I didn’t go near the keyboard between Christmas and the end of the first week of January. I’ve been back since then trying to finish the next book in the Cruel Stars series.
I’m enjoying the work, and it’s flowing well, but I feel a bit like I’m swirling in the Second Book shallows. I’m starting to understand these as I get older. The first book in a series is always great fun because it’s an origin story. The last book is great fun because everyone gets what they deserve.
But that difficult middle title? That’s always difficult.
In this case I had a pretty complicated plot that I eventually stripped back to a much simpler story arc. But even so I’m well into the finale of this thing and the chapters just seem to stretch out ahead of me. I’m managing 2000-3000 words a day, which is cool. But even though there’s lots of stuff blowing up and people dying, it always feels like a big stretch to the end.
Hoping I can wrap it up this week. So are the publishers.
Of course, no sooner had I settled back to the ‘puter than Brisneyland went into a little lockdown thanks to the UK variant coronavirus escaping containment from a quarantine hotel.
That spiced things up a little, but only for a while.
For me the main result of that has been losing gym access. They closed for the hard lockdown, and I’m not much interested in doing cardio with a mask so I’ve been working out from home again.
S’orright, I guess. I’ve still got a pretty good set up here. Although it is a bit gnarly exercising in the heat and humidity. I’ve been doing a few of the Apple Fitness+ workouts and have decided I love it so much I want to go live in the Apple Fitness+ trainer share house.
Beyond that?
A busy year looms. Zero Day Code and Fail State both come off their Audible-exclusive periods, so I can do them as ebooks and print on demand. I got the rights reverted for Felafel and Tassie Babes, so I’m pondering what to do with them. There’s the Cruel Stars to finish. World 3.1 and 3.2 to get out. And a couple of other projects – enough that I should really cross the border and get myself thrown into Covid Jail for a couple of weeks uninterrupted writing time.
Hey Stephen. I submitted the final ms a couple of months ago, and have been paid for it. But I haven't heard back about a release date. I think I'm gonna have to ask.
I was just thinking that you're smashing through your shallows quite well at the moment, but then I'm judging your output and not the angst that produced it 😂
The latest trilogy sat until I was prodded by certain Australian types...so I owe much thanks. I'm running a little behind schedule, but I hope to have Book Three done by the end of March. Then what happens with it- who knows.
What's the state of play with the third Zero Day Code audiobook John? Great, if uncomfortably prescient, series that.
Hey Stephen. I submitted the final ms a couple of months ago, and have been paid for it. But I haven't heard back about a release date. I think I'm gonna have to ask.
"Second book shallows." Awesome!
Love that phrase!
Yeah, as you know I'm in the same "shallows" at the moment, too.
I was just thinking that you're smashing through your shallows quite well at the moment, but then I'm judging your output and not the angst that produced it 😂
The latest trilogy sat until I was prodded by certain Australian types...so I owe much thanks. I'm running a little behind schedule, but I hope to have Book Three done by the end of March. Then what happens with it- who knows.