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Once More Into the Breech

Fool me once, shame on me, Fool me twice...

J Alex Morrissey
June 19, 2022

Once again, I’m taking part in the Clarion West Write-a-thon!

Last year, with your support, we raised a humbling $1,920 for this brilliant non-profit that empowers emerging and underrepresented writers of speculative fiction—and I want to repeat that success.

A quick update on BLACKFIRE. After WAT21 I collected a baker’s dozen of beta readers who provided some insightful feedback that fueled me to complete a final draft of the novel for query submission. My intention is to query BLACKFIRE with a draft of the sequel complete—no need to make a publisher wait too long.

Thankfully, I’m not starting this book with just a premise and character ideas; I have a full outline ready for drafting. A great place to begin, but I’m still intimidated by the blank page and your support (moral and/or financial) will bolster my writing spirit through these six weeks.

So what is the new book? GHOST FLEET, the second in the Unity Song Trilogy—a science fiction/fantasy epic. We continue to follow Celia Vickers and her crew as they navigate the ongoing events kicked off in the first book. And believe me, they stirred up a hornet’s nest, or six, worth of trouble.

Working Title for Book Two

Write-A-Thon 2022 started today, and I’m already feeling the crunch. A week ago Covid got me, so I lost my prep time. I’ll post my Stretch Goals and Benefits when I come up with them this week. Full disclosure: I’m attending HeroesCon June 24-26th, so I’ll be digging myself out of a drafting hole in the entirety of WAT22. This is where the added motivation of your support comes in handy—mussn’t let anyone down.

Sponsorship in any amount helps this organization, as does spreading the word with your friends, family, and coworkers. If you wish to sponsor me, or learn more, please visit my Clarion West Write-a-thon Page. It takes only a few minutes to donate, and the money goes directly to them; I never see a penny, and it makes all the difference in the world to [both] me and Clarion West.

If you have questions about anything, please ask. Writing the book and helping this organization mean the world to me.

Thank you, and I hope you join me throughout the month.

All the best,

Alex

P.S. keep up to date with my progress via Twitter.