I’m using this monthly progress report to dish a bit more about something I’ve planned for 2025 release — briefly mentioned in last month’s report.

In the summer, I decided that the redrafting of my third novel, You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic, was taking too long to make releasing it next year feasible. But let’s face it… it’s about time I changed the record about The Berylford Scandals, the second instalment of which I published five years ago next year! I still have no plans to return to that series (yet). However, there is something else that I’ve turned my attention to instead.

While Chopin is on the back burner, with work to resume next year, I’m now finishing the last couple of pieces for MY FIRST ANTHOLOGY.

A collection that, at present, I call SILHOUETTES.

Silhouettes will comprise most of the short stories and poems written over the past few years. I’ve released some of them over social media, either in part or in full. Others, however, are yet to see the light of day. They’ll include tales of a bad-tempered publishing agent, a petty criminal with a sweet tooth, an ambitious magpie, daylight snobbery, and several really wicked old people. Plus, fan favourites such as My To-Do List and Sunday on the Boulevard (with my Pet Lobster).

I’ll reveal more in the coming months!

The Dale Hurst Writing Show

You came for a progress report, after all. Alongside the work on Silhouettes, my writing podcast The Dale Hurst Writing Show continues. Over the last month, we released episodes about fresh spins on science fiction, featuring author D.C. Eastman, and how to independently publish poetry with Karishma Natu and Ben Whittall.

With Halloween on its way, I’ll put out my latest horror-themed episode, featuring a successful film director and screenwriter. And in another edition, I find out more about the decisions that go into mapping fantasy realms.

You can catch up with the entire series on Spotify.

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Time to bring you up to speed. Let’s resume the monthly progress reports…

It feels silly to say “What a year it’s been!” when we’re just entering September. But, seriously, what a year it’s been! Sorry to say, poor mental health has thrown a lot of my projects off schedule and balance. But (touch wood) we seem to be on the way back. It’s a reminder to all my fellow creatives who may be checking in that practising self-care is of paramount importance. Deadlines and so on should not be a reason to suffer.

That’s enough honesty for one blog post. Want to know how the creative projects are going? Allow me to run them down for you:

You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic

…Or whatever I may end up calling it in the end. Saying this, many friends and fans have discouraged against changing this title! I won’t lie, this outcry surprised me a little, but I’m taking it under advisement. The redrafting stage of my third novel has been as much a labour of love as the process of writing it. After seven months struggling to work through it, amid cutting and rewriting large sections of the story, considering I’m expanding the role of one of the supporting characters, I can say I am over the halfway mark. At last, I feel like I’m at a stage where the story ties together well. Of course, there’s every chance I could fall down another 20 holes coming to the end. But so far, so good. The deadline is still to have finished redrafting by the end of this year, with a mind to polish it and prepare to query agents during 2025. However, remember there’s only so much to be said for my plans… if my adherence to targets this year are anything to go by…

A new project for 2025 release

As it’s looking less likely that You Can Hear Chopin will be ready for next year as I had initially hoped, it’s time to give you loyal readers something new. To advance the narrative, so to speak. I’ve been working on something else, around my efforts on the third book, and it is about 75% of the way done. I have design plans, I know what the final content is going to look like, I know the title. It’s just a matter of finishing it, and juggling my priorities. But for those who are wondering when I’m going to have something brand-new out, you can still look to next year. More information to be confirmed in further instalments of these progress reports.

The Dale Hurst Writing Show

Season 4 of my podcast, The Dale Hurst Writing Show launched last month, with episodes featuring author L.S. Goozdich and screenwriter Asad Moghal proving as popular and thought-provoking as ever. About now comes the time when I start to plan my line-up for the Christmas Reunion special — keep up with these posts and I may confirm who’s going to feature in advance. Otherwise, follow the show on Spotify and you won’t miss an episode as they continue to come every fortnight. Fans of science fiction, psychology and good death scenes will want to pay particularly close attention this September!

Want to keep up to date with my latest news and content? Like my Facebook page and Follow me on Instagram to see the exclusives.