So, what’s next?
Right now, I’m sitting on three finished manuscripts that I plan to self-publish—ideally before the next big event in my personal life comes along and eats all my time.
First up: That Basterd Holmes and the New England Affair—a novella-length mystery that got some test runs on Wattpad, where I picked up a few beta readers and notes to tighten things up. It’s done. I’m literally just waiting for the copyright paperback to land in my mailbox before I wrap it up in a neat little package and send it out into the world.
It’s a Sherlock Holmes-inspired story with two intertwined mysteries set in New England, 1894. Think: a quick, satisfying read you can knock out in one sitting. If it finds its audience, I’ve got room to expand the story into a series—but like Conan Doyle, I’m starting with a focus on solid, standalone cases.
Next: a personal one. A 90k word slice-of-life novel set against the hip hop scene of 2011—the year I graduated college. Right off the bat, two disclaimers:
I’m not a rapper. The closest I came was writing a diss track for a neighbor’s German shepherd on Rhymers Block.
This book let me explore a part of my family history—specifically how my grandfather, who was part Native American, chose to hide that fact after returning from WWII.
You look at me, and I’m clearly white—pale translucent, really—so I’m not claiming an identity that my grandfather set aside. But I did want to write about that choice with as much care and nuance as I could. It’s a personal book. Maybe not the most marketable, but it means a lot to me. I’ll be looking for some thoughtful feedback once it’s out.
Last but not least: a dark comedy fantasy novel. Think cursed bloodlines, court politics, and an unhinged elf jester committing white collar crimes. This one’s still the roughest of the three, but also the one I’m most hyped about. It’s a project I first dreamed up back in college, and it feels great to finally be bringing it to life.
That’s all for now. More soon—stay tuned!
