So, I haven’t updated this thing since July…But I have not been laying on the lazy side, as we say in Norway! In that time I’ve finished the second draft of Fire, the sequel to Let Slip the Beasts. The second draft comes in at 88K words, that’s 15K more than the original draft, and 33 chapters. It’s still in a pretty rough shape, but not as rough shape as the earlier drafts of Let Slip the Beasts (or Embers as it was called back then)….hoooo boiiii. I’ve learned a lot since then.

I’ve also acquired 5 beta readers (two returning ones and three brand new ones). And sent the second draft off to them! Now I just have to wait for them to read, judge, and give feedback. I think this is the worst part, and I’ll spend the next few weeks distracting myself with other hobbies, and mentally steeling myself for the critique to come.

I like to think I have thick skin and handle criticism well after 12 years as a video game journalist, but when it comes to my creative writing I feel like I don’t have any skin at all. So if you say something mean, I will cry! This is why I like the Oreo-method or whatever it’s called. That’s when you put a piece of negative critique in between two nicer comments like so: I like you characters. Your prose sucks donkey balls tho. But your world-building is dope. See?

Speaking of distractions, I finally finished a portrait of Buck I started on a long time ago. It’s not my best work, but it’s done, which means I get to make other stuff! There’s something about starting a new project and then finishing it in relatively short time that I just love. It’s so fulfilling.

Anyway, here she is: