Month: April 2023

Never 2 old to re-learn the basics.

WRITING

I finished an article for Upstream and the third draft of HOWLING WILDERNESS is complete. Huge thanks to Kenny Parrish for coming in clutch with the feedback, he triggered a lot of improvements.

If you’re interested in becoming a beta reader you can let me know in the comments. There’s no money involved or anything, it’s just a way for readers to get involved in the process if they really want to.

READING

Four and a half books. I punted on the fifth one, it just wasn’t that interesting. 16 books in April, 1 of which was in print. Video coming soon.

This week I’ve got some catch-up reading to do. I have the new David Grann book from the library, and some Hoopla titles. I’ll crush three of those and a Speechify book on Friday. So let’s see…WAGER, SOME DANGER INVOLVED, HISTORY DECODED, and INESCAPABLE ARSENAL. And the Friday book is WRAITHBOUND.

DRAWING

The momentum was with the edits so I went down that road. This week I’ll finish the SHERIFF PORTER art and work on formatting it for publication.

AUDIO

New Radcracker, make sure you’re subscribed. Apple, Google, or Spotify.

VIDEO

I launched my video review of ISOM #1 by Eric July. Subscribe to the channel while you’re there!

FITNESS

My weight has bubbled back up even though I punched another hole in my belt. Had another 55 hour week at work but I got my 500 pushups in. In May I’m trying a workout app, and I bought the book you saw at the top of this post. Never stop never stopping.

I’m pretty tired.

These 55-hour weeks are stacking, bros. Gotta figure out how to cut an hour off the route every day.

READING

I finished three books. This coming week I will finish four, including XENOS (WH40k), RIDING THE ROLLER COASTER (history of Chrysler), TOPGUN (history of the actual school), and NORWOOD (a novel by the guy who wrote TRUE GRIT).

Might sneak a fifth book in there, depends on what’s going on. Many short books this week. Hoopla was bugging me about the six April credits I hadn’t used yet so I went on a borrowing bender.

I’ve also got some books I need to read for Upstream, we’ll see if I work one in.

WRITING

Made a LOT of progress on the Howling Wilderness edits. Very pleased. I’m adding more clues along the way that will support the final act reveal with the [no spoilers].

Also managed to get together a review for TOWER OF SILENCE, that took longer than I expected. Gonna go write a few pieces for the CrackerStack after this.

DRAWING

Finished a piece for Sheriff Porter, started another one. I will finish it this week. Then, well…I might be ready to launch that bad boy. I’m tempted to just throw it up on Amazon instead of going through the hassle of a crowdfunding campaign, but let’s be real, I’ll make some actual dollars if I crowdfund it. And that’d be nice.

Another realization I had this week is that I need to commit to fewer pieces in my books, this will help turnaround time, and it will force me to only draw the ones I really want to, which always come out the best anyway.

AUDIO

New Radcracker is up. Subscribe on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

VIDEO

I didn’t get this done like I wanted to. The week went well until Wednesday when I only got a few hours of sleep, then woke up to a tornado siren. I never really recovered from that, and by the end of Friday my energy levels plummeted. I will probably get the Watterson video recorded tonight and it will go live tomorrow morning.

I’m making a change to my sleep schedule and it should be the last adjustment needed.

FITNESS

This was me, once. We have to go back…

I kept my weight down and my total #PectoCracker count is 8040. I was supposed to do 100 on Friday and I didn’t, and I didn’t make it up yesterday either. This was a conscious choice and I’m upset with myself over it.

Part of the problem is my nutrition, I was not on top of it this week. I went grocery shopping and got some better food this week. Frankly I need to be eating more carbs. I burn 4,000+ calories a day and then I bonk and eat ice cream or whatever, no surprise that I’m in a nutritional purgatory.

Never stop trying though. Keep at it. This week I am committing to 560 pushups (112 per weekday are you kidding me, come on) so I can get to 8600 on the year. That keeps me on pace for 25,000. Once May hits, I’m going back to 150 a day.

Remember last month when I said I was going to translate the Czech MHI anthology?

The link is now live on their website. I’ve already got my copy and I’ll start picking my way through the stories. This will be an ongoing series on the CrackerStack, and these summaries will eventually be paywalled, so make sure you’re subscribed.

Sometimes I draw pictures at church.

WRITING

Started edits on HOWLING WILDERNESS. S/o to “Kenny Parrish” for his feedback, I’m 2 chapters in and already tightening the bolts. I aim to be 25% done this week (currently 10% done.)

