I’m Back!

Yes, I haven’t really been gone two years, but the date on Issue #44 of Smith’s Monthly is two years ago. So I’m going to call it two years.

For almost four years before that, I did an issue per month. One new novel, four or five short stories, and part of a nonfiction book. Or earlier on, a serialized novel.

Every month. And I enjoyed it.

All those issues are listed in posts below this, one at a time, with contents and cover.

So what slowed me down at first two years ago were short stories. I needed to take some time and write a bunch of short stories. And I did that. In fact, right now, I have about fifty unpublished short stories just waiting for me to get back to this. That’s at least ten new issues.

And then some life events hit. Kris got really sick and we ended up moving for her health in 2018. And once that cleared, I found myself in a place I hadn’t been in for thirty years: A brand new writing environment. And to be honest, I floundered, working to set up new systems and new ways of writing that will hold me into the future.

So far that has taken eight months. But I think I got it now.

So the question then becomes: What to do with Smith’s Monthly?

My ego wants me to catch up. But even I laugh at that idea. 24 issues. I could do it in about a year in the old place, but in this new world of Las Vegas, I honestly don’t think that would be possible or fun. And the real key is the fun part. I really don’t want Smith’s Monthly to not be fun, both for me and for the readers.

So the solution is simple. The next issue that comes out will be dated June, 2019 and we’ll just pretend those two years between the May issue and the June issue didn’t happen. (grin) Of course, I’ll talk about it in the introduction to #45, so not trying to hide it.

And with the Make 100 Paperbacks project I am working on, I get to learn all new InDesign programs for the layout and the covers and so much more.

So I am writing this in early May of 2019. Chances are the June 2019 issue won’t be out until July, but that much I can catch up.

Onward. This will be fun.