Status Update

(Or: where have I been?)

In October of last year, I made a terrible decision. I took a management position at my day job. I knew the hours would be longer, but the pay would be better. As long as I managed my time, I should be able to continue writing.

What actually happened is this: I was working 12 hours a day for barely more money that I was making before. I was burned out, exhausted physically and mentally, even on my days off. And that's if I got to take the day off at all.

You know, some of the most common writing advice you'll hear is "write every day". They'll tell you to stop making excuses and list out all the ways you can still carve out time while working, or caring for a family, or any number of responsibilities we might have as adults. Maybe I could have made the time, but at that time, I did not want to. In the little bits of free time I had, when I wasn't working or being texted about work, or getting berated by my bosses for not doing enough, I just wanted to rest. I could even find the will to update this website, and so, like my metal health, I left it to rot.

In May of this year, I finally said enough was enough. I stepped down from my management job and took a pay cut to go back to a normal schedule. I no longer volunteer to work overtime, and I'm perusing other opportunities. I'm happier and more well-rested than I have been in months.

So, now I'm back. I'm here to dust off the website and my scrivener docs. I'm done killing myself for a job that doesn't care about me, and I want to go back to doing what I love.

TL;DR

I took a management job that tried to work me to death. I quit that job, and now I'm back.

What this means going forward

Since it's been so long, I'll be making some changes to the stories I'm publishing. Future Tense is discontinued, but The (In)Fallibility of Fate will return as What Must Be. The first two revised chapters are available on both the website and Kindle Vella, so be sure to check them out.

A Crown of Frost and Lies is a story I started but never announced before everything went pear-shaped. It was intended to be something easy and simple for me to work on while I adjusted to my new normal. The first three chapters are available on Kindle Vella, and will be posted to the website soon.

I have two more projects I'm working on, but as they are still in the early stages, I don't want to speak too much on them. I will say that I plan to release one completely free, right here on the website. So look out for that.

As I'm still getting back into the swing of things, I don't want to commit to a posting schedule just yet. I apologize for any inconvenience, and hope to get back to regular uploads soon.

Thank you for your understanding, and your patience.