C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 114

Progress Report—May 13-19, 2018

Last week, I was still working catch-up. I’m happy to say that part of recovering from being sick is almost over. I finished a novel, published a novel, and did the word count for what should have been another completed chapter book… it’s not going to be a chapter book.It was also a disrupted week, which included Mother’s Day, two outside appointments, and a couple of family and social engagements. Catch-up aside, I need to give myself a little more lead time so I can absorb more things like this, more easily. That should be built in, inside the next two months.These two factors have made me revamp my publishing schedule. There’ll be more news on that, and on how this affects my goals, later on this week. In the meantime, things got done, and this week, I will get more things done. Here is a brief summary of what was accomplished in the week just gone:Progress: May 13-19, 2018New words produced: 22,226Outlines and Notes: 2,385Words compiled: 0Works completed: 0Works edited: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host – third edit completed)Covers created: 0Works formatted: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host – 6 formats for 6 platforms)Works published: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host )Works released: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host )Works submitted: 1 ( TBA )Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 1,176Hours at Desk—May 13-19: 63 hours 39 minutesHours at Desk—May 6-12: 70 hours 50 minutesHours at Desk—May 1-5: 48 hours 26 minutesApril Hours at Desk: 167 hours 41 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute

Just Released—Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host

It’s a day earlier than I intended, but I’ve uploaded Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host for release. It’s the second book in the sorta sweary, pseudo-military, science fiction, space opera, action adventure series: Mack 'n' Me 'n' Odyssey, and is currently available on Smashwords in all formats, and on DriveThruFiction in PDF, and will shortly be available from Kobo and Amazon, as well as via Draft2Digital distribution. A large-print paperback version is also on the way from CreateSpace, and should be available from Amazon within the next week, so, all is good, and things are moving.



I stayed off Mack's radar for a good three months, or so I'd thought. Maybe he was just letting me run. He found me, kicked my backside and hauled me right back on board. He'd been doing that on and off for the past twelve months. Problem was, Odyssey was also on my tail, and, when this job was done, Mack was supposed to hand me back. Not gonna happen. And, now I was back to Square One: Kick free of Odyssey and kick free of Mack... just as soon as the mission was done, because how could I turn my back on *that*?
Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host is the second science-fiction novel set in the Odyssey universe. In it, Cutter is back in Mack’s company, and still trying to work out how to get away from him, his merry band of space-faring freelancers, and Odyssey.
NOTE: The main character swears like a sailor, and the support cast aren’t much better. If swears bother you, this this story may not be to your taste.

Progress Report—May 6-12, 2018

This week things I kicked into a higher gear. The problem with being sick is things pile up, even though you step back so you can heal. This week, I continued to get the publishing schedule back on track, and I’m nowhere near being a month ahead of myself—although I am getting a lot closer. I’m going to do another short version of where I’m at, and maybe do a goal progress summary at the end of June. I’ll also do a blog later this month on the changes I’m making, as I learn more about this crazy indie publishing universe. In the meantime, here is what was achieved in the week just gone:

Progress: May 6-12, 2018New words produced: 37,829Outlines and Notes: 4,331Words compiled: 0Works completed: 0Works edited: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host x2 – third edit in progress)Covers created: 0Works formatted: 0Works published: 0Works released: 1 ( Rocky & the Raptors )Works submitted: 1 ( TBA )Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 789Hours at Desk—May 6-12: 70 hours 50 minutesHours at Desk—May 1-5: 48 hours 26 minutesHours at Desk—April 29-30: 15 hours 36minutesApril Hours at Desk: 167 hours 41 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute

Progress Report from Mid-April to Early May

I've been a little busy lately - which is what happens when your health decides to take a holiday. I've been catching up, and slowly recovering from a few weeks' back pain, so I'm behind in my progress reports. I'll give you a quick overview of the last three weeks, and then head back out the door, because I'm still in the middle of finalising Blaedergil's Host for release next Friday. Here's hoping your last month has run a good deal more smoothly!



