The last update of 2016, and I get to end what was at times a difficult year on a high note.

Like a lot of you, I feel like 2016 was a big dumpster fire of a year, from the election of He Who Shall Not Be Named (Bad Hair Edition) to more personal challenges that made the last 12 months more stressful than they really needed to be. But over the last several weeks my wife and I were able to put our lives back on an even keel and we’re heading into 2017 on a solid foundation. Plus, I am looking forward to participating in panel discussions at Arisia for the first time, which is a great way to start things off.

My aforementioned high note? The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Scratching a Lich received the Gold Award in science fiction and fantasy writing from BellaOnline Literary Review‘s 2016 e-book awards competition. This was a complete shock because I never even knew I was up for the honor. I don’t as a rule submit my work for awards but I received one anyway. Go figure!

WRITING PROJECTS

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins:  Audiobook recording in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Six: Power Play: In the editing process, on-schedule for a winter/spring 2017 release.

Action Figures – Live Free or Die: In the editing process, will be included as a bonus story with Power Play.

Action Figures – Issue Seven: The Black End War: First draft is DONE! I managed to slip in some solid writing time over the holiday weekend, which included tackling the last chunk of the epic climax, which was rough. Fair warning, this is going to be a darker story, perhaps on-par with Action Figures – Issue Four: Cruel Summer, but it’s necessary to tell the story honestly and I’m pleased with what I have. I’m sure I won’t feel quite so good about it when I revisit it for the second draft, but that’s the writing process for you.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: First draft in progress, and since The Black End War is out of the way, I can go back and try to finish this story up and move on to something non-Action Figures for a while.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Blades of Glory: Rough plotting in progress, but boy do I have incentive to get to work on book three now!

APPEARANCES and EVENTS

• Friday, January 13 – Monday, January 16: Arisia 2017 in Boston, MA. J.M. Aucoin will be in the dealers room at table A18 selling and signing books and talking about writing. I also have four panels on my schedule throughout the weekend.
• NEW EVENT! I was accepted into Boskone this year! That will be held February 17 – 19 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel, the same location as Arisia.