Hello again, folks!
It’s a month and a half into the new year, and a few months since the last update. I figure I should take a break, sit in Starbucks and shelter myself from the cold February rain (I feel terrible saying that), take a break from editing The Severis Tales and do an update on how things are progressing.
After the COVID restrictions because of Omicron became active, the only option where I could continue to write was at home. I’ve done this before, but because it is home, I found it incredibly distracting. I waited for a nearly two months, experimenting with my laptop’s settings and operating system and not doing much else otherwise. When the restrictions lifted, I went to Starbucks on day one—my usual place to write—and began writing ideas. The next session had my laptop, and I resumed from where I had left off in late November/early December.
Semi-fantasy Stories for the Everyday Layperson
Since then, I’ve been mainly back cat it. I’ve made progress editing and revising a few of the remaining short stories in the book. As of this post, I have one left to edit, followed by the introduction and reference sections.
The book, The Severis Tales: Semi-fantasy Stories for the Everyday Layperson consists of eleven short stories centered on the Severis family, their community, and their world. Once everything is said and done, the word count will be over 80,000 words, but I estimate less than 85,000. As a test of my will and intuition, I will be self-publishing this book through Amazon. When the date of publication approaches, I will set up a page for it. All the info will be there.
This would be the first book in hopefully a series of many, along with periodic uploads of free TST stories to the Patrick Rivers website. It is also my first dedicated work; and given how stubborn I am about sharing my work for fear of critiques and judgement, could also be my last. But hey, live and learn, right?
The Book Cover I Keep Talking About
The cover is in the process of completion. I still need that one unique thing to make it work. I’ve gone through many ideas on what to put on it. That includes the bare basics and nothing else.
As the point of TST is to celebrate the mundane and the lives of the ordinary person, combined with light fantasy or fantasy elements (a niche genre, I know), I decided the book cover would be of the sorts as well. I took inspiration from a Doug and the Slugs album from the 1980s, because I’m odd like that. It’s quite a simple cover. I just don’t know how to finish the damn thing!
Like I mentioned in a previous post, I may share a preview when ait is all ironed out.
TST Story #10
I had not realized it, but the last TST story I uploaded, #9: Elcra Needs a Dentist, was on March 20, 2021. I try to put out stories, oh, three times a year to once a quarter. It’s been awhile.
Early on in 2021, I went through a session of generating possible titles. For the time being, I shall call it TST-0010: When Leena Met What’s-His-Face. Sounds like an odd title, no?
I intend to release the tenth story alongside the book. The story will be a little longer than the usual web stories, but I think that’s alright, because it will be special. It will be a condensed recount of events, when Leena first met Xiveer on the long and lonely highways of Caldore during their merchant days. It would be a good launch for a potential full-size story that gets into the finer details.
I gave a vague estimation for the release of the book. Something like the first or second quarter of this year. The second quarter is looking more likely at this point. I will update you on the details as time passes.
A Harsh Reality
I’m plugging away and working as hard as I can. It’s hard to juggle real life and this at the same time. It’s a harsh reality that I cannot afford services to help me polish the stories to the level I need them. As well, the fact that I am a nervous and very shy person doesn’t help to speak wonders for me. Costs suck, but costs of living are the priority. I have to learn and learn to the best of my ability to produce something of quality and hope it doesn’t sink my chances of having a career as a writer.
I’m probably in the same boat as many other aspiring writers who are trying to put their name out there and get noticed. And I know I’m not the only one who has social anxiety issues. To say otherwise is an insult to those people and paints me in a selfish and arrogant view.
If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s to keep writing. Even if no one else will see it, you gain experience. Slowly talk about it to others. It helps—perhaps not a lot, but it helps. Tell yourself what your goal is and stick to it. Keep reminding yourself of that goal and why you set it. If there’s anything else I’ve learned, it’s this: if you put your mind to it, and believe it, you will be on the path to success.