Revisiting World Domination
Revisiting World Domination: Revised Plans for 2020
This time of year, I usually look back at the grand plan I create in January and make minor adjustments. Funnily enough, while my World Domination Plan hoped no calamities would arise, it didn't even contemplate the possibility of a global pandemic. How terribly unimaginative of me. So now I'm revisiting my plan and making a lot of adjustments.
Revisiting Plans for Writing Books
Nothing like stress, worry, and uncertainty to force me into revisiting world domination plans… er, writing more books. If last year's visit from the Calamity Fairy hadn't already taught me that grief and stress stomp all over my ability to focus, I'd be wondering what the hell is wrong with my brain. Knowing that helps me shush the little voices in my head that accuse me of laziness. One of the good things about being in the independent author business is the freedom to move my deadlines when I need to, so that's what I've done.
Space Opera
Spark Transform, book 5 in the Central Galactic Concordance (CGC) space opera series, is my current work in progress. I write more words almost every day, but this is where I'm seeing the consequences of stress-caused short attention span. Also, too, I had to stop and revisit the big damn story arc for the series, to make sure I'm staying on the right track. But the book is coming together and headed toward the exciting finish. I really want to read this story, and the only way I can do that is to finish writing it. My best guess for publication is North American summer (Down Under winter).
Right after that, I'll be writing a novella for this year's PETS IN SPACE science fiction romance anthology. The story has an outline and has a working title, plus great characters—and pets!—for a fast-paced adventure.
On the horizon, after the next paranormal romance (see below), I'll be working on CGC 6. The characters have already told me who they are and what they want, so the next step is the outline for their story.
Paranormal Romance
Shifter's Storm is the first of a loose, three-book story arc in my Ice Age Shifter's series. The other two books have titles and covers, plus main characters and loose outlines. The next book, which is technically book 6, is on my calendar for publication in the last quarter of this year. Yes, I'm being deliberately vague about all this because see above about plans and calamities.
After that, I'm leaning toward another three-book mini-series, possibly a spinoff, in the Ice Age Shifter's universe. I have so many characters that deserve to find destiny and love.
Revisiting World Domination Plans for Special Projects and Super-Secret Projects
One project I can move to the “Done!” category is to make all my ebooks available as direct purchases from my website. Well, technically, it's via PayHip and BookFunnel, but the launch points are via my online store pages. Some readers don't want to buy from the major booksellers for one reason or another, and some readers like supporting authors this way (thank you!). It's easy to get the right file for your ereader, and the helpful folks at BookFunnel can walk you through any difficulties.
I also created some fun stuff (like this T-shirt with the logo for a mythical town in Wyoming) for both paranormal romance and space opera fans, and I plan to do more of that as time permits.
I am this][close! to being able to tell you about a project that's been an entire year (plus pandemic time-out) in the making. When it's finally ready, I look forward to announcing it with great fanfare.
Achieving world domination might be back on the agenda after all. The cats will be pleased. 😎
Author In the Wild
Authors aren't going to be in wild for a while. For the most part, we aren't going anywhere at all. Reader conventions, book conferences, and comic conventions have been canceled, or at least pushed back to the end of the year.
And to be honest, I would have withdrawn if they hadn't saved me the trouble. Coronavirus tops my DO NOT WANT list. And considering the virus's long incubation time, I'd be devastated if I unknowingly infected my fans.
I'll save my pennies for some lovely opportunities next year instead.
Home Front + Cats
The cats believe we've been staying home for the last two months because of how much we love them. Cats live very much in the moment. There's no explaining to them about supply chain disruptions causing a shortage of their favorite kibble. Clearly, the bosses of cat town (a.k.a. humans who can provide warm laps, open doors, and operate the can opener) should have planned better.
Lastly, the wonderfully grand (or madly insane) plan to remodel the basement all at once is still on schedule for late fall. The displaced cats and resident mad scientist will undoubtedly be grumpy. But I am determined to have a pleasant and usable office in which to write my books. I've moved on from the Versailles Palace motif toward a more streamlined design sensibility. See what you think.
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