The Writings on the Wall #17

Movement begets action

Apr 5, 2023

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Remember how I announced last year that two of my stories would be published in two separate anthologies from the same publisher? The first one (“Beyond”) came out in April 2022. The second one (“Fall into the Abyss”) was supposed to be released soon afterward, but... no more news since.

Well, color me surprised, I heard from the publisher (The Great Void Books) a few days ago! He announced that, after much delay, the anthology will finally be released this month. I don’t have the exact release date yet, but I know it’s real because I got my proof copy!

While the story in “Beyond” was a reprint (of The Creature in the Cabin), the one in “Fall into the Abyss” has never been published anywhere else before. It’s a 6500 word weird fantasy tale about a man who, after jumping off a cliff (give him a break, he had incentive) somehow lands in an odd and seemingly empty spaceship—which eventually leads him into an even stranger environment, the very existence of the universe hinging on his every move...

Phew, I hope he doesn’t sneeze!

The story, by the way, is called “The Essence of Symmetry.”

I’ll post a link to the anthology in my May round-up letter.

Coming up this month

I had planned to write (and post) the second installment in the Silius Chronicles last week, but...

Though the story was outlined, when I went looking for my notes, I couldn’t find them! It was the most maddening thing. Wasn’t in any of the usual places. I do remember most of it, so I could reproduce it, but there are little details that elude me, and I would much rather work with my original ideas.

You know how it is... when you look for something, you don’t find it. When you stop looking, that’s when it pops up. I’m sure you know the feeling, right? So I figured I’d stop looking and wait a bit to see if it did pop up.

Well, it hasn’t so far, unfortunately.

I’ll give it another week, then I’ll look again (a little bit) and if I still can’t find it, well, I’ll just have to recreate it from scratch, won’t I? Ah well.

All this to say that you will get that Silius story this month, though more likely toward the end of April. I’ll post something else before that, if I can, though I’m not sure what just yet.

I still need to build my buffer back up, as I’ve almost run out of stories.

Will be working on that in the coming weeks.

“Write 6 Books in a Year Challenge”

Update #3

I finished my last translation job a couple of weeks ago and have a few more to spare before I start on the next one. So that means (wait for it!) that... I... finally began working on my novels again.

Which, of course, brings up the obvious question: where am I on the challenge?

Further behind than I would like, but at least there is some movement, ha!

If all goes well, by the end of the month I should have finished book #1 and started #2.

And that’s all for now.

Books to read

Here is a selection of books that might be of interest to you. All of these are free to download, though you’ll have to sign up to the authors’ newsletters to grab your copies.

The Blackmail Job by Shane Shepherd

Jason “Key” Rokku has just been released from prison after 10 years. Dumped back on the moon, Izanami, of his origin planet (Izanagi) he struggles to make it back into society. No one is willing to handle an ex-convict. That is except Apollus Tuck, a businessman who owns a few restaurants across the resource rich moon. Key comes to Tuck's attention when he prevents a kidnapping and as [… read more …]

Player One: Fear by J.V. Nolan

After winning an egame tournament that night, James’ electrifying victory earns him a spot among the top ten best gamers in the world.

James is undoubtedly a talented gamer; his relentless wins don’t go unnoticed. As luck would have it, a gaming company that happens to be scouting around quickly uses this opportunity to sign him up. They pitch James an offer they know he won’t refuse. James always wonders what’s it like living in the big city. Deep in his heart, he [… read more …]

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The Xen'in Universe