Stumbling to the End of a Story

Literally, stumbling.

Shortly after my last post I picked up an allergy. You might say that allergies are fairly common but this was a first for me. The cause is unknown, but it was probably related to the pollution that drifts across the Chinese border. The downer was that I got this one while developing a nasty Asian flu–a double whammy that drained the will to live. Anyhow, after 12 weeks, I thought it was time to see a doctor.

Two surgery visits and five X-Rays later, the Doc confirms the allergy (and the flu) and, for good measure, threw in acute sinusitis on top of chronic sinusitis (which accounts for a whole bunch of “feel bad” moments I’ve had and put down to growing old).

Two courses of antibiotics later, I could smell again–everything: the traffic, the burning rubber, propane gas exhaust, coal dust, early morning commuter farts and, worse still, stinky Tofu–the whole Asian street scene came flooding back. I’m also aware that my dogs need a bath, my favourite shoes are well past their sell-by date and I have proof-positive (finally) that the cheese in the fridge really does stink. I apologise to my wife for not believing her.

Moving on… Some of you will know that I am a pension portfolio manager by day. Of late, I have gotten involved in a new pension structure that has required my reading up on local legislation, tax treaties and tax codes globally. The more I read, the more I got excited about it and the more time I had to spend on it. Day and night.

…And now I’m taking a couple of weeks off to see my daughter be married in the UK.

So, yep, “Petroff’s Pogrom” has taken a back seat. Not willingly, mind. I enjoy the writing. But the “Birdie Down” sequel won’t be ready in late May as I had promised in early January. Sorry.  I thought I should just let you know.

In the meantime, the story I most enjoyed writing is waiting to be read. “Army of Souls”, the sequel to “Scat”, isn’t free, but it is my best yet. (Best being relative, of course. And subjective.) Still, I hope you’ve got a spare USD2.99 and a free weekend. And that you enjoy it.

Alternatively, if you promise to write an honest review and can leave me your email address, I will send you a Smashword code that’ll let you pick up “Army of Souls” for a dollar. That’s 5 pages of science fiction action and gallows humour per US cent.

And that’s a steal, right?

Jim

 

 

Over Halfway

I get a little excited when I reach the halfway mark in a first draft of a new story. I’m beyond that point now with my next story, which has a working title of Petroff’s Progrom. I won’t call it that when I publish. I fancy Pharma. I haven’t yet decided.

Right now, Thomas Irwin and his friend, Mark Stafford, are in the thick of some brutal fighting along the cold, dark tunnels of the Gobi mines; Sebastian Scatkiewicz, Andrew ‘Birdie’ Goosen and Day are busy expanding their rebel fleet by ambushing smugglers; and Jack Petroff is committing mass murder as he attempts to protect his personal business interests against Cohen and Cotton’s snooping. These threads will come together as I write this episode’s final scenes a little later this month. Hopefully, I’ll have the second Rebellion story ready to upload–after a serious edit and a new book cover–sometime in April. Tell a friend;)

After that, it’s back to the third story in the Scat’s Universe series (working title, Destiny), which is 20% done. I have yet to decide whether Scat gets to rule Purgatory or simply saves Mankind from it. Maybe neither: Haraani politics is complicating things.

It’s either Christmas or the end of the world … who can tell?

… but it’s certainly Christmas at Amazon. I’ve just noticed a spike in downloads for Birdie Down. It jumped to #4 in Space Opera and #15 in Scifi Adventure overnight. Perhaps all those Christmas Kindles are being loaded with free books ahead of delivery, who knows. But if this is what the Mayans meant by 21.12. 2012 being the end of the world, I’m OK with it.

If you haven’t downloaded your copy, then go ahead. It’s always free, Christmas or no.