Okay, so I realize it's been a while since I've really posted anything (or at least it feels like it), and it's time for an update.
So I've been struggling with some burnout these past few weeks. I had trips in June, July, and August, and in between those I had a dozen little stressors that collectively were wearing me down. most of this last month has been a legitimate blur. To be frank, I haven't been okay, but I'm getting out of it. I've been trying to whittle down the stuff that's been eating at me, with enough success I'm getting back to functional.
Part of the issue is that I had a freelancing gig that wound up being harder than I'd anticipated, and I was struggling with it in places, and I didn't feel comfortable writing anything for fun while I still had deadlines for that over my head. I do have my final draft turned in, so that's one thing off my plate. (Song in the Dark 3 was finished and released in between first and final drafts)
Another issue is that there was a recall on the blood pressure medication I was on, and I waited a while for a suitable replacement to get in stock, and figured 'how long could this take?' Well, it took long enough that the medication cleared my system and my blood pressure started getting back into 'regular headache' levels, where I could feel the physical effects of the stress -- which stressed me out. They've since worked out a replacement (my medication was a combination of two drugs in one pill, and now I'm just taking both drugs separately), and I'm getting back to normal there as well.
But I'm still kind of emotionally and mentally drained and getting caught up on stuff. In addition, due to scheduling and life problems, my gaming group hasn't been able to get together to play anything since July (and it's been even longer since I've had the entire group at once). And playing a couple of games and running one at Gencon haven't exactly been enough to scratch that itch.
But, I mean, I'm managing as best I can right now.
And now, more specific updates:
Conversion: Working on the new chapter. That's been a little slow because a bunch of stuff came to me while I was working on the previous chapter that's changed the story's ending, and the new version of events is going to take a little more planning than the previous one. But it's cool and exciting and I'm looking forward to working on it.
Song in the Dark: On pause until I get the new chapter of Conversion out. And to be honest, I need the break, as the recent news about Alec Holowka (one of the developers of the game) has kind of dulled my enthusiasm somewhat. But I'm sure once I'm finished with the next chapter of Conversion, assuming I don't have anything else I absolutely need to do right then (i.e., something with a deadline) I'll probably be fine to get back into it. Though during all of the discussion about Alec, it's come up that there is apparently an epilogue planned for the game that was in the works and may still come out in some form, which means I might have to make some decisions on how to handle portions of the story that extend beyond the game's ending. Yes, I'm aware I could just say "this was always a fan story, I always knew I might just separate it from canon," but at the same time there's a part of me that wonders "but what if the official epilogue has lots of choice stuff I could mine for material for my fanfic." You see the conundrum I'm in.
In addition, I've got some urban fantasy stuff I've been poking at, taking a story that's been on the back burner and applying some new ideas to rework it into something that might be worth submitting to a publisher. And while I'm doing that, I'm fending off the constant itching in my brain to start something new that likely won't be worth finishing, or dust off something I've previously decided wasn't worth finishing and write three paragraphs before realizing I never had any functional ideas there to begin with.
And... hm. Honestly, I can't really think of anything else to add here. Hope everyone's summer has been a pleasant one.
