My First Year in the USA
It’s almost a year since I closed the door of my Irish apartment for the very last time. I didn’t feel ready, with so many things in mind I still wanted or should do, but I also knew I’d never feel ready, so it didn’t really matter that much. I still remember the mix of tiredness (since I foolishly didn’t sleep for my two last nights back there), excitement, and stress.
Moving from one continent to another have something of finality like diving head first from a cliff: you don’t get to go back. (more…)
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February 20, 2017
Back in December 2016 I was looking forward the New Year with excitement and many plans. I’ve joined the 365 Writing Club (which changed its name from the 365k Club to emphasize the writing routine instead of high word counts) for the third time, and I wanted to focus on polishing my existing works while still planning some new writing.
Last year I had a chance to read a series of urban fantasy novels set in Ireland. I did it partially by my friend’s recommendation, and also as a part of my own comparative research for the novel set in Dublin I’ve been working on. And even though I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the story, reading each chapter of these books made me die inside a little. 
I was born in a communistic country which lacked the necessary resources, let alone fancy things, so from my early childhood I developed a specific perspective towards everyday objects. When an adult is allowed only 1kg (half a pound) of sugar per month, the queues for toilet paper weave longer than those for the ticket of a famous band, and the shop shelves are as empty as they would be after zombie apocalypse, anything you come across might become your next treasure. 
I would have never come across Sunless Sea if not for GOG’s Summer Sale. The game popped up on the list and its cover graphic looked intriguing, so I had to learn about the game more. The trailer was climatic, the graphics beautiful and creating a dark but enchanting atmosphere, and the fellow gamers’ reviews offered a fresh approach to a rogue-like genre. 
This month’s issue of “Phantaxis”, a science fiction and fantasy magazine features my fantasy story “The Arcanist and the Mage Killer”, which is set in the same world as my work-in-progress novel, “By the Pact”, and features the same protagonists.
I’ve planned a few more posts before this one, but it seems that Christmas time tends to affect routines even if someone is not traveling, preparing a big celebration, or hosting family members, and the end of the year had sneaked on me almost unnoticed, so here I am, writing last minute summary of 2016 which for me personally didn’t turn out too bad of a year. 
I can’t believe that it’s been almost two years since I’ve joined the 365k Club. Looking back, I find it hard to remember how could I ever function without my daily writing, and the amount of completed projects, both small and big, speaks for the regular work and discipline. 
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