State of the Author

It's been a while, I know.  But I have good reason, I promise.

For the past couple of years, I have been unemployed, despite my university education, thanks to the shitty economic situation here in Portugal.  I've been surviving (barely) on temporary, part-time, small jobs, plus the generosity of my parents.  Writing was a way to pass the time and feel like I still did something.  But last month I landed a new full-time job at a grocery store, making more than twice what I used to.

The bad side?  I'm on the evening shift, 1 to 10 o'clock, a schedule I'm really not used to, plus the work can be real tiring, physically and mentally (you can't imagine some of the stupidity I have to deal with!).  Which all leaves me with little time and patient for writing.

I haven't given it up for good, I enjoy it too much for that, and my fan mail has pretty much told me that I'm a half decent writer.  But I have decided that from now on, I won't post a story until I have completed it.  I can't guarantee when that will be, or what story.

I'm hoping that I will get used to my new situation and start writing in earnest.  For now, I still plan on updating this blog on occasion, so drop by every once in a while.

Been A While

Yes, it has been a while.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten much writing done, just a few sentences here and there.  Only this week have I actually started to get back into the rhythm of things.

As of this moment, I have about one third of the next chapter for Stronghold and Sellswords, Inc.  The next chapter for My Second Life is about half done, as is the one for An Unconventional Family.  Dead and Back's last chapter has suffered a rewrite - the fight scene has been redone and expanded - shifting its ending into the next chapter's beginning.

I am working again, and chapters will be written.  Hopefully, one will be posted next weekend.  Please be patient.

Yeah!!

I am the winner of the Storiesonline, Halloween 2013 writing contest!  Wow, thanks to everybody who voted.  I never expected to come close to winning, I really just wanted to participate.

Now, if you enjoyed Red and the Wolf, you just might see more of Dan and Amanda in the future.  I already have a couple of ideas for future stories, following their relationship, as they continue to enjoy sexual encounters featuring roleplaying and costumes.

Now, the main reason that I haven't been posting for a while, is that I've been sick.  Flu/cold/allergies have really knocked me on my ass.  For a couple of days, I didn't even have the will to get put of bed.  I'm better now and hope to restart posting soon.

Bad News

Sorry, but there won't be an upload for the next couple of weeks.  I'm trying to finish up a story I had tucked away for the StoriesOnline 2013 Halloween story contest.  This will be the first time I try my hand at an actual writing contest.

Wish me luck!

Coming Back

Finally, the long absence in coming to an end.  I'm now more or less completely healthy, but unfortunately, I've written absolutely nothing during my downtime.  I just couldn't find the will or inspiration.  I've only just started writing (albeit, slowly) again.  I'm slowly getting back into the rhythm of things and hopefully, production will be on the rise.  I should have a new chapter up next weekend.

An Unconventional Family and an Upcoming Hiatus

First off, a new chapter of An Unconventional Family will be up this weekend.  Some people might have wanted a new chapter of Stronghold, or my Second Life - unfortunately, though I have completed chapters for those two stories, they are still awaiting a final polish and editing until I am willing to post them.

Please be patient.

Now some bad news.  I've been feeling like shit over the past couple of days, so I went to the doctor.  Turns out I have some sort pulmonary infection.  I'll take antibiotics for now, but if things don't improve, I'll have to go to the hospital.

Needless to say, I'm not exactly in the mood for writing.  Until further notice, I'm on a brief hiatus.  I'll be back to writing and posting as soon as i am able and willing.

Sorry Everybody

I have a lot of fans apparently.  Every time I post a new chapter, I get at least a dozen new e-mails, all of them positive.  Sometimes, its a bit overwhelming, the mere idea that so many people like your creations.

Some ask when more is coming, others give good advice or corrections, which I really appreciate and I answer them.  But then, there are people that simply want to say "good job", or send a happy face.  I like receiving those messages as well, but I don't really don't feel obliged to reply.  I don't know why, I can't answer you.

It has recently come to my attention that some readers take that decision the wrong way, turning them off giving authors feedback.  I don't not want that, so from now on, whenever I receive feed back, I WILL answer, even if its just a brief thanks.  It might take a week or two (I tend to get sidetracked) but I promise that I will.

No Post this Week

Sorry, but I've been visiting family for the past several days.  I haven't had much time to write or even use the Internet, so there's not going to be a post this week.  You'll all just have to wait till next Saturday.

