an announcement ... of an arrival ... of the sort not usually seen around these parts

In an alternate version of reality, 2016 thus far would have panned out the way I had envisaged last November (or so I’d like to believe). More than twenty new Friday Tales for Demesne would have popped up on the blog so far this year. A first draft of a novel would have taken shape by last month.

In the current version of reality, however, there exists part of a first draft of a fantasy novel, about 30,000 words that were written into existence in January. Their fate remains undecided.

There also exists a first draft of a novella, or novelette perhaps; it has about 20,000 words, so it will shapeshift based on how the edits go, though a more pertinent question at present is when the edits are likely to happen.

Taking stock of all this, I suppose I could tell myself that 2016 hasn’t been all that godawful a year writing-wise. But whom am I kidding? I could certainly have written a whole lot more, and I didn’t, so that’s that. On another occasion this would have vexed me immensely. But something’s different this time.

For what I have now is also a precious little baby boy in my arms. D, my personal bundle of precious magic arrived exactly a month ago, after several months of great uncertainty (which mostly explains my silence on the site thus far).

I was due on June 25th, I was secretly hoping D would arrive on the 21st, the day of the solstice, but he waltzed into our lives on the 20th. But turns out the summer/winter solstice fell on June 20 this year, so D is indeed a solstitial child.

I am drowning in sleepless nights of course, but apart from parenting duties, I spend most of my time these days on a sleep-deprived high, looking at this new tiny being and feeling incredibly fortunate to have him and KrA in my life.

This has so far been and is continuing to be a period of intense introspection and personal transformation. When I look at this tiny being, this new person, I am filled with a profound desire to become a far better version of myself, to live a good life filled with bliss and equanimity, and to ensure that D has an atmosphere conducive enough to express himself fearlessly, nurture an unfettered curiosity, and be free and able to choose the kind of life that would make him happy.

I think I have just set out on the best and most challenging spiritual journey of my life thus far.

And I think D is really going to like it here!