Archefire Newsletter

Greetings one and all, and welcome to the March Madness edition of the Archefire Newsletter. Contrary to popular belief, this edition has absolutely nothing to do with NCAA basketball, and everything to do with my slow descent into madness all throughout February.

Perhaps February Madness would have been a more apt title for this newsletter, but you've got to hand it to those college sports commissioners. They really do have a knack for branding.

Of course, since we're beyond the end of February, the madness has reached its zenith. Perhaps in this opening you can detect a faint whiff of – dare I say it – the silly? So then, let us begin...at the beginning. The good stuff, early in the month. Before the hospitalization.

Sibling Suns 3 and the Secret Project

I did manage to get a few chapters done this month, though they had to wait until I finished the – hushed voice – Secret Project. You know how when you put something off for a time, it looms larger and larger in your mind until you feel like even starting the task becomes a gargantuan effort? Yeah, a bit of that happened with the Secret Project. Turns out it was all a crock though, because once I finally sat down to begin, I finished everything I needed to do in about 25 minutes. Now ask me why I'd been putting it off for almost a year.

Actually, don't ask me, because I have no answer but to throw my hands wildly in the air and gesture vaguely at the project about which I can actually say things – Sibling Suns 3.

I know February is a short month, but I expected to get more than a whopping three chapters done. Ah well, such is life. That work brings the total to 44 out of 68 chapters complete, putting us at 65% for the 1.0 Draft. Only four and a half chapters left to close out Part III, so theoretically... it could be done by the end of March. But I still need to write Le Epic Battle Sequence, and those scenes typically involve a lot more planning before diving into the draft, so theoretically... it could be another slow writing month. What I'm saying is you shouldn't rely on theory.

"But Josh!" I hear your objections ringing out across the digital seas, "You only wrote 3600 words this month!"

You've a sharp eye, pupil, and you're correct. You've forced this confession: these percentages are also largely a sham. QUICK MATHS – What's 114,100 words divided by 65%? That's right, it's 1755 words per percent, and what a unit that is! Per percent, lovely. Yet I accomplished 5% in a mere 3600 words. What sort of scrivening sorcery be this? Well, the percent is entirely driven by chapter completion, not word count. I only put them in the same graphic because it looks better having two numbers than just one.

And 44 chapters written? Probably all three written this month, so short are they, will merge into a single chapter in the end, like a Benefactor assimilating its dazzled victims. And don't even get me started on the total of 68 chapters. Could be more, could be less. I daresay we might be lucky enough to see a total of sixty-four (an auspicious number for this series)! But who can say, really? The muses are fickle. The outline is wrong. The writing plan is nothing but a statement of hopes and dreams, always crushed by the bitter realities of storytelling.

My timelines are a crock. The progress numbers are a sham. Is there any aspect of this endeavor that isn't entirely fraudulent?

The feelings, dear reader. The feelings. For how can emotions, experienced in the directness of consciousness itself, be anything but true? Well, well, well. It's funny you should ask that, because it's precisely the question I set out to answer in an AMAZING little book called An Ocean of Others.

A Call for Epic Fantasy Alpha Readers

Photo chosen specifically to sell the ruse

Hah, you thought I was going to launch into a Shameless Self-Promotion segment, didn't you? Consider yourself bamboozled, because this month I'm using this segment not to crow about my incredible works of art but instead to lift up an aspiring new author who needs help turning his own book into an incredible work of art.

Earlier in the month, I met with my friend Christian Schaefer to discuss his new epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Grandmeure. He's been working on it for years, and his passion for the story is palpable, but it's time for the sword to leave the scabbard. As all wise authors must, he has chosen to submit his debut novel to the crucible of... a test audience.

THE BEACONS OF WAR

Centuries after a broken alliance, the unity between men and elves has descended into a fragile, segregated stalemate. Prince Marcus Allister has dedicated his life to uphold his father’s legacy of honor, while his younger brother, Daimon, prefers the life of a prodigal son to the "pen of politics."

But when Rylan, the realm’s protector, uncovers traces of an ancient, long-forgotten enemy—Morseth, The Dark One of Grandmeure—the brothers’ world of peace is shattered. Morseth ignites the beacons of a new war, forcing a choice between ancient alliances and immediate survival.

In order to stop this new Age of Chaos, Marcus and Daimon must forge their own paths that will bridge the gap between their duty and their hearts. The Allister brothers will be tested in the trials that await them, as they strive to save their homeland before all hope is lost.

It's a new story in the classic vein – brothers at odds, brought together by an ancient threat. I haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to begin. Several of you have provided early feedback for my books. Now we're flipping the script!

Join me as an Alpha Reader for The Beacons of War. In return, you'll be included in the published book's acknowledgements and even have a character named after you! But more importantly, you'll be honing this story into its sharpest steel and bolstering a new author setting out on the journey of a lifetime. Who knows where that adventure will take him – or you?

Become an Alpha Reader for The Beacons of War

/* If you have any difficulty accessing the signup form, let me know and I'll relay the technical troubles to Christian to get it sorted! */

The Rest of the Month

I confess, I'm running a bit short on time here. I unwisely began drafting this shortly before dinner on...today. March 4th. The day this newsletter is supposed to hit your inboxes. And I have to host a book club tonight! And it's trash day. And I'm recovering from surgery.

What's that? Oh, yes, the surgery bit.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Josh, you really rocked that scrub cap. And I agree. I've been considering integrating them into my normal wardrobe. But I must say, I wasn't expecting to include so many shots of me in hospital beds throughout this year's newsletters. Ah well, such is life.

Recovery is going well. It was just a little bit of abdominal surgery, fairly routine, I'll spare you the bloody details. Only feels like I'm getting stabbed in the guts every once in a while, and hey, that's not bad considering I was quite thoroughly stabbed in the guts and poked and prodded by a bunch of robot arms. The miracle of modern medicine!

Unfortunately, all my hopes and dreams of spending this time laid up in bed doing something actually productive flew out the window by day two of recuperation. No more writing happened, no more anything really. Rachel is picking up so much slack, carrying the entire weight of our life right now, even though she inevitably caught whatever new infection Benny brought home from daycare. I have the most amazing wife. 💚

My mom also flew in to help with childcare for the first week after surgery – we really couldn't have done it without her. Her reward was the same infection, because no good deed goes unpunished. Love you, Mom! 💚

I still can't pick up my son and give him a hug – and gosh do I wish I could. Even after a few days, I really miss the little guy. But they tell me I've got to be good and keep from lifting anything over 10 lbs. Friends, I've read books that weighed that much – it's surprising how much you can't pick up with three sets of stitches in your belly. It's driving me mad! (Aaaaaand scene! Full circle! Curtains!)

I've run out of writing time and have no idea how to end this section naturally.