ARealGirl and I have been heads-down for the last few weeks, and will be for a few weeks more. Fourteen-hour days, seven days a week. No joke. Here's a quick update on what's percolating in the EmptySet sweatshop:
WARPATH (no pub date at this time)
I'm 20% through the second draft of this secret project. This is a brutal horror story. I'd put the "no way Scott's going to do that to a character" scale not as high as INFECTED, but way above EARTHCORE.
My editorial feedback on the first draft was really light. That could mean they love it and we just need to fix a few things before we can splash this story on your face and midriff, or they didn't pay close enough attention and they will rip up the second draft. I believe it's the former, which would be good, as it's a solid story. If it's the latter, that's going to cause all kinds of trouble.
Because the editorial feedback was light, we're focused on this book right now. I hope to have that second draft out the door by April 24.
CRYPT Book II first draft (no pub date at this time)
The Keeling crew is up against it in Book II. So is the author. I'm about 40% to 50% through the first draft. This one takes more detailed, focused brain-work, so it's tabled until I get WARPATH out the door. There is a lot going on in CRYPT Book II that will resonate in Books III-V. Gotta get it right!
SLAY Book I eBook/Audiobook/Print
The eBook will be out May 1, 2024. You can pre-order the Kindle version now.
As for the audiobook, we are re-recording a bunch of it because we feel the sound quality of the livestream-recorded chapters wasn't good enough for Junkie ears. We're just over a third done with this project. I narrate, ARealGirl directs, then she does the edits while I go back to writing.
Our goal is to have the audiobook out May 1, alongside the eBook, but we shall see. Junkie, it sounds goooooood. Our investment in upgrading our audio rig is paying off.
We haven't set a print date yet. We're looking at a cool hardcover pre-order along the lines of THE CRYPT. When we know, you'll know.
SLAY Book II
The podcast is going gangbusters. We're seventeen episodes in, which is about halfway. We expect the last episode to drop in August. If all goes well, we'll have eBook/Audiobook/Hardcover out in November 2024. I stumbled across this video game rating card and was all, "well, that's basically SLAY in a nutshell."
GFL Book VII final draft (no pub date at this time)
This beauty is on ice until we can clear out WARPATH and THE CRYPT Book II. After that, it's time to scream "whose house?" and get back on the gridiron. I know you've been waiting a long time for this. All I can say is a) sometimes business gets in the way of getting projects out, and b) the wait will be worth it. This one is a banger, folks. Tito, get me a tissue, it's going to be rough.
Long-term projections
After I finish WARPATH, CRYPT Book II, and GFL Book VII, I'll crawl into the Mud and do the final three CRYPT books. My publisher is being super nice, but they are not happy with the delays I've caused by having too many projects at the same time. I will make it right by them, and by you, and deliver a sci-fi/horror tale that no — no one — but me could deliver.
