Five Years in the Future

In the five years since moving to Newfoundland, I've written a 4 book LitRPG series Enroa Unleashed, a 5 book Fantasy series, The Shadow's Dragon (with the help of coauthors) made three card games, and edited almost 100 novels for other authors (ask me for book recs).

Sometimes I look at that number and think "what if I'd done something different with all that time?" What if I had all the money in the world? Would I still be doing this?

The answer is, "I'd have found a way to write more books."  Sometimes I imagine writing from a family beach bungalow, or a manhattan loft with leather armchairs and a library of first editions. Sometime's it's just one very, very good book. But, I'm always writing.

Year 5 in in Newfoundland, I'm doing everything I can to spend more time with family. But also more of the workday writing. I'm winding down the editor business (never entirely, because it keeps me sharp), worrying less about trying to sell books, instead trusting eager readers to do that for me.

I'm eyeing new projects and thinking what's next. Shadow's Dragon isn't finished yet, there will be a release in 2026, but we're ending the second 3 book arc. Even the card games have reached a place that I'm happy with.

So what do I want the next five years of writing to look like? Do I launch another big series?  Do I focus on one perfect book? Do I try something experimental like a web novel or a narrative card game? Do I slow things down and focus on the back catalog? (Atlas and Whalemoon are two older projects that never got the sequels they deserved. Unleashed has spinoff potential. Rime and Treylen are winding down but they could have more adventures ahead of them.) 

One thing is sure, I'd like to do a better job of connecting with readers. It's nice to have more fantasy worlds to play in, but I miss the back and forth I used to have with readers when I had just one book to share. My question for you, if you've read this far: how do you engage with books and authors? Do you collect signed hardcovers? Do you comment on webnovels or meet authors at book fairs? Are you into book contests like SPFBO? Do you read in stolen moments on your phone?

And what are you reading next? What do you want to read in the next five years? What weird and out-there book are you hoping for that hasn't been written yet?

Speaking of untold stories, here's me standing in front of the C.S. Lewis door in Oxford.  Supposedly this door predates and inspired the novel. I don't think I've written my "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" yet. Maybe I need to find my own funky door.