Current Projects

Writing a novel is a process. 

And here, I'll do my best to keep you up-to-date on that process. I find that my writing time goes better when I reflect on work plans before jumping into writing or editing; in the column to the right, you can find those reflections that I post as I go along. They provide a rarely-seen glimpse into the mind of a writer as I work through the ins and outs of writing or refining a story. I'll keep the subtitle updated so that you know which project I'm currently working on.

 

Below, you'll also find brief sketches of other projects I have in the works. I won't reveal too much about these ideas until I start working on them—I don't want to give away anything major in case my beta readers want to avoid spoilers. 

The Engineer's Craft

See right column for updates on this project! 

Also, you can visit this page where I'm adding fun side notes and just building out info in general on The Engineer's Craft. 

The Alchemist's Lot

    This is a novel I wrote back in spring of 2020, as part of Brandon Sanderson's 15-person workshop class. It has a lot of potential—several people have told me this is their favorite of my books I've shared. I usually keep a running list of beta readers who finish a book (not just start it), but lost track somewhere around 60 people for The Alchemist's Lot. This book was the beginning of what became The Templars of Metirno series that I've been working on for the past four years. 

    While a lot of people like this book, it still needs a lot of editorial love before I'm ready to send it out to agents and editors. Once I finish the edits to The Engineer's Craft at the end of 2024, I'll turn my attention back to The Alchemist's Lot and probably rewrite the whole thing from scratch, since my writing prowess has improved since 2020. If all goes as planned, I'll finish the edits sometime around July 2025 and then start sending it out to agents.

    Basic Plot: Edric Aceran is a reformed thief who now lives the life of an alchemist, a group of monks who travel the provinces healing people with magic-infused herbs and their order's secret methods. After an old friend reappears, however, Edric is blackmailed into rejoining his old thieving clan for one last heist—during which he will be forced to use his new sacred magic in order to steal from the Republic itself. 

Son of Distinction

   Son of Distinction is a book that I agonized over for nearly two years, from September 2020 to August 2022. When I finally finished it, I knew it was a gorgeous mess of a novel that needed serious edits. Besides my writing group, I only gave it to one very close friend to read. He got more than halfway through, then said he "nearly threw it across the room" when the narrative took a "stupid" twist, then waited three days before bingeing it to the end. So needless to say, there's potential. 

    This story is a crucial part of the Templars of Metirno collection, setting up core plot points that become important further down the road. I want to get it right, but I'm honestly intimidated by this novel I wrote and how I could edit the 206k-word story into something more coherent. I will probably take a break from editing after fall of 2025 when I finish with The Alchemist's Lot, and will work on a new project for a while before I tackle Son of Distinction. So maybe spring of 2026.

    Basic plot: Jarom il'Kahin is the son of the governor of Alir, but he wants nothing to do with politics and instead hopes to help protect his province by joining the military. After his father announces his candidacy for the Senate of Metirno, Jarom is forced to consider a political future as he investigates a mysterious threat to Alir.

A History for the High Prelate

The idea I'm toying with for my next novel. 

Editing and Updates

(The Engineer's Craft) 

Retrospective

22 Oct 2024

Over the past two weeks, I've been teaching my class about plot, setting, and character (what I call the "three pillars of storytelling"). In preparing these lessons, I've pondered on how I build a story from the bottom up using these pillars--and how it differs from my editing. Here are some thoughts. 

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The First Line

11 Sept 2024

The past few weeks, I've been busy gearing up to teach creative writing for the fall semester. My writing time has, notably, taken a hit. I haven't sat down in the chair to write as much as I'd like. But, that doesn't mean I've been completely idle.

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