Modern Magic

So, Modern Magic is apparently a hit.  Thanks for all of the positive e-mails that I've received.

Unfortunately, no I don't know when I'll be finished and make it available to the public.  Sorry, you'll all just have to wait and see.

This week's post...

All right, there was a  little problem this week.  I fully intended to post a new chapter to My Second Life, but for some strange reason, I saved over it with an earlier, unfinished version.  Now I have to rewrite the last quarter of the chapter, from memory.

Sorry...

So, this week, I'm instead going to post a new story.  Its a preview, or teaser to a big project I'm still working on.  An urban fantasy, following the life and adventures of a young wizard, making a polace for himself in the mundane and supernatural world.  Intersped within the main storyline is going to be flashbacks to his apprentice and journeyman years.

Dead and Back 5

I'm finally back to posting, with the fifth chapter of Dead and Back.  I hope you all enjoy it!

Now, here's some info on what to expect from my future posts and exactly what I have been doing.

First off, most of the chapters that have already been posted have been rewritten, in one way or another.  Nothing very serious or plot changing, just some minor corrections and polishing.  Sooner or later, I fully plan on releasing those revised and improved chapters.

The one exception is My Second Life.  Unfortunately, you'll all have to wait a bit longer for a new chapter to that particular story - I'm currently doing a more serious rewrite, focusing on Midgard's geography.  In other words, I'm tweaking the environment where John was dropped in.

Besides the stories I have started posting, I also have a dozen others, in different states of development.  Two of these - a sci-fi/space opera and an urban fantasy - I'm working on publishing on their own sites/blogs for profit.  This is still at least a year away, but fingers crossed.

Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays everybody!  I hope you're all having a great time, surrounded by friends and family.

I'll start posting chapters again around the first weekend of January.

Back Again

Alright, I'm back again, more or less.

I've been writing a bit more and I even have a couple of finished (though unedited) chapters waiting.  But... I'm not going to post them anytime soon.

Now, now, everybody put down the torches and pitchforks... I have a good reason for this delay.

I'm planning on building up a sort of reserve of chapters, so that I can start posting again, without any further hiatuses.  I'm aiming to start posting new chapters around New Years, and hopefully, I'll be posting constantly for several months.

Just hang in there people...

The Silence is Broken

As you can all most likely tell, I haven't been posting.

Real life concerns have been keeping me busy and my muse has been surprisingly silent for the past couple of weeks.  I have been writing, but much less than usual.  Unfortunately, I don't know when this situation will change.

Sorry.  I hope to have something soon, but no promises.

Nothing New this Week

I've unfortunately been sick this week, so I haven't been writing much of anything.

Still, the third chapter of Sellswords, Inc. should be up at SOL next week, so you know that i haven't abandoned you all.  New chapters for Dead and Back, Stronghold and My Second Life are all plugging along, rest assured.

Wolf Pub

I've posted my stories over at Eric Storm's Mystic Wolf Pub this weekend.

The good part about this arrangement is that there is a forum where readers can comment and communicate with writers directly.  I'm looking forward to it.

Upcoming Chapter

Some good news!

This Monday I'll be posting a new chapter for My Second Life, chapter 6.  About time, right!  Another piece of good news, chapter 7 is just about three quarters done, and should be posted (fingers crossed) two weeks later.

Also, I have two new stories (two chapters each) that I might start posting.  I honestly wanted to get further along in writing them, but really, who knows when that might be!  If I post what I have now, I might get some good feedback and ideas.

Now the bad news... I've hit a bit of a wall on Stronghold.  It feels like it might take a while to get through it.  Please bare with me people!

No Update

Bad news for you, good news for me.

I've started a new job, so my writing is going to take a serious hit.  Sorry, it can't be helped.  Don't worry though, I'm not abandoning my work and sooner or later you will see new chapters posted at StoriesOnline.

I'm Back... Sorta

I'm back and recovered from my surgery.  Unfortunately, it really screwed up my writing plans, so you'll all have to wait a while for something new.

I am writing new chapters and a couple new stories, so don't worry.  Hopefully, by Christmas or New Year, I'll have something substantial to post.

Absense

I had hoped on posting a Halloween story this week, but sadly, it seems that it will have to wait.

I'm having minor surgery on Monday and I'm not sure when I'll be up to writing.  I'll post when that happens.

Bare with me, and wish me luck.