What occupies my writing...

July 3, 2023

There's a door in an alley where I walk most days that intrigues me. I have no idea where it really leads - only that it exists and it entices me to believe that something mysterious lies beyond it. Yes, I tried to open it, but it's locked. I dream. It is a daily reminder to me about what I am pursuing in my life - something beyond a locked door that pulls me, inspires me, wants me to find a way through that door into the world beyond it...

​Today’s blog is a simple update on my writing projects this year for those of you who asked. I am currently committed to six projects and the paragraphs following are the updates for each.

Three projects are looking for publishers…
 
Girlie
Historical Romance Fiction novel: 126,000 words
Status – writing finished
After completing the edit of this novel in January, Wakefield Press had a look but, despite very positive feedback on the writing and research, aren’t convinced it’s a saleable product for them. I’m now researching/deciding to whom next to send the proposal.
 
The Last Wizard series – Tamesan’s Song, Chasse’s Song, Jaysin’s Song, Harmi’s Song
Fantasy novels: approx. 400,000 words
Status – writing finished
Completed in June, the series is four novels totalling around 400,000 words. A proposal is currently sitting with HarperCollins Voyager. Fingers crossed.
 
In My Father’s Shadow
Young Adult novel: 61,000 words
Status – writing finished
The proposal and manuscript are currently with Wakefield Press for consideration. Fingers crossed again.
 
Three projects are currently occupying my writing regime…
 
The Clan Chronicles – Storm, War, Resolution (working titles)
Fantasy novels: target length approx. 360,000 words
The draft of Storm is completed, and I am halfway through a draft of War. Lots to do here. I’m hoping to have the draft of War completed before December.
 
All We Have
Apocalyptic Science Fiction: currently 114,000 words
Status – undergoing significant edit/rewrite
Originally completed in 2020, this project is now about to undergo a radical edit/rewrite in light of the COVID experiences and additional research I’ve made that changes aspects of the ‘science’ and culture of the story. I am contemplating working with an artist to add internal illustrations on behalf of the ‘narrator’ of the diary entries. I’d really like to complete this project and be sending out proposal before the end of this year. I have marked it as a potential self-publish project…
 
We Need to Talk About Teaching (draft working title)
Practical Guide: target length 45,000 words:
Status – rough and incomplete draft
This is in very rough draft phase and incomplete, although I’ve already drafted 25000 words of content. This project is targeted for completion by September.
 
Additional random creative activities…
 
Poetry anthology – no title yet; very rough draft
Apart from the major projects listed above, and I’m crafting poems for a personal anthology I hope will be done by December – some are ‘old’ poems I wrote, some new ones from this year. This project will definitely be self-published.
 
Uz Erhaag
Role Play Game Scenarios: currently 50,000 words
Status – scenarios developing
As a former D&D DM and player for many years, I’m designing my variation on a fantasy role-play game, complete with mechanics and guides. I’m hoping to start a fortnightly or monthly game with six volunteer players in August.
 
The Blog
50,000 words so far
Status – weekly, sometimes fortnightly
 
That’s where I am at with this foray into full time writing. Lots finished, lots in process, lots of additional projects sitting in the wings to develop further, and no sales or publications yet. But it’s underway and productive and fun.