Category: Whispering of the Autumn Leaves

January 14, 2024

Hello and welcome back! We’re two weeks into 2024 and I don’t know how to feel. My last post was published November 6, 2022… so, what happened in 2023?

Well, 2023 was a mixture of sadness and happiness. In terms of sadness, some of my favorite musicians passed away. To name a few: David Crosby, Harry Belafonte, Gordon Lightfoot, Sixto Rodriguez (the OG mysterious musician), Steve Harwell, Greg “Fingers” Taylor, and of course, Jimmy Buffett. In terms of happiness, the Lostwave community hit a new record for most identified songs in a year (143 songs!), surpassing 2021’s record of 124. Metrics gathered from this list. December 2023 alone closed cases on some of the community’s most sought after songs, specifically: “Filthy Frank’s Kenya Dance” was identified as “Katonda Alinawe” by David SonJC (watch episode for mystery), and “Fond My Mind” as “Feels Like A Wish” by Station K (watch episode for mystery). Since the beginning of recorded music, countless talented musicians have gone unrecognized. Thanks to Lostwave, some of these musicians and their songs can be enjoyed and remembered forever.

In November 2023, I ran a site update. This resulted in my notifications reverting back to an old email address, so no messages had been sent successfully from the contact and submit mysterious music forms. If you tried to submit a message to me between November 2023 and now, I didn’t get it and I apologize for keeping you waiting. Please consider resending your message, if it’s not too much trouble.

Now it’s 2024. I have a lot to look forward to, but it hasn’t been off to a good start. My cat (Snowpuff) had to be rushed to the emergency vet on Christmas Night after collapsing. Given Snowpuff’s age (18½ years old), known thyroid and heart disease, and the uncertainty of whether she had cancer, the vet let us know that it wouldn’t be unfair to euthanize Snowpuff right then and there. After careful consideration, my wife and I decided against it, knowing that Snowpuff wasn’t in pain. Instead, we decided this would be Snowpuff’s final visit to the vet, and that she’d spend her remaining days eating whatever she wanted and visiting her many friends.

On Tuesday (01/09/2024), Snowpuff had another episode, which resulted in her having difficulty breathing and moving, and refusing to eat. It was time. My wife and I had already made the decision that Snowpuff would gain her wings in the comfort of her own home, so I got on the phone with Lap of Love and a vet came out right away. Despite Snowpuff’s discomfort from trouble breathing and moving, the vet did an excellent job ensuring that Snowpuff’s final moments were peaceful and filled with love.

Today is easier than yesterday, and yesterday was easier than the day before, so we’re doing well. I can’t help but think that it might be difficult again once the weather starts to warm up. Snowpuff developed a pastime late in life of joining Charisma and me on walks around the neighborhood and hanging out at the outdoor bars at the top of the hill. A fluffy cat in a stroller brought a lot of smiles to passersby and fellow patrons.

Farewell, my fellow couch potato. Legends never die.

It’s here!

Dear patient readers– After five long years, Whispering of the Autumn Leaves is finally here… in: classic hardcover, cozy light paperback, and tree-huggin’ eBook. Whatever your format preference is, Whispering is here! I don’t have much else to say other than I’m excited and proud… except for maybe that I’m also incredibly grateful for your patience and continued interest. To get your hardcover or paperback copy autographed, please drop me a line here and I’ll reply with the details. Happy endings.

WHISPERING OF THE AUTUMN LEAVES – Release date announced!


C. W. Schultz’s fifth novel, Whispering of the Autumn Leaves, has finally been given a release date. The author will demonstrate his skills in writing sci-fi/fantasy for the first time, while still keeping the tongue-in-cheek humor and whodunit mystery that readers of his previous releases remember him for. After six years in the making, Whispering will be Schultz’s longest book in length, as well as turnaround time to publication. Hardcover and paperback editions will be available for purchase on Tuesday, September 6, 2022; as well as an eBook edition, which is available for pre-order.

