Hello, everyone!
For those of you who haven't seen my latest Wordpress post, I'll give you the short version here: Given some accelerating changes in my Outside World life (mostly school-related demands, but a major, not really welcome job change as well), I'll be slowing down quite a bit writing-wise over the next month, and perhaps beyond, until everything's completely sorted out. This doesn't mean I'll be cutting back the work in the short term, however; now that I'm well and truly on the home stretch of Bloody Relations, I'm feeling the boost kicking in to carry me past the finish line! Some of this new energy I put down to the re-discovery of an old, favorite tune, which I share with you tonight: Vivaldi's Concerto in C Major, RV 425: 1 Allegro, as performed by the stellar guitarist Christopher Parkening and the magisterial Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, conducted by Iona Brown (Usual copyrights apply; I own nothing!)
I was introduced to this song (and probably Classical Music in general, now that I think about it) in a somewhat roundabout way: a family friend I'd see quite often as a kid made me a mix tape (the old-school cassette version, for those unfamiliar with such tech :P ) that included it and several other great works. This one I came to enjoy the most, both for its sprightly performance and sound, and the soothing effect that, oddly enough, came during its quickest sections. Whenever there was a long car ride, or even when I was just sitting around at home or anywhere else, one of the first moves I made to pass the time was pop that tape in the first available player. I gradually stopped playing it as I grew up, but always kept the tape close, and this particular tune has never been far from my mind. Earlier this month, I heard my mother playing what I'd thought was a new CD, or just a new addition to the family repertoire--and was immediately launched back to those seemingly endless replays of childhood. Now it has a prized place on my Classical Mix playlist, and is already giving the same boost and calm it did before.
That boost should see me through to this weekend or just before--the period I expect to FINALLY complete the new BR work. After that, it's just the occasional edit or new passage on Dixie Curtain and any other draft that strikes my fancy to keep the skills sharp, though staying away from any in-depth work. The end of October will see some worldbuilding for this year's NaNoWriMo project; more details to come on that as time goes on!
One final bit of good news: The audiobook version of For State & Country has at last been released on Audible by Wordwooze Publishing. I have several promo codes to dole out if anyone's interested in a free copy for themselves or any friends and family; hit me up anytime on this post, or my FB page or Twitter feed, and I'll be happy to send them on (there's only a few left, so don't miss out!). The link to the audiobook itself is attached below; feel free to check it out, and share, review, and comment away, like always!
https://www.audible.com/pd/For-State-and-Country-A-Novella-of-Alternate-History-Audiobook/B07H114TH8