Progress Report: October 2020

Happy Fall, ladies and gents, and welcome to the 38th month of 2020.

It’s not a stretch to say that this has been an odd year, and “odd” may be understating things. 2020 has had that disaster movie feel to it, but we’re three-quarters done. With any luck, this year will soon be a memory we shake our heads over while enjoying a rather potent drink, or something we talk about the way our parents spoke about walking to school uphill both ways in the snow. I’m, like, 79% sure that we’ll get through this intact. We’ll be okay.

Listen to the Ice Cream

So, let’s focus on the future. Let’s make plans. Let’s be optimistic. Here’s what’s going on at my end.

- Since March, I’ve been chipping away at the rough draft of a new novel. I’m about 17,000 words and seven chapters in, and at this pace, I’ll finish with this draft sometime in February. Its current title is Underground Rhapsody, and as it gets closer to done, I’ll talk more about it.

- It’s October, which means it’s time to prepare for NaNoWriMo (or “Spooky Season” for everyone else). This year, I’m working on finishing the project I worked on the last two NaNo events, Urban Legend. It’s a comic book-inspired thriller surrounding a detective, a mayoral candidate, a department of crooked cops, and a masked, serial-killing vigilante. I’m currently around 30,000 words in right now. I may not add 50,000 words to it in November as the challenge dictates, but I may finally get the first draft done, and that’s a big deal.

- A good friend of mine, Thom Carnell, has his latest short story anthology available for pre-order. Head to Amazon and take a look at Tuxedo Junction!

- As hard as it’s been to put aside my utter distaste for revision, rewriting, and editing (hey, we all have our strengths), the next draft of 4play is slowly but surely coming together. It’s been a revelatory time, reacquainting myself with these characters and their troubles—more on this as it develops.

- There’s a short story in the works! I’m working on the first draft of I Wanna Get Better, which examines loneliness, mental illness, and the coping mechanisms someone uses to get through life. I’m shooting to have this ready to post for November, but in the meantime, feel free to check out Searching for Ms. Hero, Billy, and For a Good Time, Call…, all up in the Extras section.

- Unrelated to writing and books, the Yankees are up one game to none in the best-of-five ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays! Let’s go, Yankees!

Look, I’ll level with you. If we listen to what we hear on social media and certain news outlets, the world is burning down around us. That assertion might even feel right, and things may feel like they’re spiraling into an abyss. Whether it’s true or not, all we can control is what we do and what we’re doing.

So, stay safe, stay optimistic, and vote.

#writing #reading #baseball #reassurance #2020vision