Good morning, Readers!

I don't really have all that much to say today, so instead, I'm going to shout some news:

I WILL BE AT OTTAWA COMICCON HOLIDAY EDITION! THIS SUNDAY!

No, I don't have a table of my own, but I will be there working the table for Renaissance Press.  If you're in the neighbourhood, do drop by and say hello.  If you have a book o' mine you would like signed, Sunday is the day to come seek me out.

There will be copies of Skylark there, if you're looking to pick that up, finally.

Speaking of, reviews are most welcome.

And now I have to go and do more writing stuff.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

First, a few notes on the passing of Stan Lee.  Mr. Lee was not a big part of my childhood.  I did not read comics.  I was a huge fan of the 90s X-Men cartoon.  Wolverine was my favourite; that gruff Canadian misanthrope who nevertheless had a good heart...  But I wasn't a mega fan.  I couldn't tell you squat about comics.  I'm still not a mega fan of comics.  I tend not to read them so much.  But I certainly appreciate medium in a way I refused to when I was much younger (let me tell you about my idiotic snobbery when I was a kid).  I know a fair amount of stuff about it now, but it's retroactive knowledge, and doesn't have the same heart attached to it as things that are loved in childhood.

So my sadness at Mr. Lee's passing is remote.  But I do feel for all the people who have displayed their grief and gratitude for the co-founder of Marvel.  Good art reaches people, and the loss of the artist can be profound.

I think the world would have been a poorer place without Mr. Lee, and I am grateful for his life, not for myself, but for how profoundly he touched the lives of my friends and loved ones.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lee.  Excelsior.

Writing continues slowly.  But it continues.  This particular story feels more like it's being built, rather than written.  Oh well, each one is different, I guess.  I still this this attempt at a rewrite is better than my previous one, mostly because now I don't have to fill it with drivel.  There's a few new characters who are really interesting that I'm glad are in the world now.

This book shows a secret society in operation on Doma, and an entire secret people hidden away on a large island in the north... which has it's own secret society.  Sounds complicated, right?  It's not that complicated, and has a lot to do with the history of this particular world.  Part of world building is that so much of it is hidden.  It's present in the writing only in the events the characters are experiencing.  And so I'm super excited about how the history of this world has led to these three secrets, but can't really tell it except in bits and bobs.

​Also, I really want to start illustrating some of the images in my head that are related to my stories.  Not to include in the book, but to provide a visual representations for myself and anyone who reads the book.  I think maybe beginning next year, I'll start on those oil paintings I want to do.  We'll see.

Right, I have writing to get done.  Have a good day, everyone.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

How are things with you?  Everything alright?

I'm well.  Bit busy, as usual, but things seems to be finally moving, particularly in the writing department.  I have made a restart on Outcast because the first (which is actually the second, yay for rewrites) was not going anywhere.  I think this next attempt will work much better, and I'm looking forward to writing much more.  It's less of a slog, currently.  That's nice.  In fact, I have a chapter to finish today, and I'm genuinely looking forward to getting it done.

My martial arts stuff is surprisingly busy.  I have a self-defence seminar that I'll be teaching at the end of the month, and early next year, I'm talking to writers about realistic fighting.  That makes me happy, on both counts.  The first, because I really do feel that people need to be able to know a few things in order to better defend themselves, particularly women and minorities.  Particularly now.

Other than that, life continues as it always does.  My days are literally the most boring you could image.  The writing life is not a glamorous one.  It's simply: wake, breakfast, work, some leisure, sleep, repeat.  That's it.  If you're expecting lavish dinners with other writer friends or agents or publishers, flying places all the time, and lord knows what other absurdities people conjure for this life, it's not that.  At all.

Though I'm a bit tired today (I did promise myself I'd return to my schedule of getting up early to go to the gym... but that didn't happen), I'm feeling quite content at the moment.  Of course, I haven't started writing for the week, so it might not last.

On that note, I have a lot of work to do.  Time to get writing.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Actually, as part of me celebrating my birthday this month, can I ask a non-charity related favour?

If you've read a book of mine and liked it, can I beg for a review on any and all platforms that you have access to?  Naturally, you don't have to if you don't want to, so this is really just a request, not a demand.

Honestly, word of mouth is really the only way we little known writers could possibly become known.  And sell.  And make money doing this thing called writing so we can continue to do the thing called writing.  The best way for that to start is book reviews.

If you liked it, tell your friends and family.  Ask for it from your local library.  If you're part of a book club, maybe suggest it for everyone to read and discuss.

