Rumors of my Demise etc

I’ve written for as long as I can remember, or damn close to it. I’ve always wanted to do it, you know, and make some manner of living at it. For many years, I had (still do, shush) that fear of actually showing my work to anyone, which makes it difficult for it to be published, and thus, it turns out, purchased.

So I scribbled, refined, and threw away millions of words. Then one day, I realized I hated my job and what I was doing with my life, so I decided I was going to write something, show it to people, and maybe even sell it.

I started the project I had always wanted to. A series of stories, stories that reflect my love of history and chaos theory (and spaceships). Stories where people float (and die) in space. Where the bad guys are defined more by their greed than their sinister suits, and the good guys aren’t exactly good. I loved writing in that universe.

In order to help with my goal of actually doing it, and actually showing people, I put the drafts of the stories up online, for anyone to read. Some people even did! And liked them! Holy crap. When I had enough, I launched a Kickstarter campaign to publish it.

It failed miserably.

I went back to the drawing board, and did another one. It squeaked by. I got the editing done, the cover was actually contributed, and I had a book out.

That was in 2013. Which is, as the loyal readers I do have like to remind me, way too damn long ago. The follow up has been written, rewritten, scrapped completely, redone and half-done. Which is where we find it today.

So, today, I’m asking you to give me a kick in the ass to finish it. Starting today, and every Friday until I am done, a new story is going up on the 3024AD site. Read it. Tell me if it sucks, or it’s awesome, or whatever. Yell at me if I’m late. Check back here for notes about the stories.

And, if you want to chip in to this little, alcohol-fueled dream of mine, I started a Patreon site. It would mean the world and much more to me if you felt like my writing is worth spending even a few bucks on (also, anyone who supports that gets the first book automatically).

So here we go.

-DESR

The Eleven Best Things About Bellingham

I promise I won’t go all in on the moving mopes, but I am going to swoon over Bellingham for a bit. Here are my favorite things about it:

11. Woods Coffee – Please take over the world. You’re so much better than Starbucks.

10. Artwood – Always a humbling place for any manner of artist. The creations people make out of wood is beyond amazing., and quintessentially Bellingham

9. .  GreenHouse & Ideal – Two great shops, full of wonderful and unique things. I can meander and drool for hours.

8. The Archer Ale House – Underground pub. What;s not to love? Great beer, scotch and amazing food. There are other boozy establishments on this list, but were you to visit, I would tell you to this one.

Rocket Doughnuts

7. Kulshan Brewery – Kulshan opened shortly after my last move, from literally across the street, but damn if it hasn’t established itself as one of the better up-and-coming breweries around. Awesome folk music on Sundays only helps.

6. BelleWood Acres – So, so many memories here. Apples, of course, are in order, but their peanut butter, gin, vodka and brandy make it beyond amazing (gin+blue cheese = OMG). The new building, with live music and food is a great destination.  Seriously, order the peanut butter.

5 Boundary Bay – The original and the best, or at least very close to it. The food alone is amazing, and their beer is world class.

4. Elizabeth Station – The fact that this place isn’t #1 on the list says how many great places this town has. I’ve been there since it opened, when it was a small store with five taps and the same dudes working the bar, to 20 taps, over 1,000 beers and a bunch of people I don’t recognize. But still – it’s the watering hole.

3. Rocket Doughnuts – They have a ray gun collection and the best doughnuts on the west coast. That is all.

2. Village Books – Home, sweet home.

And number one… well, that one’s mine.

Goodbye, Farewell, Amen

If you follow me on Ye Olde Twittre, you may have tolerated a certain amount of mopiness on my part. The last few months have been less than pleasant, and things kind of came to a head the last month or so. This may have affected my usually peppy demeanor.

That is, hopefully, at an end. While the last several months have been spent primarily on writing and not working for The Man, circumstances dictate that I need to go back to a ‘day job’, and as such, one has been agreed upon.

However, said circumstances will bring to an end my almost-decade long stay in the fine city of Bellingham. This may or may not mean much to you, but it’s a bittersweet moment for me. Bellingham resides in that sweet spot of not being a small town that is 45 minutes from anywhere (such as where I grew up), nor the middle of a big city. It has everything you need, and all the fun, quirky things that make it fun. There is a ton I’d miss about it here, even though I am excited for something new.

Anyway. Perhaps of small concern to you, but so many of you have shown me a great deal of kindness the last couple weeks. So -thank you.

Here’s to the next chapter.

–DESR