Today, November 11th, 2025, is my 43rd birthday.
In the year since I last told myself the cake calories didn’t count, I have managed a number of steps forward. I published my third book, Champion Bold, and its three supplements. I did two conventions and one book event, all of which were successful. And I made progress on several other projects. It was a good year. One I’m hoping to continue into the next.
As I hit my birthday, I wanted to take a moment to consider my project list. What am I working on? How important is it? And what do I need to do to advance it before the next birthday?
Primary Projects
Primary projects are the major projects that I’m actively trying to get published. I have at least one completed draft and I’m rewriting or editing for publication.
The Colonel Lieutenant
Renaissance Army Book 3 * Dystopic Speculative Fiction * Renaissance Army Setting
Book Three of my main series, this book sees Sasha Small, now a commissioned lieutenant of the Renaissance Army, return to the Third Field Regiment in a moment of crisis. She is faced with a test of leadership and of her skills as a military officer.
I completed one draft of this book and I’ve been working on the next. I’ve got the first quarter or so done, and I know how I want it to end. But getting from A to Z and making sure the letters in between build it effectively is the real challenge. I’m making good progress. Now if I can make fast progress.
Orcfyre
Horus Book 1* Fantasy * Vi-World Setting
This first book of a planned trilogy. This book sees Horus, a human/orc warrior, and his adopted sister Ashlynn, on a quest. A quest that could save Horus’ life. Their adventure is interrupted by a civil war that forces both of them to face the truth about their relationship with the world.
I’ve gone through several drafts of this story, slowly working out my problems with each iteration. Do I have it this time? I think so, but if not, then I think I’ll be closer to the last draft.
Secondary Projects
Secondary Projects are projects that I want to publish. These ones I’m writing to get a rough draft ready, looking to get feedback on.
1st Minnesota (Untitled)
Historical Fiction
This project is the story of a soldier who enlists in the 1st Minnesota Regiment at the start of the American Civil War and fights through its three-year service. The character experiences Bull Run, the Peninsula and Seven Days, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, and so much more.
I’ve got lots of research notes and books on the subject. I know it’s going to be more than one book, though I haven’t worked out the exact divisions. I’ve got everything ready to start writing. What I need to figure out is first person or third. Or some hybrid of the two.
Tertiary Projects
Tertiary Projects are projects where I have the idea developed and I’m focused on running through the PBRG process and writing key scenes.
Champion Impact
Champion Book 2 * Science Fiction * Light Star Universe
The sequel to Champion Bold, this story follows Augustine de Zama in his adventures. Since the first book was funded through Kickstarter, I need to get info from some backers on aliens and characters, then I can slip them into my outline and start hammering out the story.
Dress Reds, Inc.
Champion Series Spin Off * Science Fiction * Light Star Universe
A spin off from Champion Bold, this book follows Genevieve Wright, a fan favorite. Genevieve is hired to go to a region under an emerging threat. But in addition to warfare, she finds herself dealing with the politics and cultures — and alien species — of the region.
Light Star Short Story Anthology (Untitled)
Science Fiction * Light Star Universe
This anthology is a collection of short stories from the Light Star Universe. If this works the way I want it to, it’ll include three stories from myself, and two stories from the LSU co-creator. But we’ll see how it goes.
Retirement (Untitled)
Fantasy * Unique Setting
Retirement is a fantasy story set in a world where the gods must choose mortal replacements every century. The hero has been chosen to be a god, a distinction he does not want. But since he’s been chosen, he now has to deal with the consequences or face the annihilation of his soul.
Quaternary Projects
Quaternary Projects are projects that I developing. I’ve got more than a basic idea, but short of an actual story. I’m doing some light PBRG work to help flesh out the details.
Commonwealth War
Speculative Fiction * Renaissance Army Setting
A book or books about the Commonwealth conquest of Atlantic America, set well before the story of Sasha Small. In the same style as Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising, with multiple characters showing different aspects of the war. I know the history, but I need to work on the characters and plot lines.
Conarth Story
Science Fiction * Light Star Universe
A story of the Light Star Universe, this book involved the Conarth, one of my major alien races in the universe. I don’t want to go into too many details right now, but this will be an interesting project because it’ll be largely a political story with a military backdrop. Looks like I’ll be watching a lot of West Wing.
Contrition (Untitled)
Dystopic Science Fiction * Contrition Setting
This is a setting where I’m looking for a story. The setting is thousands of hears in the future, after an alien race has devastated humanity and left it in ruins. The aliens declared that humanity had ‘reached Contrition’, but never told humans what they had done. I have some ideas, but trying to come up with a story that isn’t repetitive of what I’ve done before has proven difficult. Plus, I want a story that explored the setting.
First Knights (Untitled Project)
Fantasy * Vi-World Setting
This is a story of how the knightly or paladin orders of the Vi-world started. I’ve had to build and really flesh out the mythology of the world to set this one up. Now, I’m outlining and plotting.
General of the Pen
Fantasy (I think)
This is the project I’m building as part of the PBRG blog series. It’s a fun project and maybe I’ll turn it into an actual book. Or maybe not. At this point, it’s just for fun. As for the genre, it is 19th Century tech level, but no magical elements, so I’m unsure if it is fantasy or not. Something more to research.
Resurrection (Untitled)
Science Fantasy * Apex Setting
This project is set in a world where some humans have developed special powers. The main character has been resurrection after his execution because it turns out he was innocent, and the powers that be need his help finding the real culprit. But being executed while innocent doesn’t do much for one’s dedication, and he begins to plot his escape. I’ve got the beginning written, and I know where this ends. Currently, I’m plotting out the middle.
Tales of the Templars
Speculative Fiction * Short Story Anthology * Renaissance Army Setting
This is a project I come back to every now and then; a collection of short stories about the other Templars from the Renaissance Army series. About how they came to be part of the project, and their experiences as apprentices. I’ve got one story done, several others started, and the rest plotted out or at least outlined.
Quintenary Projects
There are projects that I have as ideas. I sometimes work on them, but largely they’re waiting for time, or for more inspiration.
- RPG Lit: Stories of role-playing games stuck in their characters.
- Battle Stories: Narratives of famous battles (such as Jutland and Operation Pedestal).
- Good Generals: Narrative biographies of good generals many people don’t know about (such as George Thomas and Winfield Scott).
- Bad Generals: Narrative biographies of bad generals (such as Charles Townsend and Rafael Cardones).
- Campaigns: Narratives of famous or not famous campaigns throughout history (Burma campaign, or the Winter War).
- War Stories: Narrative of not so famous wars (such as the English Civil War or the Seven Years War).
- Ship Stories: Stories of the history of famous warships (USS Enterprise, HMS Warspite).
- Wars of the Renaissance History: Various histories of the Iron Republic, or the Imperial Commonwealth
- Special Action Force Vanguard: A World War Two story I ran as an RPG a long time ago; I’d like to bring it back as a story, but I’m working out how. Cthulhu-horror? Straight military history?
- Other Vi-world fantasy stories: various stories set in the same fantasy world as Orcfyre and the Firt Knights project.
