Category: Writing

West Coast Inspiration

China BeachSo yes, I’m on one of my retreats to the West Coast! Humidity and nasty heat claimed my East Coast Pine Forest like a Texan noms on barbecue, so the immediate desire to flee to a place with better weather and a different sort of energy consumed me. I also had to see a man about a cat.

I’ve been slightly detached from the blog and even Apprentice itself as I experienced one of the rare joys a published author is afforded — nothingness. Sure, the thoughts were still bursting around in the head (I’m not sure that ever stops for a writer), but with the manuscript off to the copyeditor, I could very happily divorce myself from worrying about book two for a few weeks. It’s NICE.

But then you get the itch. I had planned to get some writing done while away, but it wasn’t the hugest of my priorities. Then, as I took a two hour stroll (me, strolling, two hours, I know) along China Beach and Land’s End, BAM! It happened. Book three (I already have a lot of it outlined, so it’s not like I’m starting from scratch) has its first proper words. Rather, its first proper scene! Chapter one, scene one, written. And I am pleased. 🙂 Lenna’s ending draws nigh, but at least we see the return of some fan favorites…

Book Three SpoilerDon’t worry… not all is what it seems! In any case, while I nurse my sunburn and cook my rabbit (really — I have a rabbit to cook), know that I’m writing/living/working/loving just so I become a better Brian for all of you supporting me back home, here, and abroad! I miss you all so much!

Book three, here we go.

Book Three - Beginning

The Status Update Weeks in the Making

I’ve been pretty much MIA as far as the blog is concerned, I know. All of a sudden I found myself insanely busy wrapping up the tweaks on Apprentice, but now I’m happy to say that, after I actually read the damn thing on my Kindle from start to finish, I found myself pleased enough to have turned it over to my copyeditor at 110k words! Yikes! 14000 more words than Librarian!

Kindle Mock-Up

There will be some fun reveals in the near future (cover art within the next week hopefully, website revamp, and perhaps some special treats for fans of Librarian…).

IN ANY CASE, to the some announcements/updates:

  • Beta-readers! That’s right; it’s that time again. We’re looking for beta-readers of the digital version of Apprentice. It’s free, but we’d love feedback in return. Contact Brian with your choice of format (.epub, .mobi, .pdf are all options).
  • Editorial Assistants! Woah, we’re getting fancy. Moon Rabbit Publishing, LLC, is looking to contract a few associate editors to preview the book and offer substantive critique — imagine writing a small book report, but getting paid for it! Details here.
  • ARCs (Advance Reader Copies)! Authors, reviewers, and bloggers — we will be reaching out to you in the next week or so, but if you don’t hear from us and are interested in a galley for review (or a review swap), please contact Brian. We want your words on that cover!
  • Release Date! The best news of all: the tentative release date for Apprentice is scheduled for the best day of all… Brian’s birthday! That’s right, we’re looking to go gold on Monday, 25th August 2014! In the upcoming weeks, look for special promotions for people who preorder signed copies. 🙂

Well, that was a mouthful! But yay! Progress! Now, time to go kill my D&D players…

Avoiding Divorce

Chapter 14 - In Love
A celebratory reconciliation indeed.

After a few days of some really heavy talks with lawyers, mediators, pastors, shady bartenders, and former lovers, chapter fourteen and I have decided to remain a couple. That’s right. While I was very tempted to leave the frigid waif by the wayside, in the end, love and crayons prevailed. Chapter fourteen will stay.

…and the editing continues.

100k, Hoo-RAY!

Crossing 100k Words
I broke 100k! WAHOO!

WHY WON’T IT END!?

Because I thought the book needed a lighter moment somewhere in the middle (I hinted at this in another post), I decided to add a new chapter in which Lenna and [insert-spoiler-name-here] get up to exploring a bit of the city of Eran Point, home of the University which Lenna had always dreamed of attending.

Now, we all know it’s just going to end up with me having her get drunk in a pub as, apparently, I am channeling my time at Oxford at the moment.

