Happy Canada Day! Bryan Adams released a song today that celebrates Canada and our rejection of annexation. It's worth sharing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyyF...

Now that I've completed the first draft of my next (5th) novel, I'm working on the back cover text. I'd be grateful for any feedback on my first attempt (in the accompanying image). Would it make you interested in reading the book? Do you see any ways to tighten it up? Any errors? Thank you.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 14 (FINAL!) 👍 Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 1,940 Word Count to Date: 57,204 Comment: FINISHED! This is my final weekly report for this book because my first draft is complete! 😃😃😃

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 13 Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 5,128 Word Count to Date: 55,264 Comment: Working on the final chapter. Hoping to finish the first draft this coming week!

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 12 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 4,135 Word Count to Date: 50,136 Comment: I've exceeded my goal of 50K words, but I'm just a chapter or two from finishing the story!

When you see me, or any other members of my species, please don't refer to us as "alien." We non-humans consider the word "alien" to be a derogatory slur. The word is often used to describe something that doesn’t belong—something strange and unwelcome or offensive or damaging.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 11 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 4,315 Word Count to Date: 46,001 Comment: Just one more chapter to write after the current one. Should be finished the first draft in a couple of weeks.

Breakfast this morning has inspired me so much, I am moved to compose poetry: When you eat your Raisin Bran, eat it fast. Don't savour it. Don't make it last. If you don't down it in a hurry, you'll have to down a brown bran slurry! 🤢

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 10 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 5,560 Word Count to Date: 41,686 Comment: A good, productive week. Well into the tension-filled part of the plot, which makes the writing more enjoyable.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 9 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child (novella) Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 3,307 Word Count to Date: 36,126 Comment: Not a huge word count this week, but the story is at a pivotal point, so I'm taking my time to get it right.

Writing with generative AI is not just unethical, it'll rot your brain too! AI Use Appears to Have a "Boiling Frog" Effect on Human Cognition, New Study Warns share.google/OQwfyrbecfKR...

I've just learned that Draft2Digital has started charging a $20 fee for new accounts, and a $12 annual maintenance fee, payable by authors who earn less than $12 in royalties in a year. I've complained via their contact form and encourage other authors to do the same at: draft2digital.com/contact/

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 8 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 6,871 Word Count to Date: 32,819 Comment: My post productive week yet - more than double last week's word count!

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 7 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 3,333 Word Count to Date: 25,948 Comment: Not a very productive week, but I should have more time in the coming days.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 6 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 4,152 Word Count to Date: 22,615 Comment: My story is starting to take on a life of its own. This is when the story is becoming really enjoyable to write.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 5 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 3,470 Word Count to Date: 18,463 Comment: The plot is well underway, so this story might become a novella instead of a full novel. We'll see how it goes. 🙂

I think author scammers are getting lazy. Here are two emails, sent 1 hour and 13 minutes apart. The first one starts, "Hi Info," probably because my email address starts with "info". In the second one, he addresses me by my last name. Also, his email address changed between message 1 and 2. 🙄😆

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 4 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 4,066 Word Count to Date: 14,993 Comment: It looks as though I've settled into a pattern of writing about 3,500 - 4,500 words per week.

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 3 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 3,927 Word Count to Date: 10,927 Comment: I would have written more, but this week, my elderly mother was admitted to hospital 45 minutes away (she's doing fine).

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 2 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 4,917 Word Count to Date: 7,000 Comment: My word count to date is not an approximation. It just happens to be exactly 7,000 at the moment!

WIP FIRST DRAFT WORD COUNT REPORT - Week 1 Working Title: The Eyes of a Nocturne Child Genre: Sci-fi/dystopian Word Count this Week: 2,083 Word Count to Date: 2,083 Comment: Not a huge word count, but I'm just getting started and this was only a partial week.

WEEKLY DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 6 (final report) --------- Queries Sent: 3 Replies: 4 Rejections: 4 To Date --------- Queries Sent: 82 Replies: 15 Rejections: 15 continued . . .

Reposting the following to make a correction: A PRAYER FOR THE MAGA The MAGA are growing more anxious while their leaders are falling apart. For their fear starts to mount that they’ll have to account for the evil they help to impart.

