Just a brief note to explain why there’s been few new posts in the last week or so — I came down with a bad case of flu eleven days ago. I got over the main symptoms and became well enough to leave the house by Wednesday, but I’ve still, since then, been sleeping eleven hours a day, having difficulty breathing, and also having the worst mental health I’ve had in years (my depression seems to be the type that correlates with immune system activity). Other than one script for a freelance client and my weekly comics reviews, I’ve not been able to write anything — I’ve just not been well enough.
Hopefully today I’ll be able to complete a review for We Are Cult of the new compilation CD Svenska Shakers — I’ll link that when it’s up — and I’m planning to get back to regular posting from tomorrow.
But while I’m doing this update, I thought I’d update you with some further plans for writing for the rest of the year:
I’m hoping to get the third Beach Boys book out for Xmas. No guarantees yet, but that’s the plan.
Once the Beach Boys book is finished, I’m going to Kickstart a second edition of the Monkees book. This version will include a completely rewritten chapter on Pool It!, an expanded version of the article on The Monkees Present including the material on the deluxe edition, and new reviews of the pre-Monkees recordings on the deluxe version of the first album (including Davy’s first solo album), the Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart and The Point albums, and Good Times. Patreons will of course get this free.
I’ve nearly finished the first draft of The Basilisk Murders, but I’m a bit bogged down in it. I’m going to get it finished, and then put it aside for a while before doing the second draft. That should be done early next year.
And next month I’m going to try NaNoWriMo again — Patreons will remember the novel I abandoned last year. I’m going to try again with the idea, and I’m going to write that “in public” next month — posting stuff every day to Patreon. What I do with that first draft — whether I stick it out as is, rewrite it, or just dump it — will depend on Patreon feedback. But if it works out, Patreons will get a sixty-thousand-word work of fiction next month, along with substantial commentary and abandoned drafts.