It's been quite some time since I've posted here and, I dare say, long overdue. So long, in fact, that I have come to the conclusion that I'd make a terrible blogger. Should you ever see a blog site with my name attached, you'd probably be better off not subscribing (unless you're either a very slow reader, or simply a glutton for punishment). But I digress. Let's move on to the updates.

I began work on my second novel, Dark Nights On Shadow Lake in late 2013. The idea was to create an anthology of short stories centered around the cursed town of Shadow Lake. The first of these stories, Fear Alone, was completed in early 2014. Because of varied circumstances, I knew it would be some time before I would be able to continue with the writing, so I released that first story as a standalone novella. I did little to no marketing, however, as the story will still be included in the full anthology. Given that, the consensus of those who did pick up a copy was, for the most part, very positive.

Flash forward to summer of 2015. I was able to begin work on the next story entitled, Dead Things, and am happy to report that it is three-quarters of the way complete. Now, I know you may be thinking, "Man, he finished the first story in five months, and this one has taken nearly a year just to reach the 3/4 mark." And you would be correct in that assessment.

But here's the thing: stories often take on a life of their own once you begin writing. New ideas pop up, things you thought would be pertinent to the tale end up in the trash, and your characters take you in unforeseen directions. So, what started out as "just another short story" is already approaching novel length.

That being said, it is shaping up nicely and I have been able to devote a good deal of time to the writing. When it is finished, I will have one more story to knock out in order to complete the anthology. The final tale, tentatively titled, Halloween House, should be a quick composition, much like Fear Alone, due to the fact that it involves only two main characters, requires very little setup and, also like Fear Alone, unfolds over the span of a single day.

I had posted awhile back about a fourth story that was to take place in the Elmhurst asylum on the outskirts of Shadow Lake but, due to both time constraints and not wanting the final print book to weigh in at forty pounds, I have placed that one on hold for the time being. (Shadow Lake Vol. II, perhaps?)

So there you have it. My goal was to have the book ready to go to print by October. If I am able to continue at my current pace, that is still feasible. If the legs of the nest story run in new directions, it might be a bit longer. One thing I do not want to do is rush the writing, as that would be a disservice to both me and you, the reader. As we get closer, I promise to update again.

A big thanks to all of you that have liked my work and those who take the time to follow my posts.

Happy reading everyone!