So far this year has been super busy and after only two weeks at work, plus all of the writing stuff on an evening, I’m ready for a break!
I’ve updated the Events page for the conventions I will be attending. I’m definitely at Dyprosium and 9 Worlds, Fantasycon is 80% a yes, and I’ll probably be doing a couple of others, but am not sure which ones yet. As the year progresses and more details of the exact release date of Battlemage become available I will post updates here and elsewhere online of what I am doing and where I’ll be for that.
Writing wise, so far I’m editing the proof of book 1, Battlemage. This is my last chance to look over it, my last chance to spot any tiny errors, any little niggly bits and so far I’ve not found very much. Thankfully it’s not just up to me and other people are looking at it as well, which is probably a good thing as I’ve read the book so many times I’m probably just reading what I think is there on the page.
So the proof should be done shortly and will go back to Orbit, then I’m jumping back onto my second draft of book 2, which I can’t name yet, but hopefully can reveal reasonably soon. I’m maybe two thirds of the way through it, and in this edit I realised a lot more what the book was actually about. That insight helped me not only focus the story but also what I wanted from the characters and it helped me clarify or slightly alter their decisions.
Once that goes off….at some point, I’ll then jump back onto book 3, and I have to get a first draft of that done before the end of the year. I knew 2015 was going to be pretty epically busy by comparison to other years, but I’m not sure I’m really prepared for it yet. My posting on here may suffer as the year progresses, who knows.
Other writing stuff. Comic book projects. One has been sent off for submission and we will find out in a few months if it is going to be taken any further. Another is starting to move slightly, which is great news and exhilarating. It’s wonderful to see any artwork, but when it’s based on something you have written it’s a remarkable feeling. The third comic project, an experiment of sorts, is going well so far too. I’m being vague about this one on purpose, as it’s unusual in structure and approach, but so far I’ve been encouraged by the progress made.
That’s kind of it for now. Over the holidays I caught up on a bunch of TV shows that had been stacking up on the box. I read a few comics on my stack and even played a bit of Starcraft 2, which is lots of fun. I’ve seen lots of other lovely games, and even a few MMORPGs I’ve thought about playing, but the guilt of paying and not playing would eat at me, and then if I did try to get my money’s worth I’d feel guilty for not spending more time writing. So it’s easier to just admire them from afar and play games where I only pay once.
For now I’m locked in the writing cave, writing and editing, but I’ll be let out in April for my first convention. Very excited about meeting Jim Butcher at his first UK convention as I’m an enormous Dresden Files fan and will have to do my utmost not to geek out and totally fanboy on him.
Stephen Aryan 