This week the subject of SFF7 is What's on your mind?
Well, a lot of stuff, really. But I'll try to focus on just a few.
First off, I'm thinking about stories. In particular the ones I'm working on and the ones I should be working on. They are not always the same thing, though maybe they should be. As we get closer to the most wonderful time of the year (Halloween) I tend to focus more on the horror-oriented tales. I love fantasy and science fiction but my heart will always have a dark corner for the horror stuff. To that end I've just completed a short story I'll be submitting after I give it a thorough re-read. Remember how I said I seldom use beta readers? This is one of those occasions where I sort of regret that but it is what it is. I could probably find someone to read it, but I've always HATED being an imposition. Real or imagined, I have trouble getting past the idea that a favor asked is an inconvenience requested. That's strictly a one-way thing, by the way. I don't mind doing an occasional first read for someone, but in my mind asking that the favor be reciprocated is automatically inconveniencing a friend. Yes, I know it makes no sense. No, I really can't stop my mind from working that way.
In addition to that scenario, I have a novel past due (Angry Robot, my publisher, has been very gracious with the time allotted, especially in consideration of my bout with cancer, and I am grateful beyond words, but now, to prove I am grateful, I really have to get them the first draft of my novel.). I need to fix that. I am also working on a collaborative novel and a collaborative novella. I need to get both of my coconspirators the latest chapters. The ball, as they say, is in my court. I have two other short stories I need to finish and submit sometime soon. One is an invitation, the other is an open anthology that I'd like to be included in.
I need to go to the dentist. I don't want to. I will eventually handle the matter but not today.
My collaborative novel: THE TOURISTS GUIDE TO HAUNTED WELLMAN, is going to be a blast. I'm actually quite excited by the notion, the format, and what has happened so far. We're almost 50,000 words into this thing and it's a blast. we're probably at the halfway mark and already things have been terrifying and fun. The main protagonists are about to meet up for the first time in the book, and after that, things get really truly ugly. It's a Halloween novel that will probably be available next year.
I MISS CONVENTIONS!!!
Last year I had the cancer issue, and that meant avoiding a lot of conventions simply because I was immuno-compromised and therefore at high risk for contracting whatever the heck was going around. This year, it doesn't matter if you're immuno-compromised, because we are living in the era of the PLAGUE. We've figured a lot of that out, of course. I'll be at several virtual conventions this year, but, damn, I miss the real thing. I miss seeing old friends, meeting new friends, and the general sense of camaraderie. Part of this is, of course, because I missed everything last year. Sigh...whattaya do? Maybe next year we're back to the real world? One can hope.
How am I going forward with my books? Several of my older volumes will be released as self-published volumes as they have been out of print for years and years. It's overdue and I get a surprising number of requests. I am also hard at work on a special project with illustrator and storyteller Dan Brereton, that pertains directly to his NOCTURNALS comics. It's gonna be a blast!
What am I working on next? Well, that's several volumes of different works, actually. It'll be fun.
I'm going back to the day job after 15 months.
This should be...interesting.
What's on YOUR mind?
come on, you can tell me....
Keep smiling,
Jim
PS I've probably already done this, but here are a few hints about THE TOURISTS GUIDE TO HAUNTED WELLMAN. (Co-written with the amazing Charles R. Rutledge)
