October Update
Friends,
What a week it’s been.
First …
… a Kernel on Storytelling
I recently sat down for an interview with Sarah over at The Kernel. You do enough interviews and you get asked the same questions and your answers become boilerplate. I am happy to report this was not such an interview; Sarah asked some good questions which I had a lot of fun answering.
We’re Back on LeVar Burton Reads!
Yes, you read that right! Mr. Burton (He of Reading Rainbow, Roots, and Star Trek fame) has read another of my stories on this season of his fabulous podcast. You might recall that he very fantastically read The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library last season. Both stories are excellent if I do say so myself, but LeVar Burton’s narration takes them to a whole other level. As a writer, I can never read my work as a reader (at least not until a significant amount of time has passed) because I’m too close to it; but LeVar’s narration allows me to sit back as if consuming the stories for the first time and really marvel, and pat myself on the back :D . Do give it a listen if you’re so inclined. Both stories also appear in my collection.
I Won an Award!
Fan favorite The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library is the 2023 Ignyte Award Best Short Story winner!
My first. ever. award. This hits differently because I’ve been nominated for several different awards but never actually won one. Needless to say, I am over the moon.
I find awards interesting because they’re equal parts popularity contest, equal parts merit (but how do you even begin to judge a creative work?) I will take readers reaching out to tell me how they loved my work, or what it means to them, or that they were simply entertained, over any award. Having said that, perhaps awards represents an extension of this sentiment, embossed in a trophy. A million thank yous to everyone who read, loved, listened to and voted this story!
Last week, The Editor sent over the finished cover art and design for my next book. All I can say is that it is epic and fantastic, and everything I dreamed it would be. This, combined with the stunning art for my collection, makes me think I have been truly blessed by the cover gods. It’s one of those covers that’ll get you to want to pull the book off the shelf (because, who are we kidding, we all judge books by their covers). Anyway, watch this space for a reveal in the coming weeks.
That’s all for now,
Until next time.
—Tobi