Monthly Archives: April 2020

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Rob’s Update: Nor War’s Quick Fire

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Week 17 of 2020

Greetings all

I finished re-writing and editing my story for Semper Paratus. This is an anthology from Jamie Ibson, who also edited We Dare. My story is a prequel to “The Chaos of Well-Seeming Forms” with was in the first anthology.

This one is entitled “Nor War’s Quick Fire” and we see the two feuding families meet. The time they meet is not a good one, though, and things don’t go where anyone expects, including, I suspect, the readers.

The story took a little longer. I can usually tell when a story works and the first version didn’t. In the end, I realized it tried to do too much. This is becoming a fairly standard thing. I try to put certain things in a story, and they may very well be great elements, but this particular story doesn’t work with them included.

Sometimes, this requires help from other eyes. I got great help from Jamie and also Yvonne Jacobs focusing the story down.

This is part of the be prepared to kill your baby part of writing. It’s not easy, but if you can do it, it results in much better stories and quite often, future story ideas.

This weekend, I’m basically taking it off except for projects around the house. Next week, I’ll be doing a couple of small writing projects, starting a new short story, and working on None Call Me Mother.

Have a great week.

What I’m Listening To

Still watching Burn Notice. Again. Love this show.

Quote of the Week

Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, was born today in 1757. Who is he? He was a very successful admiral in the Napoleonic Wars. You can find his details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth.

More importantly for me, he was Mr. Midshipman Hornblower’s captain on the Indefatigueable. Anytime I get a chance to reference Hornblower, I’m going to take it.

“You have fought your duel. That is well. Never fight another. That is better.”
– Edward Pellew, in the Duel, from the Hornblower movies.

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (Approx. 115,000)
  • CB (8,418)
  • HM (6,374)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

  • Added a few more products on the website and focused on the wiki this week.

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

This week’s spotlight is still on my new webstore at www.aescandthorn.com/store. I have my new books, old science fiction and fantasy magazines, and will add a bunch of used books.

Today’s Weight: 396.4

Updated Word Count: 65,098

Shijuren Wiki: working on it

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Currently Available Works
Shijuren
Four Horsemen Universe
The Phases of Mars
Short Stories

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: Time for a Mojito

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Week 16 of 2020

Greetings all

What a really busy and productive week. Most of this week has been focused on my story for the sequel anthology to We Dare, Semper Paratus.

I’ve actually had a number of issues with this story. The most important one is that I didn’t fully read the submission expectations. Let that be a lesson to everyone.

But the first draft had issues anyway. I didn’t like the pacing and flow. Like in many things, having one problem is a problem, having two and they might solve each other.

I’m re-writing it this weekend and I’m already much happier with it. It’s a story, now, or at least will be.

Second note. Always communicate with your editor. They can help, and Jamie Ibson has helped a ton. Also, if the story gets bigger than expected, you can ask for permission. This story is already larger than I anticipated, and I have a new ending and a battle scene to write.

The other big news this week is that I now have an online store:
www.aescandthorn.com/store

Here you’ll find physical copies of all of my books. For electronic or audio versions, you’ll still buy them through Amazon. However, if you want signed copies, you can get them through this site.

Also, I’m adding a variety of used books and science fiction and fantasy magazines that I have available. The magazines are ones I have multiple copies of and I’ve been winnowing down my books as I convert to e-versions.

I’m really excited about the potential of this store for me. Please take a look.

What I’m Listening To

One of my favorite shows ever is Burn Notice and I saw all seven seasons on Amazon Prime. Time for mojitos, spy tricks, and extra violence.

Quote of the Week

There’s so much great writing in this show. I especially enjoy Michael Westen’s voiceovers.

“A hitman is like a plumber, a dentist or a mechanic. Everybody is always looking for a good one.”
– Michael Westen, Burn Notice

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (PAGES)
  • CB (8,418)
  • HM (6,374)
  • NWQF (13,840)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

This week’s spotlight is on aescandthorn.com/store. You can get all of my novels and the anthologies I’ve contributed to, along with a variety of used items. I will add more items each week.

Today’s Weight: 397.4

Updated Word Count: 49,935

Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Currently Available Works
Shijuren
Four Horsemen Universe
The Phases of Mars
Short Stories

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: The Little Gray Cells

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Week 15 of 2020

Greetings all

Wow, what a major week of procrasti-projecting. I built a new bookcase for my SF/F magazines and spent part of the week not only shifting them around, but also organizing them. I now know just what treasure I have with those. It was so much fun.

Also, that led to organizing everything. So many small projects that I had just never gotten around to.

  • I now have a video camera on my computer. Well, I’ve had it for a while, but not actually plugged it in. I’ll be doing some FB Live stuff or YouTube things when I figure some things out.
  • I got a new color laser all-in-one. I’ve needed that functionality for a while. I rearranged the office and my printing setup is much more organized.
  • I organized my inventory. I now have a standard loadout for small events. I’ve needed this for a while as well.
  • I also made huge progress on my next short story. I may even finish the first draft tomorrow, giving me all week to polish it.
  • I had some great news, and a neat vote of confidence given to me.
  • Oh, and I made major progress on something I’ve been needing to do for a long time. I’ll expand on that next week.

Now I’m sitting with my sweetie enjoying a relaxing night. We’re watching Hercule Poirot and puttering around. She’s knitting a sock and I’ll be playing a game after I send this out.

Have a great week, everyone.

What I’m Listening To

Hercule Poirot, the Triangle at Rhodes episode. I love David Suchet and his +4 Mustache of Smiling.

Quote of the Week

“‘I belong to the world, Madame,’ said Poirot dramatically.”
– Agatha Christie, The Murder on the Orient Express

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (a bunch)
  • CB (8,418)
  • HM (6,374)
  • NWQF (4,125)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

  • Spent the week puttering around instead of being on the blog.

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

This week’s spotlight is still on When Valor Must Hold, which you can find at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086236WMT. Still getting lots of great feedback. We did good.

Today’s Weight: 398.4

Updated Word Count: 49,788

Shijuren Wiki: In progress

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Currently Available Works
Shijuren
Four Horsemen Universe
The Phases of Mars
Short Stories

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org