Tag: writing

November 2024 Update: Book Updates, Sphere Hoppers, Staying Curious

  By

Hello friends,

It’s November, and time for another monthly update! Today, I’ve got a mix of planned updates and some thoughts that came up along the way, so let’s dive in. You can also watch the video version of this update here.

Book Updates: Oops, I Broke the Wizard’s Android

I’ve got some exciting updates for Oops, I Broke the Wizard’s Android—my first convention experience, a new bookstore listing, and a few other fun highlights.

I recently attended MileHiCon in Denver, which was my first time at a convention where I was focused on networking and promoting my book. It was a great experience! I secured a two-hour slot at the author co-op table, where I handed out cards with free e-book links and talked to people about the book. I also met some fantastic local authors, including Rachel Rener, who was incredibly generous with her time and advice. We spent 20 minutes chatting, and her encouragement left me inspired. (Shoutout to Rachel, and yes, I’m currently reading her book Amethysts and Alchemy!)

I’m also thrilled to announce that Oops, I Broke the Wizard’s Android is now available at Black & Read, a local bookstore that holds a special place in my heart. It’s a treasure trove for books, board games, RPGs, and vinyl records—a place I’ve loved for years. It’s surreal to see my own book on their shelves!

Channel News: Sphere Hoppers Updates

On the channel front, I’ve been working to find a balance between creating Sphere Hoppers episodes and writing the sequel to Oops, I Broke the Wizard’s Android. I recently recorded five Sphere Hoppers episodes in one go, and three have already been released, with two more coming before we take a holiday break. This batch approach lets me focus on the novel without falling behind on new content. Balancing time and energy between projects is an ongoing challenge, and I’m working on refining where to best place my efforts for the most impact.

Acting Gigs

In addition to writing and recording, I’ve had a few acting gigs recently! I did a photoshoot at a casino (you can check out some shots on my Instagram) and traveled all the way to South Dakota for a murder mystery party gig.

Reflections on the Recent Election

As some of you might know, I live in the U.S., and the recent election results left me feeling a bit disoriented. I’m grappling with a lot of questions. I see narratives that feel too simplistic to truly explain the situation, so I’m making an effort to stay curious, learn, and listen. An active imagination is a powerful thing, but it can also lead to envisioning the worst-case scenarios. 

If you’re struggling, please know you’re not alone. And for those who feel hopeful about the results, I encourage you to reach out with empathy and curiosity to understand those who feel distressed.

Ultimately, this has been a chance for me to reflect on my role as a storyteller. I’ve realized that many of my stories revolve around outsiders—characters who challenge oppressive systems, those who feel out of place and seek change, and those who work toward healing for the sake of their friends and companions. These characters inspire me, and I’m motivated to continue telling stories like theirs.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, I’m not sure exactly what the balance between novel writing and channel content will look like. In the meantime, enjoy the next two weeks of Sphere Hoppers before the holiday break!

Thank you all for your support, and as always:

Be gentle with others, be gentle with yourself, stay curious—and of course, keep hoppin’!

October 2024 Update: Oops! Podcast Appearances, and New Content

  By ,

I used to send out monthly updates in the newsletter, and I’m excited to start them up again, now with in a new video format! I want to keep everyone in the loop about all the exciting things going on, so here’s what’s new:

Oops! I Broke the Wizard’s Android—Now Available!

In case you missed it, my book Oops! I Broke the Wizard’s Android is available in ebook, audiobook, and paperback on my website, as well as on pretty much any online retailer. The book follows Ninienne Lightcaster, a wizard’s apprentice who gets replaced by an android. It a book about AI and magic written with AI and magic (a tarot deck)!

If that sounds interesting, you can check it out here.

Podcast Appearances

I’ve recently been on a couple of podcasts to talk about the book! If you’d like to listen in, check out:

Sphere Hoppers Returns!

I’m thrilled to announce that Sphere Hoppers, my improvised and randomized storytelling serial, is back! The villagers of High Rannoc the crew of the Prosperous Performance are flung into the patchwork world of the Crucible. They’re trying to find their way, and it’s been a blast so far. Stay tuned for more updates!

