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In a departure for me, I've posted a non-erotic story for your enjoyment, The Outlaw Joseph Wells. This short novella (novelette?) introduces the character of Maxim Galloway, the central protagonist of a technothriller novel called Project Athena (working title), which I've been working on for quite a number of years now. Obviously, I haven't been working on it very hard.
I came across this story, which I wrote several years ago and had completely forgotten about, while searching for something else on my hard drive and thought it would be fun to post it here to see how it performs and, hopefully, get some feedback, so please make sure to give it a rating if you read it. Maybe I should have posted it on the Scifi Stories sister site instead, but since I've developed a small following here over the past couple years, I figured I'd put it somewhere you'd actually see it.
Lest anyone worry, I'm not actively working on Athena right now. I have way too much on my plate already. When I wrap up my current works in progress, however, I might consider picking it up again and finally finishing it. As the description to Outlaw alludes, the story's setting is a near-future U.S., where several states secede after a devastating event. Southern Louisiana, now called Acadiana, becomes this stateless, quasi-autonomous territory filled with all kinds of colorful characters.
Anyway, if you'd like for this novel to see the light of day, drop me a note to let me know.
In the meantime, don't forget to check out another new short story I recently posted, The Realtor, which is a fun little erotic coupling chock full of double entendres.
For those patiently waiting, I'll be posting another chapter from The Facility soon, so keep an eye out for that as well.
I was reading about the features available on the Mercedes S-Class Executive the other day and was thoroughly impressed. It got me wondering about how such a car might serve as the setting for an erotic encounter. Chauffeured is the result.
All of the gadgets and features depicted in the story are real and available on a sufficiently loaded S-Class, and function more or less as depicted in story, with the exception of the belt tensioner, which is part of the car's automatic safety system and not normally accessible by the driver. However, it was too good of a plot device not to include it.
It's supposed to be humorous, even a bit absurd and over the top, so please approach it from that mindset. I was laughing my ass off while writing it. I hope you do as well.
A new chapter of The Facility has been posted. This novel is anticipated to be 20 chapters total, broken into 4 parts of 5 chapters each. Therefore, we are now a little past the halfway point.
As many of you know, this story had a lengthy hiatus after Chapter 9. I'd already written to Chapter 15, and was about to write the final 5 chapters, but I wasn't happy with the ending I'd conceived, so I decided to delay posting additional chapters until I'd reworked the ending to my liking, just in case I needed to go back and make any plot corrections to fit the new ending. I'm glad I made that choice. The new ending is far superior, in my opinion. When you eventually read it, I hope you'll agree that it was worth the wait. I'm in the process of editing the final part, so I'll be timing future chapter releases based on my progress with that.
Part III of The Surrogates has been posted, completing that novel. I decided to post it a day earlier than originally anticipated because of how well-received it's been. This story honestly surprised the hell out of me. The plot came out of nowhere and the book practically wrote itself. I started writing it on 8/6 and finished it on 8/12. A 70,000 word novel in six days! If you enjoyed my previous novel, The First Timers Club, then I think you will love The Surrogates. I find it to be a charming and humorous story, and writing it was an enjoyable and cathartic experience.
Along with my other two unfinished works, Forbidden Fruit and The Protege, I also have a few other works in progress. Some close to completion, others not so close, but none of which I will post until they are fully finished. I've learned my lesson there. You can probably expect to see one or more of these posted sometime this year:
A Web of Mingled Yarn. A recently-divorced man leaves the world behind to illegally live off grid in a conservation easement, where he seeks to heal and rebuild himself into something better. A young hiker, Maggie Tulliver, stumbles upon his cabin one day. Intrigued by this mysterious man who lives alone in the middle of the woods, she begins to surreptitiously observe him.
Apothecary. Nicky Ottombrino, a mixologist at an upscale cocktail bar, discovers a long-forgotten drug hidden away for over a century in the basement of his employer's building. A powerful aphrodisiac and empathogen that was banned shortly after its discovery because of the havoc it wreaked on late 19th century Philadelphia society. Will the drug's rediscovery in modern times lead to similar disastrous consequences?
The Tree Remembers. Willow Hockensmith is a severely bullied teen who strikes up a friendship with Marko, the Croatian handyman renovating one of the bathrooms in her home. But Marko is far more than he appears. When Willow discovers his secret past, she enlists his help to plot revenge against those who have wronged her.
