|| I’m not going to lie, 2020 was a really hard year for pretty much everyone.  I was fortunate enough to have my day job shift to telework, but it still took a huge toll on my creativity. I struggled to write, especially when it came to new writing, as opposed to editing.  That being said I did do my own version of NaNoWriMo focused more on writing every day than word count.  I wrote new stuff on 27 of the 30 days which I was really proud of given how but my work was during this time too.  Don’t get me wrong, my word count as absolute shite, but I persevered nonetheless, splitting my efforts between adding chapters to Brass Queen with my co-author Mark Gardner, and starting work on my first graphic novel!

Editing came much easier for me at least, with three main projects I worked on.  The first was being able to edit another of my friend Dan Dornseif’s manuscripts on the history of Boeing jetliners, this time on the 757.  It’s a shorter book than his previous two histories, on the 727 and 737, but still packs a lot of really good info about my favorite airliner, and should be out later this year.

My second project was once again found me honored to be one of the volunteer guest readers/editors for the annual Fark Fiction Anthology.  This year was challenging for all of us, but we still turned out another great volume of short stories in the usual categories: Humor, Horror, SciFi, Fantasy, and Mystery.  Part of the challenge was balancing the pandemic happening around us without letting it wholly drive the focus of the stories.  I know am absolutely biased, but I’m also proud of our group in making it work.  (I also f’n love these covers by one of our editors, Genevieve Shapiro, too!)

My last editing project was for my own story in the analogy, Vox Odio.  I wrote it several years ago and unsuccessfully submitted it to both Clarkesworld Magazine and Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine.  Based on the feedback I got from both of my kind and informative rejections, I did substantial re-editing of the story, creating a gothic horror story- at sea.  I tried several times to write a new story for the Anthology, but just could not get my creativity to work.  Without having this one already written, I doubt I would have had anything to offer as a submitter, so I was very glad to have been able to make it work.

Finally, as with pretty much every year for at least a decade now, one of my goals is to post more.  I often fall into the trap of trying to write too formally here since it’s going to be posted, and have finally realized that my style is significantly better in a more casual voice. (And hopefully by remembering and embracing that it’ll be easier to post!)

Happy New Year all!  I’m rooting for you and wishing you the very best 🙂