Tarot Content is Moving

Finally, I’ll be moving my tarot-related content over to the main channel. I previously had two separate channels, but I’m merging everything into one to make it easier to follow. So, if you see new videos about using tarot for solo role-playing or other tarot-related topics, that’s why! It’ll be a slow transition as I continue putting out new content, so keep an eye out.

Thank you so much for being part of the community! Your support means the world to me. If there’s anything specific you’d like to see in the future, feel free to reach out and let me know.

December 2023 Update: Breakthroughs and Backlogs

  By

Writing

Actual progress on the novel has been slow this month, but thanks to positive feedback from my colleagues at DIYMFA I am encouraged to keep going! I feel like I’ve got more gas in the tank and I’m looking forward to seeing this project through to completion. I also had a breakthrough on my narrative voice, also thanks to a class from DIYMFA, so I’m feeling very grateful for that community.

Science Fantasy Awesome

Continuing to make weekly videos for the YouTube channel always takes more time when there are school breaks because I have to record multiple videos per week in order to have a backlog to cover weeks when I can’t record. Fortunately, Starforged is a blast to play, I’m really enjoying the system, it’s just so smooth. I’m also working on some things on the backend for the Gone Solo series, but I’ll talk about those more when they’re finished.

I also received some fanart this month from a viewer in Germany! Check out the YouTube shorts or my Instagram to see it.

Acting

Three improv gigs this month! Whew! It’s been a lot of late nights and disruptions to my sleep routine, but I’m taking on more responsibility by hosting and casting, so it feels worth it. It’s encouraging to be able to walk into a room of strangers and keep them laughing and entertained all evening. Even after so many years of performing, that’s not a skill I would have named for myself until this month.

November Update: Cleric Mechanics! Pretend Waiters!

  By , ,

Last month was a slower one for me. Illness and school breaks cost me time. But, slow progress is still progress.

Writing

The novel keeps expanding. I’m always surprised how, when a scene feels lacking, I discover something later on in the book that helps fill that scene. It’s a wonderful process of discovery.

I am also continuing my classes through DIY MFA. I’m still learning and absorbing new information, and it’s so helpful in shaping this current novel.

Science Fantasy Awesome

I am on my fifth series of Gono Solo campaigns, this time playing Starforged. My main character is Zakia Vayan, Cleric of the Church of the Closed Circuit, and she’s basically a holy mechanic who fixes machines with the help of her god, Ampereon. I’ve already got a few episodes in the backlog, and they are fun to make and I’m excited about where this series is going.

The channel keeps growing steadily! It always feels good when I get a notification about a new subscriber.

Acting

I booked another background gig this month, for a financial institution (honestly, sometimes no one tells you what the commercials are for and you don’t care enough to ask). I played a waiter!

October 2023 Update: Subscribers Double! Sea Vampires! Background Gigs!

  By

Science Fantasy Awesome

My channel has recently seen a big boost in subscribers thanks to a recent video, which I created in response to a viewer question, called “Solo RPGs: How to Start?” I anticipated that this kind of instructional content would bode well in the YouTube algorithms and I was right! I’ve seen my subscriber count nearly double since that video released. I’m planning on making more videos in an instructional vein to be of service to the solo RPG community (and to get eyeballs on the channel), but my priority is still the weekly actual play series.

Speaking of which: it’s spooky season, and my new series of Thousand Year Old Vampire is live! I’m so excited to play this game again, as it the the game that got me into solo RPGs and it has a special place in my heart. I’m very excited to find out where the adventures of Levi McKinney, ratcatcher and sea vampire, take us!

Writing

Progress on the wizard apprentice android novel continues. I feel like I’ve cracked it and I am turning out prose that I’m really pleased with. This feeling doesn’t last long in writers, so I’m enjoying it while it lasts! I recently realized what kind of daily progress I need to be making to stay on the schedule I envisioned for this series, and that’s been a strong motivator.

