New Year Update

Hey there, thanks for stopping by.

One of the things I've struggled with is how to use this site. Do I only publish things when I have some work to show you, inform you about, or generally publicize? Do I stop in and treat it more like a blog, give you updates and insights to my life/writing process?

I really don't know.

This kind of platform is especially strange when you consider the relative anonymity of it. I mean, you all know who I am, but when I come here it feels like the equivalent of walking to a dark cavernous hole and screaming 'hello' into it over and over. I don't know who's out there. Sometimes I feel like I'm just screaming into the wind.

So I guess what I'm saying, as I ramble my way through this impromptu message is I want to hear from more of you. What would interest you here? Should I discuss the process of writing, should I tell you about how I nearly dropped my cellphone in the toilet over New Years, do I just post short stories and personal commercials here? Let me know. You can comment on the site itself or you can email me at authorerichavens@gmail.com. Let me hear back from more of you.

Since we're all here though, I thought I would talk about a process of writing that I have been curious about recently: music. I am a pretty adamant constructor of playlists. I grab songs that initiate some kind of creative prompt and put them in appropriate playlists. Both of my books, all of my scripts, all of my short stories, they have their own playlists. Does anyone else do this? Am I using the playlists at a thinly veiled tool of procrastination? I have no idea. But I know I do it, and I do it pretty fanatically. If you find me on Spotify I'm sure you can some of those lists for yourself. I don't always name them obviously, as some of my projects aren't supposed to be talked about for weird business reasons I don't understand, but they are there.

Does anyone else do this? Are you out there?

Okay, to end the rambling approach to an entry here, I'll tell you a few news items. The second book is done, well it's done being written. It is off in the hands of talented people who are creating the typesetting and the cover art, you know the people who make things pretty. The Stylist has continued to have an unbelievable amount of support and awards and it is now streamable on the fantastic horror movie site, Shudder.

I'm working on a feature script that is in the realm of one of those things I can't talk about. I'm also working on a short story with my kid, which is has been a hell of a lot of fun. Finally, I am formulating (that's a euphemism for thinking about the idea as I fall asleep at night) my third book now. It's a bit different than anything I've done to this point so I am obviously excited and terrified about it.

I guess that's it for now. Oh wait, if you haven't joined my Facebook page you should. If we get enough of us over there maybe we can have some worthwhile conversations. Okay, now I'm done.

Welcome to 2017 everyone, I hope time is kind to you this trip around the Sun.