December 13th, 2016: Where am I?

     Where am I? or perhaps where have I been, to be more accurate. I have been away from the writer's desk far more than I would like to have been, but circumstances.... well, you've heard it all before.
     I retired in August of 2015, and 51 weeks later, found myself in a situation that required me to go back to work to pay off some debts that had built up suddenly. I set a couple of goals for myself that involved paying that debt off and then building up my retirement fund a bit more. I am in phase two of that now but have come to realize a couple of things.
     One, there is a reason that I never felt like I had the time to write when I was working full time. It is really hard to squeeze out even one hour in the evening after working a full eight to ten hours at a job. I have always respected people who held down a full time job either in the home or outside and also managed to get some serious writing done.
     Two, cutting back from five or six hours of writing to one hour per day is really frustrating. There is so much that you want to get done, but as soon as you start, it seems like your time is up. It is especially hard when you get a good stream going and you have to stop and wash the dishes or do some menial chore. The household still has to be kept up, and doesn't wait while you work out your inspiration on the keyboard.
    I had to figure out how to get things done more efficiently or give up on the idea of ever writing another story, and I have a lot of stories inside me waiting to be written. After a couple of false starts, I think I have finally gotten into a routine where everything is getting done. I may not be churning out six books in one year like I did in 2015-6, but some progress is better than none at all.
     I had completed my second novel when I went back to work last August, but it definitely needed a lot of editing. I am happy to say that I've finished my first two edits and am working on my third. When that is done, I turn it over to my editor and see what I've missed. With any good luck, I may be able to publish it sometime in January. While my editor does her magic, I will be working on creating the cover, which will be one of the most ambitious ones I've done. I am really digging deep and drawing (pun intended) on my forty-two years as a printer with moderate graphic arts skills. I have gotten to the point where I know that it can be done, and I know that I can do it, but it will take me some time. Hopefully, when the editor is finished and my corrections are made (there are ALWAYS corrections, even after four edits,) the cover will be ready and all of the pieces can be put together to make a palatable product for readers.
     Working during the holidays is difficult, and I do put the family functions first, so it will be interesting to see whether I will be able to get it all done. If not, it will NOT be for lack of trying.
     I am really excited about this project. It is my first full blown Christian science fiction novel. I have always had elements of the faith in each of my books, but this one covers a lot of ground. In the story, I introduce the captain of the jumpship "Dreamer's Fortune", Captain Henderson Johns, who due to an unfortunate turn of events, crash lands on a world of telepathic women. In it, God has chosen to only create one gender in the beginning, which of course raises all kinds of questions that I meticulously answer throughout the story. The similarities and differences between the Christian faith and the God based faith in this world make for a fascinating story! Stay tuned for further developments...