In any case, THREE SCENES LEFT and the first draft of the manuscript is done and the Red Pen of Doom will be unleashed. If anyone is interested in beta-reading, please let me know! Also, there may be some PAID editing jobs popping up in the near future from Moon Rabbit Publishing, so stay tuned. 🙂

PS — Having crossed 100k words! It’s officially the longest manuscript I’ve written so far. HUZZAH!

Alternate Paths!

An Alternate Option

Chapter 9… a!? I feel like I’m writing an episode of Doctor Who. I officially crossed my target word goal (90,000 words), which I suppose is exciting, but I that doesn’t mean the first draft is quite done yet. I had anticipated the manuscript would exceed 90k from the get-go and at this rate, I’m hoping to the book will stop itself at 105k.

I say stop itself because the damn thing keeps growing, to the point where chapters are creating ‘alternate paths’ — sort of, what if this happened instead? scenarios. Somewhere between chapters nine and ten Lenna (and maybe others…) MIGHT have an additional adventure. A side-quest. MAYBE.

An excursion to where? That, my friends, I cannot tell you. We’ll see tomorrow when I take to the quill (aka MacBook) again.

Bao’s Book of Medicine

Those who are lucky enough to bask in the gloriousness that is my company know that seldom am I taken ill. Colds, cough, flu, even TB (much to my dismay: I planned on going out, hacking and sputtering, with the consumption for some time now) bounce off, though this past weekend left me in bed sneezing my brains out. I even rescheduled a dance lesson. Gasp.

Perhaps I wasn’t prescribing to my own advice: drink a cold away. Yes, rule number one, if you feel sick, take a suitable amount of vodka to sterilize and kill all those bacteria/germs. This has the wonderful side effect of making you feel good as well. And for those of you worried about reactions like the so-called “hangover” — worry not; just start from step one and soon you’ll be feeling fine again. Forever.

Shining Armor and Bao's Magical Mystery Cure
Shining Armor doesn’t just prescribe… he DIVES into Bao Medicine!

In any case, I spent most of the weekend feeling like something Elvira would watch (and, probably, looking not far removed from it, too). I think I got zero work done, which means this week — the week where I seem to have something to do every night — I really have to pick up the pace and sort out Apprentice. That book needs finishin’!

Fingers crossed, we’ll have something rough-and-tumble by the end of February. Hopefully.

Bondage and Self-Worth

…were two of the wonderful things I got to babble about in my library talk at the Ocean County Library last night (I referenced 50 Shades of Grey and Twilight). It was nerve-wracking, as I haven’t spoken publicly since my Oxford days, but the people who came out — despite the cold — were warm and receptive, and asked some really great questions. And hey, I sold a few books, which means Lenna’s story is making the rounds again! Yahoo!

Now that Librarian‘s audiobook and its promotions are more or less done, I can focus on the big task at hand: FINISHING APPRENTICE. I’m hoping to knock out the last few chapters during February, then send it out for copy editing in March or April. Get excited: I will be looking for people to read the galley/ARC (look, I use publishing terms now)!

Crashpow Through January

Jeepers, I never thought 2014 would kick off with such a bang. Where is my free time? Where is my relaxation? (If anyone mentions the new Zelda for Nintendo 3DS, they will get kicked in the shin. IT WAS ONE DAY.)

First-read commentary on chapters seven and eight for Apprentice have arrived from our lovely James, so after incorporating some annotations into the first draft, I can get to red-penning again. Huzzah.

The audiobook version of Librarian should be up on Amazon/Audible/iTunes next week, assuming the quality check at ACX goes smoothly. Fingers crossed! #amirite

I’m also currently reviewing a book, Welcome to New Brooklyn, for fellow author, Tom Hobbs; it’s exciting to be more active in the writing community. You can find more info on Tom over at kindlemojo.

This has been a pretty tame update from me, eh? Zero swearing! Zero mentions of ponies! Forgive me my lack of entertaining news to share; puppy-sitting left me quite exhausted!

Puppy Intervention
It’s hard to work when a German Shepherd puppy gets between you and the laptop.