Fifty by Sixty

Two big events are coming for me in the next few weeks. First up, I'm going to publish my first novel, PEAK CROSSER (EMPIRE OF THE PEAKS BOOK 1), on May 26. Publishing a novel has been a goal of mine since I was a kid, so I'm pretty freaking excited about it.

Second, I turn forty. I have no idea why these round birthdays have added significance, but they do. I've been reflecting on my life a lot lately, both because of this birthday and also because of my brother Marc's death in October. And I've also been thinking a lot about the future and what the next forty years of my life could look like.

Recently at the dinner table I announced to the family my plan to publish twenty novels before I turn sixty. My oldest daughter, Lena, thought I was aiming way too low. 

"You're going to write a lot more than that," she said. "I think you can write forty, or maybe even fifty!"

Her reasoning held clarity that is common to children and hard for cynical adults to find. First, she said she believes I will soon become a full-time writer and be able to write a lot more than I do now. Second, she knows I want to try my hand at middle grade fiction and children's books, and she correctly pointed out that those books are not as long as my epic fantasy novel PEAK CROSSER and my upcoming epic space opera SEED OF SYCORAX. So for her, twenty seemed like a complete copout. 

So I've set a goal: Fifty published books by the time I reach sixty years old. Big? Yes. Reachable? Maybe. But what's the point of a goal if it's easily reachable? So, it's time to make the next twenty years the best of my life as a husband, father and writer. With two books planned to publish this year (maybe five if I publish SYCORAX as a serial), I'm off to a good start.