It’s been far too long since I’ve written an actual update. I’ll own that, and will make up for it right here and now.
There is a lot going on. Outside of writing, I’ve started a new job thanks to a promotion at work. This meant changing my writing schedule drastically, and it is taking some time to settle in. With the new job, my days start at 6:30am, which also took some getting used to. Now that I’m not walking around like a zombie, I’m ready to start writing about zombies again. I’ll talk more on that in a moment.
First, I wanted to express my eternal gratitude to the people that have taken the chance on an unknown author like myself, and picked up Newborn and Paranoia. I delight in every single sale, not because of the money (although that helps), but because I know someone will be exploring the world I’ve built.
Hunter, book three in the Vancity Vampires series, will soon be going out to beta readers and my editor. If you’re interested in becoming a beta reader, contact me via email.
Speaking of beta reading, my first zombie story, titled Day 9, is in the hands of a single beta reader right now. My main character in this series is named after the reader in question. He’s a coworker and a friend but he’s not a horror or post apocalyptic reader, so I am very interested in hearing his take. Once done, I’ll be packing the story away for a while, but anyone on my mailing list will be able to pick it up for free when I’m ready to launch book one in my zombie series.
Apocalyptic themes seem to be on my brain, because I’ve been working on a thriller based in a post-apocalyptic world while Day 9 was getting some edits done. For those interested in the way I craft stories, I’m a plotter. This means I map out the story before ever putting fingers to keyboard to work on a draft. This story however, came to me on a whim. I originally thought it would be a short story, but it grew and grew. Now that I’m about 8000 words in, the story is coming along and I’m confident it will be my first full length novel. Inspired by Stephen King’s The Long Walk and the Mad Max franchise, this yet to be named story is about a family banished from their village near Death Valley, California in a world decimated by a natural disaster. The family must walk north beyond the boundary of the local settlements, then around the Sierra Nevada mountain range, to start a new life. This family, more than any other, knows that no one survives the walk, but when banished, you have to try.
Finally, Hunter is about to go through the editing phase and will be available later this year. I am so excited for this third instalment to be out into the world. Jonah’s story, and Jim’s too, have been rattling around in my brain for so long. It feels good to have them out of there. It made space for other things to grow. I liken it to a mixture of watching your kids go off to college and someone pulling a tapeworm out of your nose. They need to be forcibly ejected from your body, it gives you the sweats, and makes you swear off whatever you think gave you the parasite, but you’re also proud. That crazy, mangled, disturbed thing came out of me!
It’s good times.
That’s it for now. Until next time, watch what you eat. It might bite back!