While it might seem like there has been a lull in my writing and published works, that's not entirely the case. I haven't blogged a lot but I have been extremely busy at writing. I'm working on both short stories as well as novels. I'll get to those in just a bit; first I want to talk about some new releases since the last time I posted here.
This first one is especially near and dear to my heart... Mark Halegua and I had been messaging each other in email and then on Twitter since fall of 2019, where we chatted about our respective days. We also talked a lot about writing, and he often shared with me what he was dealing with health-wise. I knew he was struggling both financially and with ongoing health issues, but he also was excited to tell me some details of a new book he was working on with a classic-style pulp superhero set in 1930s NYC. He did ask me if I'd be willing to take a look at it, but unfortunately I was pretty busy at that time. So I suggested to Mark that he could send what he had completed of his manuscript to fellow writer/editor Lee Houston Jr., and Mark was amenable to that. Lee went over the initial beginning, which was somewhere around 10 pages, and then Lee sent it back with his corrections/suggestions. Several months later when Mark wanted input again, I had gotten an opportunity to write a western for a publisher with a hard deadline, though they had bumped it ahead a couple months to accomodate me. So I just could not take on another project. Once again, the now much longer manuscript Mark had went to Lee, who worked on it in his spare time. Unfortunately we lost Mark in the interim, so what we had was basically 2/3 of a book that Mark wrote and never got to finish.
I felt really bad about not being involved in that, because I knew how much Mark wanted to see his name on a cover of a book that he had written. We were now well into 2020 when I approached Airship 27 Productions about Lee and I finishing Mark's book. Airchief Ron Fortier readily agreed to let us take on that project once we had the time. We worked on it a large part of last year (2021). First Lee and I gathered all our notes and material on the project (I had some info in messages, either email or on Twitter) and we had plenty of discussions. Lee did the initial reformatting and copy editing along with some light line editing for style. Then Lee turned it over to me.
The first thing I did was read the entire unfinished manuscript to try and get a feel for Mark's style, where he was going with the story, and how to bring it to some conclusion. I had read only snatches of it before that time and I'm not usually a superhero writer, so I really needed a chance to get the flavor of the story before I could go on. There were a lot of random crime scenes in it that did not seem purposeful, and some big time jags with flashbacks that were hard to make sense of. Lee was busy with a book he was working on so I took it on myself to pull the story Mark had already laid out for us together so that it made sense, and then it had to be continued. That's where it got challenging.
I had no clue what Mark intended for his big climatic scene, because he hadn't gotten that far. But there were some indications that he was going for something big from gangland that had to be stopped. I just had no idea exactly what. Explosives were mentioned, that could be built upon, and nobody in organized crime tolerates a do-gooder interfering with their 'business'. Mark had written in from the beginning that this hero in his real life was a struggling pulp author barely getting by who finds an alien A.I. that grants him certain enhanced abilities. There was a love interest for the main character that while it was rather distracting at times, could be used in a plot to smoke out the Blue Light. I went back and forth with Lee all the time I was working on it. Lee is a big comics fan and he loves mysteries and police procedurals, so his input was invaluable. I ran my ideas past him on almost a daily basis. The hardest thing was giving some reason for all the randomn crimes that Mark had written in. We certainly didn't want to lose Mark's hard work and author style in the process, so we did what we could to incorporate whatever he had written and have it all make sense and be readable. While working together all the way, I think Lee and I managed that aptly.
After weeks of working on the book with Lee's input throughout, I completed a rough draft that I felt good about. It got set aside for a bit before I made a second pass and then turned it over to Lee. When we were both on the same page about the events in the book and how readable it seemed, we sent it off to Airship 27 late last August (2021), and then both of us went on with other projects.
When we got the galleys back a week or so ago as of this writing (we each got a copy), Lee and I worked hard to get them corrected and back in on time. Reading that book over again, seeing the cover, the interior illustrations, and the dedication we wrote inside along with the one the publisher put on the back cover with Mark's picture, I'll admit I teared up more than once. It had been over 6 months months since we turned it in, and while reading it over I was very happy with how seamless it appeared to be. You could not easily tell where Mark left off and we stepped in. I kept thinking how proud he'd be to see his name on that cover that shows his character in an action scene—which by the way was done by AS27 in-house artist and all around setup man Rob Davis. The interior illustrations are awesome too, all done by Colorado based artist Sam A. Salas in a style that really suits the story. Every time I look at this book it makes me proud. How often in life do you get a chance to make someone's dream come true, even post-humously? It was worth every hour we put into it, and believe me there were plenty involved. Still very much a labor of love.
And now you can get your own copy, in Kindle or Paperback by clicking here. There is an inexpensive PDF available at Airship 27's Hangar site as well (scroll down). A book well worth reading to honor a great guy, and one I'd love to see do well for Mark's sake. None of us writers want our hard work to die with us. Let's make this novel a big success in Mark's memory.
In other recent release news, I found out today that my first Jezebel Johnston book, subtitled DEVIL'S HANDMAID, just got released in audio format once again—this time by Radio Archives! When someone believes in your work enough to go back and make their own audio version of the very first of eight current novels, that's absolutely a vote of confidence for the entire series. Right now you can get that 8 hour recording, read by Radio Archives voice artist Roberto Scarlato, for half price. So don't delay, because $7.99 for 8 hours of entertainment in a digital download you can enjoy at home or while out & about is a bargain! Also available on CD. This is the book that started the series, and I'm currently working on novel #9, so here's your chance to start at the beginning with a low cost source of entertainment for those long commutes, beach days, or evenings in the easy chair with the earbuds in. In case you were wondering, this is PG13 with off and on violence and some subtle adult situations, but filled with rollicking pirate adventures in a historical backdrop and as realistic as I can make it. You can find it in either format right here.
