May Newsletter

Hi all,

Another fairly productive month for me. I finished Chapters 7 and 8 and am now at over 21k words. I’m thinking the climax will probably start with this next chapter, although I’m not sure how many more it will take to get to the end. Since I’m averaging 1-2 chapters a month, I’m hoping to have the entire draft done by the end of June. Whether I’m successful in this remains to be seen.

Since the end of this stage of the novella is in sight, I’ve started thinking about what I’ll do next. I’ll probably wait at least a month or so before starting the second draft, which will likely need to be rewritten from scratch. This will take at least another six months if I’m lucky, so I doubt that the serial will come out before the first half of 2026. With this in mind, I’d like to publish at least one or two short stories here before starting the second draft. I already have a few ideas. There may also be a collaboration project in the near future, so please stay tuned for more details.

Thanks as always for sticking around, and for all your support!

---

What I’m reading:

The Paleontologist, by Luke Dumas

• The premise of this book (dinosaur ghosts haunting a museum) sounds silly, but this has probably been the best book I’ve read this year. Part horror story and part mystery, I enjoyed the characters and the tight plotting. The protagonist makes a really dumb and kind-of unexplained decision towards the end, but that’s the only thing that detracts from what’s otherwise a great book.

The Twitching House, by Ben Farthing

• This book also has an unusual premise (a horror/fantasy story from a mouse’s perspective), but it’s actually pretty compelling. I found it quick to read and engaging, if a bit more on the pulpy side of horror. I ended up finishing it in a single night.

The Only One Left, by Riley Sagar

• I’m only about a third of the way through this one, but so far I’m really invested in the plot and characters. I’ve read a couple of Sagar’s other novels and mostly liked them, so I’m hoping I won’t be disappointed.