First: The Theme.
We’re off to the races folks! As of Christmas day, paid subscribers at the early access tier now have the prologue and chapter one of Glassblade, and everyone else should have the prologue in their inbox as of the time of this writing. This newsletter will be a bit on the shorter side since I’m in the middle of holiday prep while writing it, but there’s a lot to cover, so let’s get to it!
The theme for January is momentum. We’ve started the ball rolling and it’s going to keep going because I finished the damn book and there will be no surcease until it’s all out there!
Let’s do this.
Second: The Work.
Glassblade is now on its release schedule which means all my time has been taken up with launch stuff for the last few weeks. This is actually the first time in a not insignificant period where I’m able to do some actual writing rather than graphics or art of messing around with website or newsletter settings, which one of the things we’re going to talk about in just a few sentences. But first, I think I owe y’all a cover.
It rules.
Matt Norris is the photographer and designer, and he absolutely crushed this. Each piece plays a role in the story, either metaphorically or literally, from the bead to the iPhone (It’s a 6!) to the drawing, which represents a moment when two people meet. That’s not really a spoiler, as these characters lives are going to converge in several different ways. This is the cover that will be used when the chapters start going up on Wattpad, which means it’s time to explain the release schedule for this story:
Once Chapter 1 has gone out to all subscribers (Monday the 5th), iterative chapters will go out on an alternating week basis. Monday the 12th Early Access will get the new chapter, and the following Monday everyone else gets it. Bottom line is that regardless of your subscription level, you will get a chapter every other week. Newsletters will continue to drop on the 1st of every month, and will continue to be what they have been so far. The Wednesday after chapters go out to survivors at the Basic and free tiers, they will be posted on Wattpad and several other places.
Needless to say with all this, I have not gotten much written on Broken Vessels, but I will be restarting starting next Monday as the kids go back to school. I’m about 90,000 words in and the time off has given me a solid recharge, which means I’m set up to hit the ground running. This is good as between running the author discord and figuring out exactly how to format this book in multiple different places, I’ve needed the break.
Alright, with that all said, let’s keep moving along.
Third: On Craft.
It’s really weird having this project launching. I started Glassblade 12 years ago, as I’ve mentioned several times, and watching it meet people’s eyeballs is a treat. This is the part of the process that makes all the earlier stuff worthwhile, and it gives me the fuel to keep going on days when—like today—I have a headache and my brain is strained. So as a change of pace I’m making myself rest while I’ve got the time, and part of why I’m writing this chunk: we’re gonna talk about the importance of recharging between projects, or during projects. Whichever methodology you use, finding ways to regain the creative juices, or maintain them, is important.
I’ve been doing it mostly by working on Warhammer stuff and reading RPG hardbacks between reading and writing sessions. I could say it was walks or working out, because that’s normally what it is, but at the moment it’s crafting a brain-candy and the skill-building that’s coming from that. There are gonna be pictures in the next section because that’s a lot of what I’ve been doing and you know you want pictures of Arco-Flagellants in your eye-meat. I should probably use the phrase “eye-meat” less often.
Anyway my point is that my recharging right now is happening by being relentlessly indulgent in my delicious, brain-candy hobbies. Love of craft is maintained through engaging with things I live, and finding that joy is essential to keeping the creative lights on. Or juices flowing.
I should stop saying “juices.”
ANYWAY MOVING ON.
Fourth: What I’m watching/Reading/Playing.
Watching: We finished Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries! I wont spoil it! It is good and you should watch it! The Adventures of Gorgeous Man and Cat-Lady is a joy, and the arc concluded in a way that left me happy and satisfied and also sad that I have to wait a year for the next season! We also started watching season 2 of Percy Jackson, and man it continues to be great. The trio has excellent chemistry and they’re nailing their characters. It’s great to see the franchise handled by people who like it.
Reading: I’ve had so little time for reading, which is frustrating! Mainly I’ve been working on Ninth House, and Ascendance of a Bookworm, which I’ve only really gotten to pick up in the last few days and am enjoying immensely. I’ll do a bit more of an update when I finish them. The latter is going to take longer than the former because it’s a long series. But I promise I’ll have an update more complex than “TROMB’S ARE SCARY!”
Playing: Fading Suns! Pathfinder! Warhammer 40k! It’s been a good season for games, and here’s some of the progress I’ve made!
Good ol’ whip-hands
Look at this frolicking guy.
The final Sororitas patrol assembled for my daughter.
This is what’s been keeping the Big Sad at bay. Mostly it’s been assembly for my daughter’s Sororitas, but up next is more Grey Knights or my son’s Aeldari. There will be pictures as we progress and more as we get to painting.
In Conclusion, or What’s Next?
What a month. I’ve been building towards this launch for six months, and now it’s here. This has been a wild ride and it only gets more chaotic from here, though there’s plenty to love amidst the ups and downs. We’re ringing in the new year with creativity, love, adventure, and stories. May this next year bring you all of that and more, in exactly the amounts you need. No, strike that, may your year never fail to give you what you need, and bury you in an embarrassing wealth of the things you want.
Stay healthy, stay friendly, stay curious.
-Joe