How are we already at the end of November? It’s not possible to consider 2024 is this close to a reality. Thanks for joining me on another writing update where I didn’t finish half of what I was hoping to.
Here we go.
Writing Update
Greystone 7
The draft for Errant Knight is DONE. I finished at the start of the month, hoping to jump right into the edit. Then life crashed hard. No-school November is a terrible month for me work-wise. I love my kids to death, but holy hell do they need to have a full week of school!
Anyway, the draft is fantastic. Right up there with some of my favorite Soriya/Loren adventures of the past. I’m going to read through it this week and start the cleanup process. Hoping to close out the book by the end of the year, which would be the perfect present to wrap up 2023.
Something New for the Writing Update?
Wait. You didn’t have time to jump into your edit, but you started work on a new series?
Yeah. My stupid brain disobeyed orders yet again. Finishing up Errant Knight somehow opened the floodgates in this wacky head of mine. I woke up out of a dead sleep with a fully developed series I’ve been calling Covenant for the moment. It’s urban fantasy fun and I’ve already scripted the first short story–a Christmas Adventure of all things–that I’m hoping to draft for next holiday season. It has a ton of potential, so I did take a few days to flesh out the world, including two great supporting characters and an origin story for our hero. It’s going to be a blast to build out this series when I can.
Where do we go from here?
Once Errant Knight is set, my publishing schedule is planned out through 2025, if you can believe that. I’ve been going back and forth with myself–because who else would put up with me at this point–about what to work on next. The smart move, and the initial plan, was to start Greystone 8 immediately so I can close out the series by the end of 2024.
Then I started reading the proofs for DSA Season Two and the next books started filtering through my thoughts. Ben and Morgan keep whispering in my ear for the next chunk of their tale to be told.
Of course, so are Nate and Aeris in my sci-fi space opera series, Red Epsilon. I went to Lil-Con in Lockport last weekend and brought Book One of that series. I wanted a refresher on the scripts I finished back in 2021, because I’m dying to live in that world for a little while.
The voices have been getting louder. Should I be worried?
The sky’s the limit for drafting next year to make as many of these books a reality. Whether that means simply drafting and editing later on, or jumping from one series to another, remains to be seen. I’m sure I’ll still be debating it come the first of the year. (Only a month away?! Crap!)
Reading List
All comics again for me lately. It helps me when it comes to dialogue, and the bite-size chunks are a nice escape when I’m drowning in work, or kids, or life in general.
This month has been B.P.R.D. central. Mike Mignola is an unparalleled talent. The level of world-building and the growth of the cast amidst the supernatural threats against them has been a treat to enjoy. I’m in the middle of the Hell on Earth saga and can’t wait to see where things go next. I’d be remiss in not mentioning John Arcudi on the writing side as well as Guy Davis, Tyler Crook, and so many other wonderful artists on the series.
That’s it for the updates in 2023!
Happy reading.
