Blog No. 269
Even though it’s just the start of 2018 and admittedly, I didn’t have a stellar 2017, I am happy to say, I think I have enough on the go to do a proper update. The dust hasn’t quite settled on the last book (though, I pray it will finally be over this week) I am hard at work on the next one. This may all be old hat to avid readers of my blog (namely my folks) but it may be new to you. Either way, this may be the definitive rundown and I have some concrete things to say about it. I can’t give a specific date for when it will be out (not only have I been burned with that before, but I’m already waiting for some things that are out of my control before I can get it finished) though, I hope it will be out in the next couple months.
I’m not sure if Adventure Worlds is having a summit this year. Christian and I keep talking about it, but we’re almost too busy to plan it. The first quarter (and usually the last quarter) of the year tends to be really full of events, and with a new book out, we’re trying to make the most of it. I bring it up, because last year I spent most of the summit editing my new book. I was actually planning on having it out by last summer, but work on All These Crooked Streets took over and spread like a fungus, taking up a huge amount of time. It was all necessary, though, and the end result has been well received, but that pushed back my own stuff.
Some time ago, I came up with the idea to do a summer novella series. Connected stories that weren’t sequels, short enough to be written and released quickly and read and enjoyed just as quickly. I have a lot of friends and good acquaintances who bought No Light Tomorrow out of obligation who told me after that they really enjoyed the short stories. They were often people who were not big readers, but wanted to be. Since I was itching to have my own book out, a cheap, pocketbook style novella series sounded like a good idea. I had a long short story that didn’t make the cut for No Light, that I really wanted to explore, so I started rewriting and adding to it to make a twenty to twenty-five thousand word novella.
The idea was the cyberpunk story I’ve been prattling on about for so long. A summer release turned into a Christmas release, and is now a late winter, early spring release (the sooner the better). Thankfully, I’m in full edit mode. I got back my first review (thanks as always to Christian) and once I get through that, it’s off to the same local writers I bug every time I’m looking for some edits and reviews. If any of them are still willing. I am happy to say, I already have a cover image 
done by an amazingly talented local artist (more on that when I’m ready to show it off) and the story will be part of that secret project that I haven’t bothered to come up with a name for. The one thing standing in my way (other than my own laziness) is to find a printer. So far, the ones I’ve worked with have been (insert less insulting thing here). Lets say, frustrating. Granted, some of that was from me having to learn how to do things properly, but that was all sorted out with No Light.
Maybe I didn’t get as definitive as I’d planned, but this post is starting to get long (and the last few have been particularly long) so I’ll wrap it up. If you have any questions about the book, I’ll do my best to answer them. Some info will have to wait until the book is about ready to go. I still have a lot of work to do. It may not be out by Action! (my next big event) but it shouldn’t be much longer than that—as long as I get my printer situation sorted.
Ben Van Dongen 