Storyteller’s Log, 26 June 2025

I was going to go hyper-geek on this and use a Star Trek “stardate” calculator. But then I decided not to bother with that shit.

What I have decided is that I need a new, regular blog entry to share personal thoughts about my work, my life, and other bits that might be of use to other writers/artists/creators.

Why? Because the act of creating a book, a painting, or a shawl is an individual act. That can make you feel alone. This is where I tell you that you’re not.

What shape this will take remains to be seen. But here I am, putting thoughts to the page and opening myself to you, dear reader.

So, let’s dive in, shall we?

What am I working on now?

As part of my creative process, I aim to edit and write daily. Currently, I’m “editing” the plot for the first of my forthcoming Gentleman Space Pirate sci-fi novels. What I’m really doing is checking myself for consistency (since I just finished plotting book 3) and pulling out character backstories. Helps to have them in 1 place for easy access as the story moves forward.

I’m starting to plot book 4 of the Gentleman Space Pirate series. I’m still not sure what to name each book. Still, I’m happy with what I’ve got here and looking forward to where I’m going.

Next week, the fifth Forgotten Fodder novel, Turncoat’s Gambit, goes to my new editor. My cover artist has also started working on the cover.

If all goes according to plan, I will be publishing three books a year through 2027. I released Jay and Char Save the Galaxy in May of this year, and the first 2 of the new Forgotten Fodder books will be published before the end of 2025. The next 2 Forgotten Fodder novels will be published in early 2026, and if I’m right, and I finish plotting Gentleman Space Pirate book 4 by the end of July, I can begin to write book 1 and start publishing this series at the end of 2026. Then, books 2-4 of the series in 2027.

Ambitious? Maybe. Bat-shit crazy? Possible. This is my work as a storyteller, and my vocation as an author. So, we’ll see where it goes.

Other concerns

Learning new ways to do marketing – both the organic kind that costs nothing and paying for advertising – is ongoing. It doesn’t help that the Orange Shitgibbon is fucking with multiple elements of social order, along with the Congress of Cowards. Since there’s nothing I can do here (save vote, attend protests, boycott things, and share my ire over all this with you), I keep on keeping on. Which means figuring out how to expand my audience.

Some of my issues with marketing come from fighting personal demons. Fears of failure and success, which actually mask a deeper fear of abandonment, need to be faced and overcome. It’s a good thing I’m a fencer with 30+ years of experience. I know how to fight.

I’ve connected with an amazing group of other sci-fi authors on Discord. So far, they’ve been a great resource. I am, though, looking to expand my circle of fellow sci-fi and fantasy authors. How? No idea. But now that I’ve typed it, I start manifesting it.

Personal shit

This week, I got to experience the wonder that is gel injections for my knees. Both of my knees have taken a LOT of abuse over the years, and my knee caps “float”. With my upcoming attendance at the Pennsic War in August, I prefer to not need to spend my evenings icing my knees.

So, gel injections. I. Hate. Needles. I endured the first injection this week. There are 2 more. My knees already seem less sore (but are stiffer, which I’m told is normal).

Despite working out of my new home office since the end of November (my wife and I bought a house and moved into it in Fall 2024), I still feel like something is missing. What’s missing? No clue. It’s just a sense I have. But that something, I suspect, will be good for my focus.

The cats are good (we have 3 – Thalia, our Grande Dame, Cosima, the middle child, and Korbin Dallas, Multicat – the kitten). Korbin likes to lie next to my desk when I work sometimes.

What I’ll be sharing in this section is going to be an interesting question. How personal do I get? Do I talk about my medieval reenactment life, my marriage, my family? I think that will depend on whether anything interesting – and that I care to share – is happening.

What am I reading?

One of the best habits I ever created was my morning reading habit. I’m awake every day (including weekends) around 6 am. So, I spend an hour or so every morning reading. I tend to read 2 books at a time, 1 fiction, 1 nonfiction. I also frequently listen to audiobooks when I drive to places.

Fiction I’m reading: John Scalzi’s The Last Emperox (Book 3 of The Interdependency series)

Nonfiction I’m reading: This morning, I finished Austin Kleon’s Show Your Work: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered. Yes, this is part of what influenced this new post you’re reading.

Audiobook I’m listening to: I just finished re-listening to Steven Pressfield’s Turning Pro (read by the author). Does it appear I might be on a mission, here?

Last bits

Okay, that’s it for this week. Thanks for coming along on Mister Hedgehog’s Fucked-Up Journey.

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Thanks for reading. If you’re a creator, remember that you’re not alone, not (entirely) crazy, and though they might not know it, the world NEEDS your creations!