12/24/2022, A Christmas Eve Morning

I've made a decision. After I finish the D&D One Shot, I'm going to commit to another draft of my novel. I took some time away and figured out some structural edits that it desperately needs. I'm really proud of it though. I'll drop the elevator pitch down below.

TWO THINGS I AM GRATEFUL FOR (SPECIFIC)

1. I worked with a cultural consultant named Dominique who was wonderful. I reached out about said novel, "Road to Knowhere" and they didn't have room in the schedule for me so instead they introduced me to a colleague named Tori! I truly appreciate it.

2. I suppose I also want to say I'm grateful for Tori. We've barely shared an email between when Dominique introduced us and now but the fact that they agreed to speak with me makes me excited. Gotta enjoy the little things, y'know?

ONE THING THAT WENT WELL DURING THE DAY

I finished reading "The Caped Crusade" by Glen Weldon. It was a fabulous look at how fandom has (but mostly hasn't) changed since the Dark Knight's inception what, 83 years ago? The vitriol and entitlement, none of it is new. Which ... it both a relief and deeply depressing.

ONE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL ACTION ITEM FOR THE DAY

I haven't wrapped my wife's Christmas gifts so I should probably get on that sooner rather than later. She works till closing tonight so I absolutely have time to get it taken care of, although I'd love it if she didn't have to go to work at all.

WHATEVER IS ON MY MIND

So about this novel. It's about a group of former friends, hunted by a shapeshifting monster at their ten-year high school reunion who find themselves trapped in the past where they must confront their own repressed traumas in order to survive.

It's a solid 150,000 words and it involves an ensemble cast, interdimensional monsters, and two time periods. Long and dense. I wanted to explore how I changed in the ten years after graduating high school. So many things change but we rarely take the time to look back.

All best

Shane Z.

BOOK NOOK

#WinterReading

The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture

Glen Weldon

So good! can't believe how cyclical nerd discourse truly is. Everything I've heard said online since Zack Snyder first put his stamp on the Dark Knight has apparently been repeated and recycled for the past 83 years. Even the Schumacher hate was just recycled Adam West rage.