Dear Friends,

 

In a – more than a little complex – year, I am happy to say it has been mostly uneventful. That means that this isn’t going to be a desperately interesting letter, I’m afraid, but I would rather live in less interesting times and have more fiction to write than fact.

 

I have continued to fight with Ravensgame, my current manuscript, and came to the horrified realization that I need to split this one into two as well. That required a lot of brainstorming (with help) and a re-write of the plot yet again. I’ve done this before and I can do it again, but it’s still incredibly frustrating, especially when I want to get on to my next project (my main character’s backstory, which I’ve been working on since the 90s). I’ve also got a middle grade standalone that’s been sitting in my back pocket, and which I’d like to try to see if I can pull off.

 

While I fretted over the novels I’m writing, I decided to re-release my first two under my own creative control. Reading Etched in Fire for the first time in ten years, I realized I had an opportunity, not just for a thorough editing job, but for a significant rewrite, which I got done right around September. I was just working on the e-book when my computer broke a piece, and had to go into the shop, where it sat for about five weeks, completely derailing every project I had. And since I got two editing jobs thrown at me as well, I was trying (and succeeding poorly) to use my old, laggy computer. I was so glad to get my current one back! Unfortunately, this has put me so far behind schedule that I am not going to be able to re-release Etched in Fire until next year.

 

I am still doing my flash pieces and vsses (“very short stories” or microfiction), and that’s helped keep my brain moving. I’m also partway through a longer short story that gelled after being attached to my brain for a few years now (I realized how to finish it). So I’m excited about that, but I have to get my other commitments out of the way first.

 

However: one of my short stories got sold, and, at least according to some sources (it goes by payment for word count) it’s my first fully professional sale. It’s a short story I initially wrote for a Kickstarter anthology on fantasy and mental illness (it got all the way up to the final cut on the original Kickstarter). So “Winter Strawberries” should be appearing in the fairly new Sally Port magazine.

 

The biggest thing I was doing, from April on, was providing support for my friend Eleanor, who had some fairly major foot surgery. This has mostly included reading bad books to her over the phone, gaming with her frequently, and offering up as much sympathy as possible, since the recovery took her far longer than anyone expected. But at least it’s done, she’s doing much better, and things are more or less back to status quo.

 

I have, unfortunately, had a few more bouts of Canadian-wildfire-caused asthma, but nothing like back in 2023. It’s a little scary how fast I react to it, though. I’m not too excited to find out what 2026 will bring in that regard. I’m just hoping for a better 2026 overall, like a good many people, I expect.

 

 

We’re looking forward to seeing Dylan, Novembre, Davey, and Gabbie for Christmas. Which I am *very* being in preparing for. I intend to make up some vegan pumpkin bread with chocolate chips for Dylan and Novembre (and anyone else who wants any!) We had them all over the day after Thanksgiving, and though our time got cut a little short because of an incoming snowstorm, we had a lot of fun! Dylan continues to work at Riverside Casino in the accounting office; Gabbie is still teaching high school art; and Davey is still working at Hy-Vee. So nothing really new on that front.

 

Alex juggles a number of different activities regularly. He hangs out with his Internet friends on his Discord server, occasionally letting out loud bursts of laughter that can be heard throughout the house. He’s still doing art, and though he’s not currently engaged in musical pursuits, it’s only a matter of time before he gets an idea and has to spent 48 hours writing an entire album or something of the sort (life with ADHD). His art aesthetic is creepy/cute, which fits his quirky personality.

We didn’t precisely have an ICON this year. Or rather, we had an ICON 49.5. In order to deal with several issues, the concom last year decided to take two years to set up the fiftieth anniversary, but they wanted to do something to keep people interested, so they had a day-long event. I didn’t attend, largely because I didn’t have to *do* anything for once. So it was a nice year off, and next year will I imagine I’ll get back into the swing of volunteerism. Still, it was a nice break.

 

Hopefully in 2026 I will finally get Etched in Fire back out, and possibly make some serious headway on Ravensgame (and its final sequel tentatively called Harpcraft). After the first of the year I’ll have some breathing room to finally get things done!

 

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, and that next year will bring better things.

 

Your friend,

 

 

 

Beth