Storyslinger No. 12-22
News
First of all, I’m excited to announce the winner of our very first Bookish Bribe giveaway! If you remember, we gave away a one-of-a-kind hardcover copy of Vodou Princess. Andrew C. will receive this wonderful goody with a personalized message from me inside.
Congratulations, Andrew C.—I hope you enjoy it!
Of course we’re getting into the Holiday Season, so I will be taking some time away from Storyslinger until next year. This month still has this newsletter, an original story, and a podcast. However, there won’t be any posts beyond the podcast on 20 December out of respect for your holiday time (and mine). I wish you all a wonderful holiday and hope you get to spend time with the people you care about.
To close out the year, I thought I would ask a question I’ve been curious about. As an indie writer, I have the luxury of branching out in different directions. I have written and published across several genres, including science fiction, paranormal thriller, and literary fiction. I’ve been working on a military romance that I plan to launch here on Substack next year, and I’m going to start publishing my books as serial works here too. So, broadly speaking, which genre do you prefer?
Writing
Draft
The latest Space Force Recondo book, Unlucky, is at 9,100 words in its first draft. I expect to have it done before the end of the year. Then it’s on to revisions!
The story follows a regular Space Force captain taking leave on a small, backwater planet—taking a much-needed break from constant combat. Unfortunately, he runs into trouble when he meets a local woman who is being romantically pursued (read: harassed) by the colonial sheriff. The captain gets into some tough spots and has to rely on a fellow Space Force soldier who is taking a break too: Chief Warrant Officer Rave Dekko (Advisor). But it turns out Rave is actually there on a secret mission—one that could destroy the entire colony.
Playlist
A track that really gets me going at the moment is Longest Day (Opiuo Remix) by Shapeshifter. It’s got that swanky crunk to it that I love, and it makes my head nod. I discovered this tune (as I do much of what I like) listening to DubStep Beyond on Soma FM. It’s an impressive free streaming music site with really delightful music. I’ve been listening to it since before the iPhone came out (I know!).
Thoughts
For anyone of you who hasn’t heard this before, I think that a creative life is a good life. Obviously, what creative means is different for everyone. You might be a fellow artist, or you might be a business leader, or a laborer, or a homemaker (or a Frankenstein’s monster mash of several of those). The creative process is more about how we discover, develop, understand, and communicate novel ideas. You can be creative with:
Your approach to a workplace challenge.
A spontaneous weekend trip you plan.
A family schedule you manage.
How you communicate with a colleague.
A themed party you host.
A gourmet meal you throw together with whatever’s left in the kitchen.
The number of creative opportunities is limitless. What you create, though, is important. And recognizing that you are creative is equally important. I encourage you to take a moment to look at what you do in every aspect of your life (professionally and personally) and find those creative moments, hold on to them, file them away, and work on making yourself a better creative every chance you get.
That’s the news from here this month. Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave comments or send me questions. I always enjoy hearing from you and do my best to respond to everything as quickly as possible. Please share and if you’re not a subscriber, consider signing up.
Thanks for being part of the journey!