Happy New Year

Hello to you all.

 

Unfortunately I’ve not much to offer as update. However the co-author continues to edit and is beyond halfway through their own edits.

 

Other than that I’m just here to wish you all a happy New Year. May this year find you well, and may you have success in any venture you wish.

What I’ve published

Walk On

click here for a link to the book

Outsider Trilogy

Click here for a link to the book

Poetry

Link to my author page on Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Oaks/e/B00MEGSEZ6

Link to the Deathship book in the CreateSpace store – https://www.createspace.com/5023771

Or you can help me out on Patreon. Again, thank you. https://www.patreon.com/StevenOaks

Update: Author’s Note complete, working on an outline for a new book. Co-author continues editing.

– Steven Oaks

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Happy Holidays

Well here goes.

I’m up late as I write this. Instead of having my usual day off (Monday) I’m going into work to do a 12hr shift, and doing the same on Christmas day. So I’m using this time before to try to get something together to write about.

I’ve not worked on anything book related since last I posted, save perhaps a bit of outlining and character creating in my head, so there isn’t much to report. That’s going well, but I’ve yet to write anything down. I really think what I write next will benefit from an outline. A bit of structure goes a long way in directing a story, even if the characters want to go off and do their own thing for a bit.

I’ve also gotten the co-author to begin reading a book I’d been suggesting/talking about. They seem to like it, as it’s gotten them away from The Wheel of Time series for a bit. We aren’t saying Wheel isn’t good, it’s just long, and sometimes you need a break. So instead they’re reading Off to be a Wizard. A rather funny first book in a series of amusing ones. I’ve already finished them all. We’ll see if the co-author does the same.

And since it’s that time of year, I’m going to tell you what my favorite holiday movie is. Hogfather. Originally it was a novel written by Terry Pratchett, now you can watch it as a movie/mini series, since it’s so long. The Hogfather(Santa) has gone missing, and Death has taken over delivering presents. It’s a fun time, and the dialogue is fantastic. It does a good job explaining why belief is important, and I watch it every year. Well, most years. We’ll see if I get a chance to this year as my time is running out.

Other than that, I want to wish you all a very happy Yuletide season, and a fantastic New Year.

What I’ve published

Walk On

click here for a link to the book

Outsider Trilogy

Click here for a link to the book

Poetry

Link to my author page on Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Oaks/e/B00MEGSEZ6

Link to the Deathship book in the CreateSpace store – https://www.createspace.com/5023771

Or you can help me out on Patreon. Again, thank you. https://www.patreon.com/StevenOaks

Update: Author’s Note complete, working on an outline for a new book. Co-author continues editing.

– Steven Oaks

Follow me on the things below.

Update: Note and Package

Hello again. I’m back, and ready to relate some things.

So first I want to say that the USPS did deliver my package. I know the problem was likely due to it being near the holidays. That’s never a fun time for delivery people, nor to retailers. But everything worked itself out, and I have what I ordered.

I’ve also completed my author’s note. You might find it strange that it’s done while the book is still being worked on, but for the most part the book is finished. At least from my side. I’ll likely give it another run through after the co-author finishes theirs, but for now I’ll be focusing on other things.

What other things? Well I’ve a few books I could get back to writing. I’m fairly sure which one I’m going to go with, and I’ll start with a fresh outline. Looking back on what I’ve already written I’m surprised there’s so little. Perhaps over the last couple of years I added to it in my head, but never wrote anything down. Hence my desire to write an outline. I’ve already an idea of where I want it to start and end, along with some middle bits. I think when I was first working on it I was simply writing what came to me, instead of having any idea where it was going. Now I think I’m ready to flesh it out.

Other than that I’ve been brainstorming with the co-author on the next book they want to write(we can’t always be working on just one book of course). They’ve a pretty good idea of what they want, but it’s always nice to talk to someone else to iron kinks out. I’ll likely be helping out on their book, though it may just be editing. Same for them with whatever next I write. I did enjoy writing a book with them, so whatever they want, I’m willing.

