Yes, he's still alive, LOL.
As ever, I've been busy writing, rewriting, shaking my fist at the screen, and abandoning all kinds of things over the year, so here is a brief summary of the main active projects:
1) a story set in the Star Wars universe, original characters only, of what happens when a Force sensitive slave dancer hides on the ship of someone who might be a little bit Sith in order to escape what was about to happen to her next. First draft is pretty much done, then I take a break for a little while to let it settle, and then back in. Not too long, either, so I don't get the paralysis of editing something the length of War and peace.
2) a story set in the Star Trek universe, original characters again, of a woman with a seemingly unique ability which Star Fleet keep using her for. She wants out. StarFleet are not the good guys in this.
3) a story about a father and daughter taking a themed summer holiday together in a camper van. This was originally meant to be part one of something larger, but it needs a little more time to 'cook' in order to make it a standalone, as 85k words for an introduction to two characters is excessive.
4) Greyshough. Yeah, that one. Book One has been rewritten, removing Leri, and zipping along with a little more focus, even though I miss her presence. Book Two is complete but for a couple of chapters, but that's where I hit a roadblock in that, once again, it was sprawling out of control. A newly introduced character really needs excising, and Book Three's plot points need folding into Book Two to make it have a better and swifter ending. My first 'big' project for 2026 once (1) and (2) get polished and published.
5) Summer 76, the story of a brother and sister, left alone in their holiday caravan over the summer, and their adventures. Although I know what happens to them by the end of that summer, and a lot of things they get up to, it feels a little unfocused in that each chapter is just another 'what tomfoolery can we get up to today' kind of deal. Fun to write, but needs more focused plotlines for the main characters. It also might benefit from some kind of antagonist, but I've no idea who or how that could happen. It might also help to break it into definitive beginning-middle-end 'books', each one covering an in-story week of shenanigans.
6) The Herefordshire Cottage. The story of an autistic young man, moving with his father to a cottage on the outskirts of a village, and encountering a singular young woman. This is still being plotted out as the premise is good and the first couple of chapters are zipping along, but it lacks for something to add dramatic tension.
And that's it other than a few sketches to test characters, work on my music, and taking my dog for three walks a day; he insists.
Happy Holidays, folks.
CH