Where to begin? Where to begin? Seriously, I’m not really sure what happened this week beyond heat, incoming storm, and . . . stuff. I mean, something had to have happened since my plan to start writing Path of the Traitors was about as successful as eating soup with a strainer. I got the first section of the Prologue done and I can’t even tell you when that happened. I do know that I tried to write more and was undone by exhaustion or distractions at every turn.
Things should improve this week. The kid goes back to school on Tuesday and the wife starts a job that might become permanent that day too. That means there’s less noise and chaos around here, so I can try to get 3 chapter sections done every day. (I write this as the kid has a tantrum that would undo that goal. Gee, I wonder why I never finish writing books by the time I plan to.) Honestly, I shouldn’t get my hopes up here. Nothing has worked out as I’ve planned this year and it’s too late to expect improvements at this stage of the game. Especially since there are a lot of days off for school before December 31st. Not much after that. So, why is that important?
Keep in mind that I’m supposed to ‘make a decision’ after December, which is translated to ‘stop writing’ by those who demand such things. So, my big goal is to get Books 14 and 15 of Legends of Windemere done before the end of the year. I also need to publish Charms of the Feykin and The Spirit Well. Editing Chasing Bedlam for a February release might be tough to add into that mess, so that might come prior to writing Book 15. Losing nearly 2 weeks at the end of the year doesn’t help. That means I have 15.5 weeks to write 2 books, publish 2 books, and edit 1 book. Anybody hear laughter in the distance?
Yeah, I’m not having much faith in the future at this point. I guess I should be happy if I can get one book done and then decide on if I’ll tackle the editing or the final book. That last book is going to be tough and need thought instead of getting rushed, but I don’t know how easy that will be. A toss up between writing it in ‘record time’ or trying to write it when exhausted from a day job that could force me onto medication. (Aren’t I a happy little snowflake when it comes to that option?)
Anyway, one of the challenges I’m having with the last book is the endings for the characters. None of the champions are getting out of the Baron fight without permanent damage, but I keep jumping from 1 to 3 fatalities among the group. All I have right now is a list of ‘injuries’ for the heroes, but I keep wondering how far I should go. Maybe I don’t have the sizable fan-base to worry about killing off a favorite and getting backlash, so this might be for nothing. There are ripple effects for future series that I have to take into account as a well. For example, what if I kill a character that was supposed to have a child in a future book? Do I cut the kid or find a way that the child was conceived before or even magically after the death? Would people even be annoyed if I do only 1 fatality in such a big battle?
I have some special posts going up on Tuesday and Thursday. The first is a big announcement from author John W. Howell, which I’ll keep a surprise. The second is the return of Monster Maker Fun for October. I already have Raven’s Game set to post in 31 sections throughout that month, so I’ll be doing this and the goal posts for the month. I will admit that this might not help Charms of the Feykin if that’s out, so I might do spontaneous posts for that one. Everything is up in the air and crunched together at this point.
Since I don’t remember much of this week and I’m starting to become a downer again, I’ll push the goals:
- Get back into kid’s school schedule.
- Write the first 1-3 chapters of Path of the Traitors. More would be nice, especially if I can negotiate writing time in the next 2 days to finish the friggin’ prologue.
- Biking and try to eat healthier.
- Get a better idea of the Charms of the Feykin release schedule. Holidays and summer vacation have thrown a monkey wrench into everything.
- Consider getting trusted beta readers for Chasing Bedlam. That might help with the editing thing.
- Think more about that other thing that would probably never happen because I lack the knowledge, ability, and/or contacts.
- Give up the dream of having a lower back that functions normally. My writing poses are either sitting on a bed while hunched over the laptop or kneeling next to the wheeled bed while writing. The wheels are an important factor here. Brings new meaning to a story getting away from you.
Legends of Windemere 
That’s a lot of work. Best of luck with it all.
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Forgot to mention in the post that I tend to lose weekends and holidays too. So, I probably have a lot less than 15.5 weeks. I sense doom in my future.
