I don’t like being one of those bloggers whose every post begins with “I meant to update more” but here we are!

I’ve been busy with all kinds of things. In mid-March I was in a terrible writing slump. I had finished the edits on my last manuscript and was at loose ends, without a new project. The projects I had to do all seemed uninviting. So I complained to my wife that I had run out of creative energy. She suggested I take a little time off, and that I’d be fine soon enough.

I wasn’t convinced. I was sure that my well had run dry, that I only had a few books in me after all, and that I’d never manage to finish anything ever again!

I’m sure you can imagine what happened next.

The following day I started writing a scene about a character named Siphane (pronounced SIFF-a-nee) and her cool life on her cool ship. A few days later I realized I’d started something new. And now, two short months later, the first draft of MEMORY’S FIRE is done. My wife has informed me that she told me so. She’s right.

The draft clocked in at 74,500 words, which is right in the middle of what I usually manage on the first time through. I tend to sketch during the rough draft and fill in the details later, and that’ll happen this time as well. I’m guessing it’ll end up at around 90,000 words when all is said and done.

This is the fastest I’ve ever finished a manuscript with the notable exception of BROKEN, which was a) a lot shorter and b) done for NaNoWriMo. I’m very pleased, and I’m looking forward to editing it into something good!

In Other News

• You saw the cover for THE SPARK, right? Isn’t it cool????
• There’s some plans in the works for a Western Massachusetts launch party for THE SPARK. More on that later! It’ll probably happen in the early Fall.
• Still nothing official I can announce about THE DAUGHTER STAR yet, but hopefully soon.
• I do have some news about various short stories, but I can’t tell you any of it yet! ALSO SOON.
• My current projects are working on editing MEMORY’S FIRE, short story writing, and working on the second Marta Grayline (DAUGHTER STAR) book. I also have some cool ideas for another fantasy book, but they’re still rattling around my head. I’m taking a break from the Extrahumans series for a little while to concentrate on other things.

And that’s it!