After a series of strange events, the territory of Baromany is in an uproar. Prince Zondro, heir to the throne, has suddenly vanished just days after a strange craft was spotted floating in the sky. A shipwreck in the Frigid Sea has washed up a strange foreigner, Nilly Goamrock, onto the shores of Baromany. Believing these events are all connected, the desperate kingdom turns to a group of outlaws, the Poor Protectors, for help. As the mystery unravels, the Poor Protectors realize that more chaos awaits, unless they risk their lives by defeating the evils that lurk in the haunted Royal Forest. Each criminal finds newfound purpose in their sacrifice through acceptance, self-forgiveness, glory and redemption.

Lots of updates – Some good news, some bad

I have some new content out. Ordinarily, I’d let my work speak for itself and that’d be the end of my post. But, because I made it a goal to post more often, and because a lot has happened since my last post, I thought I’d share more than usual, considering some of it will likely affect my work.

For starters, I know I wrote that I have a lot of projects lined up, but several of these may unfortunately never see the light of day. There was one that I got really invested in back in March; and, because I wanted to respect someone else’s request, I ended up putting this project on indefinite hold. It’s a never-say-never type of thing, so there’s hope I can share it with all of you eventually; but, for now, my project will compromise a fellow creator’s project that they’ve been working harder and longer on, so I agreed to put the brakes on mine. Without going into detail, their request is very reasonable… it’s just terrible timing. Yes, there are other projects to work on; but for this one, I was at a point of no return. So, huge bummer. Luckily, this creator is very sympathetic, supportive of my project and understands that me respecting their wishes was a huge sacrifice. When a fellow creator recognizes this, it really softens the blow. So, kudos to them.

I’m also anticipating some scheduling changes, which could interfere with my work/life balance; which, in turn, could interfere with my writing time. It’s never gotten me down before, but I thought I’d point it out just in case there are any unexpected delays.

There’s also been a tragedy in my life. Back in April, I lost a friend to suicide. I rotate through states of sadness, disbelief, and anger. Throughout the coping process, I’ve discovered that I might have a lot to say about this situation that could help others. Once a few months have gone by, maybe I’ll share something more for suicide awareness.

Another piece of bad news is that a loved one of mine got into a car accident. It could’ve been much worse; nonetheless, it’s likely going to be a recovery that I’ll be assisting with for a few months.

I’ll leave you with a piece of good news. There’s a new opportunity that could potentially be a breakthrough for literature, in a world that’s constantly distracted by cellphones, movies, social media and videogames. It’s going to take a few months to determine the success (which is partially why I’m being so vague about it), but if it is, then Whispering of the Autumn Leaves is perfect for the type of format it offers. Regardless of how it turns out, I’ll make sure to continue sending updates on the status of my fifth book’s publication.

Thank you for your continued interest and support. It’s always meant a lot, but during times like these is when it counts the most.

2021

Those who’ve read just one of my books will know, based off of my dark sense of humor, that I’m not optimistic enough to assume things are suddenly going to get better just because 2020 is over. After all, it’s called COVID-19, not COVID-20, so we’re not out of the woods yet. My writings also reveal that I firmly believe that beauty outweighs ugliness, good outweighs bad, and happiness easily outweighs the inevitable (and unavoidable) tragedies. Therefore, even if we don’t go back to normal in 2021… if we made it this far, we’re going to make it.

2020 being over also marks another year of Whispering of the Autumn Leaves being unpublished. Certainly, as my fifth novel moves closer to a release date (whenever that will be), there will be last minute changes. All-in-all, I’m satisfied enough with the manuscript to be itching to share this with the world for almost two-and-a-half years now. Unfortunately, there are more reasons not to release it. For starters, I’m just not convinced people are interested in reading anymore. Any time I point this out to writers, I’m immediately seen as a pariah. My conclusions are based on what I see; too many distractions that have quicker payoffs for entertainment than reading, such as: movies, videogames, the ability to get any song you want right away on Spotify, the concept of “binge-watching” which has turned into a common pastime. This is the world we live in now, for better or for worse. Instead of resisting and being an embittered old man about it, I’m doing my best to embrace the inevitability. Thanks to advances in technology, people can still celebrate the Holidays with their loved ones while also social-distancing by using Skype, Google, Zoom, etc. With progress, however, there are also drawbacks. At this time, due to the state of the world and the lack of demand for literature, it’d be unwise for me to take the next step in releasing Whispering of the Autumn Leaves.

