[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

Monday, and I’m in the process of purging my mailing lists. (lovely typo there. “mailing lusts.” Don’t ask.)

Every newsletter accumulates people. They sign up and maybe stop reading. Or kill the email. Or were using their burner for some reason. Every couple of years, I purge. Using MailerLite, it is WAY easier than it used to be. I ask it for inactive people, then send a “Hey, YOU!” email to those folks. Anybody who responds drops off the inactive list immediately. Eventually, the rest go away.

Saves me money, because mailing lists cost cash monthly. Better this way.

If you got one, I’m not bluffing, but it’s nothing personal. Just business. Reply and you’re safe. (iPhone users usually, since it no longer allows tracking. But I know a LOT of nerds who are as computer security conscious as I am.)

Past that, life in general. Went north Saturday and picked up half a cow. 350 POUNDS of meat, offal, and bone. The coffin freezer is COMPLETELY full, as are both freezers in the houses. Worked out to something around $5/pound delivered, which is AMAZING for the quality and quantity we got. And we can do this because we have the lifestyle. And the tools. And the mindset.

Anti-Stodgy. Y’all give it a try.

Okay, writing news. Finished Knight Errant, the first Maddox Nevin story. Now that you have read Trial By Leviathan, you know sort of who Maddox is. After book 5 (Crossroads), he spins off for reasons we cover in that book. Different kind of story, with more Space Western flavor attached. Marrakesh was derived from Patrick O’Brian, and Napoleonic Era sailing. Wooden Ships and Iron Men, to quote the old saying (and the boardgame). The A’Zedi Survey Corps books let me go a different direction, while expanding the universe and forcing me to go deeper into history and stuff.

Gonna be fun. Not sure when it comes out, but the target is 2025, because 2024 is full already.

After that, I wrote the next Holden Barick story. Number Sixteen overall, split between Holden and Reilly primarily. Still having enormous fun with these, and eventually I will publish a book one of the Scattered Tribes Chronicle, but that’s like 200,000 words in a single spine. And Book One. Shit’s epic, yo!

After that, I started the next Beckett Fernsby story. For those of you that have read Gulliver’s Other Travels, you have now met Beckett. I’m almost done with story number five, and they will be in Boundary Shock Quarterly initially. Issues 025, 026, 027, 028, and 030. (029 is a First Contact story starring WarDog Charlie and His Eminence Daniel, the Duke of Los Angeles in Exile. Certain of you know the man. The rest can suffer in silence for a while.)

Not sure what I start next. Possibly the third (of four) Ollie novels, also targeted at release next year. Space Archaeology. And Gods, but only sort of. One of those open series I’m trying to complete. God knows I’ve got enough of them.

Considered the third Heather, but I gotta be in a kinda dark place for that, and I’m not. Rather cheery at the moment. Had a couple of amazingly good days last week and the weekend, and don’t feel like embracing mean to write Heather. And that’s the necessity.

Consider yourselves lucky.

Random question: I tend to end old series on a note where I could pick it up and extend it. If I was to go back and do so, which series of mine would be your vote? (Jessica doesn’t count. That Phil and then Heather.)

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

So I looked at the weekly alarm reminder and went ahead and typed. Kinda took the weekend off, but that was trying to figure out the end of the novel. That hit me last night, how to get from where I was to the set pieces I had in my mind, so it started to flow.

Then food hit.

OMG. Food.

Yesterday, we looked at each other mid-afternoon and both decided that we needed to be baking. Result: gingersnap cookies and molasses/cranberry bars. Yum.

This morning, take and bake cinnamon rolls from Krain Corner restaurant, because Shaylyn is utterly amazing. Ate two. Saved two. And got a tub and a half of frosting left, so I’m not sure what trouble I’ll get into next.

Then, the porcheta.

Fabulous Publisher Babe™’s family did a porcheta for Christmas when she was a kid. Take a pork shoulder, slice it open and insert spice rub, then rub and tie and bake.

She has a new religion these days. And a pellet grill.

