Meta, Personal

Taking July off!

(Boy do I wish that were true…)

I’m taking some time off from podcasting while I finish my work-in-progress, which is close to being done. But I’m driving hard to write as much as possible, launch Minecraft: The Lost Journals, and stay sane during the summer of busy travel and family stuff. So I’m taking some time to finish the book, and then some time to recover. I may put some stuff out here and there, but I can’t promise anything till August.

Thanks so much for your support!

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #77: Just Jetpacks

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:38 — 12.6MB)

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The 20-Minute Ditch returns! Time is the fire in which we burn! In this new mini-episode Matt and Mur talk about inventing science fiction and how it’s just people plus robots plus jet packs. More seriously, they talk about how “literary” authors offering “serious takes” on SF is reductive and harmful to SF authors and the field in general, and the result that attitude has on how books are marketed and sold.
News

Award nominations, new Ditch Digger team member, and more!

Work proceeds on my current novel, still unnamed and untalked about. Except I just did. But I’m writing a lot.

I have unexpected award nomination news! The Japanese translation of Six Wakes was nominated for the prestigious Seiun Award, and Solo: A Star Wars Story was nominated for the media tie-in focused Scribe Award! I was shocked and honored to hear both of these.

Solo also just came out in paperback, so if you’ve been waiting for a cheaper version of the book, wait no more!

Ditch Diggers 77 comes out shortly, and Matt and I are recording on a regular schedule now. We also welcome Hugo-nominated fan writer Alasdair Stuart to the team to give us some of his wisdom, and his first column is here: Welcome to the Montage, Now Stare at a Test Tube

I think that’s it. Summer looms, with movies, and heat, and new book launch, and running, and lots and lots of writing.

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #76: Ennui

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:19 — 40.6MB)

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  • Matt and Mur come to you live from Jeff Goldblum’s Teeter-Totter Playground, which is really just one teeter-totter in the middle of a room that his guests all think is an art installation but that Jeff desperately wants them to use.
  • Matt is stressed and yearns to live in Goldblumian fantasy, and Mur is using self-awareness to guide her out of a depression fog as she drives towards her most recent book deadline.
  • Depression, phlebotomy, and tormenting butchers are all discussed.
  • The main topic of the episode is finally revealed, and that is the myth that once you make that first big sale as a writer, your work is done and your career is made.
  • Matt and Mur talk about experiencing the highs and lows of a long, steady freelance writing career, specifically how they’re both currently experiencing a quiet year after a big professional year.
  • Dealing with the illusion, vastly perpetuated by social media, that everybody is constantly announcing big deals and exciting news except for you.
  • Matt can’t think of a non-sexual-sounding metaphor for orally ingesting CBD oil.
  • Mur talks about feeling like nothing matters when you’re in-between big projects and big announcements, and trying to fill her time by redirecting energy into meaningful tasks.
  • Matt and Mur talk about how to get past that initial slong of trying to get into a new project, and how to build momentum.
  • Q&A! Matt and Mur are referred to as “entrepreneurs” and are very excited about it, eventhough the question that follows is vague. Plus, conspiracies and Matt resisting his old urges to say dickish things, and much more!
  • Obligatory end-of-episode shilling.