Did you guys miss me? You know, I’ve worked at Washington University in St. Louis for three years now and I have to say, I’ve finally realized that the busiest time of the year at work is mid-April to mid-June, which is why I kind of took a hiatus from the blog. All of the planning and preparation that goes into wrapping up the year and getting students graduated or into summer programs and jobs is a little overwhelming to say the least. But that’s okay. While my maintenance of the blog may have slipped, it’s still been a rather eventful and productive couple months.
Personal Life
In personal news, my wife and I are expecting our second child in September and guess what? It’s going to be another boy! We’re super excited. Expect things to start getting a little frantic as the date draws near and in the weeks (or months) afterwards. At least I won’t be working on my masters degree at the same time. Gabriel seems to be taking the whole big brother thing pretty well too.
We also took our first real family vacation this past weekend to Branson, MO. We’ve gone and visited family before, but this was the first time it was just the three of us. We had so much fun, especially Gabriel. Those moments to spend with each other and build memories are the experiences that bring us closer together and hold us together. I look forward to the many more vacations we’re going to take in the future.
Writing
These past few months have actually been pretty good in terms of writing. I spent the month of April taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo. I can happily say that I achieved my goal of 25,000 words in one month and finished the first draft of Sentinel’s Blood (the sequel to my MFA thesis novel) in mid-May. It wasn’t easy but I started a new writing schedule which was super helpful. Stay tuned for an insider’s look at my writing schedule and process. I’m planning to start revisions on it July 1, if not sooner.
I also spent some time working on a weird western short story that I submitted to a magazine. Hoping to hear back on that sometime next month. I really enjoyed working on something different than a novel. I’ve always had trouble with short stories, but I think I could really get into them. I’ll likely try my hand at more. If nothing else, they will be good ways to cleanse my pallet between bigger projects.
Reading
I’ve actually read a three books in the past couple months, but again, not as many as I would have liked. But they were good reads. They included Stephen King’s Wizard and Glass and The Wind Through The Keyhole (This was my first time reading this one. It wasn’t too bad but definitely not my favorite in the Dark Tower Saga), and Ernest Cline’s Armada (An excellent, fun read). I’m currently reading Christopher Moore’s A Dirty Job and loving it. Expect a review soon.
That’s pretty much all the updates for the past couple months. Feels good to be blogging again. See everybody next week.
If there’s something you want me to read/review, discuss, or just have a general question for me, don’t hesitate to ask.
Kristopher L. Campa 