Progress: April 15-21, 2018New words produced: 18,534Outlines and Notes: 138Words compiled: 0 0Works completed: 0Works edited: 0 ()Covers created: 0Works published: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins )Works formatted: 2 ( The Dear Tiger Omnibus, Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins )Works released: 1 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins )Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 1,560Hours at Desk—April 15-21: 62 hours 48 minutesHours at Desk—April 8-14: 36 hours 4 minutesHours at Desk—April 1-7: 53 hours 13 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute



















Progress: April 22-28, 2018New words produced: 47,063Outlines and Notes: 5,121Words compiled: 0Works completed: 2 ( Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host, Rocky & the Raptors )Works edited: 1 ( Destiny’s Queen )Covers created: 1 ( Destiny’s Queen )Works published: 1 ( Destiny’s Queen )Works formatted: 1 ( Destiny’s Queen )Works released: 1 ( Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters )Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 0Hours at Desk—April 22-28: 52 hours 13 minutesHours at Desk—April 15-21: 62 hours 48 minutesHours at Desk—April 8-14: 36 hours 4 minutesHours at Desk—April 1-7: 53 hours 13 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute  

 













 







Progress: April 29-May 5, 2018New words produced: 29,644Outlines and Notes: 3,998Words compiled: 0Works completed: 0Works edited: 1 ( Rocky & the Raptors )Covers created: 1 ( Rocky & the Raptors )Works formatted: 2 ( Destiny’s Queen, Rocky & the Raptors )Works published: 2 ( Destiny’s Queen, Rocky & the Raptors )Works released: 1 ( Destiny’s Queen )Works submitted: 1 ( Legacy of the Elves )Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 0Hours at Desk—April 29-May 5: 48 hours 30 minutesHours at Desk—April 22-28: 52 hours 13 minutesHours at Desk—April 15-21: 62 hours 48 minutesHours at Desk—April 8-14: 36 hours 4 minutesHours at Desk—April 1-7: 53 hours 13 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute

New Release—Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins

Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins , the first novel in my science-fiction series, Mack ‘n’ Me ‘n’ Odyssey, released today on Smashwords, and will soon be available on Amazon, DriveThruFiction, and via Smashwords and Draft2Digital distribution.


I ran away from home to find a better life—not be forced into one. You can call me picky, but a girl likes to be asked if she wants to work for you, not coerced—and Odyssey should know better. Now, I have to find a way to kick free—of Odyssey, and my trainer, Mack—without getting myself killed. Surviving the mission is just the first step. Getting out from under, that’s gonna take some doing.

Pre-Release Available—Help Me Find My Sisters

Just to let you know that Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters , the sixth book, in my Dear Tiger series is now uploaded and available for pre-order on Smashwords and Amazon, and will soon be available on Kobo. It releases on April 20, next Friday.




Simone and Tiger are almost within touching distance, when their lives take dramatically different directions, but Simone needs Tiger’s help, and he faces a difficult choice. Does he try to join her, as she races to rescue her sisters, or can he be of more help where he is? And will this be the mission that ends with them together? Or will they be torn apart… again?
Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters is the sixth chapter book in the Letters Across Space series. It can also be found in The Dear Tiger Omnibus , which compiles the first six books in the series into a single volume.

Titles Uploaded to Kobo Today

I've decided I'll go ahead and make things available on Kobo. I'd already started, but then I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue, so I thought about it for a while, and decided I'd see how things went. Unfortunately, this means I have a lot of catching up to do, which is what I'm doing, now. I'll give a general update of what I add to the site each day, until I've caught up. At the same time, I'll be adding the new releases at the same time as I upload those to other sites. Here are the titles I've added so far this week - they may take a couple of days to appear, but they've been submitted:

Pre-Release Available—Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins

The first novel in the Mack ‘n’ Me ‘n’ Odyssey series is now available for pre-order from Smashwords, and soon from Amazon. Book 1 will be released in April, and Book 2 should follow in May or June.


