Rob’s Update: Come and Be Welcome

Week 31 of 2020

Greetings all

If things had gone to plan, I would have spent Monday evening trying to live up to the lyrics of the song Come and Be Welcome by Emer nic Aiden. I’d have hosted my yearly bardic circle at Pennsic, then taken my hungover self to the trim shop and done whatever setup we’d needed.

I’d have spent this week and next talking to people about my books and finishing None Call Me Mother. It’s the best workplace around, actually. I get to work, be really productive, and then afterwards I get to go sing and hang out with great people I only see this time of the year.

Ah, well. Time for me to focus on the things I can change, which has been my general philosophy for quite some time.

Finishing None Call Me Mother is something I can change. Emer has been one of those waiting patiently for me to finish it. I’ll have a draft to the editor by end of next week. Lots of little issues smoothed this week and it’s almost there.

I can also look ahead to future projects. Next big WIP will be the sequel to The Feeding of Sorrows.

Even more exciting to me is the upcoming anthology I’m editing for Chris Kennedy. It’s the sequel anthology to When Valor Must Hold and I am incredibly amazed at the authors who’ve signed up to be a part of it. David Butler, Larry Correia, David Weber, and Sarah Hoyt are all in, and there are some big names still to announce.

I am incredibly honored they all decided to join in and appreciate Chris Kennedy giving me the opportunity.

I look forward also to all the other writers who submit for the FantaSci prize. The top four will be in the anthology, with one getting chosen by the con as the best.

And with that, it’s time to go bring my sweetie some ice cream. Have a great day.

What I’m Listening To

Basil Poledouris’s excellent Conan soundtrack…. again. It’s one of the best things to listen to while writing fantasy.

Quote of the Week

“Come from the forest and sit ’round the fire
Come from the fields and enter our hall
Come drink from the guest-cup
Come join in our circle
Come and be welcome ye bards one and all”
– Emer nic Aiden

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (136,935)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AOOE (1,030)
  • Cynewulf (8,642)
  • Gato (2,312)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

New Releases

This week Ian Malone releases the third of his Mako Saga, called At Circle’s End. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DTYGTW2

Today’s Weight: 369.6

Updated Word Count: 82,811

Shijuren Wiki: 66 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

Rob’s Update: Opening Day

Week 30 of 2020

Greetings all

Finally! Today is the full opening day for baseball. They’ve had a couple marquee games already, like they do these days, but the first full day of baseball, which is usually packed from noon to after midnight is one of the great days of the year.

Interesting is, of course, the word to describe this year. Generally, a full-time hitter can expect to bat about 700 times in a given year. That might seem like a lot but it is still not enough to eliminate all the statistical biases of a small sample size. You need about 1100 to bring the plus/minus aspect down to small levels.

In 2020, a full time batter can expect about 300 times to bat. They’ve done some fun examples of what could happen in only 60 games, including batting averages not just above .400, but well above .400, even well past Nap LaJoie’s .426 in 1901.

So, yeah, expect some statistical anomalies.

And overall result anomalies, especially with 16 playoff teams. The playoffs are essentially about luck, as even the best team only slightly better than the worst playoff team in a single game. It will only take 2 coin flips out of 3 for the number 16 team to beat the number 1 team.

Fun stuff.

Made good progress on None Call Me Mother. Word count doesn’t really show much difference, but that’s because I’m cutting some of the dross as I go.

This last battle was always going to be a hairball, which is what I wanted. I’ve written several chunks  and plotted a number of others, but it’s a balance to get it all to flow smoothly. That’s most of what I’m doing right now.

The blocking is tricky, but to a certain extent, that’s what I have an editor for.

I think I’ll have the final draft next week, though, so I’m excited.

What I’m Listening To

Landslide, the Smashing Pumpkins version. Great version of a great song.

Quote of the Week

I don’t know that I’ve had a Casey Stengel quote here lately. Casey doesn’t get enough credit, I think.Yeah, he had a bunch of great ballplayers like Berra, DiMaggio, and Mantle, but even so he was a fantastic manager.

He’s certainly one of the great quote machines. This is what he said after getting fired from the Yankees, having ‘only’ won the pennant in 1960.

