I don’t have to tell any of you that this has been a pretty
rotten year in many ways, but around here, Livia and I have been fortunate in
that we’ve been able to carry on working as usual. Because of that, I topped
one million words of fiction for the 16th straight year (my usual
goal of slowing down not having panned out, also as usual). That million words
encompassed eight solo novels and five collaborative novels. No short fiction
this year, but I plan to do at least one novella in 2021. No fiction under my
own name, either, but that will change next year.
On the reading front, I had my second-best year since I started keeping records
in 1980, with 164 books read. The fact that we were home more than usual may
have had something to do with that. Here are my top ten favorites from the
books I read, in alphabetical order by author and with links to my reviews of them:
WILD BLOOD, A.C. Abbott
THE SPICY-ADVENTURE MEGAPACK, Robert Leslie Bellem, Victor Rousseau, et al.
HOLOCAUST HOUSE, Norbert Davis
A HACK’S NOTEBOOK, Ben Haas
DEATH SQUAD, Alan Hebden
FOREVER AND A DAY, Anthony Horowitz
DEAD EVIDENCE: THE COMPLETE BLACK MASK CASES OF HARRIGAN, Ed Lybeck
ENGINEERING INFINITY #1: THE DUST OF STARS, Robert E. Vardeman
WHEN TIGERS ARE HUNTING: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF CORDIE, SOLDIER OF FORTUNE,VOLUME 1, W. Wirt
A TRAWL AMONG THE SHELVES: LAWRENCE BLOCK BIBLIOGRAPHY 1958-2020, Terry Zobeck
That’s four books reprinted from the pulps and two more by authors who sold to
the pulps (Abbott and Haas). There were a lot of other good books on my list that
came close to cracking the top ten. Overall, it was a good year for reading,
and I already have a lot of great stuff lined up to read in 2021.
Which I hope will be a vast improvement for all of us. I’m not at all convinced
that it will be, mind you . . . but there’s nothing wrong with hoping.
8 comments:
Happy New Year and let's hope it's better for us all.
And thanks for reminding me about the Block Bibliography, which I bought, started, and forgot in the clutter of my mind and my Kindle.
Glad your year wasn't too bad
We were much more fortunate than many folks. More stressed out than usual, an annoying assortment of age-related ailments, but still rolling along and thankful for all the good things.
James,
It is common to have great energy at a young age to accomplish multiple tasks, like working full and part time, going to college, raising a family with children, paying bills, and writing tons of stories. (I did all that for many years, but in later life have slowed down.)
It appears you haven't slowed down at all. I sincerely hope you are able to get up and move around. And...I said this before, I hope this doesn't affect your health.
Still a million words for so many, many years. Few, if any professional writers accomplish that much. I hope your words sell. (You make the rest of us look like paltry amateurs.)
Happy New Year---I hope it is a great one for you and your family.
Charlie Steel
James, you are obviously a man of refined and brilliant taste.
Here's hoping we all have a great 2021 - as always I am in awe of your productivity.
Well done, sir! You’re an inspiration.
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