January 2022 - Gary David Gillen

Introduction

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is the author’s most recent novel. Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship flying to a destination unknown. He has no memory of his past, of why he is on this interstellar mission, or why his crewmates are dead. He must discover the nature of his mission. If Ryland doesn’t solve these problems, the human race will perish.

Summary

In Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Ryland Grace wakes up to a feminine computer voice. They hooked him up to monitors, and he was tired, so he goes back to sleep. They locked him in a room with two more patients who are dead in their hammocks. Ryland doesn’t remember his name or where he is located.

Ryland tries to get up, and the trauma causes a flashback. In the flashback, he gets an email from a Russian scientist urging him to help her with a problem involving an unusual IR emission headed toward Venus. He drops out of the flashback.

Ryland discovers they connected his chamber to a laboratory. He examines the equipment and performs tests that convince him he is not on Planet Earth.

Ryland must put these revelations together to understand his mission. His life and all the lives of the people on Planet Earth depend on him solving the problems put before him.

Recommendation

I thought this was a great novel. Ryland Grace was an engaging, smart, and resourceful character. He used the resources available to him to try and solve a difficult problem. I was surprised and pleased when the story turned from a problem-solving story to a story about first contact. I thought the ending fit the character and was happy with how it turned out.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

My book review of Artemis by Andy Weir. Jazz, a poor smuggler & thief on the moon colony of Artemis, dreams of being rich. A little sabotage and she can retire with a million slugs. She must improvise or face death. How can she survive and get her money too?

Writing Progress Report January 2022.

This is my Writing Progress Report January 2022.

Hey Ollie! Do you like the snow?

Writing Progress from December 2021.

I wrote two blog posts for garydavidgillen.com, including my writing progress report for December 2022, linked below.

Writing Progress Report December 2021

In December 2021, the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio skipped this month’s meeting.

I submitted my story “Explosion at Ceres Space Station” to the Introductory Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library in December 2021.

I completed the first draft of my novel Assassin in New Marl City in July 2018. It had 99,981 words and 36 chapters. Completed pre-second draft (30 chapters long) in December 2018. It had 89,072 words. Finished the second draft edits in December 2019 which completed the second draft edit. I started writing a new chapter 1 in February 2020. Finished it in April 2020. The third draft will have 32 Chapters. I finished the third draft edits on Chapter 3 in July 2020. I hope to reset the novel and complete the revisions in 2022.

Writing Progress from December 2021 Continued

I made five posts on my Goodreads account in December 2021.

In the past, I submitted the stories; Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.

The seven Flash Fiction Stories I have submitted in 2020 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue to magazines.

Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories submitted 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections.

Events from December 2021.

I have no events to report this month.

Writing Goals for January 2022.

I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com including my Writing Progress Report for January 2022.

The title of the novel I am working on is Cuba Liberto. The first draft of the piece was a screenplay. My plan for the rewrite is 26 Chapters. I plan to complete writing Chapter 16 in February 2022 and submit it to the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library. (The group is skipping having a meeting in January 2022.)

In January 2022, I plan to submit a story to the Introductory Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio, library.

I plan to submit a story to the critters workshop in January 2022.

I plan to work on third draft edits for Assassin in New Marl City using comments from the Novel Writing Workshop at Parma, Ohio. In January 2022, I plan to complete third draft edits for renumbered Chapters 3 and 4.

Submit the stories Space-Dog Confession, Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, LARP Film noir, Sleeping Sickness, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, and Caliburnus. to other short fiction magazines.

Polish and submit the stories White Bracer, Mage Squad, I Shall Not Return, Prisoner of Tarnal, and Kay-Eye for submission to short fiction magazines.

Writing Goals for January 2022 continued.

In January 2022, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.

Put the novel Assassin in New Marl City into the writing program, Scrivener.

Buy an e-book cover for Assassin in New Marl City from Fiveer.

Planned Events for January 2022.

The next event I would like to attend is ConFusion Detroit in January 2022. ConFusion Detroit 2020 was the last in-person con I attended. I have attended only virtual cons in the last two years. I would like ConFusion 2022 to be my next in-person con.

The next conference I plan to attend is ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 21, 2022, to January 23, 2022. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association Sponsors ConFusion.

http://confusionsf.org/

The following picture is from the ConFusion 2020 notice.

This is the phoenix logo for Rising ConFusion, rising out of the ashes of COVID-19.