“They told me my services were no longer desired because they wanted to put in a youth program as an advance way of keeping the club going. I’ll never make the mistake of being seventy again.”
– Casey Stengel

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (134,151)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AOOE (1,030)
  • Cynewulf (8,642)
  • Gato (2,312)

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

Two from Chris Kennedy Publishing this week. One is Mark Wandrey writing in Chuck Gannon’s Caine Riordan world. It’s called Pearl and you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Murphys-Lawless-Book-5-ebook/dp/B08D72Q4ZZ/

Also, there’s another Fallen World novel, this one by J.P. Chandler. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/They-Call-Princess-Fallen-World-ebook/dp/B08DG84QYJ/

Today’s Weight: 372.2

Updated Word Count: 82,082

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

Rob’s Update: Turkey Red Wheat

Week 29 of 2020

Greetings all

I had a very productive first half of the week, but got distracted by my birthday on Thursday. We had the electrician over for a variety of small things. Then my birthday present to myself was to clean out and organize a closet we could now get to after moving everything around.

Oddly, that was extremely satisfying.

Anyway, I want to take a moment to thank the nearly 400 people who went out of their way to say happy birthday. I tried to thank them all individually, but if I missed some, thanks very much.

On Friday, my sweetie and I actually celebrated by going to the Hoffman Mill in Enterprise. It sells heirloom turkey red flour that she can eat without normal gluten issues, so we came back with bags and bags of it.

Yes, we could just order it online, but then we wouldn’t have had the fun of driving here and there in small town Kansas. This is something my dad showed me could be a lot of fun. Found a cool bookstore/bar/coffee shop in Baldwin City, among other things.

We also stopped at the Coneburg Grill and Pub in Peabody. They make a delicious black and blue steak salad. While there, we stopped at the Peabody Sausage House.

As for work, I made good progress on None Call Me Mother on Monday and Wednesday, but Tuesday morning I woke up and had to write something else. It may never see the light of day, but I wrote 2k in a brand new universe idea I have. It’s one of those “nobody is writing exactly what I want to read so I’ll do it” sort of projects.

Also, I spent some time organizing the sequel anthology to When Valor Must Hold. This one is going to include some huge names, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

More importantly for right now, I want to pass on the contest that we are doing in conjunction with FantaSci, where the anthology will be listed. The gist is where offering four slots to any aspiring writer and FantaSci will pick one as their winner, but you can find the details here: https://mailchi.mp/e0ad89095250/announcing-a-contest-for-writers-everywhere.

I hope to get a bunch of submissions. For now, though, I’m back to seeing if I can save Irina.

What I’m Listening To

“No Sleep Till Brooklyn”

It’s fascinating to me how well the Beastie Boys have stood up over the years. I wouldn’t have guessed that in the 80s, but I still love them.

Quote of the Week

My birthday is the 16th, which of course was the date of the first atomic bomb explosion in 1945. Most are familiar with Robert Oppenheimer’s quote from the day about becoming “death, the destroyer of worlds.” However I much prefer this quote by him:

“In battle, in forest, at the precipice in the mountains,
On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows,
In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame,
The good deeds a man has done before defend him.”
– Robert Oppenheimer

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (130,662)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AOOE (1,030)
  • Cynewulf (7,378)
  • Gato (2,312)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

This week only has one that I know of, Warrior Embraced by David Hallquist. This is the third in the Singularity War series. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Embraced-Singularity-War-Book-ebook/dp/B08CZ85NFB/

Today’s Weight: 376.0

Updated Word Count: 81,833

Shijuren Wiki: 47 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

Rob’s Update: Main Monkey Business

Week 28 of 2020

Greetings all

Things didn’t go exactly to plan this week, but in many ways that was a good thing. Since the stepdaughter-type creature moved in with her beau, we decided to condense my sweetie’s sewing, quilting, and weaving stuff.

Condense. Seems like an interesting word to use for stuff that fills 4 separate rooms. Ah, well, she’s worth it.

Anyway, that included a bunch of moving around of boxes, furniture, and all sorts of things. We’d been planning to have movers come in and do the work, but we sort of expected that would be down the road.

Instead, Mike Hammer Moving got us on the schedule on Wednesday and we were able to get nearly everything moved either to its new spot in the house or to the curb for the trash guys on Tuesday. What a wonderful thing. The house feels so much more empty and comfortable.