To me, Whispering of the Autumn Leaves is my best work. There was so much of my blood, sweat and tears put into this book. I hope to share it with you some day. In the event I’m stubborn enough to never release it, I’ve given a copy to four people: my wife, my father, my best friend, and one of my wife’s friends. So, Whispering of the Autumn Leaves can never be taken to the grave with me, and they have my permission to publish it if I die before choosing to release it.

In an attempt to stay current, I’ve turned to YouTube as a creative outlet, and it’s honestly been nothing short of fulfilling. The encouragement I’ve received to continue making Mysterious Music episodes is inspiring, plus I’ve also had an opportunity to meet fellow horror-movie fans in response to my Scream content. So, until Whispering of the Autumn Leaves is published, anyone reading this will have plenty of Mysterious Music and Scream episodes to look forward to, as well as other YouTube content which I plan on releasing every first Wednesday of the month, from February–August 2021. As for September 2021 onward… well, that’s the start of autumn, so it might be a good time to revisit the possibility of releasing Whispering of the Autumn Leaves. We’ll see…

Lastly, you can count on more updates at www.cwschultz.com throughout the year. I even gave the website a makeover for the first time in several years. While posts will be more frequent, they’ll probably also be more lighthearted. Before, the site only got a post for something significant; for now, my motivation has shifted to stay in touch and stay writing, regardless of progress.  I was partially inspired by a blog called One Day in the Life of Jerome.  As of this writing, the blog has been taken over by his son Matthew, after Jerome passed away from COVID-19 in July 2020.  Despite his untimely death and having never met him, I found Jerome’s love for life touching.  Since you’ll probably agree that my time is better spent writing stories and making videos, I’m unable to commit to a daily blog.  So, I’ll use a different line from a similarly titled Beatles song and call it… 4000 Holes.

So, here’s a picture of my cat in a box on the couch. My wife and I wanted to snuggle with her on the couch, but Snowpuff refused to leave her box that was on the floor; so, I instead moved the box to the couch with her in it, and she still refused to leave.

Anyway, we’ll see how long this nonsense lasts. Until next time, stay safe and thanks for visiting www.cwschultz.com!

Sample Chapter of upcoming fifth novel

Today marks the 1,209th day since A Book About a Film was released. 1,209 days represents the longest I’ve ever gone without releasing a novel. Since I feel like I owe you guys one for your continued patience, I decided to not only release a sample chapter of the forthcoming Whispering of the Autumn Leaves, but also make a video of it. Unfortunately, still no release date. Whispering of the Autumn Leaves is very long and complex, and deals with a lot of stories intertwining through multiple dimensions, so there’s a lot of planning needed to avoid knots and ensure the reading experience isn’t too much of a maze.

Thank you for maintaining your interest after such long gaps. Rest assured, I’m doing everything in my power to make it worth the wait. To be continued…

Chapter 3 – The Andles A

A public service article published in the 1231 issue, titled “The Psalterist and the Shawmist”

Monsters have always lurked in the Royal Forest, a vast wooded area crossing into the regions of Denland, Everdirk and Wist Vondorian. It was a story to teach children not to wander far, or help them visualize the unknown evils of the world. Now, however, it appears some of the monsters have emerged from the Royal Forest to kidnap the children.

Within the last few cycles, the amount of missing children has increased. Reports stretch from the Royal Forest’s nearby farmlands like Naidney, all the way into the northern side of Denregal, particularly the Roachill district. Some believe there are hexminors turning children into red-crested jays, the black bird with a flame-red crest. However, these birds aren’t seen nearly as frequently as the rate of disappearing children, thus debunking this theory.

Two men were spotted emerging out of the Royal Forest. One was described as fat and balding, while the other was said to be thin and covered in locks of blond hair. The former cradles the bulky harp instrument of a psaltery; while the other carries the slender flute instrument of a shawm. They’ve been dubbed the Psalterist and the Shawmist. Both tall in stature, their footsteps make for long strides, explaining why witnesses have had difficulty chasing them down when they see a child in their company.

The sound of music can be heard as the Shawmist leads the child back into the Royal Forest’s border of black pine trees, which are so tall, they reach into the clouds on a rainy day. The Psalterist waddles behind his partner-in-crime and their young captive, ensuring the child doesn’t escape the musical trance.

