I’m finishing up book three of Cthulhu, Amalgamated (The Breakroom of a Thousand Nightmares) and it might be one of the better books I’ve ever put my name on.

Here’s one of the original manuscript pages from the source material, by the way:

Even as I’m prepping that story for publication, I find myself wondering what I’ll write next.  I don’t lack for ideas.  By the Hands of Men Book Seven (working title: Taking the King’s Coin) is out there, as well as the final volume of the soon-to-be reissued Lonesome George Chronicles (tentatively The Terrible Swift Sword).  To say nothing of at least two other book series that have taken up residence in the creative countryside to the tune of 150 pages and about 40,000 words already, as well as other vague ideas that are wandering around looking for a place to camp, too.

Meanwhile in the past three or four months, I’ve been interviewed several times about my writing process and me as a writer, specifically.  In the process of those discussions, I recognized something about myself.

I don’t want to write crap.

I mean, I knew that, but I really want to create work that ultimately is uplifting, even ennobling.  It’s okay with me if that experience arrives wrapped up in an exciting story that makes people laugh and makes their heart race and brings a tear to their eye.  But at the end of those books, I want them to be inspired to be better, even if it’s just the tiniest bit (as Mother Teresa said, “Do small things with great love”).

So as I’m pondering all of that, an odd thought came to me.   I decided I should pray about what to write next.

It’s a new thought:  directly ask God what story He wants me to tell this time.

I’ll let you know what happens.