Hey y’all! This week I’m sharing what’s going on with me, the books/shows/movies I’m enjoying, and a general writer update for what I’m working on and plans for the future.
Writing Updates
I’m currently hammering away at the first draft of a fantasy story, tentatively titled “The Stone Marches.” I don’t like to share too much about a story whilst I’m in the middle of it, because some traitorous gremlin part of my brain treats the telling as me already having written the story. The quest for dopamine is a long, strange trek.
But progress is slow interspersed with bursts of activity, as is my method. This is the story partially inspired by Dark Souls vibes, which I mentioned in my game inspiration blog. I expect to finish the first draft before the end of the year, and have a completed manuscript by spring 2026.
I’ll likely pitch it to publishers for a bit, it’s been awhile since I had a new manuscript to make the rounds.
I’m also getting my ducks in a row to write and publish a third high school detective story in my Harris & Vegas series.
What I’m Reading
I’m about six books behind where I should be to make my goal of 24 books for the year, but it ain’t over yet!
My First Half of 2025 Book Recs
Currently I’m in the last quarter of Brandon Sanderson’s WAY OF KINGS, which is to say there’s only a couple thousand more pages to go. I’m enjoying it, though it took awhile to get going and the pace is shall we say “measured.” I’m enjoying the world and most of the characters, and it’s nice to visit an intelligently built, alien fantasy world that isn’t elves/dwarves/etc.
How this dude churns out like three of these intricately woven fantasy novels a year is a marvel of writerly discipline.
I’m also simultaneously reading X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, THE WAR OF THE TWINS, and PINQUICKLE’S FOLLY, because I am afflicted with an incurable madness of some stripe.
What I’m Watching
Just finished the latest season of THE BEAR, which was lovely (particularly the wedding episode). The finale is an amazing emotional beat, but leaves some of the plot unresolved, which to be fair they did last season and seems to be a pattern. Set up a big “waiting for news” moment and then not address it in the finale.
Also just started ALIEN: EARTH, because I enjoy spaceships, xenomorphs, and Timothy Olyphant. Love the synth/consciousness angle, the general vibes, and the “corporate hellhole planet” aspects immediately. Production is excellent, the ideas are fun, acting/directing is great all around, and I’m enjoying it.
There are some definite logistical issues that seem to plague the franchise to this day. The xenomorph is shown to be a lightning-quick murderer than can slaughter an entire room in two seconds, often before people even have the chance to stand up, but it takes 15 calendar hours for it to drool on and/or menace any named characters so they can be conveniently saved at the last second. You get the sense the xenomorph may be a bit of a drama queen.
Intelligent, college-educated, conflict-tested characters tend to open their mouths and lean over strange glistening eggs of dubious provenance, but again, that seems to be an issue with the entire franchise.
I do think that, in the same way ALIEN ROMULUS made the cast a bunch of teenagers, this show has also put a group of children in danger to justify all the incredibly dumb, impulsive, outright suicidal decisions the characters seem compelled to make around the titular Alien.
It sounds like I’m shitting on the show but I like it a lot, I’m just a snarktopus and I can’t help it sometimes.
What I’m Playing
MARVEL RIVALS, trying to get a “lord” Doctor Strange without tearing my hair out from frustration. The only teammates I get paired with seem to consist of sentient moss growing on a DualShock controller somewhere. I should really stop doing Quick Play.
Also SOUL REAVER 1 and 2 Remastered, because my articles got me all keyed up to reave souls. Graphics look shiny and eye-pleasing, gameplay is still fun, and the voice acting soothes and comforts me in these nitheful times.
Marketing Updates
Trying to draw attention to DJINN & TONIC, which had a great launch but has petered out a bit. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’d be dope and/or swell if you did. Noir, genies, heists, sexiness, etc.
If you’re interested in a free copy, I’ve started a Booksprout campaign. Just head on over, sign up/log in, and grab the book for the low price of nothing, and give it a review once you’re finished.
And if you have dug it already, let a friend or a social media following know it ain’t half bad. Go here for links on stuff to share or places you can review any of my nonsense. All is greatly, hugely, enormously appreciated.
See you next Wednesday for some kind of article, probably. Consistency is the key.
B.C. Johnson 