Happy 4th for all of you in the Americas. This week was a short work week for most of us but it was very busy for me.
Got hooked up with a new critique group on Wednesday and had an enjoyable evening with several new like-minded acquaintances. The group has been meeting for years but seeking some new members to reignite their writing efforts, which in my current frenzied state I think I can do for awhile. I volunteered to submit a work for review at the next meeting and am undecided what to offer. On the one hand I have one new and one rewritten chapter for An Empire Forgotten I’d like some feedback on. I also need feedback on my latest short story, Nemesis Probe, assuming I can finish a draft by next Friday’s submission date. Decisions, decisions. Plenty of writing to do no matter which one I decide on.
Am also starting up with a second critique group next Monday that I hope works out as well if not better. Really looking forward to getting some great feedback from other writers who are experiencing the same growing pains that I am, and offer some of my own. My beta-readers are great and I truly appreciate every scrap of advice and comment they offer, but having other authors take a more critical look at my work would (I believe) push me into writing better that much faster. Or so I like to think. Only time will tell.
Have also spend some time thinking about producing audiobooks of my shorts, not because I think they would sell, but simply to get experience actually producing and placing them on the market. The long term hope is that if the short stories (and novels later) find a market, then having a few audiobooks available would be icing on the cake. My friend Jim Trudeau has offered his services as the narrator and I might take him up on that. I really dislike the sound of my own voice and although I think I could do a credible job I also know I would feel extremely awkward and self-conscious doing so. Jim, OTOH, has a great voice, so why not take advantage of it. Again, decisions, decisions.
Oh, the sites stats are going up since I’ve began regular postings again. Am striving to place a short review on the books I read each week as well as these weekly updates. Would like to get back to a once a week Apple post and/or writing post when I can, but that takes time away from fiction, and my current schedule is getting pretty tight with all my new extracurricular activities. But, who knows. If the mood or topic strikes then some additional posts may appear.
That’s all for this week, gotta get some writing time in on new material.
