Sometimes you've just got to flip your big dumb alien onto his stomach and teach him a thing about masculinity.

It’s not how much you’ve got — it’s how you use it.

Finally, everything is going good for Carter. He's not a slave. He has a roof over his head. He's fixed his alien language translator and now can talk to Pykh and Siel, his protectors.
​
Thankfully, they aren't promiscuous alien hillbillies. They're loyal men who love him, and Carter loves them back. Our space marine is ready to settle into a new life on the fleaf'akhie planet and be happy.

But now there's another problem. On this planet… he's the girl?

And not just any girl, but a pale, delicate, exotic princess who must be bowed to, courted, and entertained with poems.

What's a tough space marine to do, being treated like this?
​
Setting them straight would be easy, and Carter does come clean to his hopeful fathers to-be, but now a golden-armored general brings a carriage to take him away to safety. Carter must play along with the princess act, or he and his new family may be turned away at the gates. 

I'm sorry to make you guys wait so long! So here's another In Progress report.

I'm writing the last chapters of the book! Not the last chapters, but it's looking like I have 12-ish left. They're approx 1.5k on average, so I'm definitely in the range of less than 20k to complete the book.

I am taking a lot of time with this ending, but that's because if you don't like the end to book 3, you're not going to like the series overall. Book 3 is basically the whole point of writing these. :)

I'm really happy with the chapters I'm completing right now, so while I'm not pleased with spending, what, 6+ months on a single story, I am very proud of this book. Juggling the perspectives, the number of characters, and the political elements has improved my skill as a writer, I think. I look forward to more complex stories and challenges like the Human Omega books have been for me.

I also look forward to having fewer viewpoint characters, lol.

Anyway! I'm confident the book finishes in two weeks or less. I do a lot of improvisation, so if I hit another twisty road I could be knocked back. But I write a little bit out of order and a lot of the ending chapters have already been completed. I'm hitting areas of paved road in front of me.

And then editing won't take longer than two weeks. I've been editing during the times that I'm stuck. Spending months on this draft has also improved the continuity of the story, so I won't have to rewrite chapters. I may delete some chapters, but I won't need to do book surgery, thank god.

Hang in there a little longer! I'm working on my process to avoid burnout and increase efficiency in the future.

Happy Easter!

No chapter this time :<

Happy Thursday!! I'm super pleased to have listened to the audiobook of Pykh 1. It was so weird! I have distinct voices for the characters in my head. Joel did such a good job as the narrator, but I blushed hearing some parts. I've never heard my work read out loud before! The first sexy scene from Carter's POV is hilarious.

Today I picked a Siel chapter to share. This is Pykh's first warm bath, part one of two. I'm running out of chapters that I can share without giving major plot points away, so this will be the last one until the book releases.

I am expecting to upload the book at the end of March. I know, it's such a long time! But this the most complex book I've ever written. I never do romances with this many characters.

Book 3 is also the 'meat and bones' of the series. I am going to write a book 4, but it's more of a long epilogue to see our guys at home and safe. Our dangerous adventuring days wrap up in book 3, and I have to admit, I'm picky about getting the right scenes in place.

Currently I have 53 chapters. I think I might hit 70. Book two was about 55 chapters, I think? I can't quite remember. But I have to take my time with this one, I can't just rush through it. I'm at the last part of the middle, right before the dynamite goes boom, and then I get to write a kickass finale.

​Be patient with me! 'When will it be out?' can only be answered with, 'When it is done'. The blog will be silent for awhile, but I'm hard at work!

(Thank you everyone who has picked up the audiobook! I don't know if Tantor will complete the series in audio. I think the audiobook would have to sell really well for them to pick up books 3 & 4. But still, having my first ever audiobook out there is pretty darn cool.)

Alrighty, here's another chapter! On time! Yay!

This is one of the chapters that I almost cut when I was trying to speed up the pacing of the book. I'm glad I decided to slow it down and let this story find its own rhythm. Scenes are flowing a lot better for me now.

In this chapter, Pykh is practicing sparring with Teal. He's sort of flirting without trying to, and Siel is a little jealous. This is a really adorable scene I wanted to write because Pykh hasn't been able to interact with anyone his own age and just play.

It's short and silly and accomplishes nothing besides a little character development, but I hope you find it cute! 

Happy new chapter day! In this one Auk confronts the general over the cage he's bringing for Carter. Auk and Iethuth have a few confrontations in this book, and all of these chapters are extremely fun to write.

​I have a new washing machine, and all is finally calm again. :-) I am heavily focused and hard at work on this book, so I'm just going to tab back over to my word processor and keep going.

Let me know what you think of the chapter though! I love responding to all your comments. I will post two more chapters. One on February 7th and the other on the 21st. The book should be about done by then! (crosses fingers)