I Missed A Whole Year!

Wow. I did. Where the hell did 2016 go? Seriously.

I spent most of last year in a sort of weird fug. Aimless, adrift, muttering WTF many times to myself (and not in the abbreviated way). My writing, for the first half sort of fizzled and disintegrated and I sat in a daze wondering what to do next. All my contracts with the publishers had come to an end. My books were back at me and just sitting there staring at me.

It had been an goal of mine to re-edit the Lancaster Trilogy for some time, so I started tackling them in order. It consumed most of 2016. When I wasn't doing that, I went back, headfirst and with blinders on, back to my painting. I painted and painted and it kind of revived me. Focused me on what to do next.

Self-publishing, the ultimate goal.

The latter half of 2016 was me just diving in and ploughing on. Mapping out a plan, a course of action, checking off my to-do list and (amazingly) getting through. It gave me hope that 2017 was going to be the year I take flight and publish on my ownsome.

And now here we are. 2017. January is almost done and I've checked off more stuff on that list. One of them, to re-release the Jax Marlin - To Catch A Marlin novel with a shiny rebrand and teeny title change. As of this morning, I'd checked of yet another item on the list: Upload Marlin to Kindle. Check!

So there you have, folks. In a few days, my book will go live again! Stay tuned. 2017 will be a rollercoaster ride!

Cheers!

Happy New Year!!

I thought I'd better make a post before January went into its second week, and the year got away from me, like it usually does.

I've resolved not to make resolutions -- on a personal level. On a writing level, my list is long. Right at the top of the list, still looming like a bad taste, revision and revising of Bengaria's War. The beast needs to be done with itself and this is the year I'm going to attack it with resolve!

I've five more Jax Marlin shorts to complete, and I'm in the midst of that right now. Then, I've sketched out a rough outline of a full-length novel based on a short story I subbed for an anthology. I'm quite excited about this one since it involves something I've never (ever) written about before... Aliens! 

There's also another short story that I started last year with my brother, that still needs to be sorted out and completed (Time Fracture). And the tale about a generation ship that wandered off course. But I foresee that as something to do for the following year.

Betwix and between completing Bengaria's War and the Jax Marlin tales, I've a few other things that I'd like to do, but it's too premature to say just yet. Don't worry, I'll keep you in the know in due course.

On a day-job level, I've resolved to purchase a USB drawing tablet and teach myself how to digitally paint. I've been tooling about experimenting, but drawing with a mouse is all tails. Haa!! Anyways, you get my point.

So, that's about it for now. I'm gonna bury my head straight into the latest WIP (Jax Marlin #6) and whip that novella into shape, then dive straight into the #7.

Cheers!