As a writer, writing more books is what I do. With more books comes more exposure.
As part of my newfound self-advocacy, I’m going to share where I am, where I’ve been, and where I’m going with my writing career.
Where have I been?
I often share that I started to write sci-fi when I was just 9 years old (1981). By then, I had seen Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Buck Rogers – so my love of sci-fi was thoroughly ingrained.
Over the years, I wrote a variety of finished and unfinished sci-fi. When I got my first computer in the mid-1980s, I mostly moved away from handwriting and illustrating to typing.
Writing happened in fits and starts through High School and college. But then, somewhere in 1998, I started writing what would evolve into my Source Chronicles fantasy series.
Book one, Seeker, was the first book I had professionally edited. That did more for me and my writing than just clean-up my work. I learned invaluable things about the overall writing craft and process that I have carried with me ever since.
When I initially started self-publishing fiction at the end of 2014, it wasn’t until 2020 that I began to ramp up the process and produce more work along that line.
Rather than writing as a hobby, I’ve determined that it’s an important element of my career. To that end, I’ve worked to further hone my craft. This has included blogging nonfiction/mindfulness articles regularly, shifting from writing almost entirely as a pantser (by the seat of my pants) to writing as a planner, and developing more intricate, thoroughly thought-out stories and plots.
I’ve come a long way from that kid with an overactive imagination. Not to say my imagination isn’t still overactive – adult me is learning how to better harvest that.
These are the books I have available now
If you are not familiar with my work, please allow me to take a moment to share.
At present, I have two short stories published in anthologies, Rum and Runestones (A Treacherous Stone) and Spells and Swashbucklers (The Vapor Rogues).
Following the unusual-for-me, in-depth world-building that went into the Steampunk Vapor Rogues short story, I wrote and published a novel-length follow-up, Clouds of Authority.
After many attempts to get my Source Chronicles fantasy series traditionally published, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I published Seeker in 2014, then Finder in 2015.
In September 2015, I returned to my first love – and began the sci-fi work that would evolve into my Void Incursion series. While it was written over the next couple of years as a pantser, I had always planned to break it down into multiple books. I started that in 2020, publishing Opening Gambit.
Inspired to work on more, I went back to the NaNoWriMo project I’d created in 2007. My reversed hero’s journey, the villain’s journey – Infamy Ascending – deserved to be expanded and shared. I published it in 2020, as well.
I desired to publish more. A new idea for a sci-fi story took hold – and for the first time, I planned it out ahead. Before long, I had written my Forgotten Fodder clone and conspiracy sci-fi series. All 4 books of the first storyline were published in 2021.
All these books are available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback format. The Forgotten Fodder series is also available as audiobooks.
Additionally, I have 5 nonfiction works published under a different name on Amazon.
All told, I have 12 finished, published works of fiction. Not bad, if I do say so myself.
More books and more exposure – where I’m going
So far, I have a dozen works of fiction published. As of this writing, I have 4 more books finished, but at different points of readiness and not-readiness for publishing.
The 5th and final Void Incursion novel – Check and Mate – is ready to go to the editor and get cover art created.
Likewise, the 3rd Source Chronicles novel – Harbinger – is ready to go to the editor and get cover art created.
I have started my new Savagespace sci-fi series. Book 1 – Alliances – is being edited by me, and I intend to send it to the editor soon, too.
In being honest with myself, while the saying goes that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover – people do. Despite the excellent work my friend did on the art for Clouds of Authority – the cover of the book is, I hate to admit, uninspiring.
I have a new friend who is an incredible artist. She’s designing a new cover – and wow, it’s impressive. In fact, it’s so impressive, I’m inspired to go back and edit Clouds of Destiny – the second Vapor Rogues novel, which I finished in 2015.
That means I have 4 books in various states of near-completion. Not bad. That’ll bring my total to 16 published works of fiction.
But wait – there’s more!
In addition to the 4 books at various stages of editing, I’ve another 9 books planned. Shifting from pantser to planner has given me new insight and direction as an author. Hence, the next 5 books of my Savagespace series are plotted, as well as another 4 books for Forgotten Fodder.
Additionally, planning will occur to complete The Source Chronicles and The Vapor Rogues, too. This means, all told, I have another dozen books planned to a greater or lesser degree.
How will more books, more exposure work?
Various authors I read and follow have many books to offer.
Among the traditionally published authors, Neil Gaiman, Paulo Coelho, and Timothy Zahn have written more than a dozen books and stories each. Many non-traditional authors have a huge number of published books, such as Lindsay Buroker (who has more than 60 self-published books).
Even when taking the traditional publishing route, more books are equal to more exposure. For example, some people discovered Neil Gaiman via Neverwhere or Good Omens, while for me it was Sandman. I discovered Lindsay Buroker via an Amazon search for sci-fi books.
Since my path, presently, is similar to Ms. Buroker’s – it’s fairly evident more books and more exposure are the key. Hence – the path I am taking going forward.
Keep your eyes open and you’ll see many more books from me in the next couple of years.
You can help me here and now
While writing and editing on my own costs only time, professional editing and cover art come with monetary expenses.
While I would appreciate you buying, reading, and reviewing my books – there is another way you can help me.
I’ve launched a Kickstarter. Through this, I’m aiming to raise enough money to edit Check and Mate, Harbinger, and Alliances, as well as get cover art for all three – plus pay for the new art for Clouds of Authority.
Being Kickstarter, support has rewards attached to it. From getting your name included in the acknowledgments of future books to free eBooks to free, personalized, signed copies – your assistance will be rewarded.
Your support is greatly appreciated. And please ask your friends to support me, too.
Thank you!
Please take a moment to check out the collection of my published works, which can be found here.
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