Summer To Do list

They say that the three main perks to being a teacher are June, July, and August, and that’s as true for TEFL teachers as it is for any other kind.  I’m spending June in Georgia, but for July and August, I’ll be back in the States.  Instead of vacationing, though, I plan to be working hard at my main career, which is writing.

Here’s what I hope to accomplish:

• Set up a separate business checking account.
• Release POD editions of Genesis Earth, Bringing Stella Home, and Desert Stars.
• Set up an online bookstore to sell direct.
• Redo cover art for Bringing Stella Home. Completed 2 June 2012.
• Redo blurbs for all titles.
• Identify and submit Genesis Earth, Bringing Stella Home, and Desert Stars to prominent sf&f book bloggers.
• Organize a summer blog tour.
• Research translation options for all titles.
• Put proper copyright pages in all titles.
• Track down all invoices and royalty statements.
• Switch to the new Kobo publishing platform.
• Fill out all sections in business plan.

The list might seem a little daunting, but two months should be enough to do most of it, especially considering that I don’t really have any other obligations.  Basically, I want to get everything done that needs to be done in the States, then get back out and spend the rest of the year abroad.

As for writing, don’t worry!  I plan to do that too, as always.  Here’s what my project list currently looks like:

• Finish the unnamed WOTF project and start publishing it serially.
• Finish the 3.0 draft of Heart of the Nebula.
• Send out Stars of Blood and Glory to first readers.
• Get ready to start Edenfall in the fall.

That last one might be of interest to fans of Genesis Earth.  The reason I haven’t finished Edenfall yet is because…well, this might sound kind of wishy-washy, but it’s because the story hasn’t really called out to me.  For that reason, I decided to put it off and work on other projects that have.

Recently, however, I’ve started to feel the whispering of an intimation that it’s time–that the story is almost ready to come onto the page.  Once it does, I have a feeling that it’s going to be quick–much like the first draft of Genesis Earth.

It’s hard to tell, though, and it may still be too early to know for sure.  The unnamed WOTF project has something to do with it, as well as living here in Georgia.  I have a feeling that rereading Genesis Earth is going to make everything fall into place, but it’s impossible to say. I’ll try doing it at the end of the summer, after I’ve cleaned up my plate a bit, and see what happens from there.

Gah, this sounds so wishy-washy!  I’m a professional writer, after all–why can’t I just pound words out on demand?  But as a creative-type, I’ve learned that that just isn’t the way I work.  There’s such a thing as starting a book too early, and for Edenfall to really shine, I feel like I need to give it a little more time–just a little.

I’m sorry for those of you who have been waiting, but don’t worry!  I definitely haven’t forgotten about it.  And once Edenfall comes to me, I have a feeling that the final book in the trilogy, The Stars of Redemption, won’t be far behind.

That’s the plan for now, anyway.  It’s definitely going to be a busy  summer!