On the Cusp of Summer

Depending on where you are, it's feeling a lot like summer now. Shorts, barbecues, swimming pools, and other such fun stuff. Of course, our ability to do these things has been curtailed by current events, but we'll get there. Eventually.

You know, I try to avoid politics in my posts, because they tend to divide the potential audience, especially these days, when having the wrong political opinions can get you labeled all kinds of fun things. Now, I'm not so sensitive that I can't handle someone throwing a bad word or two in my direction, but someone who's trying to get noticed in the world of indie publishing can't afford to alienate half the people who might swing by to take a look at what he's doing.

Having said that, I'm getting really sick and tired of politicians and bureaucrats telling me I can't get a haircut or take my wife out to a candlelit dinner at our favorite restaurant, while they turn a blind eye to wanton destruction. Apparently, social distancing doesn't apply when you're setting fire to an entire city block, and COVID-19 isn't contagious in groups of twenty or more, as long as those groups are protesting against racial injustice or white supremacy. It's the dishonesty that bothers me the most; we're told that we're supposed to stay home to prevent spreading this virus, on pain of arrest in some cases, but it's perfectly fine for certain people. Double standard, anyone?

What I really want to do is talk about writing, or gaming, or music, or old movies, or old books. But it's tough to do that when my job is in limbo, cities are looking like war zones, and I'm reliant on the government sugar daddy for my family's next meal. I hate that, I really do. That might come as a surprise to people who've known me for a long time, because I used to be the opposite. But not anymore; now, I have a family to take care of, and it's my responsibility, not anyone else's, to make sure there's a roof over our heads and food on the table. That's why I'm writing, that's why I'm trying to get the word out about my books so people will take a look, buy them, and hopefully recommend them to other people. Word-of-mouth is still the best form of advertising.

Alright, that's enough of the ranting. It is what it is, and I'm just going to have to deal with it, just like everyone else is. At least there's nobody setting buildings on fire where I live, so that's a bonus. And the jobs will be back. It's just going to take more time than we'd hoped, that's all.

So, about the writing. I'm glad I made that commitment to getting those two specific books out by the end of the month, because it's forcing me to concentrate on actually writing them. I could have picked a couple of other books that I have already finished, both of which are fantasy novels (not set in Meterra, though). But this way, I'm going to buckle down and actually get them done to have them both out by the end of the month. Besides, I haven't done a sci-fi book yet, so I'm looking forward to getting the Bard Conley book done. Next month, I can do some more fantasy novels. We'll see what I feel like doing at that point.

In the meantime, since the next book will be a mystery, why not check out my first published work, Final Exam, which is the first Cameron Vail mystery? You can't beat the price, and you won't be disappointed.