So this is Twixmas, that strange limbo between Christmas and New Year. Here in Japan, we are on the verge of everything except convenience stores shutting down for about three days and I will be eating nothing but junk food during this time.
But I thought I would take this time to look back at the year so far. 2023 was an odd year for my productivity. This was one of the least productive years for me in terms of output. Not that I wasn’t busy, but it was a lot of setting things up for the future.
A good chunk of my time was devoted to the Paragons of Earth comic book, which has now been completed. During that time, I released Killer’s Quest, the first book in the Mark of Cain series and the third series in the Dark Crossroads universe.
But unfortunately, that was about it. With two toddlers constantly vying for my attention and an increased workload at my day job, I was burning the candle at both ends and not able to be as productive as I’ve been in years past.
That’s all set to change in the new year. For one thing, a big chunk of my day-job workload was preparing lesson materials for a return to in-person classes, but those materials are now prepared and can be used in years going forward. That’s going to free up a lot of time. My kids will be starting pre-school in the spring as well and my wife will be going back to work, also freeing up more time. And since Paragons of Earth is complete, I won’t have that significant workload on my back, either.
So what can you expect from me in 2024? Let’s break it down.
- Mark of Cain – I’m working on the second book right now and I hope to have it out in early 2024, possibly by February or March.
- Subscription Service – I’ve signed up with Ream to launch my own subscription service. There will be multiple tiers and include things like rotating serials, access to the complete back catalog, reader community, exclusive short stories and comics, and the ability to view raw chapters as they’re written and also to contribute ideas for books. As for these serials, I have a few planned that will rotate season-by-season:
- Omega Knights – This is a science fiction serial inspired by the likes of Power Rangers and Pacific Rim. I’ve already got a good number of episodes backlogged for this, so when the subscription launches, several episodes will be available right at the jump, with additional episodes to follow.
- Steampunk Samurai (working title) – A steampunk fantasy set in an alternate version of Meiji Japan and following the adventures of Tetsuo, a wandering ronin with a mechanical arm and the cursed Muramasa Blade. Currently in the planning stages.
- The Chronicles of Etherium – A serial inspired by JRPGs like Final Fantasy VII, set in a fantasy world where ancient magic and advanced technology exist side-by-side. Currently in the very early planning stages.
- Corsairs – My sci-fi space opera serial inspired by Firefly and Guardians of the Galaxy has been on an indefinite hiatus, but it will be coming back. I’ve got several new episodes written and hope to start releasing this on Kindle Vella again.
There’s also something very exciting that’s in the works for 2024. I’ve just signed a contract for something very cool, but I can’t talk much about it right now. What I can tell you is that I’ll be working with some creators that I’ve admired for years. It’s something I’m extremely psyched up for and I can’t wait to tell you more.
In the meantime, if you haven’t backed Paragons of Earth #1, I would love your support. It’s an exciting book featuring several reimagined characters from the public domain going up against a Lovecraftian apocalypse. There are rewards for as little as $2 and every little bit of support you can give will help me out a lot. Even if the campaign doesn’t meet its funding goals, the comic is complete and rewards will start going out in January.
Best of luck to you and your family over this holiday season. Whatever it is you celebrate (or if you celebrate nothing at all), stay safe, get some rest, fill up on junk food, and I’ll get back to you in 2024 with much more exciting news.