I also recently signed up for an online class called DIY MFA 101. I’ve been really craving community with other writers and discussions on craft and so far my expectations and needs have been met. Looking forward to more!

Acting

I mentioned last month about a commercial shoot in a yoga studio, and just a few days ago we got the go ahead to post the final product. I put a clip on my Instagram. I’m in the background! Doing yoga! It’s always fun to see how projects turn out.

Magpie Tarot Project

I’ve also been working on a little magpie tarot related project that I’m very excited to share, but it’s going to be several months until my collaborator is ready to launch. It has extremely niche appeal but I’m pleased with how it has turned out. You could say it’s “Dreamy.” Stay tuned for details!

Sept 2023 Update: Flesh Drafts, Book Clubs, and Yoga Days

  By

Writing

It’s amazing to me that I announced my new writing project just a month ago because I have already made so much progress. I am already on the second draft of the first book. This first draft was a very quick skeleton draft, so this second draft is the muscle draft: fleshing out ideas, expanding scenes, adding subplots. Both the AI tools and the tarot deck continue to be of service in generating ideas and keeping momentum and there is still a lot to discover about these characters and this world.

The Creative Act on LHRB Podcast

I got another chance to chat with my good friend JD Lopez on his podcast Left Hand Right Brain. We talked about the book The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. We’re going to talk about more books in the future, like our own little book club. There is a video version of the podcast here or you can search for Left Hand Right Brain wherever you get your podcasts. We had a great chat, and I also talk about my writing project so check it out if you’re interested in that!

Science Fantasy Awesome

I continue to get new videos out every Wednesday for Gone Solo: GOZR. We are definitely getting close to the end of this series, I can feel it. This is one of the tricky parts of improvised game-based storytelling. It is hard to make exact plans about when one series will end because there might be one episode left or five, it just all depends on how the dice roll. I already have the system picked out for my next series so we will be ready to go whenever this one wraps up, but of course I will keep that secret for the reveal video when the time comes.

Acting

It’s had been a while since I’ve booked any gigs, so I was glad to spend a day as background for a credit union commercial. It was in a yoga studio and we were doing yoga all day, actually a pretty good workout and a calming way to spend the day! I also got to host an improvised murder mystery for a San Francisco-based tech company on their corporate retreat. I’ve done several of these mystery parties and they are always a blast.

Aug 2023 Update: First Sponsorship and a New Writing Project

  By , ,

Science Fantasy Awesome

My solo RPG channel Science Fantasy Awesome continues to grow at a steady rate, with new episodes of Gone Solo GOZR still releasing weekly. I also had the opportunity to do my first sponsored content video for a solo system called Overpowered. I hadn’t really considered sponsored content for this channel before, but it opened my eyes to possible ways to defray my costs. Plus, it was fun to make!

Writing

With both of my children now in childcare part time, my schedule has opened up and I have started writing again. I wrote and self-published a novel under a penname during the pandemic, and intended to write and release the next book in the series right away. That didn’t happen as planned, and I diverted my energy into other projects, most notably Tarot of the Trunk.

In anticipation of my new availability, I began making notes about writing in that series again. Due to some other factors, I had already decided to abandon the penname and rerelease the first book in the series under my own name. But a lot of my thoughts on the series had evolved, and I was planning on making major revisions to the first book.

At a certain point, I realized that re-working the first book was not something I wanted to do right now. The series is really close to my heart, and I knew it was going to be slow-going. With re-launching my author business under my own name, I wanted to start building momentum straight away. So I decided the better move would be to write a new series based on a idea that was less precious to me, so I could move faster and finish and release the series sooner, start to generate an audience, to give the original series a better footing.

So, I’m working on a new series about a wizard’s apprentice who gets replaced by an android. In an homage to the mix of science fiction and fantasy genres, I am using both AI tools (technology) and a tarot deck (magic) to generate ideas and speed up the writing process. So far, even with limited time, I have been able to write very quickly, so I am very excited about the good start for this new project.