This goes for any author you like, by the way, not just my stuff (if you liked it).

Again, you don't need to.

Right, I have more writing to do.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

This year, this month, in fact, I level up.

I'm will soon be a level 35 human.

This year, I've gained a +4 in knowledge transferal skills (taught four semesters of martial arts), +1 in bardic skills (published another book), +6 unarmed fighting skills (kick boxing and kung fu for three semesters), + 3 in sword skills (three semesters of weapons training), + 3 swimming, +1 strength, and, well, 0 wisdom.

It's been a difficult year in many respects.  I've had to shutter people out of my life, and my mental health has been less than stable.  However, there's a lot worth celebrating in my 34th year.

I'm hoping my 35th year is even better.

There are many goals I'm hoping to achieve in my coming year.  The first, is to sign with an agent or major publisher.  Actually, that's really my major goal.  I will consider my 35th year a success if I somehow manage that.

As usual, I would ask that if anyone is anxious to send me gifts, please reconsider.  While I would very much appreciate the real Milo and Vegemite, maybe save the cost of both the things and the shipping and instead donate to a charity.

If you're at a loss of what to do, November is when I run my Have a Heart Campaign.  It's a team thing on Kiva.org, where you can give microloans to people who need them.  The best part about this is that you're helping people out, you get that money back.  It's a loan.

I like that idea a lot, not because you get your money back, but because loans are easier for people to ask for than handouts.  It's easier on the ego, that's for sure (from experience).

Anyway, if you want to be a part of that campaign, I have a group for it on Kiva.  Click here to go and join, and lend a helping hand this month to people who need it.

There are other charities that could use some help, too, so if microloans aren't your thing, do find a charity that does speak to you and drop them a little bit of money.  To celebrate my birthday.  If you want.

Honestly, November can be pretty gloomy here.  Let's use this month to spread some light in the world.

Right, I have things to do today, so I best go do them.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I must apologise for my radio silence.  I had a whole series of blog posts planned for the beginning of November.  Then I got sick.  And everything fell apart for a little bit.  Sorry I wasn't around.

I'm back now.  Not completely well, mind you.  I'm still battling a fierce headache, but the fever is gone, and I'm able to sit at the computer.  So it's an improvement.  Which is nice.  Improvement is good.

This is going to be a very short post because I have a lot of work to catch up on.  I have a book to submit.  Oh gods... I have a book to submit.  Ugh.  The worst.  Anyway, that's my goal for today.  Following that, I have to get started writing on the next book of the series.  I was about twenty-five thousand words into it, and I think I'm going to scrap it all and start again.  Things have been peculating in my brain, and I think I've struck on something interesting.  This book will have a lot less action in it than book one.  It's purely a character piece.  But it's a piece about characters struggling with the psychology of returning from war, how being witness to the horrors of battle (against actual horrors) affects people, and how struggling with that affects the people around them.  Anyway, that's the direction I think this one's going in.

I also have to plan the rest of the blog posts for the week.  I have a lot I wanted to say, and I can honestly remember none of it.  I have to try and find my memory again and get it down so I don't forget what I wanted to write about when I'm sitting at the computer.

Alright, I have quite the to-do list already, so I'll leave it here.

Have a great day, everyone.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Lordy, I have been working hard.  Granted, I've been working hard on things I should have done before now, but still.  I've been working hard on getting everything in line for submitting Soldier to my favourite publisher.  I've also been doing a proper timeline of the events in the book, and creating a bible of characters, items and places that are mentioned in the book, no matter how briefly of unimportant they might be.  It could turn out that one of these tiny, throw-away things I created will blossom into something really important.

That has been the case for a number of things in the past.

As this series is quite easily the most elaborate thing my brain has concocted, creating this bible was kind of necessary.  I also want, when I have time, to create a book of illustrations for all my scenes, characters and events.  First, though, I plan on taking an oil painting class or three.  Starting in January, when my financial situation levels out a little bit and I can afford the materials necessary.

I also have to create a bunch of maps, so I can keep the locations straight, but that will happen after I send in my submission, which will happen as soon as I'm certain that I can send in the manuscript without hesitation if it is asked for.  Fingers crossed, but let's keep our expectations reasonable.

On the agenda today, writing a cover letter, reworking my synopsis, and then combing through the manuscript to make sure every scene has the right ambience, and conveys the correct mood.  That achieved, I will be sending the submission off.

I've probably over-thought literally everything about this, but I really, really want this one to work out for me.

Wish me luck!

I have to get to work now.  Have a good day.

Ciao!