This image from Valheim fits this month’s progress report, I believe.
You see, it’s not really a comfortable place (it’s the entrance of a frost cavern), but it’s the safest place imaginable in the Mountain. And with a fire, it’s even warm, despite the frigid environment.
This is how I often feel in life. My home is safe, warm, comfortable, but challenges abound outside of it. Yes, that includes people, groceries and my job, but really, mostly people.
Writing Progress Report
I’m actually writing more regularly and producing more words. That is a very good thing, maybe I am finally making my way out of lingering burnout.
I also bought a new keyboard. This time, I got a gaming keyboard (love the backlit keys) which reminds me a lot of the massive, trusty Compaq keyboard I had when I started writing and which went out of commission because my new computer didn’t have a PS2 socket anymore. The clicking sounds are bit annoying, but I can type amazingly fast on it. And it is way more precise than the soft, gentle Logitech was (on top of that one having keys failing).
I suppose that makes writing more fun. In all honesty, I’m not always sure what makes my Autistic brain light up, but this keyboard does. It connects me to my years of massive writing in more ways than one, and that is a really good thing.
Wolves Progress Report
I am *this close* to finishing Lucky. Really, it’s probably another 4-5k words, a fast-paced showdown, the resolution and an epilogue. I’m having all players in place, so I really just need to write it out.
But as I’ll explain below, “just writing it out” is not happening because life is a bit crazy right now. I hope it’ll all calm down in August, but that is not a given.
I’ve also started the first bonus story that I want to add to the Boxed Set that I unpublished because nobody bought it (yes, a real bummer). Those bonus stories will only be available in the Boxed Set and on my Patreon for paying members. In “Meeting the Parents”, Ben will do just that, when Sylvia insists they have to visit. Fun times.
Winds & Pillars Progress Report
Moon is waiting in the wings. She’s starting to nag me, and yes, her story is what I’ll write next. Depending on sales, I may be able to buy the cover this year, or I may have to push it back to next year.
In other words, if you want Moon’s story sooner, tell your friends about the series! Every single sale actually matters.
In better news, I did something I thought I’d never do: I started translating South Breaks into German. Thanks to some great help from friends over on Mastodon, I finally got over the mental hurdle that translating the names had become in my mind.
So South Rabbit will become Süden aus dem Haus Hase in the German version. And since I’m the author, I can take some slight liberties with the wording, right? Right?
At least this is fun and the perfect procrastination project. In addition, the covers won’t be a problem, I’m certain my cover designer is quite willing to switch out some text for a small fee. This is definitely a silver lining.
Twin Worlds Progress Report
Still posting on AO3, but I’m getting close to the end. I will need to edit it a little, because I’m choosing to shift some chapters into the beginning of book 2 where they make much more sense.
Because finances in my business are such a problem (ended up with about €100 in earnings for the entire year of 2024), I’m playing around on Canva for covers. I am not totally happy with them, but it’s very hard to argue with free.
Here’s a sneak preview of all covers I made for the series (there may be a book 4, eventually, I have some ideas, but… they are very vague).
Book 1, Steps of Courage, will probably be what I publish after Lucky’s story, this year in fall. Mostly because I have no idea how much time it’ll take me to write Moon of the Winds & Pillars.
LitRPG Progress Report
I may have mentioned that I’ve also written some novels in what is basically LitRPG, aka a bunch of people going on a quest and becoming a team along the way.
My series is called The Mengarian Conspiracy and will have several books before the big arc finally finishes. Three books are basically written, definitely epic, with plenty of view points and classic characters:
- the retired, worn fighter
- the mage who doesn’t know about his powers
- the bard who is a sneaky fighter, as well
- the orphan assassin
- the cute little goblin who is smarter than she looks
- the druid recluse with a secret
- a whole menagerie of familiars and other animals
And yes, I made a quick and dirty cover on Canva for the first book, as well:
The story is about a small village that finds itself the victim of a lot of little goblins stealing things like bread, chicken or clothes.
The sheriff and the baker decide to do something about that, and the sheriff calls in a member of her former mercenary group for support. Along the way, an assassin joins them who needs to lie low for a bit.
When they finally reach the goblin lair in the mountains, the real fun starts – our heroes have to oust invaders who have displaced the poor goblins.
The story is full of adventure, action, some snark and a lot of the kind of fun you’ll find in role-playing groups. Yes, I was pulling from my D&D days when I wrote this mostly for fun.
Do you want to read this story? Do you want me to push this book out into all stores? Let me know in a comment. (I need a bit of an incentive to tackle the proofing.)
Life Progress Report
The past four weeks were a whirlwind of travel and family meetings, and that hurricane isn’t over just yet.
One weekend was the celebration of my nephew’s graduation, as well as a school reunion for myself. (It’s been 40 years since I graduated. Unbelievable. Unreal.) It was great, but also full of a lot of people and meetings. Brain was slightly overwhelmed at the end of four days.
The weekend following that, I had to attend a funeral, which also turned into a reunion with a lot of family I hadn’t seen in literally a decade or more. Bittersweet. And overwhelming.
And the next weekend, I’ll celebrate my birthday with family, and since it’s what we call “a round” birthday in German, meaning it has a zero in it, I’m actually doing something for it. My sister will spend a few days here, for once with her husband, and that… that means I’ll be busy getting my apartment into a state befitting visitors.
Plus taxes are due in Germany at the end of the month, and the less said about that, the better.
*cue some screaming into the abyss*
Ember Progress Report
Well… as you might know, this is my pop-up replacement, telling you to sign up to my newsletter if you haven’t done so already. (I’m sure you all have, thank you!)
Ember is my cute little dragon familiar (in reality just a plushie, but don’t tell her that!) and in every newsletter, I share a silly little adventure with her.
In addition, every newsletter offers a special sale for my store, more books through BookFunnel promotions, as well as updates about me and my books. It only goes out once a month, because I don’t want to firehose anyone (and because there are too many newsletters out there already, right?).
Anyway, fill in the form below, and you’re all set.
