A Necessary Update

The Journey of an Author and Creative Muskrat

There is something still unsettling about calling myself a ‘creative’. The weird pit in my stomach that comes after saying ‘I’m a creative’ comes from two different parts of me:

1. I’m not creative.

2. Everyone is creative.

I don’t think of myself as creative in the way that I believe a lot of people see it: there is this strange whimsy to the idyllic creative person — a nomadic vagabond peddling their wares in philosophy and artistry, casting aside the pursuit of coin in favor of the intangible underlying layer of existence and shedding light on its pursuit. I am not this person — if that person even truly exists — and thus: not a creative.

The other half of me screams: YOU ARE NOT CREATIVE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS. THERE IS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT YOU, ROB. SHUT UP ABOUT IT ALREADY. There are billions of other people on this planet doing creative things with less and accomplishing more to greater effect and applause.

Sigh.

So when I talk about being an author and a creative, just know that this inner monologue — played out like an aggressive Jerry vs. George ‘Seinfeld’ dialogue — is happening within me.

So now that I’ve fully wasted the first bit of this email and your time, let me sum up:

I have some updates for you about what’s going on with me.

1. I just recently wrapped up 3 freelance design projects.

2. I am working on the final touches of a book to be released soon (no, not that one)

3. I am still in process of writing and editing in tandem on another book (yes, that one)

Freelancing is like Dancing

There’s a subtle dance that happens when you do freelance design. Sometimes you lead, sometimes the client leads. Sometimes the music skips and sputters. But the experience, in the end, creates a certain creative energy that I do end up enjoying.

I worked on three different projects over the past couple of months: re-formatting a previous design for a client so they could make a cool car magnet, designing a book cover for a friend from church, and launching a brand strategy and shirt design for another friend from church. I can’t share too much about any of these projects yet, but as soon as they are out in the wild, I’ll be sharing images and photos in a new Freelance section on this website (coming very soon), and that location will also offer a way for you to reach out to me to work on projects together.

They were all different projects that required different aspects of my skills — whether that was design, collaboration, ideation, illustration, and resourcefulness — to get the clients what they wanted. They also were great examples of what I feel like design is: micro bursts of problem solving. Sometimes you are solving problems for your clients, and sometimes you are solving problems for their audience. Sometimes both happen simultaneously, and that’s the nature of the freelance design dance.

Short Sci-Fi Goodies

The book I’m working on is a collaborative sci-fi anthology project, A Journey Through Aubrey Finch’s Multiverse. In fact, I posted the first half of one of my chapter’s, Deadly Contraband - read it here!

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There will be more information to come, including the second part of that chapter this coming weekend. I’ll be trying to post story content on weekends to supplement whatever new non-fiction writing I put out during the week.

The Elephant in the Room

My second novel, Hunted Between Worlds, came out in 2021. It is now 2023. Some of you have been asking about the third — and final — book in the trilogy since 2021. It is now 2023. I know.

The third novel, What Hasn’t Been, is still coming. Trust me. It’s 2023. I know. In fact, it’s so coming out that I have a book cover already created for it. See, I told you — said Rob to himself as he types.

Ok. So it is coming out. But when? That’s the tricky part… and the reason for the update actually. Since, I’ve been working on a lot of different projects, this has taken a backseat to more pressing creative work. And I’m sorry about that. But the good news is that I’ve learned a lot more about my writing over the past few months in working on this website. And I’m going to take that new-found knowledge and do MORE with the last book in the Department for Mutated Persons trilogy. I think I owe it to the readers — and to myself — to really take my time with crafting a satisfying conclusion.

PART TWO of this statement is that as part of my weekend story sharing, I will be releasing some early chapters of the new book for you to read!!! So stay tuned for that.

This is where I leave you

So long for now, my friend. I’m off to work and live a creative life — I’m hoping the same for you. May your day and week be filled with challenges and victories. You deserve the very best, and I choose to see the very best in you.