One of my readers asked a few questions. I responded via e-mail and later through the chat on my website (she was the first to ever use it.... whoot!), however I thought I should update everyone else about what's up.

Her first question was the name. I really delayed answering this because I only have a very tentative title. Right now its "An Exchange of Hostages" but that may change. Then she asked when I was going to release the 4th book (not including the Omnibus).

"Believe it or not, Covid hasn't really been good for my writing.  Or the rest of the world, of course.  My job is defined (by my employer) as essential so I go to work.  It's medical adjacent.  Meaning, I evaluate and test medical equipment.  My family, including my two seven-year-olds, are at home all the time and while I love them, the screaming, playing and fighting aren't great for writing.
Okay, enough of the excuses.  How far am I?  About halfway.  I slipped during the last release past December.  This made me pretty sad since December is a good time for releases.  People home from work with nothing to do read books.  Considering the issue of diminishing returns with sequels (people buy, read and review the sequels less and less as the series gets longer) this isn't really good.  It's not even that I write slowly.  The first book was written in a few months once I sat down and did it.  See excuse #1 above.  
So getting to the point.  I want it to be December but unless I get more quiet time, I think early next year is more realistic.  Sorry to ramble? ."

By early this year I did not mean January. Or February. We'll see how things go. I am picking up a bit of speed and even finished the cover. Is it odd that the cover is done when its only about 2/3's done? Lets pretend that's normal. My first cover took ages and I had to use one of the cludgiest pieces of garbage editor to splice it together. I think it was a PowerDirector companion app. Now I use Paint.net and its so much easier that its actually fun. It almost inspired me to restart my children's book but I think I came to my senses. I would still have to practice an ungodly amount to make consistent looking characters. I am spread a little too thin as it is. Its still dead and the unfinished pages can be found on my website.

As a side note, while I write this, one of my girls is laying on the bed next to me playing some beeping (literally beeping) video game while talking and singing to herself. Its cute but incredibly distracting.