My friend Howard Weinstein has been asking me to write something original, and my free time has dwindled once I added teaching at MICA to my schedule. So, as I wrapped up work on Above the Ground 3 (coming in 2026, if not sooner) last summer, I swore to everyone within earshot that I was leaving summer 2024 open to work on something original.
As spring started giving way to summer, I began to fret that the spark had yet to arrive. I figured that once school ended, I would have the freedom to review unfinished proposals and the handful of works-sort-of-in-progress.
Well, school ended, and Deb and I kicked off the ten-week break by taking a cruise to Canada and visiting the Maritimes. It was a great trip, with time to walk the various ports of call and still be back onboard so I could grab a cup of coffee and sit with a book.
We got back, but the spark remained elusive. I think part of the problem was that I put a lot of pressure on myself to be productive when I maybe needed time off. Not that I was idle. As part of my schedule, I was taking over the yearbook, which meant helping the outgoing advisor finish the 48-page supplement covering all the April and May activities. I also met for a day with our printer rep to better understand the tech they use.
The remainder of June also required time to complete my judging for the Ringo Awards (to be handed out in just a few weeks) and the Scribe Awards I(handed out at San Diego Comic-Con).
Speaking of the Novelscribes, the International Association of Tie-In Writers members, I also had to complete my project management for the forthcoming anthology Multiverse of Mystery. I also spent time helping Jeff Mariotte build and manage his successful Kickstarter campaign for Silverado Press Presents, Crazy 8 Press’ first Western anthology.
In the background of all of the above, I was slowly putting together the pieces and then the campaign for Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025, which launched exceedingly well and then slowed down just as dramatically. The campaign ends on Friday, and I am less than thrilled with where we are (hint, hint).
So, I wasn’t exactly idle. And I did manage to write. I produced a 10,000-word article about the Crisis on Infinite Earths for Back Issue’s 40th anniversary tribute issue, coming in 2025. I also wrote a Sherlock Holmes story for Christopher D. Abbott’s Cases by Candlelight series, debuting next July at Shore Leave. There was also a short story I was invited to write for an as-yet unannounced-themed anthology.
And suddenly, it was August 1, and as I wrote last week, my mind switched gears from freelancing to teaching.
We also traveled more than usual, spending a weekend in Lancaster, PA, with dear friends. A week later, we went to Vermont for my nephew’s wedding, which was a delight as it meant time with the extended family. The weekend before I reported to school, we were in New York and Connecticut.
One highlight was that, beyond graphic novels, I managed to read 18 books, which felt wonderful.
The summer break ended last week, as I was in the building prepping for the school year, which commences today.
So, while I didn’t write something big, new, and wonderful, I did manage to pack the break with a lot of activity.
#Tags: Back Issue, Cases by Candlelight, Christopher D. Abbott, Crazy 8 Press, Crisis on Infinite Earths, International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, Jeff Mariotte, Kickstarter, MICA, Multiverse of Mystery, Ringo Awards, Scrtbe Awards, Sherlock Holmes, Silverado Press Presents, Thrilling Adventure Yarns