READING

Finished a couple of good ones, there will be reviews on Upstream. This week I’m starting my re-read of the Red Rising series, I expect the first book will take me 2 days. I don’t like to blitz those, and I have a lot of other content to listen to. I’m also going to read DEAD RINGER and RIPTIDES.

DRAWING

Finished a Porter piece, got another one half finished. Had some busy evenings, so I didn’t do as much as I wanted, but I did see The Return of the King in the theater, so it was a worthy trade-off.

AUDIO

New Radcracker, as one does. Subscribe on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

VIDEO

I did a video about Mario that earned some numbers, but the real winner is my video about LitRPG that seems to be pissing off a lot of nerds, lol.

FITNESS

I did my 500 pushups. Wanted to do the 660, but I stuck to the basics just to get back on track. Very pleased. I’ll do 560 this week just to cap off that awkward 40. As of right now I’m at 7640 so next week I want to hit 8200 even. Also got my weight down under 211, by a frog hair. Progress is progress.

FOLLOW MY WORK

My YouTube channel is growing and I keep getting closer to monetization. Please follow and watch.

I do book reviews on the CrackerStack and you can subscribe there to support my work financially.

I occasionally post art on Instagram, too.

Jesus beat death, and I’m looking forward to the day He beats the tax man, too.

Happy Easter, everyone.

WRITING

Didn’t have a writing night like I wanted. Too much else going on. I’m scheduling it this week for Friday night and the reminder is going in my phone. Most likely I will start chipping at the next draft of HOWLING WILDERNESS.

Also failed to write anything new for Crackerstack, that’s on me. Will remedy.

READING

I finished three books, and I’m halfway through a fourth. This week I’m finishing CODEX BABYLON and then I’ve got some have-to reads in the lineup. The first is the Ron DeSantis book, it’s a library hold and others are waiting on it; then I’m due to read TOWER OF SILENCE, which just came out, and I need to review it for Upstream. I’ve got a few others to work my way through, I won’t announce them here until I’m done.

DRAWING

God willing, I should finish the interior art for Sheriff Porter. Once that’s done, I have to fine-tune the crowdfunding details. No decision yet on when that is going live, but it will be in the next few months.

AUDIO

New Radcracker dropped, as always. Subscribe on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

VIDEO

I had a successful video about the new Paolini book coming in October, but why the heck isn’t anyone watching my RESIDUE review? Watch this now, daggummit!

FITNESS

Oh boy. Last week broke me. For the first time all year, I failed to do the baseline 500 pushups. The last two days of work were brutal (I moved well over 2,000 cases off the truck and most of it was heavy.) But I also waited until Thursday to really try to catch up, and I flat out did not have the energy for it. It was almost scary, how drained I was. Then again I did move 30,000 lbs of product by hand in just two days, so I mean…

I’m recommitting. I only did 240 pushups this last week so the total is up to 7140. I will do 560 this week to get me to 7700. It’s also my goal to weigh in at 210, so we’ll see how that goes. I’m almost adjusted to the night schedule.

Get back at it.

It’s been a bumpy couple of weeks for me in the 21st Century, but hey.

Writing

Slapped together some reviews over at the Stack, didn’t write any fiction. This one is starting to bother me. I’m going to set aside at least one night per week to drop words on something. Let’s say Thursday.

Reading

I finished three more audiobooks and a print book, bringing my 2023 total to 49 books by the end of March. Tried to get to 50, but I didn’t want to force it. This week I will finish RESIDUE by Steve Diamond, CODEX BABYLON by Rob Kroese, the new Secret Sanderson book, and an old Kit Carson pulp novel. There’s a chance I’ll take a weeknight and finish EASY GO by Crichton. It’s print, I bet I could knock it out if I just sit down and read.

Drawing

Made big progress here. I’m halfway through another piece and I like how they’re all coming together. Hopefully they print well. I also finished a commission for someone but I won’t post it until they’re ready.

Audio

New episode of Radcracker is up. Subscribe on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

Video

My reading recap for March. This one’s not doing as well as my other videos out the gate, but oh well. More to come.

Fitness

Another hard week at work, but by gosh I got my 500 minimum push-ups in, plus an extra 10 with my daughter on my back (she thinks it’s fun.) Total on the year is 6900. I’ll commit to another 500, and see what I can do about working out in the shop.

This coming week is going to be busy. I have some stuff to do at church, and some projects around the house. But the train never stops.