What Im Thankful For, 2011

WHAT I’M THANKFUL FOR, 2011 On November 24, 2009 I wrote a submit right here entitled “What I’m Thankful For, 2009.” I appeared again on that publish this morning equally joyful and sad. I smiled at my “sense of close to-completion” on The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction, which was certainly finished and printed on schedule in July 2010. A bit sad to see that two years in the past I was “lots thankful for just being employed,” although that only lasted another seven months or so. Still, in that one paragraph you can sense that issues had been starting to go south at Wizards of the Coast. I’m thankful for the amazing response to this guide. The rest of it is fairly silly, although I shouldn’t take well being and happiness as a right. We proceed to be wholesome and happy, so we have that going for us, which is sweet. This is me being grateful for that once more this year. Apparently I wasn’t grateful for something in 2010, anyway I skipped that blog publish last yr in favor of dif ferent business. But this 12 months I thought I’d regroup and see where I am as 2011â€"not a straightforward 12 months, believe meâ€"attracts to an in depth. And I’m happy to report that I actually have lots of be pleased about. Secret Projects Anyone who’s been following me on Twitter has heard me speak of the varied secret tasks I’m working on at any given time. Here’s an update on these. As I’m typing this I’m waiting for a name from a publisher relating to a very thrilling secret project that I nonetheless can’t discuss yet. Contracts are still be written up, plans still being laid, however this is going to be a good oneâ€"I’m very excited for the opportunity, and can’t wait to spill the beans. I’m additionally writing a brand new e-book for that same writer, with an insane deadline that thus far I’m on track to hit. I bet if I requested they’d give me the okay to inform you all about it. I’ll ask this morning and maybe I’ll be capable of blog about it subsequent week. Another secret project is coming along properly. It’s an anthology of fantasy tales, a part of a shared world collective that I’ve cooked up with a small group of creator pals. I’m nonetheless reluctant to explain it intimately, since I haven’t discussed with the remainder of the group any sort of plans to announce anything. Still, we’re on observe to have that anthology up on the market as early as December 5thâ€"maybe we’ll simply announce it then. Both of these are essentially the most near-time period. Another secret project is a e-book, too, presently sitting in define form, ready for a last choice from the writer. It’s a very exciting alternative, so please keep your fingers crossed for me. What’s nice about all these secret initiatives is that not solely will they assist keep a roof over my head, they’re extraordinarily exciting initiatives, the type of work I reside for. All four will require onerous work and lengthy hours, but I couldn ’t be happier to expend all needed energy to make them happen. I’m thankful for Arron of the Black Forest, and friends and allies Mel Odom and Keith Birdsong. Friends and Allies I’m all the time thankful for the individuals who proceed to stand by me as I construct my new enterprise and maintain my old one, however past merely professional relationships, I’ve obtained an excellent community of people out there who're part of my “staff,” and permit me to be a part of theirs. I always feel like I need to call folks extra typically, get out of the home more, and I’ll speak about that more in a month or so when we get to the annual resolutions publish. But until then, associates and allies, you understand who you're, and thank you for sticking with me. Unforeseen Opportunities You never know precisely what the world goes to throw at you, and one of the issues I’m making an attempt very onerous to do is flip off, or no less than turn down, that old cynical a part of my mi nd that expects the worst from people and situations, and keep my mind open to regardless of the world throws at meâ€"not in a defensive mode, however in a means that allows me to acknowledge alternatives big and small. I’m grateful that Christian Dunn allowed me to be part of this great new Warhammer anthology. You want a plan to succeed, I firmly imagine, but you also need to keep up the psychological agility essential to vary course in response to unforeseen circumstances both positive and negative. I set myself up moving in a very specific course as I proceed to assemble my new enterprise and move into an impartial future. That track is shifting forward with some thrilling alternatives, which still fall in that “secret project” category and that I expect will bear fruit proper after the first of the 12 months, however a whole bunch of other stuff has come my way that I by no means expected. That new stuff just isn't solely helping to maintain the lights on, but as I said b efore, are extraordinarily thrilling tasks that I can’t wait to work on. You by no means know what the world goes to throw at you, so that you higher be ready to catch every little thing. Thanks, Everybody And I’d like to finish on a private note. Thank you. Whoever you're, whether we’ve met in person or not, if you’ve learn any of my books or not, nevertheless you came to this submitâ€"thank you for reading, and I hope you’ll stick with me. I hope you’ll be a kind of friends and allies, and we’ll have a fantastic 2012 collectively. I can really feel it. â€"Philip Athans About Philip Athans Easy 12 months or no, it’s always good to have the ability to look again and discover issues to smile upon…and hopefully these “secret initiatives” will quickly have us all smiling as well. Cheers!