Now, what have I been working on? Well besides the 9th Jezebel Johnston pirate tale in progress (no title at this point) I've completed in rough draft the third Silver Pentacle book, which turned out to be a full novel this time. I still need to go over that and title this one, but it is essentially completed. The story went places I wasn't expecting, but that's nothing new. I hear SP #2 is in progress, so I'll let you know when that makes it to print.
I've been trying my hand at writing some horror this year. I've been flirting with that for a while now in certain stories, but this is the first time I've actually settled in to write a story that is 100% horror throughout. It's harder than you'd think, though I've really diversified my writing over the past 10 years or so, moving myself away from mostly epic/heroic fantasy and into other genres like westerns, private eye, children's adventure, Kaiju-type monsters, and of course those historical fiction pirate yarns. I have started a paranormal investigator series of short stories set in the 1950s that are gradually catching on, but true horror has always been something I've wanted to do and have been a bit uneasy about. The trick is much like in writing romance (especially the ever-popular bodice ripper stuff), maintaining the tension throughout without tipping your hand. I've got two in progress right now, one a novella series that I'm not positive that the publisher will take (though another has expressed interest) and a short story aimed at a specific publisher that I've already turned in. That story is more of a horror/gothic noir mashup and it had a fixed setting, so that was quite a bit easier. The novella is coming along, but I've had to pare out some wordy sections that slow it down. You can't afford that sort of slog-through area in a manuscript that is only 35,000-40,000 words long and is supposed to remain gripping throughout. Have to keep the action ramped up. I did write a pseudo horror short that was inspired by a reading group podcast I watched online last Halloween, but I haven't really thought of where to send that yet. So I've not just dipped my big toe in the genre, both my feet are wet now. Just something else to add to my usual repertoire.
I'm also writing another Chandra Smoake short story (the 1950s paranormal investigator) for a specific market that is looking for that sort of thing over the next month or so. They want a pitch and a sample of something else published. I want the story at least done in rough draft before I toss my hat into the ring. I'm trying to broaden my readership by reaching out to companies I have not yet dealt with. The idea is to keep expanding, which does bring new opportunities and makes my writing résumé look better. Anything I can produce has more than one potential sales site, so even if it doesn't make the cut for the intended target, I'll eventually find a home for it.
All this writing certainly keeps me busy, which is a good thing at this stage of my life. For one thing, I am an empty-nester in an all older adult household. Since I'm not employed outside of the home, I have the time and energy to write. Over the last eight years I've become increasingly incompacitated with advanced osteoarthritis and degenerative spine, making it hard for me to get around. I can't stand for more than 15 minutes without pain, and with at least one hip that is bone-on-bone (no cartilage left) and a knee joint below it that is severely damaged, I shamble along with a cane. Housework is tough for me, I can't garden like I used to or walk my dog, and just getting in and out of a vehicle or off a couch or chair is a struggle. I plan on getting some of that repaired with whatever medical science can provide for me, but it's going to be a while yet. I've been gradually bringing my weight down to a level that agrees with artificial joint replacements, but even after losing 77 lbs, I've still got some way to go. And most of those replacements at present have about a 15 year life span, though they are being improved all the time. So timing is everything now that I am about to turn 65.
Plus last fall, I was diagnosed with Stage 3A kidney disease, which forced me to once again, alter my diet rather drastically. In order to keep my kidney function where it is, I had to drastically cut back on all animal protein, including eggs and dairy. I had to add back in copious whole grains and some starchy stuff like potatoes in order to make up the difference in the reduced meat/fish/poultry/egg/cheese portions. The first month was tough since I'd been losing weight on a low carb/high protein keto regimen. As a longtime gardener, I love my veggies and fruit, but you can only eat so much—plus you don't stay full long enough. I can't stomach beans of any kind, they have never agreed with me, so that was out. In the intervening months I have come up with reasonable alternatives and I'm doing fine now; my kidney levels are stable at their current stage (they don't improve, the idea is to stop the damage) and weight is coming off again. But I have become even much more of a label reader than I was before, because sodium and phosphates—both abundant in most factory foods—are the enemy. In fact, I had to give up my prescription for twice daily 500 milligram naproxen that helped control the arthritis pain and stiffness to some degree because that too is sodium based and all that salt filters direcrtly through my already damaged kidneys. The only medication I am allowed now for the pain is time-released Tylenol and the very occasional muscle relaxer (for bad pain nights). So this is very much NOT fun.
So what does that have to do with writing? Well, everything! Writing is something I do well and enjoy immensely. It gives me something to look forward to daily. I can do it sitting down, and it takes my mind off my pain and my worries about what the future holds for me. It can also be squeezed in around other things in my day. I lose a lot of sleep due to chronic pain as well as nightly bathroom visits. The latter is because my kidneys are now much slower working than they used to be, and that end process cannot wait until morning. Thankfully most of my days are spent here at home, writing. That's what gets me up and gives me something positive to focus on. These big life changes don't come easy, so it's good to have something to look forward to accomplishing when I'm not with friends and family.
Which is exactly why I am here writing this post. To get the word out about what I have going on so I can continue writing and having places to publish my work where people will read it. If they'll print them, I'll write them. Keeps me out of trouble and in a better frame of mind.
~Nancy
