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A week from now, I’ll be on my annual vacation. This is the Pennsic War, a massive medieval event I’ve been attending since 1996.

For 10 days or so, I’ll be living in my tall, 12×12 canvas pavilion and sleeping on a full-sized tatami mat (on a frame). This is decadent camping, as my group has an impressive kitchen setup, showers, and other infrastructure for comfort.

There are multiple tournaments and combats in fencing during the War. I will be helping run the bigger melees between kingdoms, since I am the person in charge of one of those kingdoms’ collective fencers.

After a summer less than enthused about this (for reasons having little to do with the event itself), I’m starting to feel the usual excitement toward it. Also, I think I need the escape. Even living life on my own terms, there’s still pressure and stress, and a change of scenery can be a welcome opportunity to reset.

For the next 2 weeks, my Storyteller’s log will be on hiatus. But that’s then, and this is now. So, welcome to another look inside my chaotic, messy mind. Let’s get into the details, shall we?

What am I working on now?

I might finally be reaching the end of plotting book 4 of the Gentleman Space Pirate series. My goal is to be done with that before I leave for Pennsic next week. Last week, I didn’t meet my 1500-word goal every day, but this week I’m back on track. I’m still loving the story I’m concocting, the characters, and I’m looking forward to starting the actual writing with A Gentleman Space Pirate: The Rise of the Captain.

The big debate, if there is a debate, is this: Start book 1 and plot book 5 at the same time, or just do one or the other? Is there a book 5 here? I think that there might be.

The Gentleman Space Pirate series follows Sam Yeager, a former businessman who was abducted and taken from the life he knew. Dropped in a sector of the galaxy far from his former life, we meet him as he becomes empowered to claim a new path. Even if that path skirts and breaks the law of the sector along the way.

Yeah, this elevator pitch still needs work.

Let’s get into Forgotten Fodder. I’m still recording and going over the edits on Book 5, Turncoat’s Gambit, from my editor. She’s working on Book 6. Shell Game.

My hope is that I’ll finish recording before I leave, and as far as I can tell, I’m on track to do that.

Hence, I have tentative dates for the release of Turncoat’s Gambit. September 23 or September 30. Stay tuned!

I began assembling a possible nonfiction work for publication. Now I need to decide if I care to do this as MJ Blehart or Murray “MJ” Blehart, if at all. Do my fiction and nonfiction need to remain separate? I don’t know yet. Maybe my time away will help me find new clarity and decide if I will do this. Or something else.

Other concerns

By choosing to do nothing, I’ve decided not to use the book marketer that I spoke to previously.

After Pennsic, I really need to look for more ways to market myself and my books. It’s probably a good idea to look into finding blogs and podcasts I can guest on, perhaps.

I’m rather certain the main block comes from me. Hence, recognizing this, I must work out actions to employ mindfulness and change my approach.

Yeah, this skirts the line between other concerns and personal shit. But, when all is said and done, it’s all personal shit I’m sharing here. So there’s that.