Normally I'd start this annual recap by saying something like "Wow, I can't believe this year is almost over! Where did the time go?"
My feelings toward 2020 are slightly different. A bit more nuanced, you could say. More along the lines of "kill it with fire."
Publishing-wise, it was a productive year, though! We saw the release of Black Tie Required, the sixth Harmony Black novel, back in April. That was followed by The Insider, Charlie McCabe's second mystery, and finally by A Time for Witches -- the sequel to Ghosts of Gotham -- in time for Halloween. I was deeply, deeply touched by the response to A Time for Witches. In a year that got pretty rough (no complaints, I've still got a roof over my head and food on my plate), having a gamble turn into one of the best-reviewed and received novels of my career was incredibly heartwarming and I'm so very grateful.
(Speaking of, the final audiobook files for A Time for Witches have been reviewed and approved, and we're just waiting for Audible to do their final checks before it comes out.)
I found time along the way to squeeze out a couple of short stories, commenting on the sheer weirdness of the year (Lockdown and Hex the Moon, both available for free on my website if you haven't seen them), and launch my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/craigschaefer where I've been serializing a new novel set in the world of Ghosts of Gotham. The final act of that story, The Hungry Dreaming, is underway, and soon I'll be polling subscribers about what you'd like to see next.
I hesitate to comment on the more downbeat issues of 2020, because things are tough all over and I don't have any kind of monopoly on hard times. Other people have it a lot harder. That said, I'd be remiss doing an annual look-back without reflecting on how this year found me burned out and spiraling down. I reached out and got help -- therapy, meds -- and I'm doing a hell of a lot better now. On reflection, I think it's safe to say that getting mental help probably saved my life.
If you're struggling, even drowning, thinking about getting medical help -- please do. This isn't a matter of pride, any more than getting help for a heart condition or a broken leg is a matter of pride. This is a matter of survival. Benefit from my example, okay? Tell 'em I sent you.
So that's the look back. What's ahead?
I had originally hoped to release the next Daniel Faust adventure, Down Among the Dead Men, in early 2021. I'm still working on it. The aforementioned issues slowed my production to a crawl and I had to choose between half-assing it and rushing a manuscript out, and taking the time it needs to be a really good story.
And that, of course, isn't a choice at all. I'm finally making forward progress again, and polishing it into what I think -- hope -- will be a worthy follow-up to The Locust Job and pay off on a whole bunch of dangling threads (not to mention taking Daniel on a visit to...well, I'll keep quiet in case anyone hasn't read the ending of TLJ yet, but those who have know what I mean. It's going to be wild.)
So I don't have a proper release date yet, but it is coming, sooner rather than later. Likewise, later in 2021 I'm still planning on bringing you the next Harmony Black novel, Never Send Roses. Supernatural espionage and action ahoy!
Beyond that, well...we've got options. I'm open to doing another follow-up to Ghosts of Gotham and making Lionel and Maddie's story a proper trilogy, but the story has to be just right, and I've jotted down a few notes but I haven't quite found it yet. We'll see. I've also been outlining a foray into science fiction, since I've always wanted to give that genre a try.
Of course, it's me, so don't expect hard science. Think big, weird, and mystical, along the lines of Dune. It'll definitely be me-flavored. Not sure if it'll get done this year, but it will happen eventually.
And that's the year: one down, and hopefully a much better one to come. I'm looking forward to bringing you new stories, new experiments, and new adventures in 2021. Thank you so much for joining me on this ride.