Side note: I did sort of chuckle at the movers’ name. There were no smoky alleys, no down-on-their-luck, treacherous hoodlums, no femme fatales. Heck, it was even sunny and bright on Wednesday.

Anyway, while I got all the way through Part 8 of None Call Me Mother, I didn’t get as much into the final battle as I’d hoped.

But the moving/cleaning/re-arranging was well worth it. I even improved my office, with the help of a new TV. Right now, I have a Cowboys game going on with Tengger Cavalry providing a soundtrack.

I also have a cat sitting on my monitor ledge, limiting my view of the monitor, but that’s to be expected around here.

I’m taking off today because I get to game again, but will be aiming to get Part 9 finished this week, or at least really close.

Have a great week, everyone.

What I’m Listening To

Rush’s Main Monkey Business. A tremendous instrumental from Snakes and Arrows.

Quote of the Week

Today is the 60th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird. I love both book and movie, but I have to admit Gregory Peck is so fantastic as Atticus Finch I can’t read the book without hearing his voice. And this is a great quote.

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”
– Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (127,474)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AOOE (1,030)
  • Cynewulf (7,378)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

  • Moved instead of blogged

Upcoming Events

  • 8 August, Olathe Writers Zoom Event
  • 3-7 September, DragonCon, Atlanta, GA
    https://www.dragoncon.org/
    CANCELED (Much sadness)
    There might be on-line things happening. Stay tuned.

New Releases

This week’s new Amazon orange tag recipient in the Four Horseman Universe is Jason Cordova’ Daughter of the Pride. Jason is a fantastic mil-SF author and I love his thread within the 4HU. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Pride-Guild-Wars-Book-ebook/dp/B08CK9Z1LP/

Also, I should mention Chris Kennedy has added  a new imprint. This one is called Quillcraft Press and it’s specifically for books by writers about writing. I don’t know the release date, but the first title will be Have Keyboard, Will Travel, by Bill Webb.

Today’s Weight: 378.4

Updated Word Count: 80,992

Shijuren Wiki: 39 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

Rob’s Update: Happy 4th To All

Week 27 of 2020

Greetings all

The big work this past week is closing in on the final draft of None Call Me Mother. There are nine parts to it, chosen very specifically as the readers will see when they read it. Seven are locked down. Eight is coming along, and nine is sketched out, though I have yet to really do the epilogue.

In other words, getting there. I know I keep saying it, but I’m trying to eliminate as many loose threads as possible. This is more challenging than I anticipated because I’m collecting threads from both I Am a Wondrous Thing and Brief Is My Flame. This is a disadvantage to being a pantser and I suspect one reason GRRM never finished the Song of Ice and Fire.

Anyway.

Today is July 4th and I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a happy holiday. My sweetie and I are not doing too much different, thought we are going to liberate a carpet from a floor and put down bamboo in the next few days.

Next week, I’ll be trying to finish these last two parts in None Call Me Mother and get that ready for the editor. Because of my delays in production, I have no idea when the editor will get a chance to look at it, so I don’t have a release, but I’m going with baby steps right now.

If I need to step away from that for a day, I’ll be throwing the initial words down for The Ravening of Wolves, the next Foresters 4HU novel. I need to get serious words going on that, though I know where I’m headed with it.

With that, I’m going to finish another chapter. Have a great and safe 4th.

What I’m Listening To

A perfectly appropriate song for the 4th, Pantera’s Cowboys from Hell. I came to Pantera late, long after Dimebag had been shot, but they’re a standard for me now.

Quote of the Week

I’m not going to paste the entire Declaration of Independence here, but I find it’s a useful thing to read every now and again, as is the Constitution and its amendments.

The text of the Declaration of Independence:
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/the-final-text-of-the-declaration-of-independence-july-4-1776.php

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (126,813)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AOOE (1,030)
  • Cynewulf (2,473)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

New Releases

(Note: I’m changing this to New Releases, in part because I know so many good authors now that I want to support, but also so I’m not constantly posting new releases on my social media. That would get annoying quickly.

Today’s Weight: 379.8

Updated Word Count: 80,206

Shijuren Wiki: 39 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