Writing Update: Sept '25
Hey everyone! Here's a little writing update from Tao and how writing/business is going!
Hi everybody;
Writing this just before heading out to a book even at the Mississauga Literary Festival. It's a whole day even in the library, so should be fun. Sadly, Amazon delayed the delivery of my books so I'm a little short on stock but we'll make do with what we have.
That's not the only event I'm at this month actually.
I've got a FOLD presentation about Building an Author Business next week and then, later that evening, I have a panel at the Fantasy Gather. Lots of publicizing and I'll bring along the bookmark that Ace Books sent to promote the A Thousand Li: the First Step launch in March.
Then, end of the month, Toronto's biggest book event - Word on the Street - is happening. I'll be there in my booth, talking to people and doing sales. It's a very expensive event but a good chance to meet with new readers.
Later on this year, there are two more events I'll be doing too - Can*Con in Ottawa and then World Fantasy Convention in Brighton, UK. That'll be it, I believe for things going on this year while I hunker down and focus on writing.
A Thousand Li
I got the first ARCs! Keep an eye out, we'll be doing a giveaway of an ARC copy for Patreon subscribers.
We've also got a pre-order campaign set-up for Yu & Me in the US and there'll be another that we know will be set-up in Canada. I should ask about the UK too, but we haven't had any discussions about a broader marketing just yet. It'll come, it's still months away.
As far as I know, the book itself is completely done; with everything from the map to short story finished. Book 2 copyedits should be arriving soon, the short story is already edited. And book 3 short story needs to be written to be added to it.
So all in all, chugging along slowly.
System Apocalypse
The System Apocalypse Short Story Anthology III (3) is now out on Backerkit and fully funded. It's mostly short stories that you've already read from me, though there are a couple of new ones that are exclusive written by me added to it and all new ones from the co-authors that hopefully you'll all enjoy.
I understand SA: Liberty 2 will be arriving soon for edits, and Craig is hard at work on SA: Relentless 4. Hopefully we'll be able to get them released end of the year (if I can get around to editing them and working on it when it arrives) or more likely, next year sometime.
Celestial Cataclysms
That's my major project right now, editing book 1. Those following me on BSky or Threads might see my occasional posts about edits. I'm more than 3/4 of the way done with first draft edits after dev editor has gone through, after which a copy editor is going through it all. Then more edits on my side, then proofer work, etc.
After I'm done with DB2, I'll start on CC 2 (or more likely, start it immediately after doing CC 1 and work on DB2 at the same time).
Other Projects
Nothing to update on Climbing the Ranks, the chapters are coming out, we've got edits coming in for book 4. I'll start working on the next book end of the year as we run out of chapters to keep the serial running, but it's not on the priority list.
Hidden Dishes 4 (Sorcerous Plates) is currently on the docket. I'm about 22k words into editing it, so it should be done end of this month for our release end of the year / early next year.
Dungeon Brawler continues to be released in Patreon. Book 1 is pretty much done and edited and audio recorded. Book 2 is 1/2 written (give or take) but it's on the backburner. DB3 will happen when it does (see why it got bumped back for release? I just can't tell when its happening).
Another major project is likely to arrive for copyedits later this month / early next month that will need to be worked on (to be announced) and... uhh... there might be one more co-author project depending on what happens.
Super Busy but Had a Good Vacation
So yeah, I'm extremely busy but had a good vacation to the East Coast and Maritimes of Canada. Saw a ton of great stuff, had some new ideas and will be looking to incorporate aspects of it in the future.
Might be a short story or two in the SA universe making an appearance soon, if I can find the time.
And yes... there's a reason Business Posts are no longer on the list of things to write. I just don't have time. :(