Oh, hello there 2014

(Image: stock.xchng/nh313066)

It's apparently been an entire year since I updated this blog. Many things have changed since then.

Many things have also stayed the same.

I finished the Weirdo Company serial! That was a huge moment for me, hitting the "publish" button on the last of 10 parts. I had such an incredible amount of fun writing that story and creating those characters. I initially told myself that I was done with it for a while, and went to work on another project.

But the problem is, ideas for more Weirdo Company kept nagging at me. So I abandoned the other project and threw myself whole hog into a new Weirdo Company novel.  I haven't settled on a title yet, but frankly that's not surprising.

Along the way, other life things happened. I went to five weddings last year, three of them in about the span of a month. It was exhausting, and expensive, but at the same time a good deal of fun. My relationship with my best friend deteriorated until it was no more. That was also exhausting. And I got my heart broken, which was even more exhausting.

In the middle of all that, I got promoted at work. I don't work the night shift anymore, which is huge. I enjoy the work that I'm doing, and I feel like it's another step forward and toward what I would really love to be doing.

But I keep plugging forward with more Weirdo Company. It's comforting. It's fun. I'm pouring a bit more of my own emotions into this one, so hopefully there will be a little bit more dramatic meat beyond all the swearing and explosions and strange monsters.

It's also not a serial, it's a novel, though it keeps a lot of same serial format. I think fans will find a lot to like, and maybe I'll attract some new ones. Maybe.

I'm also writing this post from the very awesome Danish Pastry House in Medford. It's a fine little place that has lots of baked goods, sandwiches and really excellent coffee and tea options. I wrote a blog post for my second job about sleep deprivation while I was pounding back a chai latte. How's that for funny?

But, ultimately... How I'm feeling is this: 2014 will be big. Bigger than 2013. More things are going to change for me. I'm making that happen, rather than waiting for them. This is the next step that I've been building toward since I started self-publishing. Taking that leap was me beginning to do something different with my life than simply go to work, come home and do it all again the next day.

It's a little weird.

Current Soundtrack
"Inception" by Hans Zimmer

My wasted Saturday

Today I had all kinds of things I wanted to do.  Big things, important things.  Things like finish the cover for Hellshark. Well now it's after 6 and what have I done today?

I put a bunch of beef in the crockpot and then watched 30 Rock until it hurt.

Okay, so I did do some work on the cover for Hellshark. Not bad.  And I managed to stick to Paleo meals today, unlike yesterday (stupid, delicious calzone...).  So I guess I didn't waste the day after all?  The beef is still in the crockpot.  It's been almost seven hours.  I hope it's delicious.

Here's the latest WIP cover for Hellshark, which I'm planning on uploading Monday for Tuesday release announcement.  Special thanks to Smalls for suggesting red, glowing devil eye.

Current Soundtrack
Quantum of Solace by David Arnold

Adoration is a drag/drug

I tend to think I'm a pretty humble person.  I honestly don't like to be in the spotlight, and I rarely take compliments well for my work.  Anything beyond, "Nice job" starts to make me feel uncomfortable.

This, of course, is problematic when you release a book that people are enjoying.  So I get things like coworkers who pass it around the office, and then start asking me questions about it in front of people.  Or, perhaps, I have a friend who tells his bartender in New York City about it, and the bartender proceeds to write my name down on a napkin.  And so on.

On the one hand, this feels good.  People are obviously enjoying my book, which I'm proud of, and are proud of me.  On the other hand, I'm uncomfortable with a level of celebrity.  It felt weird when I was down in Baltimore signing autographs at Shore Leave in 2006 for "Strange New Worlds" and it feels kinda weird now.  But why?

Why?

It seems strange to me that I want people to read and enjoy my work, but that I don't particularly want to get lots of compliments on it.  If people want to discuss the stories with me, I'm more than willing to do so.  I'd love to hear which ones people enjoy, which ones they didn't, and why or why not.

Whatever, I'm a weird person.  It's very late at night, and I haven't written much this week.  I spend the weekend in New York City (which was awesome) and then I've been all off-kilter on my schedule and splitting time between my apartment and my parents' house helping out with some stuff there.  It's making me a little anxious.  I've been so productive lately that taking this time off feels... bad.


Current TV:
'30 Rock' Season 6

Whoops

I came home tonight with every intention of putting another couple thousand words into the novel, but I ended up dicking around the Internet, updating my LinkedIn profile and Facebooking.  Dang.

Current Soundtrack:
'Contraband' by Velvet Revolver