It's probably not escaped attention that while in the first quarter of this year, I've managed to handle reviewing about a review a week or two, and had a flurry of books added to my queue, There's been a significant dropoff in that over the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
So I thought I'd take a moment to give anyone hitting this blog some idea of what's been going on in my Life... Interrupted.
Over the months of March through September I've been heavily involved at work with an implementation of software (that would be the job that pays me...) at a major division of our company, and it's had me traveling back and forth to Toronto Canada, about twice a month. What little time I had back home was devoted mainly to Family, to remind them there was still a Dad in the house, at least occasionally.
Take heart, I'll still be reviewing books, but my output is going to naturally be reduced to about half what it used to be, as I work on my own writing projects and reconnect with my family. In the next week or so I will dig through pending emails and toss some new reads onto my pile of books to read and review.
Additional Projects
I have Four books in the hopper I've been working on (writing, that is), and I'll give an encapsulation of them below.
365 Names of God
One of these projects takes about an hour each morning out of my day, but it's been well worth it. If you connect with me on Facebook or Google+ (which I hear is sadly going away??), you will see a ton of posts from me this year, one per day, unpacking the Names of God. At the beginning of the year I hopped on YouVersion, a great Bible app for the phone, and tried to find a devotion for that, that I could use in my morning quiet time as a devotional. Well, there wasn't one, so my wife suggested I could create one instead. So, that's what I'm doing, and will compile them next year into a book. At that time, I'll likely pull most of the posts down, as it just makes sense to not post the entire text of a book online if you want to sell even a copy to your mom. Look for a finished product near Christmas 2019.
Unpacking Leviticus
Speaking of unpacking, I began this year also working on a study of Leviticus. But, it's not enough for a Creative guy like me to just study, so I'm working on a story that does that. Here's the blurb:
The hastily written note meant nothing to Trecho as he delivered it to his master, Nicodemus. But the old man knew it was time to flee. Grabbing a few supplies, they fled out the back door as the soldiers kicked the front door down. Trecho tried to get the old man to drop the wooden case containing the old scroll of Leviticus, but Nicodemus insisted on bringing it along.
As they flee to Damascus, the old man shares the truths contained in the scroll to his doubting servant, who is bound by an oath and a crazy wager to deliver the old man unharmed to the distant city. Hounded by Saul of Tarsus, in peril at every step, Trecho struggles with the faith his master shares, concerned that embracing it will ultimately cost him everything.
This one is 75% complete and will suffer through several edits before finding a shelf to sit on, possibly also by Christmas 2019.
Of Dragons and Dopplegangers (Prince of Lynvia#4)
The long awaited conclusion to the Tetralogy. I've only got a few chapters remaining in a complete rewrite of this draft, and then a serious edit to follow, with an expected Release Date of Friday, September 13, 2019. (If you've read any of this series, you'd understand the significance of Friday 13...) Here's the blurb:
Kyne is finally getting his coronation - but the signet ring is a fake. The real one is still with Kyne's sworn enemy on the other side of the planet. A substitute ring won't do - the real ring is the treaty between Lynvia and the Dragon Kingdom.
Now, Kyne must travel around the world on a dragon's back to retrieve the ring... before there is war between the dragons and humans!
Back on Earth, Jason is beginning to have close encounters of the worst kind - the fairies from Lynvia's dimension are trying to rob Jason and his friends of the superpowers Kyne gave them. And they're doing it by impersonating people he knows.
Why are the fairies doing this, and how can he stop them when they can look like anyone... even his mom and dad?
Co - Cobalt, The Blue Door (Doors of Destiny#1)
This is the first in another series, MG SciFi, partially written. This work, first in the set, has gone through several renditions and is in the middle of a final edit. It's release date will fall sometime next year as well. Lord willing.
Here's the blurb:
Young Jack Shakleman is almost as brilliant as his grandfather, Professor Thomas Shakleman. Given an erector set and a few household electronics, he can invent anything. Including a way out of any work around the house.
When his grandfather disappears mysteriously, and exactly a year later, his dad vanishes too, Jack, his mom, and his siblings must travel to the eccentric old man's cottage and follow a set of clues to find out where they went. But when the trail leads them past the old man's mysterious Cobalt door, the world beyond will take every ounce of Jack's considerable brain power, and possibly some hard work, to survive.
