Yep, I don’t think I wrote much more than 150 words this week.

I’ve been doing a lot of pondering, and also getting my revised KDP manuscript for WoEM in order, so that’s kept me pre-occupied. But, I still feel like some cool things are coming.

First of all, my book cover for The Warden of Everfeld: Memento is up for Book Cover of the Month — thanks to MLS Weech for that distinction!

Go vote in the bracket if you haven’t already: https://brackify.com/bracket/21292/September-Book-Cover-of-the-Month

And don’t forget to vote in every match. There are some really amazing covers in there!

Secondly, I’m unofficially working with my editor, Kaitlyn, again. I just sent her the first of my Mythology stories for her to have a look at. I want to be sure they’re solid before the general public sees them.

I’m not prepared to make the official announcement of how/when/where I will be publishing The Mythology of  Úr’Dan, but I definitely have something in the works for these stories.

I’m hoping Kaitlyn can read the first story, get a sense for what I’m trying to accomplish narratively and tonally, and then jump into the rest.

I just need to finish writing them…

And I have not abandoned WoEL. In fact, once I have everything lined up for Mythology, I plan to jump right back into my second novel. (Does that count as a spoiler? Mythology will not be in novel form…)

Writing/Dad Life

I have some paternity leave/vacation coming up this winter. I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that gives me four weeks of paid paternity leave. (For my non-American friends… that’s a lot here.)

I took one week of leave right after Nugget was born. My wife has been home with him ever since, and she goes back to work in early December. Our daycare provider starts in February.

[Calculating…]

That means we have nearly two months of babysitting time needed. My three remaining weeks of leave, plus the relative ease with which I can work from home, will certainly help. Both sets of grandparents are also enthusiastically prepared to help, which is amazing.

So, I’ll be home a lot over this coming winter, which sounds quite nice, really. Nugget will be three months old by then, and (hopefully) sleeping for more regular intervals of four to six hours, rather than two to four. The trick will be committing myself to writing some while being a full-time dad. I’m looking forward to it.

On another note, my best friend’s daughter just turn one this week. We’ve been friends since high school and were each other’s Best Man in each of our weddings. His daughter’s birthday party is tomorrow, which will be the first time we bring Nugget to a large gathering like this.

It will be cool to see our kids meet for the first time, even though Nugget can barely maintain eye contact at this point. Perhaps the one-year-old can initiate conversation.

Goals for 10/12

1. Write 5,000 words and/or complete the initial draft for The Mythology of  Úr’Dan
2. Bring Nugget to his first party without him throwing a temper tantrum
3. Plan out my paternity leave / vacation days

Steve D