Sorry this took so long to get out, and apologies for all of the delays. The IRL stuff at work that was eating my time? it's going to be going on for a bit longer.
What happened? In short, the company I work at is getting bought out. The name-change / cut over date is estimated at sixty days out. Word from On High is that we'll all be keeping our jobs.
Feel free to roll your eyes if you've heard that one before.
I have zero paperwork to that effect. So my free time is split between OT fixing up all of the critical infrastructure before New Company gets a good close look at it, polishing up my resume, and poking about for other positions at other companies.
I loathe taking long breaks from writing because it makes it that much harder to pick up where I left off with a work. But at the same time I'm stuck with not enough free time and too much stress to even sleep regularly, so writing has been sidelined as something that will wait purely on the basis that it can wait.
I have no intention for this to turn into another 8-month long break. With even a bit of luck I'll have paperwork in hand and the New Company's New Management will have the half of a braincell needed to not do the whole new-broom-sweep-clean slash authority-dick-measuring-contest routine. Or at least to get themselves sorted out in a few days instead of a few months.
I have little hope on that score.
This 'chapter' will be updated with any critical developments (IE duration of expected delay), and will self-destruct once things are back to normal.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Be well out there.
Necrontyr525 out.
----------------------------------------
Update 2022-04-18:
The buyout is stalled by upper management on both sides being greedy. 60 days has stretched to 90 plus and negotiations are breaking down. Current company ownership sent a 'fish or cut bait' ultimatum to the buyers over muttering that the cash they would be getting to shut up and fuck off was getting reduced. Rumor is that Bid #2 is now being re-considered, but that means this whole shitfest is going to get started over.
I'm hunting for new jobs on the side still and, if I get an offer that I like, will happily walk and wash my hands of the whole lot. Not my fault that company ownership is pissing away dollars to save pennies.
----------------------------------------
Update 2022-04-20:
Buyer #1 has unofficially told the company ownership to piss up a rope, and upper management has shared why.
The bid was put forward by one guy in Buyer #1. Good guy, honest deal by all accounts. Same guy also made two other buys at the same time. At least one of them blew up in his face and the guy got replaced with three investors and their stooge. Investors & Stooge are doing a lot to make a 'better' deal then the guy. Better for their checkbooks and that of Buyer #1 anyway.
Catch: Buyer #1 got the bid because they offered more money up front then Buyer #2 and 2/3 of company ownership just wanted bought out. With that money going away, and company ownership having verified that Buyer #2's offer is still on the table, the 2/3 of company ownership that just wanted money in exchange for fucking off into the sunset have changed their 'vote' to Buyer #2.
Upshot for me? Still no paperwork on anything, and still no certainty that my job would continue at Buyer #2. Job hunt continues.
----------------------------------------
Update 2022-04-26
Apparently backroom side-dealing got Buyer #1 to re-agree to most of what they agreed to in the first place... and to send the paperwork over to the corporate lawyers. 30-60 days until they get done, and there will probably be a further round of that. They are the high four / low five figures per hour types, so both company ownership and Buyer #1 are going to be chomping at the bit to move that along.
I still have no paperwork as to continued employment or position, so there's that. Still mired in uncertainty, still hunting for a good job as an out / counter offer.
In story news, I'm eyeballing my notes and looking at picking a story back up. This one is probably heading for the chopping block, to (possibly) be re-written at some nebulous future date. Reading back over my notes, I get a strong sense of "in service to the series" going on. A forced sequel that lacks something the OG had going for it... and my motivation to continue it. Going to mark this a DROPPED and move on.