This amazing offer ENDS IN TWO DAYS. You can get 13 great alien sci-fi novels by 13 outstanding indie authors for just $25 (US)! My own debut novel, Kelvoo's Testimonial, is included in this bundle! Please have a look at: storybundle.com/aliens

WEEKLY DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 5 --------- Queries Sent: 17 Replies: 2 Rejections: 2 To Date --------- Queries Sent: 79 Replies: 11 Rejections: 11

WEEKLY DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 4 --------- Queries Sent: 16 Replies: 4 Rejections: 4 To Date --------- Queries Sent: 62 Replies: 9 Rejections: 9

Here's what I saw on my morning dog walk! Location: Van Isle Marina, Sidney BC (Vancouver Island, Canada).

Timeline cleanse: My dog, May, performing her latest trick - sitting and standing AT THE SAME TIME!!! Not much of a trick, but at least it's a momentary distraction.

DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 3 --------- Queries Sent: 15 Replies: 3 Rejections: 3 To Date -------- Queries Sent: 46 Replies: 5 Rejections: 5 #querytrenches

Just a reminder that you can get 13 sci-fi ebooks, written by 13 talented indie authors, for as little as $25 (US)! As a bonus, my own Kelvoo's Testimonial novel is included! 😁 Please keep in mind that the offer ends on February 12th. Purchase/Download at: www.storybundle.com/aliens

I'm honored to have my book (Kelvoo's Testimonial) included in this amazing bundle!

DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 2 --------- Queries Sent: 18 Replies: 2 Rejections: 2 To Date -------- Queries Sent: 31 Replies: 2 Rejections: 2 #querytrenches

Interested in 13 quality sci-fi ebooks from 13 amazing indie authors? Offered through StoryBundle, you can get the three featured books for $5 or all 13 for $25 (US prices). I'm delighted to have my novel, Kelvoo's Testimonial, among the 10 bonus books. PURCHASE LINK: storybundle.com/alien…

DISPATCH FROM THE QUERY TRENCHES Novel: Opportunia, by Phil Bailey Week 1 --------- Queries Sent: 13 Replies: 0 Rejections: 0 Remarks: Zero rejections! Woo-hoo (I guess). Stay tuned for weekly updates. #querytrenches

New year, new novel! My previous sci-fi novels were self-published. This time, I'm going to try to get my newest one, Opportunia, traditionally published. I have a list of 105 agents and I've just sent queries to the first two. Wish me luck! 🤞

One day at work, I jokingly said, "sometimes, I think my job is to take the blame for anything that goes wrong." "Yeah, said a co-worker. I blame Phil for my parents getting divorced." "That may be true," I replied, "but your mom was REALLY GOOD!"

To think that, until recently, this was an investigative reporting program that held the politically powerful to account. www.ctvnews.ca/world/articl...

FOLLOW ME 💙📚 All readers and writers and literary types; creators from far and close by. I beg thee to follow me, for I must lift my follower count to the sky . . .

Can anyone (maybe @scifiscavenger.bsky.social) think of a recent sci-fi novel about a person who eagerly moves to a planet or place with little or no government, where corporations rule everything, only to find oppression and a miserable existence? continued . . .

Another day, another book marketing scammer message. This time, I actually bothered to reply. BTW, what do you think of his email address? Seems to me like a legit handle for a book club curator! 😆

Here's one of my favourite lines from my WIP, "Opportunia": "There's only a few who can write good an' talk proper."

Rewrites are hard. A couple of months ago my beta readers reacted to my WIP, "Opportunia". While my main character is supposed to be unlikeable, most readers thought he is far TOO UNLIKEABLE for many people to read beyond part 1. Continued. . . 📚💙

Let us in. Hold ICE accountable. Tear down the fence. This is what we are demanding from the Broadview ICE facility, and nothing less. Our leaders can decide whether they stand with the people or with ICE. There is no middle ground.

I've just posted my three favourite reads of 2025 to shepherd.com, consisting of work by @pcawdron.bsky.social, @tktoppin.bsky.social, and Bonnie Garmus (who doesn't seem to be on BlueSky). Check out my reasons at the link below: shepherd.com/bboy/2025/f/...

Congratulations to @pcawdron.bsky.social for another excellent first contact #sciencefiction novel. I enjoyed it immensely and heartily recommend it. You'll find the relevant details in this screen shot.

A moment of zen in a crazy world. Sunrise over Sidney, BC

When I'm not working on my latest novel, I enjoy flying my drone to record scenic videos. I shot some wonderful sights on a recent road trip to the Yukon. I hope you enjoy this selection of some of the best clips, and I hope it brings you a little calm in this crazy world. youtu.be/rVlee0vE-Ik

Apparently, Amazon's rules have changed, allowing those of us in Kindle Unlimited to make our e-books available to libraries! Here's a video from Draft2Digital with instructions on doing this through their platform. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv__...

ROAD TRIP!