Days later, the child is found in the farmlands, identified only by the clothes he or she was last seen wearing. All that is left is a dry skeleton, as if the child had been dead for decades. Skin and all organs are completely gone, and the bone is as clean as polished ivory.

People believe a witch lives in the Royal Forest, and they named her Ryla Bao. The name comes from the Mirean language the villagers in Naidney use, which is directly translated to Evil-Eyed Lady; “ryl-” meaning “eye”, “-a” meaning feminine, and “bao” meaning “evil”. They say she’s centuries old, and uses black magic to allow the children’s skin and organs to prolong her youth. The younger the child is, the longer it takes her to age again. The Psalterist and the Shawmist are her warlocks, commanded to retrieve her sacrifices.

Many expeditions have been organized in an attempt to save children seen leaving with the warlocks. However, these same expeditions are usually soon abandoned, with the child’s skeleton always turning up days later. While in the Royal Forest, people who have survived the expedition claim to experience spirits speaking to them, as well as strange disorientations that causes nausea and euphoria at the same time. These disorientations greatly affect the sense of direction, resulting in parties traveling in complete circles; as well as a sense of time being paralyzed, with nights seeming to last as quickly as a few minutes or as long as several days. Beasts in the Royal Forest also show signs of ravenousness, with bears, unisaurs and wolves oft attacking and killing members of the search party. The probability of being attacked by an exceptionally aggressive beast has led many to conclude that entry to the Royal Forest is equal to certain death. When King Three of Johnamas Hollied introduced the punishment of Banishment to the Royal Forest back in 978, he had heard the stories of these aggressive animals. Now, with a witch and two warlocks emerging from the haunted woods, the probability of survival lessens and the punishment of Banishment to the Royal Forest is ever crueler.

Because the child’s body usually turns up in the farmlands while the expedition is still in place, horrific bewilderment arises by how the body is discarded without the Psalterist and the Shawmist’s reemergence being noticed. Theories have included an invisibility spell, teleportation or that the children are being led into the Royal Forest and exited through a different path as a diversion. If the entrance to the Royal Forest is just an elaborate distraction, there are plenty of barns and small castles between Naidney and Denregal that the children can be easily taken to. In other words, the Psalterist and the Shawmist might not be just warlocks, they could your neighbor.

Post frequency – Fifth novel release estimation – Jack Ketchum

I was looking over some of the previous posts and noticed there was only one update in 2016 and 2017 each. In these posts, I even mention the rarity of an update; but after actually looking at some of the dates, it makes me realize how much time has gone between delivering news. Hopefully there will be more posts in 2018; however, it’s important to me to never cry wolf. The idea of posting just for the sake of it is a real turn off for me. It actually takes the fun out of sharing news on my writing. So, please know that, even though I don’t post very often, I’m always working; and make special note that when I do post something, it’s for good reason, and not done just for the sake of it.

The big news right now is, after coming to terms with it for several months, the release of The Fall of Peacetime will be postponed from Fall 2018 to Fall 2019. The next several months will be dedicated to revisions, but it’s gone from 150,000 to 170,000 words. This is almost the length of my last two releases (Jill and A Book About a Film) combined, so my premiere estimation was a bit off, since Fall of Peacetime is bigger than anything I’ve written to date. They say, “Good things come to those who wait”, and I’ve noticed the story getting better and better the more I work on it; so the longer it takes, the more confidence I have with this book’s quality.

To hold you over, I really recommend you read some Jack Ketchum. If my writing has interested you enough to visit CWSchultz.com, I can’t imagine how taken you’ll be with Ketchum’s work. Sadly, Ketchum died this week. It’s always hard to lose someone who has played a role in your craft, but it’s salt-in-the-wound when they pass away on your birthday, as Ketchum did. While I may not have known his bibliography backwards, my second novel The Pack and many of my short stories would not have existed without such influences as Peaceable Kingdom and The Girl Next Door. To me, there’s no bigger thanks to a writer than to recommend his/her work to someone else. I hope when my time comes, someone else out there will think highly enough of my books to do the same.

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