Mister Arioch: Blog

Two, count 'em, two new chapters of "Listening to Jack" have been completed, and will be posted and available to read this coming Saturday.

I'm as surprised as you are.

To be fair, both chapters are kind of short, at least in comparison to recent "Jack" submissions. But maybe shorter is better? Who knows. You be the judge.

I said a few weeks for the next two chapters. That was in my last blog post, In November 2018.

As Douglas Adams once said, I love the sound of deadlines whooshing by me.

I didn't lie. Not on purpose, anyway. Optimism plus lousy health and relentless medical treatments that don't work aren't good bedfellows in that regard.

Anyway. The next chapter is submitted. If anyone still cares, that will be posted this coming Saturday, come hell or high water. The chapter after that, the Saturday after that, I hope. But you've seen what my promises are worth, despite the best of intentions, so take that with a boxcar full of salt.

More chapters to work on. For other stories, too. All I can say is that I haven't forgotten them, or that there's readers who like them. I'll get to it all when I can, if I can. That, I can promise.

The first drafts of the next two chapters of "Listening to Jack" are done. More in the style of earlier chapters. Feels strange but good to have them done. Now they're with my editor, so they should be posted in the next week or so.

And a contest of sorts, for any interested readers. The past couple of chapters have made references by way way of a few Easter eggs to two mainstream books. Name of the books, or just their authors, and I'll send you copies of the aforementioned first drafts of new chapters early. I'll post the names of any winners in my next blog post.

Still here. A shadow of myself, literally. I think if you look up Lich in a Minster Manual there's my picture. Great image I know, for those few getting the reference. (Also are there still Monster Manuals to read?)

Energy to write is low, but energy overall is low, too. The days I write, it's 200-300 words. That's not everyday. Makes me curse my penchant for writing multi chapter monstrosities. All I can say is I'm working on things, a word at a time. No more promises for when new chapters get posted, except that I intend to finish everything I can.

I toy with a very short and smutty "Colte Family" story, just in hopes of writing something new here. Not sure how and where it fits in with other material though. That's the latest struggle. Also it's just super smutty, which is OK I guess, but with some of the flood of ASSTR type stories lately I wonder if it's worth it. One more stroke story, does it matter?

Anyway, back to writing. Take care.

Last rounds of medical treatments ended a few months ago. They will be the last. I'm technically doing much better but most days I sure don't feel like it. If you're ever in the mood to lose a hundred pounds fast I recommend chemo. The VA hospital that treats me is good. Still, I don't have a lot of energy, for, well, anything. Only the last week or so I've been able to write again without my brain not getting foggy after a few minutes. Got 700 words done today. Hope that trend continues?

Working on the next few chapters of Playing Ball. Mostly rewriting the ones my flash drive lost. I think they're better now but who knows? I give up promising when they'll be posted. Soon, I hope. Whatever that means anymore. If nothing else I'd like to finish this one, but if somehow I manage to stay on this planet a bit longer hopefully I'll write more.

I found myself wishing that I'd set Playing Ball in the Eighties. Apart from it a better time (for me) I've always wanted to write a semi believable generational incest story. Would love a sequel that features the long term aftermath of what Cherie and her sons are doing. Won't happen the way it's written now though. Still, my idle dream.

Anyway, not too much longer to wait I hope. Don't bet in that in Vegas though. My previous predictions have always been wrong. Definitely before George R.R. Martin does the next Game of Thrones book though. I can't write that fucking slow.