Craig here, coming to you from close to the Arctic Circle where false dawn is at 5AM now. Give it a few weeks and it’ll be closer to 4AM and it’ll be light by 5 as we wend our way inexorably toward our two months of perpetual daylight. We have new blackout curtains for the bedroom since we have north-facing windows. The sun makes loops in the northern sky, never really setting. In the winter, it’s the opposite. The sun rises in the south and sets in the south.
The great LMBPN weight-loss challenge is underway, but we’re not competing for prizes. We’re doing it because we have a demanding writing and publishing schedule and having a healthy body makes everything easier. I’m down nine pounds since the start. I only have eleven to go to hit my target and then it will be about maintaining that weight. I need to if I want to survive the winters up here. Last year was pretty bad, having had a few death-defying asthma attacks, but I’ve taken steps to avoid those situations again this year. We hired a company to handle the plowing next year – we have a quarter mile of road that needs to be cleared between our house and the main road. I also bought a powered respirator for when I’m outside and an oxygen generator for when I’m inside to help recovery. I’m at max medications for my lungs and am under a doctor’s care with frequent checkups. The next step would be a lung transplant, so we’ll try to eek out another decade or so with the originals. I never smoked, so this isn’t that. And losing weight will help the efficiency of the air I do get. I only weigh 191, but my body would probably appreciate 165, although 180 is reasonable. We’ll see what happens when I get there.
Publishing! Tomorrow, the Bad Company returns after nearly a full year since the last book. Why the delay? Because book 4 sold for crap. I think because the fans were angry at the death in Bad Company 3. As an author, I had way too many characters to keep track of so trimmed them way back starting with Book 3. Over the past year, I believe the readers forgave me and picked up Book 4. It sold steadily. In Book 5, you’ll see the focus back on the main characters and the main story. For me personally, it was a joy to write. I’m happy to have them back. I’m 10k words into Bad Company 6 as well and have the entire plot. Just need to get the words down. I’ve reserved May 20th for its release, but the story needs to be told, so I think you might see it on May 6th:) It’s a standalone crossover with TH, Char, & Bethany Anne. Michael and I are coordinating each other’s parts to make sure that it’s his Bethany Anne and my Terry Henry (even though Michael created the original TH:).
And here’s a picture of my dog Phyllis, lounging in the yard that has found its way out from under the snowpack. The ground is still hard as a rock. It won’t thaw completely until May.
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