Tag: writing update

Explorers Book 2, The Searchers

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Hard to believe it’s September already. I have completed the first draft of Explorers, Book 1, New Horizons. Presently I’m writing the middle book of the trilogy. My outline for this book is not as elaborate as for the first book, so I’m having to do some plotting and character building for this one. It’s delaying the progress as I get my ducks in a row. I’m about twenty pages into the draft at this point.

In other news, I’m no longer the Commander of my CAP squadron and I now hold the position of Aerospace Office. I’ve cut back my participation in the volunteer organization so that I can focus on my writing. I would like to complete the first draft of The Searchers before next year comes around. That’s the goal, anyway. Then I will jump into Book 3 and finish out the trilogy in 2023. Edit all three books and get their covers created and start publishing them next fall.

I’m not going to lie, I’m ready to be done with old Captain Armon and friends. Nine novellas is a lot of commitment to what was supposed to be a prequel of sorts to the main Star Saga. I’m looking forward to getting back to the era of Starstrikers and continuing that story. As it stands now, that should happen in 2024.

I also have another Mystery novel featuring Joshua Jones in the works, so I may finish that next year just to clean the pallet before diving back into Space Opera again. The plan is to write the middle trilogy of the Starstrikers Era in order. I have already written one of the novellas in that series, so there will be one more side story taking place between Book 5 and Book 6. But first up will be to write Book 5, XinX.

Over the summer my oldest son has moved back so I’ve had to move out of my office and I’m back in the master bedroom where I now work from home. This reminds me of COVID times. It’s not a bad view of the back yard mind you, I just miss having my person space in which to work.

Hope all is well with those who read still read this inactive blog. Take care, and I hope to post again much sooner.

Current desk with map of the Star Saga galaxy.

Long Overdue Writing Update

KenMcConnellLeave a comment

WRITING STATUS

Fans of the Corvette novella will be pleased to know that the first draft is complete and in the hands of a few select beta readers. A second draft or pass at the manuscript will occur after I get some comments from the betas. Then it’s off to the editor and copy editor and finally, it will get released. When will that last part happen, you ask? Probably in late October.

In the meantime, I’ve already started writing book 3 and the final Corvette novella. If I finish it before winter you can look for that one to be released late winter or early next year. By that time I will be well engaged in writing Book 5 of the Star Saga – XiniX.

The only book on the schedule for next year is XiniX but that could change. If the Corvette trilogy continues to sell well and the demand is there, I could do the first book of a second trilogy in that series probably called Destroyer. As you can guess, Captain Vance progresses to a bigger ship in that trilogy.

SALES UPDATE

Corvette sales have slumped in the last month but sales of the other Star Saga books are steady as new fans make their way through the back list. I average about two thousand US dollars per month which is not too shabby for no advertising and no big publisher backing. Last month I did a reading at one of my local libraries and enjoyed hearing what other local writers were doing and meeting them to talk shop.

MODELING STATUS

On the modeling side of the house or more appropriately the garage, I’m trying to finish detailing the Black Star pirate ship for the Corvette 2 and 3 covers. Another week or so of fiddling with greeblies and then I can get her primer coat applied. From there it’s a base coat of flat black and then a bit of weathering and battle damage to finish her off.

I have drawn up plans for a second corvette model, this one a bit newer in design that will be featured on the third Corvette book cover. I probably won’t light it and will knock it out as soon as the pirate ship is finished and photographed.

LIFE IN GENERAL

Summer is another scorcher here in Idaho and now the area forest fires are making the air hard to breathe. It’s my least favorite time of year in the western US. The temperatures are hovering in the high nineties and hundreds Fahrenheit.  Which means I have to do my model building in the mornings and writing in the afternoons when I’m confined to the air conditioning.

We did a short family vacation last week in McCall Idaho and had a blast. Hiking, boating and canoeing were some of the fun things we did in the local resort community.

Hope you summer is going well and I’ll check in again when I have some updates.