Status Updates:

Progress. Slow. Halting at times, but progress.

What's Next:

The Wizard's Cat​
Paperback is out. The Cat has been shown to his new bed and box. Time to dig into the Wizard's Next.

Future Ishmael​
Will Ishmael pull me out of Shackleford House? Will I finally look at doing something else with the Toe-Holds? Will I throw caution to the wind? No. Actually, I'm living at Shackleford House for the foreseeable future.

Future Tanyth Fairport​
Same with Tanyth.

What I'm Reading:

I've been pretty consistent with my reading over the last month. About 22 hours a week. Eleven titles. Aside from samples, almost all fantasy of some flavor this month. Jon Kiln's Old Man's series being the only exception, a runner up to the featured series - Towerbound.

I've seen this show up on various litrpg ratings graphics but it never really grabbed my attention. I fell into it when I rolled off the end of Griznak's Devon Coal books.

I'm so glad I did.

The conceit in this apparently bog standard poor boy makes good in an immersive VR game is that Ren Varrow is given a "second chance" by virtue of his skill and knowledge as an alchemist.

What he learns, changes his view of the world and sends him back in time to just before the game's release.

As usual, hijinks ensue.

Great characters. Fun world-building. Slightly terrifying.

But don't take my word for it. Go snag a sample and see for yourself.

Looking Ahead:

I'm making progress on the Wizard's Next. I'm not sure what "Next" means but it'll become clearer once I get further into the story.

Over the last few weeks I've been trying to find the opening pages. The portal that takes me back to Shackleford House. While the Cat was fun, it still left me with the feeling that I wanted more from that story than I got.

That was weighing me down.

I tried forcing it. Just sitting down and trying to be clever. To find the path by bashing down some bushes and peering around trees. No surprise that it didn't work.

I remembered that my bedrock has always been "write what happens next." I'd lost track of that. Too much time spent writing what's happening now. Not enough fun happening. Sluggish. Sloggy. So what-y.

So I threw it out and started over.

It's too soon to claim victory but the battle has been joined and I'm grinning like a loon.

I should know more by this time next month. Until then, 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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