Novel Magic: Farewell and Adieu–well, sort of

You know how life has a perverse habit of going from dull to intense and back again—sometimes on the same day? That’s the way it’s been for all of us during the past couple of years, I think. All the way from boredom to terror and back in the space of a few days or even in a few minutes.

For me, the pandemic was coupled with a cancer diagnosis and the resultant surgery and chemotherapy. I have been incredibly fortunate and am happy to be walking and talking and mostly knowing who I am. (Ladies, be sure to talk to you doctor about ovarian cancer—get tested. This thing has few symptoms and would have killed me but for the wise intervention of my family caregiver and the freakishly excellent skills of my surgeon.) Next came the quarantines, the (to my mind at least) ridiculous debate about masks and vaccines, the seemingly endless string of Covid variants, a brewing war in Ukraine, unrest at home, and all popped on top of the day-to-day stresses of job and family. It’s been a lot!

All of this—I’m blaming the chemo most—gave me a fuzzy mind and general lack of focus. I’ve muddled through but as my mind clears (relatively) I find it necessary to reevaluate.

I’ve loved meeting many wonderful authors as I hosted them for Novel Magic features. Earlier in the year, I offered book reviews to those who signed up for a feature and I’ve read some great books as a result. The truth is that I need to return the focus a little closer to home.

Several Novel Magic features are scheduled for the next month. I’ll post those as close to regular Mondays as possible but I’m already late on a few. My apologies for tardiness both in posting the features and in communicating why I’m so slow getting them up. After the existing promos are posted, Novel Magic will go on an extended, possibly permanent, hiatus.

I’ll complete the book reviews I have left to do and post them as soon as I can. I think I can have them all up by the end of June if not earlier. After that, I’ll do NetGalley reviews and maybe review for other publications as it becomes possible. If you have a book in NetGalley, by all means, hit me up for a review.

The primary focus for me will shift to family and my own writing. As far as family—well, they are all nuts and have to be constantly monitored. ‘Nuff said.

As for writing, I have three books brewing, a number of short stories to be finalized for a new collection, and a bunch of marketing to get underway. I’ll post short stories regularly right here in the Universe and I’ll get the newsletter fired up to spread the word about my next bits and pieces.

To all of you who have been my guests, Thank you from the bottom of my blackened heart! You guys have been wonderful—each and every one of you. I wish you nothing but success!!!

To those of you who read the posts and are interested in keeping up with the doings in the Universe, sign up for my Unearthly Tymes newsletter if you haven’t already done that.

You are now caught up with the latest News from Sorchia’s Universe. May we all find a way to cope with whatever madness comes next and may that madness be bearable and quickly over.

A fresh short story coming soon PLUS the last Novel Magic posts PLUS PLUS Book reviews.