My Projects

I wanted to update everyone on what I’ve been doing. Destiny came out roughly nine weeks ago, and so far, it has been very successful. Sales were a bit slow for the first week, but I’ve been impressed how it has gradually gained more and more momentum since its release day. I am very proud of it, and I think it’ll continue to gain more of a following as the weeks go by. That hasn’t been my only focus over these nine weeks, however. Since then, I’ve been working on writing and editing new material and going back through old material. Here’s the first part of what I’ve been doing.

I have redone the Wrong and Strange Visions series. I’ve also gone back through The Divide and made it a much smoother read. I haven’t uploaded the new versions yet because I still have a few minor things I want to tweak, but the updates should be ready in the next few weeks. I’m still so proud of those books. That was where I started, and all of them will always stand out for me, but I’ve grown a lot as a writer since then. I think I’ll be even more proud once I’m done putting a few touches on them, and most importantly, I think it’ll be a smoother read for all of you.

The second thing I’ve been doing is writing and editing. I have four projects that have been getting my attention. The first is The Divide: Origins, which I’ll talk about more a little later. The second is a romance book temporarily titled A Magnolia Romance. It feels a lot like Destiny only I used personal experiences from the place I grew up to mold it into an experience that can feel more authentic. I can’t know how people will react to it, but I can honestly say that it’s one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on. It’s written to completion and lightly edited, but it still needs a lot of work. I wouldn’t expect a release from it until sometime next year. The third book I’m working on is simply called Hollow. It goes in a direction that I’ve never written. It’s hard to even describe it without spoiling things, so I’ll just say this. It’s an action book about two people in a very desperate situation. I would put it in the same vein as stories like The Walking Dead or The Last of Us only it’s not about Zombies. This one is also written but has very little done to it in the editing department. The final thing I’m working on is a project that I’ve wanted to explore for over a year. In one of my old series, (The Wrong Series) a side character named Emma had an interesting story to me. She’ll be all grown up in this book, and it will focus on personal relationships and the things that make us who we are as we grow up. This isn’t a new book in the Wrong Series or a spinoff. If you never read the old series that would be perfectly fine because in this story Emma and Jasper are the stars, and all of their parents’ adventures are just a distant memory that’s never mentioned. Even so, I suppose it might be fun to get some of the subtle references I threw in there. I think people will like this one a lot, but it’s far from ready.

Now, onto the most immediate thing you’re probably wondering about. When am I putting out new material? Well, the next book I’m going to be releasing is The Divide Origins. I originally planned to release it near the end of this month. I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore. I’ve been tirelessly working to smooth out this book, and I think it’s just about finished in that department, but I also wrote an alternative ending to the story. Over the next few days, I’m going to be picking out which ending is better, smoothing a little more, and trying to find the perfect cover. I just don’t think all of that is going to be done in time for an end of the month release. I would expect to put out Origins in mid December. I want to get this one right, so I’m taking all the time it needs to be what it should be. I feel like Origins brings something very amazing to this story. I always wanted to tell how the disaster that changed Alex and Sarah’s world happened, and in this one, I do exactly that. It’s action-packed, but at the same time, it explores what’s most important on the hardest journey of your life. Now, I just need to decide how that journey should end.

Finally, I haven’t gotten everything done that I expected to by now because I’ve taken some time for myself over the last few weeks. I’ve taken time to enjoy television, music, sports, and video games again. You can get so wrapped up in your work sometimes that you forget you have a life, and for a while there, I think that was what I was doing. I’ve started living for me again, and it has made me happier and given me inspiration for all new stories. Maybe most importantly, I’ve decided to make changes for myself lately, too. I’ve committed myself to a healthier lifestyle. My mind feels clearer, and I know I’m headed toward a much brighter path. That’s what I want to leave you with today. No matter how many projects you have to do, take time for you. Play, work out, and fill your life with people who make it everything you always wanted it to be. Writing and reading stories are fun, but living yours is the ultimate adventure. That’s easy to forget, but it’s still very true. I’m getting back to who I am slowly but surely, and I’m finding that I’m so much more than I thought I was. I can’t wait to see who I am a month from now when I’m healthier, happier, and I have another project to share with all of you.