On Monday I reflected some more on the journey to meeting deadline and today it’s all about what happens next in the writing life (of this particular writer, at least) because the one thing you can be sure of is that there is always plenty to do.

Initially, I have to tread water a bit in terms of Gathering, while I wait for feedback from Kate, my editor at Harper Voyager. While I’m doing that, I’m also getting organised to achieve a few other goals, including:

• Participating in fellow Harper Voyager author, Nicole Murphy’s guest blog series on “Dreams and Fulfilment” to celebrate the launch of her third-in-series, Rogue Gadda. There have already been two great posts from guest authors Kevin J Anderson, here, and Alan Baxter, here . My guest post will be up this Saturday, 9 July, so I’d love it if you were to drop by and maybe even leave a comment—but no pressure! 😉

• Reading for the Hugo Awards—I know I’ve mentioned this a couple of times now, but the deadline for voting is July 31 so I seriously need to “get reading.” I have four of the 5 novels ‘in hand’: NK Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Mira Grant’s Feed, Ian McDonald’s The Dervish House and Connie Willis’s Blackout. The only novel currently outstanding is Lois McMaster Bujold’s Cryoburn, which is her latest Miles Vorkosigan story. There are also short stories, novelets and novellas to be gotten through so as you can probably guess, I am going to be ‘reading like anything.’ I am looking forward to it—and also thanking my stars that I am a fast reader! Anyway, “more soon” on this one.

• I also have a few books to read with a view to possible interviews for the radio station as well as right here on the blog—so stay posted for more news on these possibilities as books get read and events develop.

• Highest on the agenda though, as soon as I’ve heard back from Kate and can start making plans, is the all important holiday. I definitely think I deserve one—although, of course, given the way things have worked out, I’ll be ready to ‘fly away’ just as the midwinter school holidays start. Not so knacky re the timing, but then again, opportunities must be seized as they arise rather than waiting for the perfect time—which of course never comes.

• Once the holiday is done there’ll be the copyedit of The Gathering of the Lost to think about, but most importantly, I’ll be wanting to start work on The Wall of Night Series, Book Three—working title, Daughter of Blood. The excitement never stops!