Year of the Horse

I’ve never been a big “what’s your sign” astrology subscriber. I don’t believe in fate and find no comfort in the thought that our destinies are all preordained. I don’t like the idea that I have no agency, no real control to steer my life as I see fit. I prefer the notion that anything could happen at any time, that today might be the day that chance and circumstance – and a little hard work – conspire to open new, fantastic doors. To me it’s reassuring to know that tomorrow, everything could change.

In the waning days of 2013, I decided that 2014 was going to be a great year. Maybe that sounds arrogant. I don’t intend it to, and I’m not delusional: I know this doesn’t mean every day will be a magical joyride or that bad things won’t happen. What it does mean, though, is that I’m going to focus all my effort on making good things happen, on extracting the most value possible from this year of my life. Luck, chance, and timing will play their part, sure, but I intend to do everything within my power to help them along.

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2014 is the year of the horse. I find this particularly interesting because 1978 – the year I was born – was also a year of the horse. Fitting, then, that I’ve chosen this year to reinvent myself, to make something of this dream I’ve been nurturing for the past three years, to witness myself reborn as a writer. This is the year when, instead of thinking of myself as an aspiring writer, I will begin thinking of myself as a real writer with real stories to tell. Stories that I love creating and that I hope you will love reading.

With that, here are a few updates on my current projects:

• Bent – I finished my first novel last spring and have been searching for an agent to represent me since that time. I’ve received a number of rejections, but also some encouraging feedback. The hunt continues and I’m optimistic that I’ll find someone this year who’s as excited about Bent as I am.

• Time Lapse – After overcoming some challenges with the story line in December, I’m making good progress on my second novel. I have a clear (yet flexible) outline to guide me as I work through the back half of the story towards an ending which I hope will be both unexpected and unforgettable.

• Short stories
  • The Day I Learned to Fly – My debut short about a man who believes the key to happiness is flight. Currently on submission to a handful of literary magazines.
  • The Unrapture – A collaborative venture with my friend, Dan Preston, The Unrapture asks what might happen if only the faithless are saved. Currently in progress and, when complete, I’ll submit to a select list of sci fi publications.

Last but not least, I’m very excited about the recent surge of online interest in my work and I’d like to keep the momentum rolling. To this end, I’ve decided to announce a contest! Here are the details:

One lucky winner will be selected to collaborate with me on a short story. This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process, brainstorming plot and characters, helping me shape our concept into a polished final draft. You’ll be credited as a co-writer and will split any profits from publication 50/50. And best of all, one day when my books are tearing up the bestseller charts (fingers crossed…), you’ll be able to impress your friends by saying, “I wrote a story with that guy!”

To enter, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my Facebook author page. Share a link with your family and friends, then send me a quick message to let me know. For every share, your name will be entered in the drawing; the more you share, the greater your chances of winning! The winner will be selected when I reach 500 likes.

Thank you all for your support. For a (yet) unpublished writer, it means everything. It keeps me going on the bad days and motivates me a little more on the good. Together, let’s grab the reins and make 2014 one hell of a year!

Evan