Unfinished business, part 2 -- wrapping up a story or two

I don't really have any big announcement to make, other than I finally put the last period in the final sentence of the third installment of my Tides Inn Erotica Tales series.

A few days ago, in my blog headlined A misty run, unfinished business, and a mysterious woman, I referenced a couple of stories I published late last year, Private Dining and Room Service, and the fact that I had intended to write a third story in the series.

Those of you who have been following me know that in recent months I've had some difficulties which have kept me offline, away from writing, and struggling just to get through the day (Emerging from silence -- depression and life). 

Now that I am hip deep in continuing treatment and making progress, I have definitely found excitement in writing again, and I've finally finished the first draft of the third Tides Inn tale, right on the schedule I had set for myself.

The story did take a few twists I hadn't expected, but overall I'm happy with it.I still don't have a title, but I'll be coming up with that as I edit the story. Later this month, as we approached Jan. 1, I'll be releasing the work.

And soon I'll be turning my attention to the third installment of The Lethal Obsession Trilogy.

A misty run, unfinished business, and a mysterious woman

As most of you who read this know, I moved to the mountains of Southwest Virginia earlier this year -- not by choice, but in search of a new job, and in some ways a new start on life.

I've lived in a lot of places over the years, none really permanent since I was 16, though I thought I had found a small town where I'd settle in eastern North Carolina before losing my job. While the job loss and subsequent move wasn't in my plans, I love it where I am now.

Here's one reason why. A few days ago I had gone for quick run, and halfway through it I just stopped. I was on an isolated old road, surrounded by rolling fields. It was a cold day, the air filled with a fine mist, and a feeling of, for lack of better term, freshness in the air I never felt before moving here. The only thing I could see was a couple of ramshackle old barns looking as if they might fall at any second, a handful of granite stones protruding from the ground in a tiny, long-forgotten cemetery, and fog-shrouded ridges off in the distance.

That's when I heard them. The voices. No, I'm not crazy, I wasn't really hearing voices, but those hills, the farmland, even the cemetery -- they've been there for years, eons even, watching as the seasons passed, the land changed, as Native Americans walked the land, as Europeans settled the area.

What stories are floating around in those hollows? What tales can be heard by just listening, by feeling, what those mountains have to say?

Eventually I resumed my little run, but along the way a story began forming in my head. The story of a woman who grew up in those mountains, left her home as a teen for the big city and bright lights, and then came back...but that's enough for now, though this is a story that I believe will find life in 2014.

Before then, however, I have unfinished business.

A year ago I published two short stories, PRIVATE DINING and then ROOM SERVICE. My intent was to make them part of a long-running series, which I may yet do. What I will commit to is finishing the short trilogy those two were meant to be part of, and have that third, as yet unnamed tale, available in January.

After that comes the third installment in my Lethal Obsession Trilogy, which began with the novel LETHAL OBSESSION and continued with HELPLESS. The third installment, which as of yet is unnamed, will be out some time in the later part of February or the first part of March. While this will complete the trilogy, I haven't yet decided what to do with Detective Angela Martin. Who knows, maybe she won't survive the final installment?

I have a wicked little erotica tale after that which has planted itself in my head and won't go away. Despite all the experts saying indie writers should devote themselves to a series, this one tale I have to do, and it probably will be a stand-alone.

And did I say this one will be wicked?

And then I think it might be time to turn my attention to something outside the world of erotica, the story of that woman who came to me on that cold, rainy run. Where that story takes me, I'm not sure, but I will definitely have her tale for you in 2014.

Making my way back...and thanks to well-wishers

It's been well over a month since I last posted here, when I talked of my depression and related issues.

I had not planned to go this long without posting again, but, as I said in that Oct. 20 posting, I was still working with a counselor, trying to find my way back to some semblance of normal, of getting past the struggle to simply get out of bed.

I want to thank everyone who commented and gave me words of encouragement, both here and on Facebook and elsewhere. It means a lot to have that support -- several times over the past few weeks I'd go online just to read those comments.

I am much better now, though as any of you know who have had this condition, it's not the kind of thing one is ever cured of. I've been in counseling before, and I've learned over the years to recognize some of the triggers that can send me down again, and the signs I'm slipping, though this time around I've committed to staying with the counseling long-term, rather than thinking I could handle it on my own.

So, I'm making my way back, and I'm beginning to write some now, not just writing this and that as I fancy, but getting back to writing for publication. Working on the third installment of my LETHAL OBSESSION trilogy.

I hope to have some news on that front in a couple of weeks, and then to follow that up with new works over 2014.

I am doing much better now, though, and wanted to let everyone know I'm returning to the world, and so too will my writing -- for good or bad!