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Those are about my only available time. Wishing you luck.
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Thanks. I might have to beg for weekend times.
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That is something I’m familiar with. Today my wife is taking the grandkids to see some animated thing. It looks pretty good, but I “volunteered to watch Otto.” This means I’m going to be writing.
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Good luck. I might get some in later tonight. Won’t get my hopes up though. The storm coming might knock out the power too. You’d think I’d take the hint, but no.
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There is a story in procrastinating before the coming storm somehow. Not that you need another story to write.
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Does it count as procrastinating if you’re trying to get to it, but things keep getting in the way?
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I don’t think that’s the same.
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I’m always up for a beta read but don’t know if I pass the “trusted” hurdle. Looks like next week will begin a better time for you.
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Hope so. I’d say you’re trusted. Mostly, I would like people who read the first one or I’ve interacted with for a while. This stems from years ago when I handed out a small drama for beta reading and all of the volunteers disappeared on me.
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Ha ha ha. I’m here and have read the first.
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I’m still here and have read the first.
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Thanks. If I go that route then I know I have at least one person to help. 🙂
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Ha ha ha. I’m sure there are tons more.
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Good grief, Charles! You have set yourself quite a challenge, I would feel happy if I got 1/10th of that done. A good day for me is about 1500 words, Good luck! But do think about taking care of your back! It’s not going to get any better…
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Only so much I can do about the back. Can’t afford a new mattress, so it’s heating pad and occasional massages to get the kinks out. As far as the challenge, I made the overall goal back in January. This entire year has been one delay after another with some lasting as long as a month.
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Oh I’m so happy to read that your wife may have a full-time job soon…
I’m with you on the exercise and healthier eating. Now that we’ll be watching kids less often, I’m going to have to get in some physical activity in other ways. I’m terrible at sticking to those sorts of goals, though. I hope I can do it.
Ellespeth
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We’re hoping the job happens by the end of the year, but we’ve learned not to get our hopes up too high. Seems to be a trend of stuff going wrong when we get too optimistic.
I’m not having much luck with the healthier eating right now. Having very little fridge space is one factor. Most snacks that you keep out of the fridge are either carb or sugar heavy.
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This has been a really fickle storm, hasn’t it? Last I read it was further out in the Atlantic again? Hope you won’t get much of it.
Ellespeth
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It went out to the Atlantic and hovered, but it’s supposed to come back in to some extent. The coasts and further east have more to worry about than where I live. Then again, we’re supposed to get hit around the afternoon and evening.
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I’m so glad to hear about the possibility of your wife having a permanent job! I hope this is the start of good things for your family. Good luck on all of your writing projects, Charles! I’m glad you’ll have some time to write this week.
I’ve been hearing about the storm. I hope it goes away permanently.
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Thanks and I hope that writing time actually happens. The next book is a tough one only because it shows a parallel event that impacts the champions’ final battle. Can’t say more than that, but the title probably gives a hint of the characters it follows. Fingers crossed that the job holds too. Permanency isn’t set in stone, but it’s at a local college, which would be a great place to work at. Not the community college either.
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Those are great places to work! So glad she could get this job. Yeah, fingers definitely crossed.
You’ve got a lot of good projects coming. Still hoping for a breakthrough for you.
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Not even sure where to find the breakthrough at this point. The idea of a ‘Windemere’ YouTube thing came to mind, but I lack a webcam and the face of someone who should be on camera. No skills in animation either, so a cartoon wouldn’t work.
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If you’re stuck with the ending, you could always do the dream thing with a twist and just as the climax of the battle come, the author wakes up and has to go to work.
I hope you get as much time as you hope this week, good luck!
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That idea actually sent a chill up my spine. At least it would bring a rise in torch and pitchfork sales. 🙂
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Also it would be a surprise ending. What could be better? Surprising your readers and improving the economy at the same time?
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It would definitely clear up my future schedule. No way to write more Windemere stories if I end the first one on ‘it was all a dream’.
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