 
I ran away from home to find a better life—not be forced into one. You can call me picky, but a girl likes to be asked if she wants to work for you, not coerced—and Odyssey should know better. Now, I have to find a way to kick free—of Odyssey, and my trainer, Mack—without getting myself killed. Surviving the mission is just the first step. Getting out from under, that’s gonna take some doing.

Progress Report: April 1-14, 2018

Well, the first week of April went well, right up until the seventh, when my back tweaked, and set me, literally, on my back. From that time, right through to the end of the second week of April, things got tricky. I could only sit for limited lengths of time, so I had to triage what I could and couldn’t do. Projects of a lower priority were dropped, including the work I was doing for National Poetry Month, and both the poetry and flash fiction collections. I also dropped the 30 Days of Writing challenges by Shut Up & Write, but didn’t stop writing every day; I just had to be more focussed, so I could hit my publishing deadlines. I’m hoping to pick up some of the short fall in the third week of April, but we’ll see how we go. My back is still not a hundred per cent, so I’ll be pushing it, but very, very carefully. In the meantime, here’s what got done over the last two weeks.

Progress: April 1-7, 2018New words produced: 28,466Outlines and Notes: 3,792Words compiled: 0Works completed: 20 ( 10x poems, 10x flash fiction )Works edited: 0 Covers created: 0Works published: 0Works released: 1 ( Dreams of the Serpent )Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 7,728Hours at Desk—April 1-7: 53 hours 13 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute
 Progress: April 1-7, 2018New words produced: 24,062Outlines and Notes: 1,857Words compiled: 26,438Works completed: 0Works edited: 2 ( Dear Tiger: Let’s Go A-Hunting; Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters )Covers created: 0Works published: 2 ( Dear Tiger: Let’s Go A-Hunting; Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters )Works released: 1 ( Dear Tiger: Let’s Go A-Hunting )Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Bloggery: 0Hours at Desk—April 8-14: 36 hours 4 minutesHours at Desk—April 1-7: 53 hours 13 minutesMarch Hours at Desk: 201 hours 43 minutesFebruary Hours at Desk: 183 hours 50 minutesJanuary Hours at Desk: 180 hours 3 minute



















Goal Progress

Publish Fortnightly Goal: The last release for April is currently undergoing the final formatting and upload process; the rest of April’s releases have been finalised. Three of May’s six releases have been completed and sent to editing, and three more are currently being written. This goal remains on track.

April



 


















May (so far):






Short Story a Month Goal: No advances to report. This goal remains on track.
Chapter Book a Month Goal: No advances to report; this goal remains on track. Novel a Quarter Goal: No advances to report; this goal remains on track.
Publishing 3-Months Ahead Goal: This goal is not yet on track.
Finishing Series-I-Have-Started Goal: No advances to report; this goal remains on track.
Anthology Challenge
No advances to report; this goal remains on track.
Chapter-Book-Collection Challenge
No advances to report; this goal remains on track.

National Poetry Month—Day 6, Verse 4

It’s National Poetry Month, and I’m trying to write, and post, a poem a day to celebrate it. So far, I’ve managed to miss two days, proving I’m not super-human after, but only ordinary, average human. Here’s the poem for today, late today, like the rest of today’s tasks, but here, nonetheless.
In Romeo’s Wake

Written on April 6, 2018, for the February 17 entry of Another 365 Days of Poetry, this piece of fantasy verse was started as part of a response to the first of the 30Days of Writing Activities set by Shut Up & Write.

"I’ll see you in the world below,"said the age-old Romeo,and with those words he did descend,and left me to on my own defend.I felt jilted, angry, owned,and I vowed then I would not roamto seek a way to the world below,or the treach’rous arms of that Romeofor, although he’d wooed me from dusk til dawn,he’d left me to defend, then mourn,the village, and its dead, alone.If I sought him, t’would not be for love,but to bring vengeance from this world aboveinto the darkness that he calls home,the shadowed depths of the world below.