Status Updates:

I had high hopes for high word counts by now.

What's Next:

The Wizard's Next Thing​
While the word counts aren't there, the movie in my head has started playing. It's more like a one real, black and white silent film at the moment but it's more narrative than I had before.

The Wizard's Cat​
The audio edition has dropped.
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​Everything Else​
​No changes. ​I still want to get back to the Deep Dark. Still want to revisit Tanyth. Still want to work with EJ to get back to the steppes.

What I'm Reading:

Doing a lot of catch up with next-in-the-series but I felt the need for something different. I found it.

At first blush, The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening seems pretty innocuous. It has that cozy cover feel, completely lacking in anything dark or mysterious.

And it is. Completely lacking in dark and mysterious.

What it has is some of the wry-est, driest humor that I've read in a long, long while.

Dante Reid, the titular retired assassin, finds himself immersed in small town life and enmeshed in situations that don't yield to a silenced shot in the dark of night or a quick stiletto's thrust. He's trying to keep up his AA (Assassin's Anonymous) good standing even if he has to remind himself how many days it's been since he killed anyone.

Naomi Kuttner has created a beautifully developed cast of characters in a town that I kinda want to live in. Some funny. Some not. Every one as real as you might find walking down the street where you live.

But don't take my word for it. Maybe grab a sample and see for yourself.

Looking Ahead:

We've had some hot days here on the high plains. 100F at mid afternoon and only cooling to the mid 60s at night. The land doesn't shed heat as quickly as it gains so we're looking at a rising graph.

Luckily my office is in a cool basement and I try not to spend too much time out if it.

The story is coming together. A disparate collection of ideas keeps jockeying for position but I'm really grateful that I've take some extra time to let things come together without feeling like I've forced them to happen just for the sake of putting something--anything--down on the page.

As Alton Brown used to say: "Your patience will be rewarded."

Fingers crossed

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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