June Roundup
Top o’ the morning all!
As always, I hope this finds you doing well. As per usual, time is a myth, and I’m never quite sure where it’s gone. My calendar says that we’re halfway through 2025 (and a quarter of the way through the 21st century!) but I’m not sure I believe it. June was a month of transition around here. The school year ended, we took our first small family vacation, and through it all, I tried to find some time to write and read.
We can tackle the writing first, as that one’s pretty easy. June saw me officially complete my drafts and edits of Fallen Swords 4 (which I really need to find a name for). That book is officially with the editors, and I expect to be getting it back shortly. Then it’s to another round of edits and I’d guess we’re easily on track for an August release.
I wrote a bit of a longer short story this month, which I’ve already shared with members, and that one was fun to write. I’ve been diving deeper into the history of the world of the Fallen Swords and really been enjoying my time. I also completed edits for a short story which is going into a secret anthology that I’m pretty excited for.
Finally, I started work on the conclusion of the Fallen Swords series, currently holding the amazing title of Fallen Swords 5 on my computer. It might sound like a lot, and I am happy with the output, considering how little time I got to write this month, but I’m hoping to make more considerable progress in July.
Thanks to all the travel, June was a solid reading month. I read eight books and nine short stories, and by and large, the books were “fine.” The one short story that stood out to me was “Forward” by Jacqueline Freimor, which I found in the Best American Mystery and Suspense of 2023 collection. It plays well with format and is refreshingly subtle, so if you can find it, I would recommend it.
On the book front, once again, most of the books were good but not great. I ended up reading a bit more nonfiction, which probably contributed to the feeling. The two novels that do deserve attention, though, are Spook Street by Mick Herron (if you’re into spy thrillers and haven’t read the Slough House books, you’re really missing out. They’re a pleasure to read and Mick Herron’s writing is sharp - he’s the kind of author that, in my experience, other authors are often talking about) and Camelot by Giles Kristian, which is the middle book of his Arthurian trilogy. I wrote a full review on Camelot over on FanFiAddict, but Kristian’s writing and storytelling has made me a fan. After I get done with the Arthurian saga, I might pick up some of his other series.
So, yeah, that’s the monthly roundup! A decent month, though I’m hoping that when I report back at the end of July, I have even more writing news to share.
I hope you’re all doing well!
Ryan