I'm not going to start this blog off by apologizing for not blogging forever. We all have many lives we live throughout a single day. For me it's dad, husband, son, friend, co-worker, and writer to name a few. In the time since I last blogged I was also home seller, renter, home builder, and dad to one more girl - Emma. It's been an amazing, busy, sometimes overwhelming run. As I write this, one daughter - Gracie - is upstairs playing with her cousin, the other daughter is sleeping in her bassinet, my wife is catching up on some sleep, and I'm thinking I am finally getting this down.

The day job is calling often and for long stretches of time, and that means less time for the things I love. My wife has been amazing in taking care of our newborn as I grind away at my desk. Unfortunately, that grinding away hasn't been nearly as much writing as I would like, but let me assure you the writing has been happening in my long silence.

First, the book - Children of the Phoenix - is done and off for review by an editor. I'm nervous at what she will say - hers are the first eyes other than mine to read it - but more excited on the feedback I'll be getting. Having written a book feels like such a monumental accomplishment that I'm almost not worried at what criticism might be coming... almost.

I've also got a couple of short stories finished and waiting to be sent out into the world. I'm holding on to them for now because I'm not sure where and in what form to put them out. The current plan is to send them out when the book is ready to release. And there's a story in the works that needs to be finished in time for that push.

While book one is read, reviewed, ripped apart, and re-worked, book two has been started. It's been a long while since I stared at so much white space and wondered how I'm going to fill 300 pages of it. It feels good and it feels new again, and anything not editing sounds great.

As I fit writing into my routine, I will also fit in blogging. I no longer feel like I'm forcing things just to have a new entry up. The words and topics are coming, including where and when book one will go up, how much it will be, and how I'm going to try to get it exposure. For now, I'm off to watch Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind with Grace.