Checking In

Well, it’s the end of another November. This year, I didn’t even consider NaNoWriMo. I love the idea of pushing in one month to get major progress on a novel, but sometimes I have enough going on that putting current projects aside isn’t an option.

That doesn’t mean that I’ve been asleep at the keyboard. Here’s what’s been happening:

  • My new Mac arrived! My last beast lasted over seven years, but finally, it would have cost more to repair than it was worth. With Apple shifting to their own CPUs, I didn’t want to get the last generation tech. With the supply chain shenanigans of the present era, Apple were slow to bring out the new MacBook Pros. I’m loving my new machine, despite a couple of software oddities when restoring from backup.

  • I’ve bought Affinity Photo to see if I can use it as a replacement for Adobe Photoshop. The Brainz cover and interior art was put together in Photoshop, but it’s an expensive software package with monthly charges.

  • Susie Steele #2: The Steele Bite is shaping up for an early 2022 release. The manuscript is off at the editors. I’m not anticipating too many issues, though I have been know to drown under commas. As well, the cover art process has begun. I hope to have more news to share on that soon. This will be my first sequel published.

  • Fantastic Fantasy: My outline redo has let me rewrite the beginning of my fantasy project. I’m now merging the changes in with existing text. There will be a number of new chapters. This is a long term project, but I’m hoping to really move if forward over the next few months. There are some crazy ideas, some playing with my heritage, and epic fun. I can’t wait to share more.

  • I am still in the exploratory phase for further Tangled Fates books. I have one idea in particular that has my attention, but it’ll take time to develop.

  • I tried to watch Bruce Willis’s Cosmic Sin to the end. I couldn’t.

  • Red Notice proved a better watch. Some familiar actors. Not the tightest story, but nice little moments made an easy watching popcorn film.

  • I’m currently re-reading the classic novel, The Wizard of Oz.

  • My HEMA club had our annual longsword competition. I came third. Well done to Matt and James who came first and second, respectively. The club is about to pause for the hot summer months, so I’m going to need to work hard to stay fit-ish.

What can I do for you?

If you’re looking for a Christmas present, an autographed book can be a great option. You can get your copy here. I’m happy to include a message if you let me know, and we can even put on some Christmas wrapping paper if you wish to send it directly.

If you are a teacher and would like your class to have a video call with an author, I try to make myself as available as possible. For Adelaide schools, I can also make in person visits.

How can you help?

The more readers I have, the more time I can put into writing the next book. If you can spare a few minutes to add a review, it would mean the world to me. Even a star rating is a big help. I know many of my Australian readers had a problem with Amazon because they hadn’t purchased enough to leave a review. With the shift to online buying in the COVID era, that may now be different for you.

Review Brainz: https://www.amazon.com.au/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=064813508X

Review The Steele Trap: https://www.amazon.com.au/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=0648135020

Review Rebyrth: https://www.amazon.com.au/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=0648135055

Review The Last Cruise Ship: https://www.amazon.com.au/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=0648135004

Cheers

- R Max Tillsley

Robert TillsleyComment