Happy New Year Everyone. I hope that 2018 will be everything that you want it to be.
So what’s next for me, over here in Sci-fi land? A new year means plans, resolutions. All those schemes that everyone gets so enthusiastic about. At least for a couple of weeks. What are my plans for 2018? Today seems like a good time to let you in on my thoughts for the New Year.
Firstly, I want to do a lot more promotional work, I have this great aversion to advertising, especially my own books, like a lot of authors I don’t think that they’re very good. I need to change that and shout a bit louder about them, if others like them, then they must be alright.
And I have several events planned, Sci-fi conventions and library talks, more about them nearer the time, but the first is in Exeter on Feb 4th, where I’ll be selling books and short stories with other Exeter Authors.
Now that the excitement of NaNo is over, and the holidays are a memory, it’s time to take stock and decide what to do with all the projects that I have on the go. I now have four series that I have to write more books in, to satisfy the readers who keep asking for them.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, when I had the original ideas, they were for a story, it was only later that I came to see that there could be more. And although I want to write about new things, I have to keep on with the ever-evolving sagas that I have created. It almost sounds pretentious to say that my audience demands it but the truth is that they do!
So here’s the state of play
The Freefall Universe.
The third novel, Promise me, is underway, currently at a little over 42,000 words. Will it be the final part of the story? Don’t ask me!
The Balcom Universe.
The third novel, The Lost Princess is underway, as is a prequel that I feel compelled to write. At the moment it’s no more than a way of explaining some back story. It’s tentatively called Miles Goram, Journalist. Just like the above, I have no idea if they will be the last in the Balcom series.
The Norlandian Steampunk Universe.
Part three, as yet untitled, is more than just an idea, I have a rough concept which I hope to enlarge upon. It will carry on from the end of A New Life in Ventis. It might well be the end of the series, although my back stories have left me scope for spin-off novels featuring the supporting characters.
Andorra Pett.
The second novel, Andorra Pett on Mars is completed and being edited in January. The third, Andorra Pett and her Sister is at 21,000 words. A possible fourth story, Andorra Pett takes a Break, is forming in my mind. A fan suggested a fifth story to me as well, it’s a good idea too; well suited to Andorra’s universe, we’ll have to see if I can find the time to do something with it.
Then we move on to my other projects.
Survive is completed, there will be a sequel, it’s been started.
Life…and other Dreams is complete. At first I thought that here wouldn’t be a sequel, mind you, I said that about most of the others. And wouldn’t you know, almost as soon as I typed that I went for a walk and had an idea. I can see how I can tell the next part of the story from the opposite point of view.
Both of those titles are out of action as far as publication is concerned, they are both entered for competitions. I have to wait until I find out what the reaction to them is before I continue. But even if they don’t set the world on fire or win me fame and fortune, I will still be publishing them in the end. Because I like them, and so do the few people who have seen them. And there are more competitions as well, for short stories and full novels.
I have two short stories to expand, at my editor’s suggestion. The Orbital Livestock Company and Jack. Both are very different, Jack is set in a sort of Victorian London, at least so far, while The Orbital Livestock Company is set, as the name suggests on a place that is just that. It’s actually one of the short stories that gave me the ideas for a lot of the first Andorra Pett story, only this will be set before all that happened.
And no doubt I’ll think up a lot more things that I’ll want to do, if this year is anything to go by.
I have to finish my online course as well, perhaps that should be the first thing on my list.
There is a lot of video to record and I have all the written notes to tidy up. There are extracts from my novels to select, bits that emphasise the points that I want to get over. Then I will have to get some people to test it out for me, see if it all makes sense. It’s a big job, much bigger than I thought it would be.
Next week, I’ll be taking part in a blog tour for the first time, reviewing a book that I recently read. See what I thought next time.
