I let slip now and then that not everything happening on the homestead gets discussed on this blog. Lately, I’ve been working on a project behind the scenes. I’ve been very focused on it, but I’ve kept it under my hat. Perhaps now the time has come to let it out: I’m about to publish a book of short stories called Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska.
I promise not to begin focusing the blog on selling this book, but it’s a project that’s consumed me lately, and I want to talk about it now and then.
I used to write a lot of dark fiction. When building sailboats and homesteading began to occupy my time and creative energies, the stories languished. A magazine bought and published one story, and another got accepted by another magazine that folded before the story appeared. Other than that, I just hung onto them for years. Finally, my brother asked what had become of them, and suggested I publish them print on demand. Why not? Most of the people who read the stories liked them, and we’re all about creating “micro incomes” to pay the bills. And, with print on demand, there’s no risk of ending up with boxes of unsold books in the shed—the printer prints each individual order as it’s made. I’ll also produce a Kindle version, and hopefully other electronic formats as well.
I settled on 14 stories, all but one of which relate to Southeast Alaska in some way. Looking over everything I’ve written, I see that’s an overriding theme and setting for most of what I’ve written as an adult. Go figure!
I’m pretty much finished with the editing and design. At the moment I’m working on groundwork that’ll allow me the maximum control over the book in the long run. I hope to have it out soon, maybe in time for Halloween?
In the meantime, you can visit the promotional page I’ve set up on our Web site. You’ll find excerpts from some of the stories and a complete audio version of one of them. When it’s ready to order, I’ll add links there.
It’s an exciting project, and it’s been very helpful in preparing me to write and produce a book about living here on the homestead. I hope readers will be excited by it as well.