Forks in the Road
Paths through life take unexpected detours.
Detours are often annoying and inconvenient for travelers.
We’ve all endured roadblocks altering our intended route to our destination. Road construction diverts you away from the freeway during your morning commute, making you late for work. Winter storms close the main road leading to the ski resort, putting your weekend adventure on ice.
Taking detours can be applicable beyond driving. How often do you set a goal, only for your plans to fall apart within a matter of days or weeks? Enduring these unwelcome moments feels equal parts frustrating and discouraging.
Unfortunately, life as an author means taking unexpected detours and growing used to making backup plans to your backup plans.
Roads Not Taken
I outlined several ambitious goals at the start of January encapsulating my writing plans for 2023 and 2024. Achieving my goals required creativity, strategic planning, smart work, and a liberal dose of good fortune. Still, I felt optimistic because each goal was realistic and achievable within the timeframe I outlined.
Then life planted roadblocks in my path and forced detours down different paths.
I suffered a bout with severe wrist tendonitis that sidelined me for nearly two months. My elderly father broke his ribs in mid-May and then suffered a compression fracture in his back in late July, necessitating me spending large swaths of time caring for him instead of devoting that time to writing. These health dilemmas ultimately derailed my original plans.
My summer goal to launch a Samak Press website and a speculative fiction magazine — on Substack — connected to Samak Press went unfulfilled. I also sidelined a Pandora Reborn sequel novel targeted for a wide release in October. My new plan is to launch my Samak Press website by early 2024 and publish my first Pandora Reborn sequel novel in spring 2024.
Delaying multiple projects does create a ripple effect on other plans. My second planned Pandora Reborn sequel will likely not be finished and published until spring 2025. My next science fiction novel set in the Alien People Chronicles universe is now targeted for a fall 2024 release.
Destinations Reached
I did find a way to squeeze a few lemons into lemonade during my journey and create something positive out of a forced detour.
I published my sci-fi novella, Hollow Planet, in April as originally intended. I’ve also serialized my horror novella, Snow Dragon, each week since late July and will wrap up that story in the next four weeks.
Suspending work on my earlier novel, ironically, opened a door for me to broaden the reach of Snow Dragon beyond my Substack and Patreon readers. It will fill the October slot originally intended for the Pandora Reborn sequel.
Snow Dragon is scheduled to be released in eBook and paperback on October 10th. You can pre-order a copy from multiple retailers starting today. (Of course, if you’re a paid subscriber to this newsletter, you don’t need to wait until October to read and enjoy this story.)
I intend to start work on my next serial after Snow Dragon wraps up in early October. Expect an early 2024 debut for that story if I experience no fresh roadblocks with my current plans. I’ll run a reader poll in an upcoming newsletter, so you all can cast your vote for which story you want to read.
Sorry you’ve hit some roadblocks. Hope everyone returns to full health soon. I look forward to reading more from you this year.