Well, it’s that time of year again. A moment where we all collectively light a candle against the cold. Like a beacon in the dark for those we hold close: family, friends, those furry folk we spoil so much 😊. In doing so, we find a warmth and a joy that seeps into our bones, the kind that stays a while. So, wherever you may be or however you may pass this time of year, I hope that you are going to feel the warmth I speak of.
As for me, I start off this auspicious season with a little tradition between me and my oldest daughter: hanging up the Xmas lights! We don’t always rival those cheaters who pay a company to do it for them, but we sure as heck give it our best! Besides, our lights have character, their aura filled with bits of story. That upturned light in a string of otherwise symmetrical bulbs? That was when mom called us in for breakfast. That one section on the roof that refuses to do its job of being a light? That was because dad has a minor fear of heights and could care less if a few are missing. He got up there on that roof—wide-eyed and terrified—and that’s good enough! That candy cane that is taking a nap in the grass? That’s from my daughter hammering the stakes like she was playing ‘Whack-a-Mole.’ See? Character!
Jokes aside, the start of this month is always a busy one, especially this year. You see, my wife and I have been starting every one of our years around this time. I mean when you take into consideration that today, December 4th, is the day we got married, the start of OUR year happens to be the start of the holiday season. And, like the traditions we all carry, me and her have kept our candle burning strongly for many years. Fifteen to be exact! Now, it’s pretty hard to imagine that that much time has passed, but when I look back, I am glad I spent it with her. The highs and lows, the love and laughter, and all the other bits of life that swirl about shared with one wonderful person. Here’s to you, my darling wife.
The only thing to rival those accomplishments is one of a rather grand scope. As many of my subscribers know (psst you can be one too by entering your email above 😉), I am the author of a high fantasy series known as Gods Adrift, a story about three strong-willed sisters who must stay true to themselves and each other in an epic fantasy world of breathtaking scale that happens to be the playground of some rather fickle, Roman/Greek-inspired gods. Well, the latest book in that series, “The Godstone Decree,” was submitted to a few book award competitions, and because of that I just received the best news!
You can check that out here: Shelf Unbound
This is a prestigious award, especially amongst indie authors, and with thousands of submissions a year and a reader base of 125,000 in 70 countries being considered in the top 100 means that “The Godstone Decree” must be something quite special. Truly, it was like a weight was lifted from my chest when I received the news. All the doubt, all the anxiety of whether I was cut out for this whole writing business washed away in an instant. The validation alone is a just reward, but here’s hoping that this will springboard these novels into the public eye. At the very least, maybe it will entice a few of you to give a new high fantasy series a try (hint, hint).
I know that this has inspired me to keep pushing forward with the story of Gods Adrift and starting next year, I plan on fully investing myself into writing the third novel of the series. For now, I am going to enjoy some time with the wife, time with the kids, and some time to myself, which just so happens to include a cool new toy … a CURVED monitor! That’s right, they make monitors for computers that are curved now. Something to do with immersing you in the experience by inundating your peripheral vision. And I got to tell you, it works! I have been having a blast playing some of the latest games this year (looking at you Clair Obscur) and jumping back into old favorites. Although, my old favorites tend to require far less graphical fidelity than a curved monitor can provide (ala Gnomoria). Now, does this curved beauty help me get any better at first person shooters like Battlefield 6? Absolutely not! I am still just as bad at those as I have always been. But now I can experience my demise in glorious, curved vision. Life is great.
Well, that’s about all I got this time. I hope that you have enjoyed this little snippet of my life, and that you have a wonderful December!
If you liked what you read here, why don’t you consider subscribing to my newsletter? I send out monthly messages and the occasional big-news update. If you really liked my writing, I wrote a couple of full-fledged novels for you to check out: “Shards of Ember” and “The Godstone Decree.” Both of these are available on Amazon or, upon request, at your local bookstore. Whatever you decide, I hope to see you here again. Take care!
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