December writing wrap-up.

Our journey into the future continues as we welcome 2022! Let’s take a look at the future history calendar to see what milestones we might expect from this new year.

Oh.

Well, damn. I wonder if we taste like chicken.

(If you’re one of the few people left who doesn’t get the reference, go here.)

The last month of 2021 was…active? Yeah, that’s a word. There was writing, of course, along with a lot of reading, reviewing, commenting, and discussing all sorts of other things. Since this is my monthly writing wrap-up blog, I should probably just stick to talking about that here.

So, with that in mind, what went down in December? Let’s have a look-see….

November writing wrap-up.

And just like that, here we are: The final month of 2021.

Time keeps in slippin’ slippin’ slippin’…etc. Meanwhile….

November was “active” on multiple fronts. On the consulting side of things, there was the usual assortment of reading, reviewing, writing and meeting about various things. There’s a lot of Star Trek moving around out there, on numerous fronts and across multiple platforms. Overwhelming? I don’t know if that’s the right word, but I get to work on Star Trek stuff, so I ain’t complainin’.

On top of that, I’m still tending to various writing things of my own, along with home and family stuff. Both kids are active in afterschool/extracurricular activities, which is of course awesome because they both have found things they’re passionate about. But it does add a number of items to the family calendar. And I’m still volunteering a few times a month at the museum, which is a nice change of pace from my work routine.

Still got those deadlines, though. Speaking of writing, here’s the November rundown:

October writing wrap-up.

Yo, 2021. Wanna pump the brakes a bit?

If 2020 felt like time slowing to a crawl, 2021 has been like the deal in Interstellar where spending an hour on that one planet makes seven years pass out here on Earth. Where the hell has this year gone?

In addition to reading, reviewing, and writing about various things for the consulting gig, there’s still freelance writing on my plate. October was probably the last “quiet month” I’ll have for a while, with things now kicking into gear on a couple of fronts. Sleep is overrated, amirite?

With that in mind, here’s the October rundown:

September writing wrap-up.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand just like that, here we are: the last quarter mile of 2021.

I mean, I understand that time has had no real meaning for the better part of 18 months, dating all the way back to March 2020 when so very many of us were thrown into a form of suspended animation and forced to (largely) remain at or near our respective domeciles. I was already used to ignoring most of the world around me, hunkered as I was in my office while my fingers tap-tap-tapped away at the keyboard. The big difference last year when all of this started was that now, everyone else who lived with me was home all the time, too.

ANYway….

August writing wrap-up.

How about that August, huh?

Well, that month certainly cruised on by in a blur. Family-wise, the big thing was THE KIDS ARE BACK TO SCHOOL.

After spending last year in a “virtual learning environment” as we kept them home during the 2020/early 2021 stretch of the pandemic–during which they both made the Principal’s Honor Roll on all but the first quarter grading period…and really only missed that one by –> <– that much–they were excited to head back for in-person classes. Did I mention I have a kid in high school, now? And another who will join her next year? Yeah, that happened. When, I don’t know, but it totally happened.

In related news, Kevin and I attended Planet Comicon, our first in-person convention as guests in nearly two years. With shows moving online or being outright canceled throughout last year and into mid-2021, this also was a welcome change. Masks were the order of the day, of course, but that didn’t appear to deter a huge crowd from descending upon the con throughout the event’s three days. I haven’t yet heard an official or even unofficial tally so far as attendance, but the traffic seemed to be good all weekend. Hopefully this was just the first such show we’ll be attending in the months ahead.

“Pssst,” I hear someone whispering. “What about the writing, Dayton? Did you do any of that in August?”

Oh. There’s that.

It was a bit of an odd month, as I’m currently between major projects, but that didn’t stop me (or Kevin and me, as the case may be) from pushing a few words around last month. Here’s the August rundown:

And of course there was the consulting and the writing. What happened in August?

July writing wrap-up.

So, July was here for a minute.

It was a busy month on multiple fronts. We had the second half of our neigborhood swim league which consumed the first three Wednesday evenings (and one final Saturday for championships). There were also volleyball practices and matches, music lessons, and another family excursion. I’m also still doing my volunteer thing at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, and now that we’re back from vacation I’m eyeing my August schedule with some anticipation, as there are some fun things happening this month.

Elsewhere, there were a couple of interviews and this year’s virtual edition of the annual Shore Leave convention. Here’s hoping we get to do that in person next summer.

And of course there was the consulting and the writing. What happened in July?

June writing wrap-up.

BOOM! 2021, halfway done.

Not really sure where all the time’s going, but at least things have been busy and fun the past month or so. The kids are out of school and deep into summer vacation mode. Swim meets, volleyball camps, music and art stuff, and so on. We took our first family vacation in over a year back in May, and later this month we’re heading out again. Somewhere in and around all of that, there’s work, the odd interview, and even a (virtual) convention. Shore Leave 41.5 will be held this coming Saturday and Sunday, July 10th and 11th, and I’ll be participating in a handful of discussion panels over the course of both days. Stay tuned for official schedules and stuff as all of that is finalized.

Oh, and the writing. There was a bit of that going on in June, too.

May writing wrap-up.

And just like that, school’s out for summer. June’s here, y’all!

May was a bit of a blur, thanks to the usual work stuff but also a much needed vacation for Clan Ward. Youngest daughter had a volleyball tournament out of state, so we took advantage of the opportunity to sneak off under the radar and go do some fun outdoorsy stuff. All of that’s done now, and now we’re settling in for summer stuff. Both of the kids are taking (willingly!) summer classes, there’s more volleyball and also summer swim league, music lessons, and other stuff to keep folks busy.

Me? I’m thinking I’m doing some more writing in and around the consulting stuff, of course.

But we march ever farther into June, here’s a look at what I managed to accomplish – writing-wise – during May:

April writing wrap-up.

How is it MAY already? How are we a quarter of the way through 2021 already? How did that happen? SOMEONE MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

:: ahem ::

So, yeah. April. That went fast, didn’t it? I spent a good bit of the month immersed in revisions to my current novel in progress (see below) along with a couple of other items on my writing agenda. Some things are in play as my plans for later this spring and into the summer began shifting as far as what I thought I might be working on. That’s not a bad thing at all, mind you; just an unexpected yet welcome turn of events apparently will see to it I’ll be busier than anticipated on the writing front. More on this as the situation develops.

But before I get steppin’ goward that future, I’ll take one last look at what went down last month:

March writing wrap-up.

All right, March. You were at least a little better behaved than you were last year.

Compared to February, March was a cake walk. I spent a bit of time decompressing after delivering the manuscript for the new novel. A few other housekeeping items also needed some love and attention, and now I’m starting to get the itch to work on the next thing. What will that be? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading, I suppose.

So, what was up, writing-wise, during March? Let’s have a look….