I had thought my first draft of The Novice of Thanatos was complete, so I embarked on my first read-through and light edit. I finished that step on July 6th. For the most part, I was pleased with how the story developed. There was plenty of action, and Mishal, my main character, showed real growthContinue reading “Just when you think you’re done…”
Category Archives: Life
Happy Birthday Dawn of the Lightbearer!
This is a quick post, but I realized the date and decided I should document the moment. Dawn of the Lightbearer, book one of my Absolution of the Morning Star series, is officially three years old (published on July 2, 2021)! Gosh, I can’t believe it’s been that long. It feels like that intrepid boy,Continue reading “Happy Birthday Dawn of the Lightbearer!”
The first draft of Novice of Thanatos is complete!
It’s a moment of triumph! I’ve added another book to my literary journey’s short stack. As I kept my head down, immersed in the writing of the Novice of Thanatos, I glanced up and suddenly found myself at the peak. I was holding the first draft of the book, shocked. Is the Novice of ThanatosContinue reading “The first draft of Novice of Thanatos is complete!”
Update- final push
It was another busy but fulfilling weekend with the in-laws. We rented a car, did some major grocery shopping, went to Newport, RI, to do the cliff walk, and spent Sunday morning walking around the historic center of Marblehead, MA. Despite the weather not being entirely on our side, it was a joyous time. TheContinue reading “Update- final push”
Wonton Diplomacy
Last weekend, the in-laws from both sides met. It is always a fun albeit stressful interaction. They don’t speak the same language, but somehow, they communicate with a mixture of smiles and gestures (and with my wife and I selectively translating). They give each other awkward hugs and tell us how good the other pairContinue reading “Wonton Diplomacy”
My Chinese In-laws and San Juan
Our first adventure with my Chinese in-laws was a success. We wanted to offer them a taste of Europe without the hassle of obtaining a European Visa, so we chose San Juan’s old town as our destination. This trip, coinciding with my wife’s birthday, blended cultural exploration and family bonding. We spent four nights andContinue reading “My Chinese In-laws and San Juan”
Hot pot #1
My in-laws have arrived from China, and they’re settling in nicely. It takes some time for four adults to ease into a routine, but we’ll get there—we always do. I’ve been able to make my word count these days, so that is a success! Yesterday’s mission was to buy shorts for my father-in-law and plantContinue reading “Hot pot #1”
Busy, busy, busy
A blog post on a Tuesday—I know, it is not my typical schedule. I’ve been busy—I mean, really busy. As a higher education administrator, this is a crazy time in my day job as we close out the academic and fiscal years. Yesterday was a 13-hour day. Also, my inlaws are coming from China andContinue reading “Busy, busy, busy”
Looking back
In my quest for content, I decided to look back at my first blog posts from four years ago (the very first is here if you’re interested). It was a month after I started working from home due to the pandemic. Thinking this situation would be temporary, I posted daily to build up some content.Continue reading “Looking back”
Are KDP free book promotions worth it?
Reflecting on my past journies with free book promotions, I must admit the results were never as hoped. I remember the first one I ran soon after I had released The Island of Stone four years ago as a newbie self-published author. I gave away 104 copies before selling a single one and was soContinue reading “Are KDP free book promotions worth it?”
