Pushing Through the Block
Two new stories launched last week, and two more are lined up for this week. That sounds productive, right? The truth is, I didn’t write much new fiction last week — just the articles you’ve read here.
But I have been writing ahead. The Girl and the Gate is complete, so that story will run all month on Fridays. Trials of Ash and Shadow already has three full chapters finished, and this week I’ll be tackling the ending. I know how it closes — I’ve had the epilogue in my head since Whispers of the Soul Crystal — but I still need to get Felicia and her little crew through their trial alive. That’s the part that’s tricky.
What’s Slowing Me Down
So why the delay? Why hasn’t Trials of Ash and Shadow flowed out of me the way other stories have?
The honest answer: my health.
I live with both psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis — the double jackpot nobody wants to win. For years I’ve been on infusion medication that’s worked wonders… until lately, when it hasn’t. My doctor’s ordered tests and new meds to help me push through this flare, but it’s meant more evenings spent in bed and fewer spent at the keyboard.
That’s life with a chronic condition — some weeks you fight dragons, other weeks you fight your own body. I’m not worried yet; I’ve got a little breathing room. But I’ll keep you updated.
Comics on the Horizon
Even while Bondfire’s finale percolates, the comics are moving forward. Ian is almost finished with The Child Eater #3, and he’s already got the script for Issue #4. I’m ten pages into Issue #5, which I’ll tackle as soon as Bondfire wraps. Ian’s even started talking about what we’ll do after this story.
That got me thinking: what’s next?
A few ideas have been bouncing around:
So Fairy Tired – a dark comedy about an alcoholic Tooth Fairy trying to recover her lost bag of teeth before she loses her job.
The Adventures of Maxwell and Bob – an imp and his best-friend dragon stumbling through wild, multiverse adventures.
Another Mop Story – because after seeing how Ian brought Mop to life in The Child Eater, how could I not?
And then inspiration struck from the most unlikely place: a podcast about Jack London. Did you know the Call of the Wild author was once an oyster pirate? He even had a ship called the Razzle Dazzle.
That seed turned into something new: a story currently titled The Library That Wasn’t There — a tale with a Tolkien feel, sky pirates, tattooed magic villains, and a hunt for the ultimate treasure: the first words ever written in the multiverse. I’m excited to dig into this one and get Ian the script as soon as he finishes The Child Eater.
Building the Future
The website is in good hands now, and when it launches it will become the central home for Chronicles of Limbo. A place to collect the short stories and comics in one spot, free for anyone to enjoy.
I’m also laying the groundwork for Patreon, where supporters will be able to read everything early — stories, comics, podcasts, and whatever else comes tumbling out of my brain. Everything will still be free on the public platforms, but Patreon will be the first stop.
What I’ve Learned
If there’s one lesson from this past week — from Bondfire, from The Library That Wasn’t There, even from my health — it’s this: you can’t rush it. The stories, the website, even my own recovery — they’re going to unfold in their own time.
And that’s okay.
This week, you’ll get Bondfire: Trials of Ash and Shadow – Part 2 on Wednesday, and The Girl and the Gate – Part 2 on Friday. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing them to life.
See you next week.
— Scotty