Broadcast Wasteland – Behind the Writing

Blog Post No. 519

I didn’t intend to wait this long to write a Behind the Writing for Broadcast Wasteland, the third novella in the Synthetic Albatross Series. I didn’t expect to write one now, either, but I’m running low on ideas for posts while closing in on the end of the year and I felt like it. Initially, I waited because the book came out at the start of the lock-downs in 2020 and I was expecting to go back to events later in the year. I figured that after I sold the first run of orders, I would have enough of an audience that writing this would make sense. I have no idea when I’m going to get back out to sell again, so I figured, now is as good a time as any.
*Spoilers Ahead, though I tried to keep them to a minimum for those who haven’t read it, yet.*

Short Stories or How the Hell do I Write That?

Blog Post No. 503

My first love of books came from reading Philip K. Dick short stories in high school. I loved the creative ideas and the tight prose. I had an idea that I wanted to tell stories before discovering those collections, but after reading them, I started to see the possibility of becoming a writer.

My first foray into writing was to finish some short stories over on Adventure Worlds Press. They were terrible, but full of ideas that had been brewing in the back of my mind for years. Taking the best of what I was writing at the time, Christian and I put together my first book (his second) No Light Tomorrow. It’s just a little short story collection and I’m a much better writer now, but I’m still proud of that book.

Failure.

Blog post No. 492

Snow from a Distant Sky is done. Barring any major screw-ups that have made their way trough all the drafts, beta reads, and reviews, all that’s left is waiting for the copies I’ve ordered to come in, bringing some to Biblioasis to sell, and distributing the ones out to the people who have requested to buy it from me. Since the book is officially release, I no longer have any excuse to not be editing the Invasion Novel.

Snow from a Distant Sky is now Available

Blog post No. 491

I may be milking it a little by now, but this is a short post to announce the official release of Snow from a Distant Sky. In case you don’t already know, it’s the fifth book in The Synthetic Albatross Novella Series that started with The Thinking Machine in 2018. As I’ve mentioned a number of times, the series is now on hold for the foreseeable future. One of the main reasons I wrote the series was to have new books each year for the annual events I was attending. Now that I have Broadcast Wasteland, Break/Interrupt, and Snow in my pocket for when I do go back to events (you can read last week’s post to know why I’m not taking part, yet) I think my time is better spent working on some novels.

Reluctant

Blog Post No. 490

I was hoping to announce that Snow from a Distant Sky is available this week, but I haven’t gotten the sample copies from the printer (as of writing this) so the wait continues. I hope I get to release it soon. Not just because I’m excited for people to read this one, either. Since the province where I live is opening regardless of infection rates, I’m getting more and more requests to take part in events.

Switching Gears

Blog Post No. 488

With Snow at the printer and out of my hands, it’s time to dive back into the Invasion Novel.
When we last left off…
I had finished the second draft of the Invasion Novel in July of last year and was going to get two more drafts done before starting Snow from a Distant Sky in August. Then I was besieged by an army of earwigs. Before I put the editing on pause to write and release the novella (available to order any day now) I managed to get in a third draft of the still far too long novel. That leaves me to start the fourth draft which I’m planning on doing tomorrow.

Cover Reveal – Snow from a Distant Sky

Blog Post No. 487

The making of the new novella, Snow from a Different Sky, took longer than the last couple. It was written very quickly, but the editing process was slow. There were some long gaps between beta reads and I struggled to keep productive while I waited. I’m sure I’ll figure out juggling two projects at once one of these days.

Either way, after getting my final reviews, I did my out-loud read last week and with frequent check-ins with the Writing Wrecking Crew for their opinions, I did the layout, cover template, back cover copy, and acknowledgements this weekend. Since that was the last of it, I submitted the book to the printer and ordered a sample copy. That means, I can officially share the amazing cover by Glen Hawkes.

If there are no issues with the sample copy, I’ll order a small run to spread around the city and the book will be available online or to order from your local bookstore. The printing can take a couple of weeks, so while the book is technically done, it may not be “released”  for a little while.

This marks the end of this phase of The Synthetic Albatross Novella Series. I hope to get back to it, but I have some novels to work on for now. Thanks to all the amazing readers who’ve come along with me on the journey so far. You’ll get some questions answered in this one finally. Keep an eye open for news about the novels I’ll be working on for the rest of the year!

Mood Altering

Blog Post No.486

I remember being in a bad mood the other day. I was driving at the time (I can’t remember where or exactly when, so you can tell it wasn’t that big a deal). I could have been on my way home from the day job (a big but decreasing stressor in my life right now) or I could have just dropped over a hundred bucks on gas. The reason doesn’t really matter much. It was fleeting (like most of my moods are). But, at the time, I remember flipping stations on the radio and stopping on a song that totally changed how I was feeling.

The Folly of Predictions

Blog Post No. 485

I’m racing to the finish line with the Snow from a Distant Sky, the fifth and potentially final novella in my Synthetic Albatross Series (at least for now). There is still a lot to do in order to get it out in April. As it’s currently looking, it may be released closer to the middle or end of the month instead of at the start like I’d planned. Right now, I have a couple last edits to do (including reading it out loud to myself which takes time and isn’t very fun). Then, I have to do the layout, which is pretty quick, but takes a dedicated couple days.

Updating the Whiteboard

Blog Post No. 483

Some years ago, I was at Arvin‘s place and I saw that he had a whiteboard set up on an easel with all his many to do lists scrawled across its surface. It would have been in our university days and probably in the midst of Wii Like To Podcast production. I thought the idea was great. A non-permanent place to write reminders that was clearly visible. My family had a whiteboard set up by the garage door when I was little, but it was rarely used, and at the time, I certainly didn’t have a need (or at least the wherewithal) to keep notes or a schedule.