As I’m wont to do at this time of year, here are a few reflections on the past year and the coming one. This isn’t anything earth shattering, insightful, or dramatic — just a touch more personal post than usual.

Books!

Yes, well, that’s the main focus of this blog and my creative efforts. That’s probably why you’re here, so let’s start there.

Unless you’re new around here, you’ll know I’ve published two new books this year, and a few short stories.

Let’s recap, in chronological order.

It Takes A Village

After a nearly four-year hiatus in writing, my co-conspirator in Purple Toga, Eric Klein, dragged me at the start of the year (or possibly late the previous one) into his scheme of publishing anthologies. The first one started from online discussions he had about gender roles and social acceptance, and — being the forever optimist that he is — he wanted to show case possible worlds and futures where things are materially better.

I started to help with advice, and then slowly got in deeper and deeper with editing formatting, cover design, and other publishing tasks. Amidst all of that, I also contribute two new short stories (Mountain View and Quantum Monkeys). Neither is related to Felix or Jack, (well, Mountain View is tangential), but they were a great fun to write. Positivity wasn’t always easy this year, but I’m happy at having resumed a writing habit.

I’m rather proud of the work we did on It Takes A Village, our small bit to present something better than you normally encounter these days. We decided to continue with this, taking the lessons learnt to improve our processes, and plan to publish more anthologies: Rainbows Aren’t Just For Leprechauns is centred on colours and will be out around March, and there is currently an open call for Feast or Famine, revolving around food and due out either late 2025 or early 2026.

In Victrix

As I mentioned in the launch announcement in September, this novels has been a while in the making. I’ve written in back in 2019, before life mandated a hiatus.

I spent the second half of 2023 reading both Murder In Absentia and In Numina, as preparation, and then edited In Victrix to perfection.

There was a slight delay in publication, as I was waiting on the introduction. This turned out amazing, with Harry Turtledove’s whole-hearted endorsement about Egretia being ‘Rome as the Romans themselves imagined it to be.’ I find it hilarious that writing fantasy, I still managed a more historically-accurate Rome (at least as far as daily lives go) than shows like Those About To Die or the movie Gladiator II.

I am very happy with how it all turned out. This also related to how all 3 books have an overarching arc within them, and ends with Felix having learnt some important life lessons are ready for a next phase. I have some ideas for future stories with Felix, but I’m not sure when the next full-length novel will be. I do plan to write new material for the above-mentioned anthologies (the one about food in particular, Felix being who he is), but for the most part my writing is now centred around DI Jack Finkel. Which brings us neatly to…

Unusual Crimes Squad

Ever since moving to Tasmania two years ago, I wanted to write a modern-day novel set here. As usual for me, that will blend genres — a mix of police procedural and urban fantasy, with historical connections. It started with an idea for one novel, and I quickly got the idea for sequel. I’m keeping research notes.

In the mean time, however, I also started to write a few short stories with Detective Inspector Jacob ‘Jack’ Finkel. That’s great for me to get to know him better, and build up his background. All of the are set in Sydney (before begin sent to Tassie), and most are of his earlier days (as a Detective Sergeant).

A novella titled Sydney Sandstone will be included in Rainbows Aren’t Just For Leprechauns anthology, and is his last case before being sent down to Tassie (annoying his commander’s wife has nothing to do with this transfer, just so we’re clear). The setting is a hidden little laneway in Sydney’s original settlement in the 19th century, and as I used to work not far from there I passed it often during lunch-time walks. I still had a lot of fun doing the research into the history of that particular corner, and uncovered many gems. I’ll blog about them when the new anthology is published, and you can see how it colours the story.

I’ve also written a handful of other shorts. Poor Dead Larry is already up on this blog, and Pixie Dust and Fireworks was just published on my newsletter. This last is dedicated to the famous Sydney Fireworks, one of the world’s best celebrations of welcoming a new year. More of these shorts will be published quarterly on the newsletter (you can see the titles and covers on the short stories page), so make sure you subscribe.

Personal

This year I broke the streak of losing my job just before Xmas! (Happened in 2022 and 2023 😅). I spent the first half of the year looking for a job, which is why I had time for publishing the anthology and In Victrix. Publishing and writing (as well as gardening and sports) were a welcome distraction.

I did start a new role back in June, which I enjoy tremendously. A big part of the role is about leading both my employer and customers on developing Responsible AI. Like many people, I don’t appreciate bad generative AI being shoved in my face, making things worse with unwanted crap. Unlike most, I have several years of experience in developing AI-backed applications for such fun things as privacy, digital forensics, and decision support, and counting government agencies all over the world as well as multinational corporations as my customers. I’d like to think I know a thing or two about solving real problem in good ways, and where AI fits in that puzzle.

I find the current hype cycle extra frustrating, knowing the technology could be better if only utilised correctly rather than blindly. Since I’m also a creator and connected to other artists, I do feel I see both sides of that debate. I wrote about it briefly on this blog, and a lot more on my professional blog. I love that my employer actively wants me to go out and speak loudly about it, lead our customers on developing ethical, responsible AI, as well as build products that support that. It’s a role that fits my strengths, at a company with amazing culture and people, and something I hope to continue working on for a good few years. Once we stop treating AI as a hammer and every problem as a nail, we’ll settle down to using it where it helps and leaving creativity and judgement to humans.

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To end thing on a positive note, here are some obligatory pet pictures. Showcasing the original Felix giving me the look for having introduced an adorable little puppy into his life, and the sisterhood of Waffles (still a puppy at 15 months) and Lily (her middle-aged cat sister, who’d like us to have a talk with Waffles about personal boundaries when it comes to butt sniffing). Missing are the amazing bird-life, cute wild-life, unavoidable arachnid-life, and occasional reptilian-life that are part of living in rural Australia.

Hope you’re having a wonderful break, and looking forward to a great new year!