In case you didn't know, it's October 22nd. As in, almost November. What the hell! I swear yesterday was July and then I blinked and now it's friggin October!! How does that happen? (TIME TRAVEL, DUH!!)

So what have I been up to, aside from NOT finishing I, Dark Lord and putting it out there for what I can only assume to be your rabid consumption. Well, for starters, I updated my website. See? I copied over my old blog posts (all eleven of them...) but lost the comments in the process. Sorry about that! Also, you're welcome!

What else? Let's see...oh, here's something that's kind of a big deal. I quit my job. After working for seven years as a member of the fun police I just felt like it was time to do something else. And so, with the support of my loving wife I threw away a lot of money and amazing benefits and a badass retirement so that I could become a broke college student and stay-at-home dad. Dumb, I know. But also incredibly awesome, because life is far too short to spend 40+ hours a week someplace you don't want to be.

"Great!" you're saying. "You should have more time to write now, yes? So why isn't Dark Lord finished?"  Funny you should ask! Surprisingly, I find myself with even LESS free time than I did when I was away from home for ten+ hours a day. How is that even possible? (TIME TRAVEL, DUH!!!) I'm not really sure, but there it is. Throw in the fact that we're now responsible for two more (great) kids and the recent sudden death of my dog and let's just say that my head has not been in the game.

BUT GUESS WHAT!?! NOW IT IS!!! YAAAAAYAYAAYA!! COMMENCE WITH THE LIBATIONS!!

I was actually up until 1:30AM last night writing a kick-ass chapter for I, Dark Lord that was definitely missing from the beginning of the story. I plan on writing my ass off for the next eight days and finally finishing this book before the end of the month. I owe that not only to you guys but to myself. After that, it's NaNoWriMo, during which I intend to finish I, Champion in 30 days or less, alongside continuing to ace all my classes and clean the house and take care of four children and...and..and...and...

That's all for now. Later, minions!! 

The month of June has been very kind to me.

So it wasn’t my best sales month ever.
No, I didn’t finish I, DARK LORD on time.
I did have to work 16 days with only 3 days off scattered in between there (6/1/6/1/4).
Yes, my home air conditioner broke just as a record-setting heatwave came rolling through.

But none of that is June’s fault. I don’t blame her for my misfortunes and failings.

You see, I’m a glass half-full kind of guy. Always have been. It’s both my gift and my curse. And when I look back on the month of June, I see the effort my wife, friends, and family put into making Father’s Day special. I see the stress-fest my wife (again…she’s an angel people!) went through in order to throw me an amazing surprise gathering for my birthday. I remember how much fun my boys had at my (now) 7 year old’s birthday party.

Not to mention getting featured on Kindle Books and Tips, which increased I, MINION‘s sales (by A LOT) and helped it to break back into the Top 100 of Dark Fantasy for the first time since it’s release back in April.

















Throw in the fact that we were reviewed at 4 different blogs.
AND that I had my first ever author interview.
AND 15 reviews at Goodreads with a 4.20 average.
AND 13 reviews at the ‘Zon with a 4.7 average rating.

Are you starting to see June like I do? Is your glass half-full yet? Because in case you missed it, let me spell it out for you: IT ROCKED! LIKE FOR REALZ! I CAN’T EVEN FIND MY SOCKS!! THAT’S HOW BADLY (GOODLY?) IT ROCKED!! 

That being said, it’s time for me to dive back into the mind of the Dark Lord. Only he’s not the Dark Lord, not yet. He’s still just Sakroth. But things are collapsing around him, and he’s starting to slip.

Later, minions!

It is with a sick child in my arms and a heavy heart that I come before you today. Well, more like a busted ego than a heavy heart. You see, this morning I realized that I, Dark Lord simply isn’t ready to be released on June 30th as I’d originally planned. I chose that date because it coincided with the birthday of my oldest child, and I’d already released I, Minion on my (now) 3 year old’s name-day. Figured it wouldn’t be fair of me to put a book out there on one kid’s birthday and not the others, right? Right! It would be even more unfair, however, to both you and me, if I were to release my second book without being absolutely confident in it’s erm…completeness.

I, Dark Lord is a bigger book in many ways. Not only in word count, (over twice as long as the first) but in ambition and scope. Here we have a character who has changed in so many ways, struggling with his feelings and with his guilt while simultaneously counting his lucky stars. We also have the titular Dark Lord — Sakroth, before he was in fact the Dark Lord. After all, nobody starts off bent on becoming a tyrannical overlord. Something has to happen along the way to transform them. What is it they say? The road to hell is paved with good intentions…

Now, I’m sure many writers struggle with the “second book blues.” I know I do. Worried that it’s not going to be as good as the first. That it won’t sell as well. Will anybody even want to read it? Are my characters evolving? Or is it just more of the same? These fears plague me constantly. But it wasn’t to their incessant whisperings that I finally succumbed. It was to my own. It’s not ready, plain and simple. Nor would it be by the 30th.

Does that mean I don’t believe in my book? Absolutely not! It’s precisely because I do believe that I know this is the right decision. Okay okay okay. So what’s the new release date? To be honest? I’m not sure. But right now I’m aiming for the 11th of July. Both ebook and print format. And I’ll be starting right away on I, Champion, because I’m sure you’ll be chomping at the bit to see how it all unfolds. I know I will be!

And since I feel bad, I’m going to leave you with a little teaser. This was the sketch my cover artist sent to me when we were first discussing how I wanted the cover for I, Dark Lord to look. It’s come a long way since…but still, it’s something.