If you’ve been wondering whether I wandered off into the apocalypse, was eaten by zombies, or simply vanished into one of the fictional wastelands I spend so much time creating, I can assure you that I’m still here. Admittedly, I’m a little creakier than I used to be, and there are days when I sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies every time I stand up, but I’m still here.
The truth is my social media presence has been about as active as a solar-powered flashlight during a Maine winter. I’ve posted less, commented less, and generally disappeared from the internet more often than any self-respecting author is supposed to.
The funny thing is that I’ve never been busier.
From the outside, it probably looks like I haven’t been doing much. That’s one of the strange realities of being a writer. There are no construction cranes announcing progress, no ribbon-cutting ceremonies when a manuscript is finished, and no obvious signs that months of work are unfolding behind the scenes. You sit alone in a room, stare at a screen, talk to imaginary people, and somehow books eventually appear.
In my case, a lot of books.
Behind the scenes I’ve completed two apocalyptic series, multiple romance novels under pen names, several shorter projects, and even a psychological thriller because apparently my brain has decided genres are merely suggestions. Somewhere along the way I reached the point where I occasionally need a spreadsheet just to remember which fictional disaster I’m working on.
The romance books are probably the biggest surprise. The Author of the Apocalypse writing romance sounds a little like discovering Mad Max secretly spends his evenings knitting decorative throw pillows. Yet somehow that’s where this journey has taken me.
After years of writing about societal collapse, EMPs, nuclear war, survivalists, and humanity at its absolute worst, my brain apparently decided it wanted to spend some time exploring people falling in love instead. This is mildly hilarious considering I’ve been single for years. Evidently I possess the unique ability to create convincing romantic relationships for fictional people while being completely uncertain what I’d actually do with a real one. Writing romance, it turns out, is considerably easier than dating.
At this point my publishing schedule looks suspiciously like a twisted version of The Twelve Days of Christmas:
Five apocalypse books,
Four romance novels,
Three short stories,
Two complete series,
And a psycho on the loose for good measure.
The writing hasn’t been the only thing happening. Over the last few years I’ve also been pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing, and I’m happy to report that the degree is officially finished. After years of workshops, critiques, research papers, discussion boards, and enough deadlines to make me question my life choices, I finally graduated.
The degree also pushed me toward another goal I’ve had for a long time: teaching. I’m actively exploring opportunities to combine my publishing experience with my academic background and help other writers develop their craft. If all goes according to plan, someday students may voluntarily sign up to listen to me explain character arcs, worldbuilding, and the many creative ways fictional people make terrible decisions.
Of course, while all of that was happening, life had plans of its own.
Many of you know I’ve been dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Unless you’ve lived with a chronic autoimmune disease, it’s difficult to explain how much space it occupies in your life. Most people think about the pain, and yes, there’s plenty of that, but there’s also the fatigue, the medication changes, the specialists, the scans, the tests, and enough appointments to qualify as a part-time job.
Winter and spring were especially rough. While most people were celebrating warmer weather, I spent much of the year playing a game I call “Which Joint Is Angry Today?” The answer was usually several of them. Occasionally all of them.
The good news is that on June 16th I’ll undergo my first knee replacement surgery, with the second scheduled for September. That’s not exactly a sentence I ever expected to write, but it represents something important: the chance to reclaim some of the mobility and freedom that Rheumatoid Arthritis has slowly been stealing away. Recovery won’t be fun, but neither is negotiating with your knees every time you encounter a staircase.
The timing is especially important because August brings another enormous project: the Thrive Self-Reliance Summit in Colorado. Organizing an event of this size is a little like trying to herd caffeinated cats during an earthquake. There are speakers, exhibitors, schedules, logistics, marketing plans, contingency plans, and contingency plans for the contingency plans. The surgery should have me cleared to travel in time to make it all happen.
For my Patreon readers, Dawn of Destruction is also approaching its conclusion. The good news? There won’t be a pause. While Book One is winding down, Book Two is already finished and waiting in the wings. The story will continue without missing a beat, with more to come. Check out the website to see who else you might find stories from.
And now for the part I’ve been dying to share.
All of this writing has finally reached the point where books are ready to start escaping into the wild. My trek into the As the Light Died World has 4 books with plans for a couple more because I love this story!
This Friday 6/5, this book officially launches.
It’s the first release in what is shaping up to be the busiest publishing season of my career. New series. New worlds. New characters. New disasters. New happily-ever-afters. Honestly, it’s a little ridiculous, and I’m incredibly excited about all of it.
So if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, the answer is simple: I’ve been building.
Building books, worlds, a summit and so much more. Finding my place as the bionic wordsmith with my replacement parts!
Thank you to everyone who stuck around during the quiet months. Thank you to everyone who supported the books, joined me on Patreon, followed the projects, and continued this journey with me.
I may have been somewhat absent, I haven’t been idle.
And the quiet season is officially over.
Let’s launch some books.