I’ll do more Lessons Learned posts in the future. This post is just a short update on where I am and what I’m doing after finishing 52 Stories in 52 Weeks.

Last week I took a sloth week to give my brain and body a chance to reset. I opened up my planner to list the things on my plate for May (too much). And I worked on our two-year plan with Steve.

The virus and the requirement for us to keep away from sources of contagion has changed our future in some ways. Mostly it’s destroyed our carefully-engineered travel schedule and it’s removed me from my friends. (Though I don’t think that they are doing much in public either.) It makes getting books published in this time more critical.

No one came forward to facilitate the Thursday night meetings. So I’ll cancel them for the rest of the year.

Steve and I are having more fun with each other. We are making the best of our isolation. I suspect we both realize that man is mortal and time is limited. So enjoying each other and building more delicious memories is one of the most important things we can do right now.

I expect to publish my secret project in the first week in June. Contract is done and waiting on a signature. So at this point all that remains is a final proof, setting up the Amazon account, and moving on.

The second secret project is proceeding as well. I hope to be done with my portion in  the first week of June. Then we do a final proofread, format it, and send it to the publisher.

I start writing the next novel June 1. Right now I’m collecting characters and setting details and reviewing time travel books to see how other writers have done this.

In September I expect to publish Lightning Scarred and Other Stories from Thule, which will be a collection of short stories from my Viking fantasy world, Thule.

I continue to take courses from Dean and I’m progressing through another publishing course as well.

Other than that, it’s housecleaning, decluttering, and weightloss, all of which feel harder than writing. That’s my life update for those of you who follow this blog to keep up with me.

I hope you are doing well and that you remember to have fun and build memories of the best people in your life. In the end, nothing matters as much as people and love.

Be well, friends! And stay well.