Start with a pork shoulder. Cut it open to get the bone out. Finish butterflying it all the way out. Spice the inside. Rub the outside. Roll like a pinwheel. Tie off with string.

It went onto the grill about 800 last night. Low and slow all night. Got pulled around 930 this morning, when it got up to temp (about 190F).

Then, the secret sauce. Pull it and put it in a plastic trash bag, then put the bag in a small cooler and close it up to rest for two hours.

At lunch (including brussel sprouts cooked with walnuts and bacon grease), I had a hard time pulling it out of the bag. Then I tried to cut it.

A good, grilled roast has a “Bark” on the outside, like a tree. The bark held. The meat was falling apart.

Basically, we had a pulled pork porcheta. And got two big tupperware bins of meat when I got the remaining five pounds chopped and pulled. Might need to go buy some bread at some point. And cheese. And whatever. Because OMG it is amazing meat.

And will only get better next time, because this was her first porcheta using her brother’s family recipe.

Can’t wait.

Writing: I’m past 40k on the Red Branch Book One (1949, Soviet exile fighter pilot mercenaries hunting escaped Nazi war criminals), and deep into the first half of the final confrontation. Probably wrap up around 55-60k, sometime this week maybe. Maybe not.

After that, I plan to write the first of the A’Zedi Survey Corps books. If you were one of the folks that wanted to be tuckerized, make sure I have your release form, because I won’t include you otherwise. Got too many people interested in this. And the woman who I was originally going to name the ship for changed her mind and backed out, so I had to change that.

Past that, not a lot. Been chatting with folks on phone and text. Largely ignoring the family (most of whom I don’t get along with anyway and won’t go see because I don’t need the stress).

Hope your holidays have been calm and warm and friendly and that you enjoy them.

Chat more next week.

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

I might post next week. And I might not, it being Xmas in the US. Won’t go anywhere. Ordered take-and-bake cinnamon rolls this morning to pick up on Saturday. Shay, because she is an amazing baker, down at Krain Corner, run by her mom forever.

Got out and enjoyed the morning. Having a hard time getting the clutch going this morning. Like, 1500 words in two hours. Mondayness.

Partly, that’s the novel. Act One was Sasha out exploring and learning what the problem was. Now I’m in Act Two and he’s bringing the posse for the big showdown. And I am working slow as I work out all the details. That happens with a new series, because each character needs a voice. Currently, writing the Commissar, who is the Spock to Sasha’s Kirk.

Gonna be fun. And have ordered myself three books for Xmas on the de Havilland Venom/Vampire, plus a two-book series on early jets, US and European respectively.

SO MUCH POTENTIAL in an era few people really know, because every history book I’ve been reading pretty much ends with VE/VJ Day, or begins with the Korean War.

Luckily, I have a background in political science, which meant a lot of history for the second half of the 20^th Century. Kennan and all his ilk. The (impending) death of Stalin. All the crazy shit in 1949 as things are about to bubble over.

Novel is at 25k. Probably 55k by the time I’m done.

Any of you qualify as aviation nerds who can give it a read and point out any mistakes? I’m kinda good on piloting stuff, but a few finer details would be better.

Should finish it by January. From there, I went back to the Maddox notes and started expanding what will become the first Survey Corps novel. It will all make more sense next year when you’ve read Marrakesh, but I gotta stay way ahead of you people. That means Maddox and Padraig both. And a bunch of others.

Working on ideas for the next Science Officer. Thank you to all the lovely folks who have rated it everywhere. Will deliver “E” next Xmas, and keep on that pace. Got other things to write and finish.

And more Spandex going on in the background, because I found a gamer who wants to do Fatecore (Wearing The Cape subrules) superhero roleplay.

I enjoy fantasy, but not a straight diet of it. We used to bounce genres every year or less. Or have two things going at once to keep things fresh. And not just Hack AND Slash, either. Star Wars d6. Villains and Vigilantes. Shadowrun. Hero System. DnD. Earthdawn. Star Trek (FASA). Star Fleet Battles. Mechwarrior/Battletech.

A variety of options. Keeps Jack from being a dull boy.