The Visit. Eric comes for an extended stay at his friend Mark's house and begins a secret affair with Mark's young teenage daughter, right under his nose.
I've had folks message me over the past couple weeks, asking if I'm still around and if I'm ever going to finish the stories I've started. Yes, I'm still here, and yes, I'm going to finish. When? As soon as I can.
I know it's difficult to understand sometimes, but, for many of us, this isn't our full time job. I'm not a professional writer. I wish I was, but I'm not. I have a different full time job doing really boring stuff that I'd rather not be doing, but, unfortunately for me, it's what pays the bills, and it's been taking up most of my free time lately. Not all of it but most of it.
So, what the hell have I been doing then? Reading, mostly. Combing the archives for gems. Seeking inspiration. And yes, I've been writing too. A little. Not the stuff I've posted here, but other stuff. Other stories that I feel compelled to write down, because I can't write anything else until I do.
Most who've written me have asked about The Facility. I'm almost done with that one. Four more chapters, some editing, and it's done. I know it sounds simple. Just write the damn thing and post it already. I get it. But simple isn't as easy as it sounds.
Other writers out there will know what I'm talking about, but I want to take a moment to address the non-writers out there who wonder why so many stories go unfinished.
Turning ideas into words and weaving those words into a compelling story is really hard for a lot of us. Sure, there are a few freaks out there who can churn out millions of words a year and publish multiple books like it's nothing, god bless you fuckers, you know who you are, but they're the exception and not the rule. For the vast majority of us, this is a part-time endeavor and a labor of love. We do it, not for money or for the recognition, but because we have a story to tell and we feel compelled to tell it.
Sometime, however, inspiration wanes. It's not that we lose interest in a story. Hell no. But, sometimes, the well simply runs dry. We suck out everything that's in there, and we need to wait for it to replenish before we can continue. In the meantime, while we sit idle, twiddling our thumbs, other wells, wells brimming to the top, lay waiting. So we draw on those wells for a while as we wait for the others to refill.
Good lord, talk about a strained metaphor.
Anyway, my point is, sometimes you just need to sit back and wait for something to finish. And it finishes when it finishes. And you're not going to rush it, no matter how much you want it to be done. Unless, of course, you don't care about quality and just want to crank out middling shit, in which case, sure. But that's not me. It has to be right.
So, in the most roundabout and long-winded way possible, this is my way of saying that I'm watching the dough rise, and I think it's almost ready, but I'm not totally sure just yet. And while I'm patiently waiting, I've got a couple of other shorter works going right now that may post first, or maybe later. But, rest assured, I'm going to finish what I've started. Just as soon as it lets me.
Later perverts. Love you all.
It would seem that I've become somewhat enamored by end-of-the-world type stories, with The Facility being my most recent entry into that genre. A novel-length story, I've been working on it since early December and can finally start publishing it now that I've completed a number of shorter works, including Rhiannon's Rectal Rescue, Annie Girl, and my Valentine's Day contest entry, Dream Girl. Thank you to those who read and voted on that last one, by the way, and congratulations to the winners.
In many ways, The Facility is a return to form for me. It's a lot more fun and lighthearted than my last two novels, and though the cast of characters is quite large, I've managed to keep the plot narrowly focused and the pace snappy by writing it in the first-person.
So, what comes next? I anticipate that 2024 will be a big year in terms of total output for me, as I expect to cross the one million word mark, so here's a roadmap of what you can expect and when:
Early to mid-March: The Facility
Mid-March to early April: Completion of The Protégé
April: Completion of Forbidden Fruit Book I
Summer: The Wings of Daedalus, the sequel and finale to The Arrow of Asterius
Fall: The Honey Pot, a sequel to The First Timers Club
End of year: Forbidden Fruit Book II
Along the way, there may be a short story or novella squeezed in, along with a contest entry here or there, but the titles in the list above will be my primary focus this year, with my first priority being to complete the two works in progress that have languished for far too long.
To those who've taken the time to send me private messages and comments over the past few months, I can't express how appreciative I am for your words of encouragement and support. It is for you that I write. To anyone who's taken the time to read, vote for, or comment on one of my stories, I give you my sincerest thanks.
Here's to an exciting 2024. Happy reading.
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