The Colony has conquered the world, but at what cost?
A year since. Ant colonies are now abandoned, littered with husks of the dead. Gazing upon the remains of the blitzkrieg reminds me of the trials and feasts that I experienced. A journey endured is both a memory and a forgotten experience. Change in perspective, a course of different action. Authors can only linger on a book for so long. It must be left to the public, to the world. It must not mean that the story is over.
As a bildungsroman (coming of age), The Light to Never Be Snuffed sits in a weird position. With some tweaks, I can make it horror fiction. A pivot to YA is also on the table. 3rd grade reading level. Prevalent cultural touchstones. Reduction in dialogue and increase of thoughts and processes. These are things that have crossed my mind a year later. The Colony as craft, as evolution.
I have a lot to thank for this book. Bravery, focus, community, a time well spent. I have a lot to regret about this book. Doubt, anxiety, handicaps, and a bookless launch. Nothing is perfect, for The Colony is only as strong as its Queen. These soldiers hit the pavement. The routes of internet highways and mail are incomprehensible. One can be thankful for over 50 copies sold. Small press vagrants continue to be inspiring, even when corporate jobs are not.
This past March, I quit my job. It allowed rest, clarity, and adaptation. During this temporary reprieve, I adopted a lo-fi approach. I began tracking all of my writing sessions. Words in, words out. Counted every digit. The days of sedentary quagmires gurgling only 20 words. Days off that I didn’t want to even open the file. No training comes without rest. No training comes without accomplishments. With thousands of words and huge plot beats completed in single sessions, I felt as if I won an Olympian sport. Equal and opposite reaction. If I could party for all of these, I’d get nothing done.
But like any party, there is a dawn. You can’t stay here and you got to go relive your life. Whatever that is. I am bummed about that hangover, but can still taste that awesome cake. I’ve been baking something sweet. My dear friends have known this for months. The main ingredient is this: I’m working on a sequel. A continuation of Jack Grand’s ever-changing life as an adult. New horizons will be reached. There will be larger obstacles to overcome. Morale is high and the tailwinds are in my favor.
I hope to see you on the shoreline. With the Ant Mail and the story itself, I imagine it lingers within some of you. I’d love to chat about The Light to Never Be Snuffed, or read a comprehensive review. It nourishes me more than a fresh cup of mountain water in days of drought. The Colony survivors will regroup and rebuild as I pursue the end of my other writing projects and the continuation of pursuing the light.
At the birthday of this novella, the ants continue to recite The Holy Text, waiting for their prayers to be heard.