If you are local to the South Sound and interested, give a yell. In person only. Somewhere between Kent and Palmer. Fatecore system modified. Modern setting adapted by both Don and I to handle things, though I plan on some Noir (30s or 50s) play at some point, heavier on rp and less on smashing.

Last Stand Season One is complete. And you now know who Pastor Mike was. And see where I’m setting up for Season Two at some point. TBD. 2025 or later, because I have 2024 already in the can.

Also, some Light Thriller coming out next year. Chace Haig. Gator. Red Branch. Plus others I haven’t written or finished.

Busy, but it’s the end of the year and I’ve hit my Million Word Target for 2023, so I’m kinda goofing off some now.

What are you doing for the holidays?

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

20231204

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

Yeah.

New world. New everything.

We’d known two years ago that the kitty was old and going to go at some point. And two months ago, Kiera gave Leah the look that she was maybe done. It came and went quick. Leah’s been more of a mess since then than I have, but they were much closer. And her cairn is where Leah can see her and she can see both houses when she wants to haunt things.

Mostly over the immediate grieving, and down to the sadness that comes from losing someone you love, even after having a long time to prepare for it. I went through that with Donna, having a terminal diagnosis and three years.

Monday is kinda a new start. Or something.

Leah mentioned that we were emptynesters now. So much of everything rotated around making sure the kitty got fed and cared for, even when we took trips. Lots of planning.

Don’t have that now. She asked how I felt about becoming more of a nomad, but that conversation is only sort of started. And I have to cycle back thirty-five years to when that sort of thing defined me.

Not sure what it means. We’re likely to take more road trips. Starting a list of folks we know that we might visit. If you want to be on it, let me know. Not sure when or where or what. December is the recalibrating for 2024, when things change. Not sure which things yet.

Things.

Last week, I finished Corsac Fox 5. Like where it ended. And how it will flow over into 6 and 7, before ending Block One and setting up for a Block Two later.

This week, I’ve started a new light-thriller series. The Red Branch. Set in 1948-49. Main character is an ex-Soviet fighter pilot turned mercenary, operating along the margins of South American law while hunting escaped Nazi war criminals.

This is the project where I’ve been doing all the research on early jet aircraft. And how the Alliance that won World War II fell apart afterwards, before turning into Containment initially with an eye to Rollback later. The Catholic Church went out of their way to help a lot of Nazis escape justice after the way. The Pope utterly loathed communism, and saw those fascists as friends.

Look up Ratlines sometime (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratlines_(World_War_II)) and then wander down various rabbit holes.

Messy. But it also creates a fun tension where I can have Russians hunting escaped Nazis. And the lovely folks who ran Japanese Unit 731 and similar things, many of whom also escaped being hung by the neck until dead, may God have mercy on their souls.

Some nasty evil got away with it because the US was much more fascist than communist (even more so in those days than today, but you get the picture). And Peron, while largely a leftist most of the time, got pissed off at the US and some of their bullshit, so I’m pretty sure his Third Way was merely an opportunity to poke Truman and others in the eye.

It’s turning into a fun story. And a series opening where I can play with all sorts of aircraft and stuff.

One of my inspirations was the old Blackhawk comic book I read as a kid. Originally (in 1940+) it was one of the most popular comics out there, often only outsold by Action Comics (Superman) in any given month.

It ran for a long time, too. I found them in the mid-70s, when things had been rebooted and retconned some for the more modern age, before it went on hiatus and got rebooted back into WW2 only.

Setting my story in 48 means jets. And spies. And swirling alliances. And decolonialism rising, though Stalin was still in charge and it wasn’t until Nikita Khrushchev and then Leonid Brezhnev when the Soviet Union got actively into the liberation movements.

Still, messy. All the joys of Action/Adventure/Thriller, with the addition of mercenaries and fighter pilots, so there will be some air battles at some point. Plus, it lets me explore certain technologies that maybe never got exploited, but could have been. (Helps that I asked a couple of aviation experts and will rely on them as first readers when I finish book one.)

