I was definitely tempted to put off this particular update until after the new year, to make it into a sort of year-end wrap up. But since I’m thinking about changing the way I do these progress reports next year, I figured I should stick with this format for one last time.
Here’s where all of my works-in-progress stand now:
- Unnamed Shifter Story, based on a Japanese folktale. Original goal was to expand the story from 15k to 20k. Still sitting at 16k. Found the research materials I was looking for, now just waiting for them to become available in my area. I’m currently working with my local library to gain access.
- Sci-Fi. Sequel to Bonded. Dev gets his own story and a woman more than capable of taking the playboy first mate down a couple of well-deserved notches. Still stalled at under 5000 words. This will be my last update on this project. Unless something changes drastically, I just can’t write this story.
- Sci-Fi. Working title of “Phoenix.” My fears about how short this story was turned out to be a warning of the presence of a giant plot hole that couldn’t be fixed. I ended up throwing out the 13,000 words I wrote and started from scratch all over again. Have written a grand total of 300 words on this new version so far.
- Sci-Fi. Working title: “Rebel.” With all of the changes planned for ‘Phoenix,’ this is back to being the first book in the story line. It is now up to 14,500 words.
- Fantasy novella. Current working title is “Dragon Sacrifice.” It is book one in a planned trilogy. Turns out there’s another plot hole in this one, though not nearly as bad as the one in ‘Phoenix.’ Working on the new revisions now.
- Fantasy. Book Two of trilogy with the current working title of “Dragon Quest.” Now up to 8,200 words.
I’m planning to add one or two new projects to the list after the new year. Those particular plot bunnies are being particularly persistent, so I’m just trying to hold out until I finish at least one of the first drafts I have listed above.
Health-wise, I’ve been basically told that there is no way to fix my wrist, though I still have a nerve conduction test scheduled for mid-January. Not holding out much hope that it will find anything. Or, if it does find something, that my doctor will acknowledge it to be a problem. He mentioned that I still have the dislocated tendon spotted earlier and the latest MRI uncovered some torn cartilage, but he insists that neither of those things are causing my pain.
It looks like I’ll just have to learn how to manage the pain from here on out–and to learn how to work around it, if I want to keep writing.