Hello, dreamers. I had yet another busy week last week. But as I always say, the work of an aspiring writer is never done. I have new projects ongoing, I’m still working on research for Aquarius 1, and of course I’m preparing to query for Pioneers, all while juggling self-pub releases. I have a lot to do again this week, so without further ado, here’s what I’ll be up to:

Pioneers

As of last Thursday, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve completed work on my querying copy of Pioneers. This new manuscript, which I’ve dubbed the Pioneers RDV (“Reader’s Digest Version”) is over 10,000 words shorter than my original manuscript. That gives it a word count slightly in excess of 101K words, which places it (at long last) comfortably within the marketable range for modern sci-fi. The decision to omit the comet flyby subplot that begins the story was a difficult one, and I’ve retained the original version just in case. But overall, I’m happy with how it turned out.

Right now, the new MS is with my most reliable beta-reader. Once I hear back, I’ll begin working on my querying materials and refining my list of agents to target. I hope those agents are ready, because I’m about to send them something that’ll knock their socks off.

Self-Pub Releases

It’s almost springtime, when a young writer’s fancy turns to book releases. In case you missed it, on Friday I released an all-new, revised edition of my seminal collection Unrealized Realities. This book contains seven of my best sci-fi short stories, including psychological thrillers, action and suspense, and deeply-human stories about the choices we make and how they shape our future. It’s currently available on multiple platforms, for the low introductory price of just $2.99. The low price will only be available until March 15, after which it will be available for $7.99, so make sure to grab your copy now. Click here to learn more, and find links to purchase the book on the platform of your choice.

On Friday, March 15, I’ll be releasing a fully-revised, freshly-edited version of my first novel, Wide Horizon. While I write hard sci-fi almost exclusively now, Wide Horizon is an imaginative work of soft sci-fi: a space opera set in the distant future. Tomorrow, I’ll be making a pre-order announcement for Teaser Tuesday, so watch for a post that will give you your first look at the novel. Also, keep an eye out for my re-launch of one of my most popular weekly features: “On Editing”, which has been renamed “The Cutting Room Floor”. Now one of my monthly “Thursday Features”, this month’s installment will deal with my experience revisiting Wide Horizon. I’ll share details on the editing process, and how going back to Braylen Roads and his crew reminded me of how much my writing has evolved over the past decade.

As I mentioned on last week’s “Self-Pub Sunday”, I have more self-published projects in the pipe. I’m hoping to make my next release sometime late spring, so watch for further announcements in the coming weeks.

Aquarius 1, and Other Projects

Having paused active writing on Aquarius 1 for in-depth research, I’ve re-opened the proverbial book on the Dotiverse, and allowed myself to stretch my legs in my fictional universe. This has led to a variety of new spin-off and tie-in projects, which I’ve allowed myself to experiment with. It’s also led to new avenues of research, much of which relates to further developing human culture of the early and mid-22nd century. I’ve found myself reading up on everything from hovercraft design to architectural design movements. It’s been a lot of fun so far, and I’ve been learning a lot.

Amid my pivot to short fiction, I’ve resumed my daily sketches. For years, my sketches have provided the foundations for nearly every short story I’ve written. And now that I’ve begun posting weekly flash fiction pieces here, I’ve found a use for some of the shorter, less-developed pieces that result.

For now, my short fiction efforts are directed in two distinct directions: two projects have emerged, both of which involve the Dotiverse. Turn of the Century, which will follow humans colonizing the solar system around the dawn of the 22nd century, is well underway; I currently have five stories ready to go (albeit in need of editing), and plan to write two more. The newest project, Other Earths, will jump ahead to the mid-22nd century, when humanity has terraformed and colonized roughly a dozen planets across a radius of about 50 light-years around the solar system. That project, which will take the form of a series of novellas, will introduce readers to the distinct cultures that have grown in those colonies, given the mixing of ethnicities and their distance from Earth. I’ve already begun the first two, with another five planned.

New Content

Lastly, watch for this week’s featured posts:

Teaser Tuesday: get a sneak peek at the revised edition of Wide Horizon, and learn more about my upcoming release.

WIP Wednesday: so you’ve met my MC, Karen Hernandez. Now, learn more about the supporting characters who will accompany her on her journey.

The Cutting Room Floor: in this week’s Thursday Feature, take a peek into the process of editing Wide Horizon, and learn why saying it the first time is only the beginning.

Flash Fiction Friday: enjoy your weekly free piece of sci-fi flash fiction!

Self-Pub Sunday: in a special off-week “Self-Pub Sunday”, learn more about my upcoming release of Wide Horizon, and my new novella series, Other Earths.

It’s going to be another eventful week, dreamers. So keep reading, and as always, dare to dream. – MK