The Frontier
January 23rd, 2012
Today I released the first chapter of the second part of Nothing Is Beyond. I figured this would probably be a good time to talk about the series in a little more detail than I have in the past. If I were to sum up the story as succinctly as possible, I would say that…
Nothing Is Beyond is about a waning, hegemonic empire that is divided and at odds with itself, desperately trying to avoid a seemingly imminent yet not entirely unavoidable decay and demise. And then there’s something else going on.
This is at least how I would describe the first volume of NIB. I intend for this project to go on for many years, and I want to release a new volume between every science fiction novel I write. Each volume will be about novel length and will contain four separate stories that combine to make up one complex story. In Volume One, the first story was The Prelude, and the second story, The Frontier, began today. At first, the two stories will appear to share little except setting, but as you continue, you will discover more connections between them.
I’m posting a new chapter of The Frontier every Monday until summer. Then I’m releasing the third part of Volume One in the fall, and the fourth and final part at the beginning of 2013.
If you haven’t yet read any of my web series, you can dive into it here:
If you want to follow chapter updates on your RSS Reader, subscribe to this:
And if you have been reading, there will be additional content available beyond the boundaries of the website in a few weeks, and to keep up with that, you can like this page:
Nothing Is Beyond Chapbook
January 3rd, 2012
I’m giving away copies of The Prelude to Nothing Is Beyond in chapbook form at all of my readings, including my performance this Friday night at the Star Bar. But for those of you who can’t make it out and would still like a copy, you can now order it online. I’m charging five dollars to cover shipping and materials. If you’d like me to mail you a copy, just click the button below:
RIP 2011
January 2nd, 2012
2011 was a weird year for me. I’m tempted to describe it as a lost year, but that’s not exactly accurate. First of all, it was the year I finally released a work of fiction. Even though I never intended for Nothing Is Beyond to be my sci-fi debut, I’m really proud of The Prelude, and I’m excited about continuing the project onward through 2012. I can’t wait to unveil some more chapters for you.
Outside of that, 2011 wasn’t a particularly productive year for me. I had intended to write a lot more than I did. In fact, I had quit my job with the sole intention of spending more time on my writing, and somehow I spent less than the year before. Yet, I’m not all that upset about it. I needed a break. I needed some time to decompress after the intensity of writing a novel. I needed a sabbatical.
And so 2011 was a year of hibernation above all. It was a gathering of strength. It was the calm before the storm. Also, it was rolling with a lot of punches, and enduring many an assault. It was a year that was more about personal growth for me. I’d spent so many of my recent years building this virtual life between my blogs and my writing, but in this last year, I had to focus much of my energy fighting battles in the real world. Volunteering to become unemployed in the worst economy of my lifetime might have been a tad arrogant. Four months of complete freedom came at the cost of languishing for eight months at a job that I should have moved on from eight months ago.
But the trials and trifles that slowed me down over the course of 2011 were but obstacles. My resolve has only deepened.
A year ago at this moment, I stared into an abyss. Now, I see a pathway. A year ago, I knew where I was heading. But now, I think I know how to get there.
So, 2011 was a refocusing. It was a pivot. It was a triangulation of where reality meets imagination. It was a reevaluation of possibility. It was a year that I didn’t want, but it was a year that I couldn’t have lived without.
My Next Reading
December 26th, 2011
Holiday Hangover Facebook Event Page
Acts Of Music Bloggery
December 19th, 2011
I’ve closed out the blogging season on Ohmpark this year. I’m planning on taking a little break from it for a while. It could be a few weeks, or maybe a few months. Here are my year end lists, all of which are Atlanta music specific:
Ohmpark’s Top 25 Albums of 2011
Ohmpark’s Top 10 Music Videos of 2011
Ohmpark’s Top 40 Songs of 2011
In addition, I’ve teamed up with nine other local music bloggers to form the Atlanta Music Roundtable. You may recall that I participated in this last year. It was such a hit, we decided to do it again. We’ll be posting discussions on different topics about the Atlanta music scene all week, as well as co-hosting a show at the Earl Wednesday night. You can find all the details about that here:
