It’s been quite a year. I can say without reservation that our 2018 Christmas was much less stressful than 2017. Last year I was in the final stages of my cancer treatment which consisted of daily radiation and weekly chemo infusions. Thankfully that is all behind me now. As I said once before, you don’t fight cancer without paying a price; seven weeks of treatment and a year or more of recovery from the treatment. So, this year our holiday time with the family was much better.
Last winter as I gained strength, I was able to get back to my second Dan Stone novel, “The Shaman”. It felt good to get a routine going again. That book was published in June.
Over the summer I started “The Captive Girl” the third in the Dan Stone series. The writing went well and I was able to get the eBook published in early December. I got two books out in a recovery year; not too bad.
Problems: I’ve had difficulty getting the paperback version of “The Captive Girl” published. Since Amazon closed down CreateSpace as the paperback printer/publisher, problems have multiplied. First it was getting the manuscript uploaded, then the cover art got messed up in printing. I’m waiting for an expedited second proof copy to see if Amazon has corrected their printing problems. If the proof checks out, I’ll publish right after New Year’s.
Some big news is that I’ve rewritten “Catherine’s Tale Part 1” and “Part 2” into one book titled, “Uprising”. It follows the same story but moves faster. I don’t spend as much time on the side plots. They’re still there, the story is rich in characters and plots, but I keep driving the story line towards its climax. This book will be out in January so I’m off to a quick start for 2019! I think the rewrite is a better story. If you haven’t read the “Catherine’s Tales”, I encourage you to get the rewrite when it comes out.
What’s next? “Jason’s Tale”, my first book, still ranks at or near the top of all my books, evidence of an enduring interest in the post-apocalyptic category and (I think) the quality of my first effort. That fact leads me to spend time completing what will be my third book in the “After the Fall” series. I started the story a year ago and am picking it up now that “Uprising” is pretty much finished. My goal is to publish in May.
After that? Maybe a fourth Dan Stone adventure. If I can get in a good summer of writing, I could have the book out next December. We’ll see how it goes.
All in all 2018 was a busy and productive year. I am so thankful for those of you who have purchased my books and follow me. It is gratifying to find that readers enjoy what I write. It’s the reason I spend hours at the computer. Writing is a six to seven day a week activity and to see my books do well in the marketplace, to read enthusiastic reviews, makes it worth all the time invested. I look forward to this coming year and I hope you will enjoy the fruits of my labor.
