Update: September 2021

So much has happened since my last update, so let’s dive right in!

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First, I finished off my latest draft of The Silver Shrike at the end of August and whipped up a query letter at the start of September for this quarter’s #PitMad event. No agent or editor likes, but the response from general users was very positive. Especially since I was also pitching Folk of Rock and Water, so my focus was split. Next time, I think I’ll concentrate on one manuscript to maximize my chances.

Regardless, I’m thrilled to say The Silver Shrike is ready for the next stage in the life of a novel: querying. I confronting that hurdle once I’m finished with my current project.

Currently, I’m working on the sword & sorcery/heroic fantasy tale starring Arlise Dun I mentioned in last month’s update. Life got in the way, so I wasn’t able to finish before Whetstone Issue #4’s deadline, but last week saw me push all the way up to the climactic fight scene, so I’m pretty sure I’ll finish “War in the Wex Wood” sometime this week. It seems likely to end up somewhere between 2000 and 2500 words, so I may simply hold onto this story until Whetstone’s next submission period.

A couple close rejections for “Enough” came in at the end of August. My story just barely missed the final cut on one of them. Those kind of rejections are simultaneously encouraging and painful. Encouraging because the editors outright said the story was good, and this was my first story in this genre. Painful because a rejection is still a rejection. Plus there don’t seem to be too many publishers seeking fantasy/erotic romance at this length. Once “War in the Wex Wood” is finished, I may workshop this story and see if I can find a way to bump it over 5000 words, which would open up quite a few other markets.

September wasn’t all rejection, though. “Decisions”–my very first published story about Arlise Dun–has been accepted for a reprint in Flights of Fantasy, an anthology of fantasy flash fiction exactly 500 words long from Iron Faerie Publishing. Hopefully I’ll have more details soon!

On the reading front, I’ve continued my journey through the Honor Harrington series with Shadow of Victory. My feelings about this book are probably the most mixed of any book in any of the spinoffs, since a lot of it is spent filling in backstory. I feel like a lot of these chapters could’ve been included in previous books, but there is some excellent stuff in here. I’m really looking forward to starting Uncompromising Honor and To End in Fire once the latter is released.

I also picked up The Conquering Sword of Conan, which features the only original Robert E. Howard story the character that I haven’t read: The Black Stranger. It looks like an anthology well worth the money.

Virtual school has proven easier to handle than last year, since I only have one little brother here to help and he works pretty well on his own. The other has been dealing with quite a bit of homework lately, but that still leaves me a big window during the day to concentrate on writing.

Personally, I’m pretty happy to see the return of college football. Oklahoma State looks really rough, possibly the worst 3-0 team in the country, but undefeated is still undefeated. They really should’ve lost last night’s game against Boise State, though. A few questionable officiating calls bailed them out. I hope they hold up better against Kansas State.

Meanwhile, Tulsa might be the best 0-3 team in the country. I never expected them to hang with Ohio State (in Columbus, no less) until the last few minutes of the 4th Quarter, but they did.

Oklahoma looks really inconsistent. Nebraska played them down to the wire, and they might’ve won if not for a couple plays like this insane one-handed interception.

In much less pleasant news, we lost my grandmother last week. She hadn’t been doing well for a while, so I think we all had time to come to terms with it before it happened, but it still stings. Especially since she was my last living grandparent. At least her suffering is at an end.

Times like this always remind me of the final verse of the old hymn “Will the Circle be Unbroken?”:

“One by one their seats were emptied.

One by one they went away.

Now the family is parted.

Will it be complete one day?”

Stay safe out there, everybody. I’ll see you all again in October.