August 2021 Dispatch
July was busy! As I noted last week, I had a couple online writing retreats. They ended up being really helpful in getting the final act of The Price of Thorns sorted out. It’s at that stage where there’s a whole bunch of people who need to get to the final battle and also then play roles in it and also then get to a specific point afterwards. So it was nice to have two weeks where I more or less just focused on getting that right (and also I needed to get some other stuff to work in the lead-up to it). I haven’t actually written the battle yet but I have it mostly worked out in my head and I’m ready. I’m excited to get this book finished and have other people read it—I like it a lot.
This coming weekend (August 6-8) I’m going to be a virtual GOH at Megaplex! I’ll be Zooming in for Opening Ceremonies, Meet the GOHs, and a late-night reading on Friday, as well as Closing Ceremonies on Sunday, and I pre-recorded a panel with Rukis about writing historical furry fiction that I think will air on Saturday, though I’m not positive. If you’ll be there, I hope you’ll stay safe and have a great time!
For the rest of August, I’m going to be focused on finishing this novel. I think I can do it. After that, I’ll have to figure out what I want to write next; I have a few options to choose from, including another fantasy novel or perhaps a followup to Camouflage (but I might have to do more research on that one).
Streaming: I try not to recommend things until I’m done with them, but we’re really enjoying The White Lotus (HBO). Mike White, the writer and director, has a history of writing really awkwardly honest characters and interactions (but with a kind heart), such as his debut Chuck and Buck, or later work like School of Rock and Orange County. This one takes place on a Hawaiian resort and through three episodes it’s great. Honestly, from the first scene I loved it.
I watched Hacks (also HBO), a show with some DNA of The Good Place—Mike Schur executive produced it and Jen Statsky, one of the lead writers on The Good Place, co-created it (with Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello of Broad City), and several other Good Place writers are on the staff as well. Jean Smart is fantastic as the aging stand-up comic and the show is generally smart and really well done.
And I’m one episode from the end of Physical (Apple TV+), which is a fascinating study in how your internal damage can make you behave badly to the people around you, set against a background of the 80s. Rose Byrne stars as Sheila, struggling with bulemia as she tries to cope with motherhood, her husband’s infidelity, and his campaign for Congress. She stumbles upon an aerobics class when her ballet class is canceled and falls in love with it, and it changes her life. As with many shows, the lead character is great but they have been slowly building out the supporting cast, and everyone is damaged in one way or another but they are (slowly) learning to lean on each other to get by.
Release Dates
No changes from last month. Here’s where things stand, in approximate release order:
My FREE book of writing advice called Do You Need Help? is on baddogbooks.com right here: https://baddogbooks.com/product/do-you-need-help/
Dude, Where’s My Pack? —it’s available in print from FurPlanet and on e-book everywhere!
The Revolution and the Fox —it’s available in print from Argyll and on e-book everywhere!
Audiobooks: If you don’t have an Audible account yet, check out my new Soundcloud page, which has samples and links to all my audiobooks. Those links help me get extra money especially if you use them to sign up for a new account. The second Calatians book, The Demon and the Fox, is now available!
Return From Divalia —I need to do an editing pass and then get it out to my critique group, as well as arrange the cover art and so on. I’m hoping to get it out this winter.
Unfinished Business (as Tim Susman) —out for critique. Will be coming out from Argyll in spring 2021 or maybe early summer.