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Today marks the first of “Naughty Irene’s” twenty-two chapters releasing free here on SOL. Subsequent ones will appear every Thursday. Based on the desires of a SOL member, this latest novel traces his wife’s fictional adventures in Barcelona. It’s been on pre-order and is now also available for purchase.
Those on my Discord are aware of the upcoming release schedule, but lovely Irene’s tale is the first of eight novels heading your way over the next two years. My current focus is on the backlog gumming up The Yards, to the tune of eleven more novels, eleven novellas, and finishing “The Immortal.” The latter effort has become a bit of a lodestone as I go about updating the first compendium. The older, crappier prose was annoying me.
So stay tuned. Much more to come from lil’ old me and my herd of wild-eyed muses. As always, boundless thanks to my readers, followers, and supporters. You make this madcap endeavor fun.
Hugs to you all,
Ivey
May your 2026 be filled with oodles of happiness and success.
Never a fan of resolutions, I’ve lashed onto one this year. “The Halcyon Year of Completion” harkens. Those who follow me on Discord understand my writing process is methodical and time-consuming. The creation bit—the rampant dancing of wild-eyed, flailing muses—is the easy part. From there, at least several months expire (the “letting the beef roast rest” phase) before a further month is required to polish for release.
All of which means The Yards is gummed up with twelve novels and eleven novellas awaiting edits. Plus, Jim’s saga in “The Immortal” has two further compendiums (c. forty chapters each) requiring rewrites and extensive editing. Thus, my noble quest: complete as many as possible and get them scheduled for launch.
Will this effort roll-over into 20207? Given my usual busy work schedule, most likely, yes.
Will the muses permit me to focus? Perhaps. I’ve offered up November to let them race around, helping me pen a pair of sequels to the novel slated for editing in October. Off to the side, a pair of short-story collections also draws their attention. Such shorter tales take about two days to scribble.
In any event, my goal is to have these works free of the slipways in 2028-2030. They will follow those already scheduled for SOL release and publication.
So stay tuned, and as always, thank you, dear supporters. Your kind words continue to fuel this madcap endeavor.
Hugs to you all,
Ivey
I usually try to keep blog posts to a monthly schedule; don’t want to clog the activity feed. But wow, my eternal gratitude. Talk about a success; the sale at zBookstore is amazing. To all of you who’ve been generous, thank you from the very bottom of my heart. That you’ve chosen to spare a few bucks to support my efforts means so much. The muses are dancing in the halls.
As noted last week, more wondrous words are headed your way.
The warmest of holiday hugs.
Ivey
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the very best for the season. As is my tradition, given that SOL and its associated bookstore, zBookstore have been my coziest home, all my work on the latter will be reduced a week earlier than at other venues.
Many asked when I first arrived here how best to keep the muses in halfway-decent bourbon and help with my runaway coffee habit. If you’ve enjoyed my wird skribblz and see fit to toss a few bucks into my well-worn hat, thank you very much. Indeed, my gratitude for any support, even if simply kind words, is bottomless.
As many of you are well aware, having suffered through my earlier blog posts, this has been a long, twisting journey. Engaged readers, witty critics, and the most delightful followers, either here, on “The Yards,” my Discord server, or those who email me, are the reasons I continue to share my stories.
In 2026, I expect the next novel, based on a SOL reader’s concept, to launch toward the end of January. Seven more will follow, plus new short stories, either standalone ala “The Student – 2,” or as part of a new series. Alongside six novel rough drafts, several novellas—a new structural concept for me—are in The Yards for editing. They should also find their way to the interwebz beginning next year.
Although I remain an unapologetic hobby author, one not chasing any particular niche, my pledge remains the same: polish my skills, write better prose, build better characters, and structure better stories.
Hugs to every last one of you.
Ivey
A stillness came upon the smoke-filled vale.
On a hidden horizon, the sun was but a golden smudge.
Among shattered trees, ranks formed once more.
The creak of leather, the clink of gear, none was carried on the acrid air.
No words were spoken, nor orders given.
Yet, shoulder-to-shoulder, the march of countless well-worn boots began.
As the final parade always does, silent, measured and never ending.
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