Good evening, everyone!
Well, in the wake of last month’s release, work on new drafts has slowed some more, yet not completely stopped. The past month has mostly been spent tinkering with the fourth Cross & Flag book, Reckonings; although I wasn’t able to fill all the gaps remaining in this draft, a last-ditch trick (writing the opening and closing passages, or even just single sentences from both) helped to chip away at these–and, perhaps more significantly, at the depression and ennui of having to wind down on an already-overextended project. Lately it’s been more spot edits and some new work on my surveillance scifi All Eyes; best guess right now is that I’ll at least have the current chapter finished by this weekend, giving me a day or two for a much-needed “no-screens” break, and musings on future work.
Some of those musings I expect will find coherent form next month, in outlining for a possible horror/supernatural draft “There Goes The Neighborhood”; my novice attempt at emulating Stephen King, I suppose 😀 , but the idea’s stuck with me a while, and a change in genre has proved refreshing in the past. The main focus, though, will be on prep work for the third draft in the sequel trilogy of my “Pangaea”-themed fantasy series; no firm title as yet, but this ought to be nailed down before draft work begins in November as part of NaNoWriMo. I’m also pleased to say that, after a long spring and summer’s wait, the expected Oct. release for my Alternate History short-story “Toe-to-Toe”, included as part of the Sea Lion Press anthology “‘If We’d Just Got That Penalty’. A Collection of Alternate History Sporting Stories”, is drawing near; more details will follow as the month opens. Finally, with the third title out at last, all three current works in my Cross & Flag series–Awakenings, Trials and Revelations–will be on sale starting Oct. 2., through the links below; if you’re new to the series, this is a great way to snap ’em all up at once!
That’s all for this update! Keep your eyes peeled for October’s, and enjoy the start of (proper) fall!
Mark Anthony Ciccone 