Update on WIP / Happenings In The Outhouse 06-Feb-2026

My current work-in-progress is probably one of the most difficult novels I have ever worked on.  And that's saying something because I have written some very large, epic fantasy novels with a word count of several hundred thousand words.  Even my first two novels that I had written were over 1,000 pages on my Brother word processor.

What makes this one so different?

First, there are so many competing points of view, and so much going on that I can't keep it all straight in my head.  Not that I should.  I normally keep a written record of each chapter--something simple, like what happened in 1-3 sentences--but for whatever reason I have not done that.

Until now.

I have over 30,000 words into it, and probably close to the halfway point.  I think.  Who knows with me when I start getting into a story.  It's still fun, but when I spend time going back to see what happened and where I'm going, it bogs it down.

New Story - Fragile Legacy / Happenings In The Outhouse 30-Jan-2026

Fragile Legacy - Kindle edition by Peterson, Mark S. R.. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 

"Russell Caine has a secret.  A secret he has kept for seventy years.  Not even his wife Evelyn knows.

But Russell has a problem.  Who can he trust to keep the legacy, to pass on the secret.

Fragile Legacy is a fun, quirky, mysterious story that will keep you turning the page right to the very end."

Fragile Legacy - Kindle edition by Peterson, Mark S. R.. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Fragile Legacy is available on Amazon and on other ebook retailers.

New Story - Chasing Best / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Jan-2026

 Amazon.com: Chasing Best eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Kindle Store

"Dax Best is the best at what he does.  He steals.  Legally, of course.

But even Dax has morals.

When Dax refuses a job that could have global implications, he quickly finds himself stuck between life and death.

That is, until he finds help in the most unlikely of places.

Chasing Best is a high-stakes thrill ride that will keep you reading to the very last sentence.  It received an honorable mention from the Writers Of The Future contest."

Amazon.com: Chasing Best eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Kindle Store

This is the Amazon Kindle version, and it is available on other platforms for ebooks as well.

New Story - Catastrophic Assembly Required / Happenings In The Outhouse 16-Jan-2026

 Amazon.com: Catastrophic Assembly Required eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Kindle Store

"Kirk Sterling loves his wife.  He loves his dog.  He loves his house.

He also loves to draw.  Without tooting his own horn, he’s very artistic.  His drawings are very lifelike.

But as he gets older, his artistic talents take a back seat to the daily grind of adulthood.

That is, until one day he receives an unexpected package in the mail.

 Catastrophic Assembly Required is a fun, quirky tale of mystical intrigue, of a heartfelt romantic."

Here is the link to the Amazon Kindle version: Amazon.com: Catastrophic Assembly Required eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Kindle Store

This book is available on other ebook platforms too.  Enjoy!

New Story - Birdhouse Diaries / Happenings In The Outhouse 09-Jan-2026

 Birdhouse Diaries - Kindle edition by Peterson, Mark S. R.. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

"For Dennis Trunk, life in the quiet suburbs of the Twin Cities of Minnesota is a far cry from his previous life on the East Coast as a hitman for an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Until one day, his world is suddenly turned upside down when he receives an FBI Wanted poster in the mail, with his face on it, and a threatening message: “I know who you are.”

Who in the world would want to blackmail a former hitman?

Birdhouse Diaries is a suspenseful tale with several twists and turns along the way."

Birdhouse Diaries - Kindle edition by Peterson, Mark S. R.. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

This is the Amazon Kindle link, but it is available on other ebook platforms too.

3rd Honorable Mention from Writers Of The Future / Happenings In The Outhouse 02-Jan-2026

First, this blog post is my 1200th post!  I honestly can't believe I have been posting so much, and for so long.

Late November, I received news that I achieved my third Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future contest!

Writers of the Future 4th Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 42 | Writers & Illustrators of the Future

This, of course, is huge news and I am so honored!

Mission Accomplished! Goals Achieved!

I did it!

Over the weekend, I finished publishing a horde of short stories to accomplish my 4th quarter goal of publishing a short story a week.  I will be posting a separate blog post for each story over the next number of weeks.

Now, I am in the process of starting on my next 5 things for the first quarter of 2026.  I still have a goal of publishing one story a week, whether it's a short story, novella, or novelette, and I have enough inventory to accomplish this.

What did 2025 look like for you?

What will you accomplish in 2026?