I’ve missed the more active part of creating when first writing a story. Editing can be tedious, though fulfilling, but it’s not something where you make huge changes, though you might. If your original draft is mostly decent, there’s not much else to do but push on. Then again whole new chapters could be necessary, or things may need to be cut, but it’s nothing like that first draft.

Hours of brainstorming. Laughing at all the silly things that you could include, but probably shouldn’t, that’s what I call fun. Through the laughter a story forms, and you start grasping what your story is really about. I’ve a tendency for the absurd, so I sometimes need to have someone rein me in. Another reason to have a person to bounce ideas off of. Even an audience of one can help you find what should be included, and what you really should cut.

That’s about it for now. If you’re writing, keep it up. I hope you all have a good week.

What I’ve published

Walk On

click here for a link to the book

Outsider Trilogy

Click here for a link to the book

Poetry

Link to my author page on Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Oaks/e/B00MEGSEZ6

Link to the Deathship book in the CreateSpace store – https://www.createspace.com/5023771

Or you can help me out on Patreon. Again, thank you. https://www.patreon.com/StevenOaks

Update: Author’s Note complete, working on an outline for a new book. Co-author continues editing.

– Steven Oaks

Follow me on the things below.

An Author and Package Problems

Hello you. How is it going?

Me? Oh, I suppose I’m alright. I’ve just been editing, and after that tried my hand at writing an Author’s Note. How’s that going you ask? Well I think I wrote a fair amount in one day for it. Probably because it’s been a bit since I actually set down to do writing instead of editing. Two different mind spaces, as I think I’ve told you before.

So what is an Author’s Note? Generally it’s about the book. Any notes that might be needed/fun to have expanded upon that couldn’t fit in the story. Well I’m doing that, but I’m also doing a bit of sharing about the co-author and how we came to work together. I’ve found I like reading a bit about the author in these notes, so I’m doing it too. Sure I could just focus on the book, but heck, I think it’s important to give a little backgrounder on who I’m working with. I’ll see if they do the same, or even if they’ll do a note at all, but I suspect they’ll want to respond to some of my comments.

Another thing I’ve done is reading(of course). Now I don’t shout out too many authors, especially those who are still alive, as an author who has passed is one you can examine entirely, but I do want to share something about this one. I’ve not read anything in recent memory that has this element. What element would I call it? Shonen. Basically the name is of Japanese origin, and I’m using it in the same context used to categorize their manga and anime.

This author has power progression that you find in the best of the anime/manga genre down. Someone who is basically powerless grows into someone formidable, and you are given all the steps in between. I’m genuinely excited to read what happens next, and that doesn’t happen all the time. So kudos.

This author is Will Wight, someone I wasn’t exactly sure of when I first picked up Unsouled, but couldn’t put the series down as it went. And now I’m nearly done with his other series The Traveler’s Gate Trilogy. I think I’ll just have to ‘force’ myself to read his other books. (sigh)What a horrible thing, heh. I think any young adult/teen will have a ton of fun reading his work, and heck, if you’re like me and enjoy a bit of that Shonen flair, you’ll probably love it too.

Otherwise I’ve just been working, and having a one sided fight with the post office. Ordering things online while living in an apartment has it’s downsides, mostly that they sometimes don’t want to deliver packages. Add to that me working at night, and not having access to my car during the day so I can’t pick up my mail at the post office even if I could get myself out of bed when they’re open isn’t helping. We’ll see if I ever get my package. If I don’t I’ll be quite upset. Even after giving further instructions it hasn’t helped, but(sigh) I’ll keep my fingers crossed. This doesn’t happen often.

I hope you all have a great week, and get all your mail!

What I’ve published

Walk On

click here for a link to the book

Outsider Trilogy

Click here for a link to the book

Poetry

Link to my author page on Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Oaks/e/B00MEGSEZ6

Link to the Deathship book in the CreateSpace store – https://www.createspace.com/5023771

Or you can help me out on Patreon. Again, thank you. https://www.patreon.com/StevenOaks

Update: Just doing another read through, co-author is being thorough.

– Steven Oaks

Follow me on the things below.