Ever heard of folk horror? Think of movies like Midsommar and The Witch. The British really pioneered this movie genre with Wicker Man (the good one), Blood on Satan’s Claw among others.

This guy knows what it sounds like to be stabbed in the back…by stabbing someone in the back.

Well, while scouring YouTube, I found a channel that deals with horror writing, and there was one such entry about folk horror. Thinking, well why not? I clicked on it and watched. As I watched, I realized that this was a genre of horror I could get into. It ticked all the boxes for me: the creeping sensation that something is wrong. Knowing that something is wrong, but no one will or wants to believe you when you warn them. The subversion of the notion of society. Where has this been all my life?

And while I watched it, it hit me – this is the sequel to The Quietest Heart that I have been looking for. For decades (yes, decades) I’ve been trying to continue the adventures of Anya and Rhona, but I never came up with a good idea. I wanted to test the relationship. I wanted to explore more of Anya. I wanted to put the two up against something and see how everything shook out.

I grabbed a notebook and re-watched it, making notes about the qualities of the folk horror genre. Sure – it’s a tried and true trope, but can fit fantasy so wonderfully, and to be honest – who would see it coming? A friendly village in the middle of the woods. Everyone has smiles and waves…to one person. The other is treated with minor deference, but the stares are little too hard for her tastes. The whisper campaign is getting a little heated.

I can’t wait to get started…eventually. I literally just last week. I’m still deliberating about having certain characters in this book, or should I get rid of them? They would tip the power scale over the protagonists’ side quite easily. I’ve got to think about that one.

Also – the story takes place on a fantasy world I created that has undergone several changes in history, societies and populations. So, I’m going to have to carefully write this one so that the world can fit into the abridged history I wrote for the region. It’s a small worry, but I’m still going to obsess about it because it’s me. Anxiety? I’m soaking in it.

Is this new addition going to delay any of the other projects? Nope. I’m still working on Tribal, outlining Unbroken and making characters for my meager attempt at literary fiction called The Crab Bucket. Do I have a lot of irons in the fire? Yes. Am I enjoying myself? Also, yes.

I should get to work with…something. I hit my word count for Tribal today (not a huge amount) and I got let out of work early. I might outline Tyro a little, then make some more notes on folk horror. I should watch Misommar again to pick up some other things about this genre.

Ta-ta for now!

Guess Where I Am?

(Editor’s Note: I’m a writer, math is not my strong suit)

The novel Tribal is coming along. I am injecting a little humor into this one scene where Edgar tries to tame the wolf within him. I figure that this will be the palate cleanser before the next major scene where Edgar learns a little bit more about the pack and tries to even the score against his nemesis Carlton. I can’t wait to write that scene! I’ve gotten some new ideas since the last time I wrote it, and I want to see how they’re going to look. I just hope to have it finished by year’s end now.

The outline for Tyro’s first book creeps along, but that doesn’t need to be finished until the end of the year either. I’m still on fire to get the project started next year. I’m enjoying what little of the outline I have started, as I am jumping into Tyro’s voices very early. I just don’t know if I am going to keep them as voices that kinda talk to her off camera, or if they can control or influence how she functions. I’ll have to think about this one a little bit while I am working on the outline and the notes.

I think another thing I am going to do is get some more books released next year. I’ll (in what little spare time I think I am going to have on the weekends) edit down Alien Voices and get that set up for a release next year. Maybe also edit Agonizing Alibi Day and get that out there. It’s been way too long since I have put anything out to be read. That’s a major goal of mine – to get more out there into the reader’s hands. I need to get going on that, like the song says (unless Google is lying to me).

I am going to be on vacation next week, so there will be no regular post. So, have fun, relax and I’ll see you after next week. Tat-ta!

I’m just going to do it. I got the second to the last of the things I wanted before I started Tyro’s outline and notes. The only thing that’s missing now is a pen for me that’s a bit of a treat. If any of my fans want to get this for me, I won’t say ‘no’. With the notebooks in hand, I just decided to go on ahead and start with the notes. The idea for all of this is to make something so that if I should meet misfortune, someone can pick up my work and continue on.

Come here often, Miss Fortune?

I also want to get all the facts right so that if I end up continuing it past the triology, I have a substantial body of work to draw from for inspiration. I can’t keep this in my head forever, you know.

I’m also on fire to get this novel started. I know I’ve said that in the past, and usually this is the “burn out rather than fade away” sort of thing, where I am intensely interested in it for a few months, then it fizzles out.

Classic.

I have the feeling this is different. This is a second draft, so I know what’s going on in this. I have new scenes that I want to put in, and this is an idea that’s been with me for a while. Maybe this is the Universe telling me that this is what I should be working on. I’m just so wound up about the whole thing.

I am still working on Tribal. I’m not going to ditch it, I’m adjusting the due date for me so that I can write it during lunch and still have some time to work on notes. This is going to be the last project I finish before working on the first Tyro novel. I’ve got something going through my writer’s group, and I have a couple of other projects that need some tending to as far as mistakes. I can release books next year (and maybe I should..) and still work on the big one.

Well, I should get started on things, so I am going to leave this here and scramble off the figure out where Tyro’s personalities all came from. Ta-ta!

I don’t know if I am going to finish Tribal on time. I’m only on chapter five, and I have yet to introduce the other werewolves in depth. This should not surprise anyone who is a regular reader to this blog.

The F-35 Stealth Deadline — you’ll never see it coming or going.

I might have to divide my time between writing the book and the outline for Unbound – which is going to start January 1^st, 2026 regardless of where I am at with any other projects. I’ve got to get this done. Did you know I started this in 1998? All I have to show for it is an old manuscript that I have disavowed and a bunch of scenes and world building in my head that needs to get out. This is my baby, and now it’s old enough to vote, drink and smoke – probably doing all three while waiting for me to get to it.

That’s going to change ina few months. I’m spending the last three months of the year working on the outline for the first book, then work on the novel for the rest of the time. My only goal is to get at least one of the books in the trilogy finished…now that I have the theme of the third book a lot more solidified in my head. I’m not going to rush this series, as much as I want to get it out into the wild, I also need to take my time and get it right. Tyro deserves no less than that for my efforts.

Speaking of Tribal, it is coming along, just a little slow. I am going to take advantage of the three-day weekend to get caught up and even pad the word count a little. Right now, Edgar is meeting the other werewolves and he’s getting introduced into the fight club with the pack. This is the beginning of the second act, were we see him starting to adopt some of Jimmy’s philosophy. Not to worry, I am going to work my ass off to get this one finished on time. Editing can come in a few months while I am writing the Big Project.

I also want to announce that one of my friends has a new romance book out and you should get it! Now, I am not one to read romances all willy-nilly, but this is the one exception that I heavily endorse. She’s a great writer and a good friend. Go get it! Now!

That’s all I have for now. I do need to get some writing done since I got so little done at lunch. Ta-ta for now!