too, but
I've had several people say they preferred to only hear from me when I
release a new book so I'm trying to accommodate them.
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