So another year is here. It was a very stressful and hectic Christmas, and I think the entire family is glad to be back in the daily grind, well at least to some degree. My work on the Goodwin Chronicles has stalled as I can't think of a good way to end the novel. I'm disappointed in that, but I've had a few other ideas for books. 

Right now I'm working on the outline for a Sci-Fi novel, and I'm excited about the ideas surrounding it. But the biggest thing I've done lately, is to really get into the art of smoking pipes. I've discovered a great forum, www.brothersofthebriar.com

This is a great place to hang out, talk about pipes and just discuss life in general. The pipe gives me a sense of peace, and that is something I well need right now.

I'm also spending way too much time playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. Instead of writing in the morning, I'm addicted to leveling up in this retarded game. But, this too shall pass, I'm sure. I've only just begun playing and I usually peter out after a little while of playing these games.

My little boy is doing well also. He is crawling, and climbing up on the furniture in our house. He's trying to stand on his own, and it's going to be interesting when that actually happens.

If anyone is reading this, I hope your New Year has started in a good way.

Martin

What a perfect Christmas. Wherever we've gone, there's been a white Christmas. Alex was baby Jesus at church and he's cleaned house in the present  department.

Froehliche Weihnachten mein kleiner Bub! Froehliche Weihnachten!

Papa

It's been a wihle since my last update of any importance. First, there are only two days of work left until my Christmas vacation begins. I'll have 12 days off and I can't even begin to express how excited I am about this.

As far as my writing, I've put the Goodwin Chronicles on hiatus for now. Although the story is plotted, I've lost interest in it. It may be because I've plotted it so severely that I've lost my momentum. It feels more like a job, writing it now. I used to have a sense of discovery and excitement while writing it. In hindsight, I think I foiled myself by plotting it too much.

In the meantime, I've begun work on the Wolf Detective Agency. This is a story of three friends, cursed in childhood and now immortal. Noelle and Charlie have remained friends over the almost 100 years they've been alive. Harry, their cihldhood friend dissapeared shortly after they were cursed by powers unknown. Charlie and Noelle discovered powers which help them with their investigations.

Charlie is doomed to live the life of a werewolf. Although his senses are heightened, and his awareness of the superrnatural is much greater than that of a human's he has to abide the monster inside.  For three days surrounding the full moon,he has to chain himself in his basement and wait for the wolf to emerge and run its course. Noelle's plight is much different. She suffers from a quick temper which will flare to the point where she literally turns into a berserker, destroying everything which annoys her. Relationships are impossible, and a normal life is out of the question. She longs for a family and a children. Distrought by the impossibility of having these things, she is often sullen and fatalistic.

Harry is a myster to them, however. They believe he was cursed into a demon, but are unsure of what became of him. He's not been seen for decades.

In an effort to get closer to the supernatural and maybe find a cure for their afflictions, Charlie and Noelle have moved to Elkhorn, WI. This small town of three thousand souls is home to some of the best documented supernatural and paranormal phenomena in the US.

Elkorn being the fourth place they've not settled in, the two friends hope to finally have found a home where they can stay. Not only looking for acceptance, they seek anonimity from the larger world. Mostly, howevery, they seek a cure to their affliction and maybe a normal life of sorts.

This is the story of Charlie, Noelle and Harry. Three kids who dabbled in the paranormal, were cursed and have paid the price for their curiosity for more than a lifetime.

~Martin

I'm very excited that the holidays are finally here. I have plans to do a lot of writing over the next few weeks. Alas, I hope that these plans pan out, and don't turn into pipe-dreams.

As for the Goodwin book, the first novel has been replotted (again) and writing is in progress. I am happier with the plot arch than I've been so far, so I think I'll keep working towards the end of the book. There might be some minor tweaks along the way, but I've discovered that I'm slowly creating a rather large world.

I also have a story idea for two more books, different characters and different stories. One involves werewolves the other worms. Heck, I have no idea where I get these crazy ass ideas. :)

I'm taking a break from writing the chapters for Goodwin (up to chapter 9 right now) and am starting to plot werewolves. Worms is still in it's infancy stage and I need to ruminate on that one a little more.

I also just finished Greg Crites latest novel, Pale Skin Boy, and it was fabulous per usual. I'm moving back and forth between the Takeshi Kovach's novels by Richard K. Morgan and two Christopher Moore novels, Stupitest Angel and Lamb: The gospel acccording to Biff. Pretty funny stuff, those Christopher Moore books. I wish I were half as funny and whitty as he. Alas, Richard K. Morgan's works are ingenious. The world he's created is fascinating and his main character is intriguing as he is bad-ass.

So, at any rate, I hope you have a wondeful holiday season. See you on the other side, or maybe sooner. :)

Martin