March Madness

Let the March Madness begin!

Somehow, it's March already, so it's time to watch some awesome NCAA hoop action! Last year, one of my men's brackets was perfect through the first day and half (sapo!), but luck did not repeat itself. My best bracket got seven wrong on the first day, and it's currently ranked 143K after the first two rounds. My second best bracket is ranked 831K.

March also means I'm doing yardwork. When we first bought our house, a friend urged us to lump the landscaping into the deal, too, or we'd never get it done and we'd just have dirt forever. He wasn't wrong. Back then, however, we couldn't afford the landscaping, and we've been working on our dirt ever since. Over the last couple of years, we made serious headway, and there is something satisfying about doing all this work ourselves. (My back and neck disagree.) Because the temps are already higher than usual, I need to do as much as I can before the real heat comes in. We're in for a hot summer.

I don't talk about my day job much, but my work world was completed upended when I transferred to a completely different area at SNL. They needed a scheduler, and so I went from being an expert to a rookie, just like that. I have so much to learn, but I like the new work and I'm surrounded by a great team.

On the writing front, my goals are all on track!

Celebratory waaaaave!

Here are some updates:

Midnight Agency, Season 3

I finished the first draft of Midnight Agency, Season 3, and the first major edit already. Man, those last chapters were rough! But my epilogue was badass. It made my stomach drop, even knowing what was coming. Next, I'll edit the POVs for voice consistency and to make sure I'm really getting into the hearts and minds of each character. My goal is to finish the next draft(s) by summer and send it to willing beta readers.

Fantasy Thief/Heist Novel

I received nibbles from agents, including my top picks, but no luck yet. I started querying small presses. Their response times are super long, if you get a response at all. If I don't get any hits, I'll publish this one myself. I love this world and these characters. It's filled with thieves, pirates, and ancient gods, and it will make a great series.

NM Thriller/Mystery

I began worldbuilding this new idea for a straight-up mystery, and I have a general idea of what I'm going to do and where scenes will take place. My plan is to start the first draft over the summer.

Short Stories

I have one potential sale so far this year, but I won't reveal it until a contract is signed. I should hear for sure by May. And I'm hopeful that another story will be accepted into an anthology. Fingers crossed! I'm also continuously submitting from my small pool of stories.

Craft

So far, I've completed MasterClass courses from Dan Brown and David Baldacci. More to come this year from others like Joyce Carol Oates, Walter Mosley, and NK Jemisin!

Reading

I've read some great books already, and I'm on track to reach my goal of 30. You can see more on Goodreads, but my YTD favorites are:

• Bless Me Ultima - Rudolfo Anaya

  • I'm ashamed that it took me so long to read this gem. They call it a coming of age tale or magical realism, but I see a weird western set in the 50s. It's got guns and witchcraft. That's good enough for me.

• Twelve Months - Jim Butcher

  • Jumping into a new Dresden Files story is like meeting an old friend. The scope has grown to epic proportions since book 1, and no one is better than putting his MC through the ringer than Butcher.

• The Tainted Cup - Robert Jackson Bennett

  • This award-winner is set in a world of plant-based magic, but it's more about an murder investigation conducted by a Watson-like apprentice to an eccentric Holmes-like genius.

• When Among Crows - Veronica Roth

  • Urban fantasy novella set in Chicago and steeped in Slavic folklore.

Until next time, I'll be writing!