Well, it’s the beginning of a fresh new year! As usual, I’d like to take this time to look back at the year behind us and see how 2015 treated me.
Looking Back at 2015
The first notable thing was that 2015 was my first full year as an author. I left my job on Sept. 4th, 2014. It’s been a little unnerving. I don’t know if you’ve ever left an (ostensibly) safe job in favor of something completely subject to the whims of the free market, but it is not for the faint of heart. Even with my unreasonably good fortune in finding fans like you and a steady income, I still spend a fair amount of time each month fretting that I might not have what it takes to stay a full time author. So far, that anxiety has been unfounded. The coffers are still full, the money is still flowing, and I continue to live the dream. THANK YOU!
Book Releases
Back in March I released my first novel of the year. It was a NaNoWriMo project, and a sequel to the surprisingly popular (in Australia and New Zealand) steampunk story Free-Wrench. Folks seem to like it, so another one is on the way. More on that later.
The next release was in June. I didn’t give it much of a push since it was an anthology, and thus most of the stories within were previously released and of little interest to the people who were already following me. Mostly this was to give new fans an easy way to get their hands on the Book of Deacon Series, as well as give me an item which could be more flexible in promotions and other book biz stuff that’s too boring to go into here.
This was the big one. A direct sequel to the Book of Deacon trilogy, it was released just a few weeks ago. The D’Karon Apprentice was easily my longest pre-order, and had a number of other distinctions, including a timed exclusivity with Apple, and introducing the most hideous monstrosity ever to steal the hearts of my readers, the abominably adorable Mott:
Our villains, lady and gentleman.
Those are the major releases, and honestly, three releases in a year (technically two, since one is a collection) is less than I would have liked to achieve. That does, however, ignore some of the side stuff I did. Let’s look at those.
Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t abandoned, just on indefinite hiatus. Which is different, for reasons. It was my first attempt at a serial, and it ran for a while. I’ve got another chapter or two written, but at this point I’m not likely to put the rest of it out until I’ve composed a complete story arc.
This was a traditionally published anthology, backed by a Kickstarter… which I suppose doesn’t make for an overly traditional publication, now that I think about it…. Anyway, I was asked to contribute an original story. You folks just recently got your hands on that story, Seeking the Shadow. It’s actually up for a Stabby Award!
Ayna
Despite Ayna being one of the more… reviled characters among my supporting cast, I went ahead and wrote a short story detailing her origin. This was released as a newsletter perk in May, and then included in the Anthology.
Desmeres Serial
In July, some author friends got together to release a “Chapter 1 of Serials” collection, so I decided to experiment with a possible ongoing serial about Desmeres. I wrote it, released it in the collection, and then made it a newsletter perk. Folks seem to have enjoyed it, so once I wrap up my current projects, I might spend some time on this one.
Other Achievements
Oh, there were plenty! Apple ran a major promo for The D’Karon Apprentice, for one. I also finally answered the call for paperbacks, see!
I’ve also set the wheels in motion to fill out my audio book catalog. The same narrator from the Book of Deacon Trilogy has agreed to return to narrate The D’Karon Apprentice, which is the first audio book since Jade that I’ll be personally producing.
Easily the most impressive achievement of the year, though, is the success of Der ewige Krieg, the German translation of The Book of Deacon. It was released in November, and it spent 26 days in the Top 100 of Amazon’s German storefront! I’ve got nearly thirty review now, and all but one is very positive!
I was evidently something called a “Kindle All-Star” over there. Neat!
Looking Forward
So that’s what 2015 did for me. What have I got in store for 2016? Let’s see.
The first official release scheduled for 2016 is the fourth book in the Big Sigma series. I announced it just a few days ago, so no sense going over that again. Just check the earlier post if you’d like to learn more.
Ichor Well
This NaNoWriMo Project, which is still in the cleanup phase, is yet another entry in the Free-Wrench series, a story called Ichor Well. It has, as so frequently happens, grown unmanageable large, but it will almost certainly be released some time next year, so keep your eyes peeled.
Continuing the Serials
As I’ve said, then next project will probably be the return to Desmeres’ exploits in The Redemption of Desmeres. I’ll see if I can round it out to a 13 chapter arc. I’m also interested in working on Between to a satisfying conclusion.
Pizza Dragon?
This here’s Blodgette. She’s sort of a collaborative character between myself and an artist called ProjectENDO. I’ve got a little bit of a story written, and with any luck/some dedication, I’ll finish that up.
Unnamed Second “Trilogy”
I’ve got a mostly edited story set in the Book of Deacon setting that’s been waiting for over a year. This is one of those stories where I just can’t decide if it’s good enough to release. As my friends know, I tend to think that everything I write is mediocre, so for all I know this is just as good as anything else I’ve written. But still I wait… Someday, little book. Someday.
Other Doodads and Whatnot
I’ve got the perpetually rotating list of “maybe” projects which are still in a holding pattern. There’s an original comic in the works. A children’s book has been considered and discussed. Various merchandise ideas. I’m going to be getting a laser. Etc, etc, etc.
So that’s that, folks! Here’s hoping I can keep my head in the game, and keep giving you folks books you’ll enjoy, and as always, Thanks for Reading!