As of this writing, most of humanity is still alive. But there’s still time. So far, we’ve lost Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds (her mother), George Michael, Watership Down author Richard Adams, and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s dad. Proving we are all living in a computer simulation, or as I prefer to think of it, in some author’s imagination, George Michael dies on Christmas Day, and is known for the song, “Last Christmas.” Fisher played Princess Leia, a character whose mother, Padme Amidala, dies of a broken heart, then Fisher’s actual mother, Debbie Reynolds, goes and dies of a broken heart. If that’s not proof enough, our government is hijacked by a KKK-approved fascist propped up by a Russian dictator (yes, I went there, fuck you) closely imitating Philip Roth’s novel, The Plot Against America, and Richard Condon’s The Manchurian Candidate. At this point, we’ll be seeing Game of Thrones-style dragons in 2017.
But there’s also been a lot of good this year. I finished The Princess of Aenya, found a fantastic editor for my first Aenya book, and a new artist for the cover of said book. So, if Trump doesn’t trigger the Apocalypse, we should be seeing Ages of Aenya on sale sometime next year. Or, if he does, maybe the adventures of the Ilmar will provide comfort to those hunkering down in their bomb shelters without electricity. With electricity, well … who the hell wants to read when there’s PS4?
As for The Writer’s Disease, I feel this blog has begun to run its course. Most of what I have wanted to say, about writing, fiction, naturism, religion—has been said. I could go on, of course, into the never ending minutia of literary analysis, review another million authors, continue to share my radical views on naturism. But the thing is, I’ve never wanted to be a blogger. To run a successful blog, you have to focus on something. Video game blogs, movie blogs, naturist blogs, all see more traffic than mine. When I wrote Why Don’t We Live in a Perfect (Nude) World, it was shared 4,500 times on Facebook. I was invited to write for a naturist related magazine and a newspaper. My reaction? I quit writing about naturism.
All that has ever really mattered to me is storytelling. I’d rather be the late-great but lesser known Richard Adams than a YouTube star with a million followers. I’d rather pull the heartstrings of a single reader in earnest than lure thousands with some click-bait bullshit. And to that end, blogging is a dead-end. My time is better spent in fiction. Alas, writing is a lonely endeavor, and I must learn to embrace solitude.
This doesn’t mean I am quitting altogether. Every now and then, a topic will come along to compel me onto my soapbox. The free will debate is a recent example. But you won’t be seeing weekly updates when there are adventures to be told. Without doubt, you will also be receiving updates on The Children of Aenya.
Now, without further ado, here are my favorites from 2016:
The Fantasy Writer’s Dictionary: Too often, when you’re reading a book like Game of Thrones, you come across a word like wain or postern that simply doesn’t register. To give an impression of historicity, fantasy authors lean on archaic nouns and verbs, many excised from the OED. So I made this resource. Best part is, it’s a living post, to be updated as terms I don’t know cross my eyeballs.
The Nomad: A Love Story DLC: Dynotus wanders twenty years in the desert in search of his abducted fiancee. This is one of my earliest novels, from when I was in high school, a romance adventure set in a mythological world. Download it here for free in PDF.
The Destructive Power of Ego: If you want to succeed in writing and in life, it’s best to set ego aside. I discuss my struggles with self, with regards to my own person and those I have worked with.
The Princess of Aenya: This year saw the completion of my latest work. Here I offer the prologue and sample chapters.
The Aenya Bestiary: Updated to include the avian race, with new artwork!
DMT and D&D: I talk about drugs, tabletop role playing games, and the power of the human mind. What more do you need to know?
The Death of Truth: We seem to be living in a post-truth world. A gross number of people are no longer concerned with what is actually, demonstrably true, choosing, instead, to accept comforting delusions. This is a scary thing.
What is Free Will?: I challenge Sam Harris’ notion that free will is an illusion, and all such a philosophy implies.
The Art of Storytelling 
We also lost America on December 19.
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Well, it is a scary time. We can definitely say America has lost its way. The forces of hate and ignorance have risen up. But I believe, in the end, that people are generally decent, and goodness will win. The hard part is weathering the darkness.
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I think you’ll be okay. I really hope to see “Ages of Aenya” available in its new form, though I do have concerns the subject matter could–alas!–prevent the updated version of the novel from being available as an e-book from the Amazon or Barnes & Noble websites (I don’t read much in the way of physical books nowadays since I read books with the Kindle app on my iPad–real hardback books nowadays are too unwieldy to hold).
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While books may be unwieldy, they possess a tangible quality that I simply do not get from electronic media. I used to read on my Kindle too, but I eventually went back to paper and glue. That being said, there will most definitely appear e-book versions of my work. As for Amazon carrying them, it seems you’ve never visited the shadier parts. A lot of their e-books are outright porn. And in that regard, I am really not worried. My book is as much about nudity as Game of Thrones is about rape. Take that as you will and thanks for commenting!
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