Past that, December. Not really all that motivated today. The year catching up with me, after I realized just how much emotional labor I’ve done in 2023. A lot. Heavy.

I don’t have to carry the weight alone, but I need some down time.

Plus, yesterday I found out that David Drake died. Military SF writer who was hugely influential on me as a young reader and person, and later as a writer. Him and Doc Smith, largely, shaped my voice. He’d been ill for the last couple of years, and stopped writing as a result.

And it is sad that he is gone.

Hopefully, I’ll still be writing in 25 years when I’m his age. And doing it well.

Not a lot of news past that. The Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter in a few days. Dragoon’s Honor (Science Officer 13) came out yesterday, along with Preacher Man (Last Stand #12). Hopefully folks have been enjoying them. I have an idea for the next Science Officer (#14, due next December, as I plan on releasing them annually going forward. Probably.)

The new series: Operation Marrakesh, starts in January, and one of my next stories is likely #6 in that series. Plus the spin-off.

How’s your Monday treating you?

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

December. Corsac Fox One and Two available everywhere. I should finish Five this week. Then on to other projects.

No shooting today. Shoulder is getting close to healed, but it was pouring out there. And Fabulous Publisher Babe™ went with me this morning.

She needs a new process. We both do, but her more than me.

In case you haven’t seen elsewhere, Kiera the kitty died last Thursday. I have a blog post with details and pics, so I won’t revisit everything this morning. I don’t need to be crying right now.

Traditionally, the two ladies spent the weekend over here, then went back on Monday morning when I went out to breakfast. She’s emotionally a mess, because Kiera had been her companion for almost eighteen years. I’ve only been around for a shade more than ten at this point. They went to New Orleans for six months together. Did all things.

Until they moved out here, they were generally in the same house at all times while she was home. Only starting to send Kiera over here on Thursday nights was a night to herself.

At least it was pretty quick. And looked generally painless, at least from the outside. Monday night not doing well. Tuesday to the vet, where she got fluids and checkup and was much brighter on the way home. Wednesday, bloodwork showed that her kidneys had shut down. Thursday morning, she had a couple of hours of dying, but mostly laid there and occasionally gasped or made a twitch that she wanted scritches.

We made her as comfortable as we could. Pets so she knew we were there. Letting her know if was okay to go. Got a purr at one point. She could see us.

It was peaceful.

I’m a hot mess. Leah’s far worse. We knew it would come someday. Talked about things that would happen After Kitty, but it still hurts. Still losing a family member. One that I had complete conversations with, always on her terms.

So everything is kinda stuttery today. At least I’m in the final movement of Corsac Fox Five, so I can kind of autopilot. And Five and Six are part of a duology, so I’ll resolve some things then flow into the rest, but not until Jan or Feb, depending.

Some of you have been following The Scattered Tribes Chronicle. Hopefully, you’ve been enjoying Holden and Reilly. I’ll keep writing that in chunks, and eventually publish it all when I have 200,000 words of Book One. No idea how long it is. Long. Epic Space Fantasy Opera. The biggest kind.

And some more Gunderson and adjacent stories coming. Part of the 2000 CE project that flows out of Gunderson #10 and Captain Sapphire.

More news eventually, but this was kinda all I had to say.

How’s your Monday holding up? Able to bite through the ropes so you can escape?

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

Final Monday of the “Going to Grandma’s Sale” over on KRP. You know the trip will be long and dull, whether driving or flying. You’re gonna need books. (And you should lean on a couple of my first readers who are deep into some old stuff that’s never been published, so that you have Christmas books to read. Hint hint.)

Monday. Colder than that.

Because I live just past the first ridgeline of the Cascades, I get weird weather. Going north, I can paint a line in the pavement where it will be snowing on one side and dry on the other. Going south, there are seven distinct climate zones to get to Enumclaw (up on the plateau, as they call it).

Crossed five of them this morning. Wowsers.

38F when I left the house, and mostly calm. Zone 5 going south cuts across from Veazie to Krain (E/W) and was 24F when I got there. Black ice, and I have to go over a hill and a curve. It was an adventure.

