Thursday, August 30, 2012

Getting closer...

According to my publisher at Post Mortem Press, my afterlife-based horror novel, which pits three strangers against the relentless forces of hell, should be heading off to the printers next week.  I just finished writing the dedication for the book (I decided to keep it simple, as an overly sappy dedication probably doesn't fit in very well at the start of what's supposed to be a chilling horror tale), and it should soon be good to go.

As for my other projects, the YA dystopian thing's still on the back burner at 105 pgs.  I'll be getting back to it in a few days, though, since the Middle Grade elf novel my editing team and I have been polishing up is nearly done. 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Small detour.

Taking a brief pause from my new YA project to go back to a Middle Grade novel I completed a while back.  With the advice from my brand new editing team (aka my 10-year-old nephew and his mom), I've made a few changes to the start of the book.  So far, the kid seems to know what he's talking about.  The first chapter of this book had been giving me headaches for quite a while, and has been reworked and rewritten multiple times.  I cut out the bit that my sister said he had some trouble with, and the novel already seems to be much stronger because of it. 

Now I just need to finish revising the rest of the manuscript, and then I'll be ready to start sending it out again. 

Then I can get back to working on the YA book, and start figuring out how in the world I'm going to promote my horror novel, which, last I heard, was scheduled to come out this September. 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Current Project.

My horror novel set in the afterlife is still scheduled to come out this September.  I sent off my author bio and a photo to the publisher last week, and am waiting to hear an update on the book's progress.  In the meantime, I just passed page 100 on the book I'm currently chipping away at.  Not sure how much I should share at such an early stage, but it's a Young Adult novel set in a dystopian future Chicago, featuring a sixteen-year-old female protagonist who's starting to develop strange, dangerous abilities. 

I've had some trouble drumming up interest in the YA zombie novel I recently completed, so I'm hoping that I'll get this one finished before its subject matter becomes too passé.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

It's so close...

Just saw a concept of the cover to my upcoming novel last night.  I really like it.  I'm not sure how much I'm supposed to say about it yet, but it's eye-catching, to say the least. 

The editing on the book has now been completed after three drafts.  The editor I was paired up with, Felicia Sullivan, has been a joy to work with, as has my publisher, Eric Beebe.  It's the first time I've ever been included in the professional editing process, and I'm pretty certain the entire experience has made me a better writer.  Being able to see the changes Felicia made and get her feedback on the project was invaluable. 

Another Exile

Another Exile was the first short story I ever managed to get published.  It's a speculative science fiction tale where, in the words of the publisher: "A routine adoption transport becomes an explosive post-apocalyptic adventure."

You can find the link to the story here.  It's on Sci-Fi Short Story Magazine.  I'm pretty sure the full thing's available to be read online for free. 

I think it's worth a visit just to see Vitaly S. Alexius' superb rendering of the world.  I thought he did an amazing job.  Way better than I even imagined it when I wrote the thing.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Hello!


Just started my blog.  My first book, a horror novel set in the afterlife, is scheduled to be released by the fine folks at Post Mortem Press in September 2012.  The first draft of the edit has just been completed.  I'll post more news as it develops, and hopefully work on the blog a bit to make it look a little less homely.