Right now, I’m sitting in a lovely little AirBnB in Sedona, AZ.
If you’ve never been to Sedona, it’s a unique little place. It has some of the best views the Southwestern United States has to offer, with red rock mesas dotted with vibrant desert vegetation. You can bet Sedona has been photographed in every nature magazine. I’ll post a few here this weekend to prove my case. It’s very popular with outdoorsy types.
Sedona is also home to several energy vortexes. Supposedly, these are places where the Earth’s energy has some sort of focal point or resonance, and if you’re into that magical sort of thing, they can have all kinds of affects on your body, mind, and spirit. So, Sedona is also sought by those who want, let’s say, an alternative spiritual connection with Mother Earth.
My wife, at this very moment, is doing yoga behind me with crystals posted at all four cardinal directions. Given the whole vortex thing, I don’t know if it’s safe right now to be doing magic. We’re basically on a leyline, here, and she’s tapping into the well. I warned her that toying with magical forces in powerful places never goes well in the movies.
“Do you want ancient demons? Because that’s exactly how you get ancient demons.”
Our host is a charming lady who runs a horse farm, and she has four juvenile horses she uses for therapy. Two are twins, named Adonis and Apollo, and she rescued them from what she called a “kill facility.” There’s something I didn’t know–kill facilities exist for horses. The universe gets darker every day, right?
We came here to reflect on the old year and to start the new one with the right kind of momentum. We live in the city, and the constant barrage of noise, the pressure of work, and the storm that is The Holidays finally got to us. We had to escape.
Also, I have to write an important story–one I cannot yet discuss–and I’ve got this weekend to finish. If anyone needs the magic, it’s me. On second thought, I’m going to put more crystals around my wife and maybe draw a few symbols on the floor with salt.
I owe you all an update, and maybe even a mission statement for the year. So, here goes.
First, The Heart of the Wasteland is at 96%, weighing in at 221,776 words. It’s available, in its raw and unfinished state, to certain tiers on my Patreon. I said in a previous vlog that I would make it available for purchase to non-patrons as a standalone product, but I’ve decided against it. Such a move devalues the support my few and longstanding Patrons have given me. For now, The Heart of the Wasteland will remain available only to Patrons until it’s finished.
The state of the book is best described as unpolished. Parts of it are clearer than others. Storylines need to be cut, spliced, rewritten entirely, or edited. It’s still in its infancy, and inching toward its ending.
The truth is that, after spending the majority of my scarce writing time on the book this year, I still haven’t connected with its theme. Parts of it feel gray to me; as if the elements exist in this mass of jumbled words, but I’ve yet to splice the events together in a way that makes it feel alive. There’s a spark missing from the book, and I’ve yet to discover it. For me, these things usually come in a moment of epiphany, and I trust the Muses to find me. They will–it just takes time.
Speaking of time, let’s talk about my writing time over the last year, and how it will change moving forward.
If you’ve followed me over the recent past, you know that I took a job as a welding teacher. That, amongst other obligations, have left me about six hours per week to punch words into the keyboard. This is the only time I have for research, writing, marketing–everything. It’s why my communication has been spotty and production has been coasting at best.
That is the current state, and will remain so until May of this year. After that, my life will undergo a change that will once again make writing my full time career. I’ve loved my time with my students, but all good things must come to an end. Thus, will I return to you, dear readers.
How will I spend that time? Training with the spear, shield, and gladius, of course.
At the moment, my focus remains on The Seven Signs. However–big however–I have started working with a large and well-beloved entity in the fantasy world. I can’t say who they are at the moment, but I will be writing on their behalf from time to time. I want to finish the first draft of The Heart of the Wasteland before anything else, but I can’t yet put a date on when it will be finished. Soon–that’s the best I’ve got.
I also have several other projects that need finishing. Beyond the Eternity Line is at 70% in edits and has been sitting there all year. It’s a space opera that nobody asked for, but it’s been brewing in my heart, so I had to write it down. Veil of Shadows, Book One of The Shattered Empire is at around 30-40%, and Magus of Gaul sits at 10%. You can see the progress of all these on the front page of my site, as always.
So, the current order of merit goes as follows: The Heart of the Wasteland first draft, then Beyond the Eternity Line edits and maybe a release, maybe not. After that, a vote from my Patrons will likely decide the next project to fall under my pen. I’d like to write at least three books in 2025. That’s my resolution.
That’s where things stand, dear reader. I’ll leave you for now, but expect those pictures I promised. I’ll update again as the weekend continues. Cheers.