Wind came up after that, but it’s coming off the mountains this morning, so likely clear and cold as fuck today and for several. Gonna stay indoors. Friday, we went for a walk at 0630 and 27F. Yuck. Did it Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon with silks on. Much better. Still too damned cold. I need a mall somewhere close.

Writing: Corsac Fox is over 55k. Likely finish it next week. Already planning what to write after that and got several ideas. Always have ideas. Never have enough bandwidth to just write them all, because I’d have to at least double my writing pace and that’s bloody unlikely, unless I get struck by the magic sales fairy soon. (You out there?)

Also, I’ll put this here because I put it up on Facebook.

I’m planning a spinoff series from Marrakesh (Coming Jan-May) that takes one of the side characters off into their own series. I foolishly asked the universe if anyone wanted to be Tuckerized into the new series. The ship is based on the USCG Legend Class. Crew 14 officers and 82 enlisted. Plus associated stuff at base, off base, pirates, prospectors, and whoever else.

I got 35 responses. So far.

Well, shit.

Okay, so I created a Tuckerization Release form. With that many, I need to actually make it a little more formal, so I mailed those out.

If you want to be Tuckerized into the A’Zedi Survey Corps books, email me and I’ll send you one as well. Won’t start that series until January or later, so there’s time. Got a lot of stuff planned for it, so it will run a while, assuming I enjoy writing them.

Not much past that. Thinking thinky thoughts. Trying to stay above water. Having time with friends. Getting ready for the holidays.

Hope you’re having fun.

And remember, Going to Grandma’s Sale

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.

[As usual, two weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]

Second Monday of the “Going to Grandma’s Sale” over on KRP. You know the trip will be long and dull, whether driving or flying. You’re gonna need books. (And you should lean on a couple of my first readers who are deep into some old stuff that’s never been published, so that you have Christmas books to read. Hint hint.)

Monday. Colder than previous. Had to melt the windows to go out this morning, but not quite scrape them. 0C/32F. Rained so frost. Monday.

Also, getting down to the end of the year. Had our Annual Corporate Meeting last week and looked at what we’d done in 2023 and what we aim for in 2024.

Planning the following:

• Jan-May: Marrakesh 1-5
• Jun-Jul: Corsac Fox 3-4
• Aug-Nov: Air Pirates of Cyrenaica
• Dec: Science Officer

Additionally, one Kickstarter for Air Pirates, probably in March for April delivery. All four books with special editions. TBD

Mistaken Identity and The Coven are both out and getting good ratings. Thank you.

Also, I’ve been having fun with all that research on early jet aviation (Soviet, British, and US) and decided to work yesterday instead of taking the weekend off. Sifu is out of town, so no Saturday classes this last weekend or holiday. Instead, we’re both going to do some marathon writing. Got words done Saturday. And Sunday. And will continue through the end of the month.

At the moment, I have 32k done on Corsac Fox 5 (out of about 75k). And the opening 3k of the new historic action thriller book one. Red Branch is the working series title for now, while I work it out. Kinda planning to write both novels simultaneously, just because they are so different and I’m having fun with both. Thus, the marathon.

If I know any technical aviation experts of the period 1947-1954 who want to be first readers, lemme know. I’m pretty sure I have those details close enough, and I built in wiggle room for the rest. Still, want to be close enough to right.

From there, writing this week. Turkey is in the fridge defrosting. Leg of lamb is going on the grill shortly to roast today. Need to make italian sausage tonight to go into the stuffing Thursday. She homemade a cranberry orange dressing using her grandma’s recipe. I bought a can. Got crescents and cinnamon rolls.

Gonna be a lovely holiday around here. Hope yours is calm and wonderful, unlike mine when I was a kid.

And remember, Going to Grandma’s Sale

shade and sweet water,

blaze

West of the Mountains, WA

—————————-

Thank you so much for being my patron and for funding these essays!

If you’re reading the free version (which is published two weeks after the Patreon version), please consider joining the ones who do pay at https://www.patreon.com/blazeward. It’s only a buck and helps keeps the lights on around here.