I thought I’d provide a quick writing update to set the stage for some future posts I want to make.

A few months ago, I finished revising the manuscript for Tiger Unbound, Book Five of the Calytpo Cycle. At this stage, the manuscript is essentially done. I say essentially because this when I send it to a handful of trusted first readers who give me feedback. This usually results in a few revisions and some line edits, but generally nothing substantial.

Last November, as my contribution to National Novel Writing Month, I wrote the entire first draft of Book Six of the Calypto Cycle. It doesn’t have a title yet, and as with all of my first drafts, it needs a significant amount of editing and revision, but overall, I’m pleased with how the story came out. This book concludes the middle third of the story, so unlike Books 4 and 5, Book 6 ends with a few loose ends that are intended to propel the reader in the final act of the entire cycle. It also has some of the biggest story reveals of any of the books so far, so I wonder how my readers will like it.

Since November I’ve turned my attention to a collaborative effort with a longtime friend. We’re working on a YA book series that combines progressive rock music and a story of the end-times, a sort of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief meets King Crimson meets Buddy Holly is Alive and Well and Living on Ganymede (if you are not familiar with all these references, make sure you find them and read or listen to them). After spending several months working out plot and scene details together, I’ve turned my attention the actual writing phase, and I’m about a quarter of the way into a first draft. I’ve never done a collaborative story before, so it’s been an interesting—and good—experience to this point, and I’ll plan to write about it in the future.

Finally, I’ve got several short stories making the rounds. After a stretch where all of my submissions seemed to be languishing in slush piles, at least a few of those piles seem to be moving again. One of my stories shook free a couple of days ago (a nice personal rejection from Andy Cox over at Interzone), and it is already off to another magazine for consideration. I hate rejections, but I hate not hearing anything at all even more, so here’s to more news, good or bad, arriving soon.

And with that, I wish good writing to everyone.