Month: November 2017

Release: A Peace Shattered (Chronicles of the Otherworld 7)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Sure, it’s a couple of days early, but it’s the thought that counts. And if you’re not from the US, then consider this a different kind of holiday, one where you receive the gift of the Otherworld. Episode 7, entitled A Peace Shattered, is out now. Here’s what you’ve got to look forward to:

Nothing can be taken for granted, not when you’re in another world.

Guided by ancient writings, a new excavation is in order, one which may uncover the secrets the expedition has spent two months searching for. But this one will be different. This one will require native and alien hands alike, and it will answer a question no one thought to ask.

Even as some of the students investigate the ruins, the location of their arrival in this other world, others must carry on. There are preparations to be made, loose ends to tie up. And there is a man out there, a man with nothing to lose.

Only a few dollars pledge to my Patreon campaign gets you this story and its six predecessors. That’s less than fifty cents per book! How is that not a good deal? And it doesn’t even count all the other novels, short stories, and novellas you’d be gaining access to.

The Chronicles of the Otherworld finale, Long Road’s End, is coming soon. Only four weeks from today, in fact, on December 19. I hope to see you then.

Novel Month 2017 – Day 20, late morning

It’s not that late, but I’m done with Chapter 17, so I think we’re at a good stopping point. I’m fully on the day shift now, so this counts as a full day’s writing, despite calling it at 10:30 in the morning. The story’s moving along, and I hope that fourth wall isn’t broken too much.

The basic idea of The Soulstone Sorcerer is that it’s a group of gamers who end up in an RPG-like world. I actually had their GM say that the story was getting too slow, so he was going to “move things along”. That’s seriously how I’ve felt these past two days. It’s not something I usually go in for, but I’ll get over it. If it means writing a chapter in a day again, I can deal. And picking up the pace helped with my earlier dilemma, as I now have an idea of where to go from here.

On another note, we’re 2/3 of the way through November, and almost 90,000 words into the novel. That’s a faster pace than I ever thought possible, and I have an outside shot of hitting 100K before Thanksgiving. Normally, that wouldn’t be such a big deal (okay, it’s always a big deal), but Thanksgiving is on the 23rd this year. There’s only one possible earlier date. Wow.

This session’s word count: 4,844
Total word count: 89,577
Daily average: 4,478
Last year’s cumulative total: 72,541
Projected word count: 134,365

Novel Month 2017 – Day 19, early afternoon

Calling this one a little early today for a few reasons. One, it’s Sunday. That’s supposed to be a day of rest, right? Two, I finished Chapter 16, and I want a little bit of time to work out where to go from here. And three, I hate to say this, but I’m starting to get tired of this book. Let’s hope that one goes away.

This session’s word count: 3,612
Total word count: 84,733
Daily average: 4,459
Last year’s cumulative total: 69,583
Projected word count: 133,788

Novel Month 2017 – Day 18, early afternoon

So ends the morning track. Personal plans interrupted some of my writing, but I pushed myself to stay up longer than I originally wanted. Now, I’m closer to being back on a more normal schedule. Since I’m writing after noon again, that means we’re on “full” days again for the average.

As for the writing itself, there wasn’t as much of it this time around. I won’t say I’m in a rut, but I’m definitely in a slower part of the book now. Chapter 15 is done, 16 has begun, and I can confidently say I’m in the second half. Now I just have to figure out what I’m going to do with that half.

This session’s word count: 4,038
Total word count: 81,121
Daily average: 4,506
Last year’s cumulative total: 65.073
Projected word count: 135,201

Novel Month 2017 – Day 17, morning

Still on the morning track, but I’m looking to rectify that in the next few days. Certainly before Thanksgiving, at the latest. In writing news, Chapter 14 is done, Chapter 15 is well on its way, and I’m closing in on the halfway mark of the novel. Finishing the whole thing before the 30th is out of the question, but it’s really looking like I can have it done before Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed.

This session’s word count: 4,957
Total word count: 77,083
Daily average: 4,671
Last year’s cumulative total: 60,072
Projected word count: 140,150

Novel Month 2017 – Day 16, morning

Calling it quits for the day, because I haven’t really felt all that great since I got up. I’m not sure if I’m sick or what, but it’s…not conducive to writing. I did finish Chapter 13 and get about half of 14 done. That’s about it. I don’t even have the energy to write much else for this update.

This session’s word count: 3,951
Total word count: 72,126
Daily average: 4,653
Last year’s cumulative total: 55,228
Projected word count: 139,598

Novel Month 2017 – Day 15, morning

I think I’ve reached the point where I’m getting tired. Not just today, but tired of this whole month. Took longer than I thought, if I’m honest. Anyway, I worked more on Chapter 13, and I’ll finish off the last scene tonight or early tomorrow. Problem is, I don’t really have any clue where I’m going next. One more thing to think about, huh?

This session’s word count: 2,978
Total word count: 68,175
Daily average: 4,701
Last year’s cumulative total: 50,499
Projected word count: 141,051

Novel Month 2017 – Day 14, late night

So we’re still on this track, but that’s going to end in the coming days. It has to, because I have to be up all day Thanksgiving, and that’s less than a week and a half away. Anyway, I finished up Chapter 12 and the first scene of 13. Those are kind of a two-parter, in a sense, the first leading seamlessly into the second. With any luck, I’ll be able to get out of this backstory part and into the main plot again soon, but that’ll have to wait till in the morning.

This session’s word count: 3,118
Total word count: 65,197
Daily average: 4,656
Last year’s cumulative total: 45,892
Projected word count: 139,707

Novel Month 2017 – Day 14, early morning

Here’s the second half I promised. It’s a good chunk of Chapter 12, and it’s about all I can do for tonight/today. I’ll be back late this evening, though. Let’s hope I’m through the wall, huh?

This session’s word count: 3,789
Total word count: 62,079
Daily average: 4,598
Last year’s cumulative total: 45,892
Projected word count: 137,953

Novel Month 2017 – Day 13, late night

Still on this split schedule, but at least I finished Chapter 11. After the day rolls over, I’ll get to work on the next one. The story is finally progressing, so that’s something. Our villain has been name-dropped, and I think things are going to start moving a lot faster from here on out. As far as the story itself, that is. The writing can’t go much faster.

This session’s word count: 2,011
Total word count: 58,290
Daily average: 4,483
Last year’s cumulative total: 45,892
Projected word count: 134,515