This will have to be a short update this month, partly because I don’t have much to say and partly because I didn’t plan ahead as well. We just came back from three days in Dover, Delaware, spending the last of the year with family. We had a great time. There wasn’t much time for reflection, but lots of time to listen to Teresa’s parents talk, long walks in the neighborhood, and even some work on the next book.
PROJECTS IN JANUARY
Yes, I’m still working on “Sherlock Holmes Parodies and Pastiches II: 1905-1909.” I’m literally in the middle of designing the trade paperback and we’ll definitely get it out before the end of the month.
Each book in the 223B Casebook requires a lot of work. Stories have to be located, scanned in and proofed several times. Introductions have to be researched and written. Each chapter opens with an essay on Conan Doyle’s life during that year, so that has to be researched and written. Footnotes have to be tracked down, written and even rewritten.
Even now, while I’m putting together the book, I’m going over the book again. I created a Kindle version for my own use (I don’t have the chops to do the pro version and hire BB eBooks in Thailand to do it), and go over it again.
After that, work will continue on volume five with the goal of getting it out in late February to make the deadline set by one of the stories for which we bought the rights.
The rest of the year is going to be full of even more books. Here, for the first time, is the projected schedule for the rest of this year:
* Sherlock Holmes parodies, volume 3
* Sherlock Holmes parodies, volume 5
* Ride of My Life (space shuttle comic novel by Bill)
* The Illustrated Life and Career of William Palmer (vol. 1 in the Rugeley Poisoner series)
* Sherlock Holmes parodies, volume 4
* Her Martian Tiger (Claudia Moon’s first book, a science-fiction romance set on a terraformed Mars three centuries from now)
* Sherlock Holmes parodies, volume 6
* Suburban Stockade, based on webposts by Teresa Peschel
* Sherlock Holmes parodies, volume 7 (done!)
* The Best of 223B Casebook
* Career Indie Author
It’s an ambitious schedule, but we’re hoping to get most of them out this year, in this order.
APPEARANCES
On Saturday (4/2) I plan on appearing at the local author event at the Hershey Public Library. I haven’t submitted my application yet so it’s not confirmed, but I don’t see why I should be there. Look to this space or on the blog for more information as it becomes available.
LINKETY LINKS
Not much fun on the Internet this time. I didn’t have anything on my list until something popped up as I was writing this.
1. All You Americans Are Fired
If you really want to understand why some Americans are angry at our political establishment, whether they support Bernie Saunders or Donald Trump, check out this Buzzfeed investigative report on how businesses are abusing the H-2 visa program to undercut American workers in pursuit of profit.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicagarrison/all-you-americans-are-fired.
2. Web-Based Rhythm Composer
http://html909.com/
I love making music, although I don’t devote as much time to it as I would like. If you’re interested in experimenting with rhythms, this is about as simple as it can get. One page, a bunch of dials and push buttons, and you’re free to go from there.
There are no instructions, just push buttons and see what happens. I will give you this suggestion. See the 16 switches at the bottom? Each one represents a beat in a 4/4 rhythm. Each switch has three settings: silent, play the selected noise, play the selected noise harder. So click on one of the sound labels (say, HAND CLAP), push the start button, then push the #1 button once. Push the #2 button twice and listen. From then on, click on the labels and punch in the beats. Enjoy!
3. Valar Morghulis
I’m thinking about writing something about Game of Thrones and the problems I have with the story (the HBO version, that is), but I like this writer’s take on it. Short take:George R.R. Martin’s choices reflects “an anti-moral view of life, an empty guide to moral behavior. Power is everything and your choices are meaningless.”
Keep reading!