Catching Up

I’m off to Multiverse Con next week – it’s their first year, and I’m there as Industry Guest of Honor along with Seanan McGuire and John Piccacio. Come say hi if you’re there! Two weeks after that I’ll be up in Surrey BC as a presenter at the Surrey International Writers Conference.

In writing stuff, I am working hard this month on EXILES OF TABAT, which should go to beta readers on November 1. THE FIVE OF US, my middle grade space opera, just went off to readers at the beginning of the month. Next up in writing is the sequel to the Tor space opera, which will be my November project. In December, I’m going to focus on short stories and outlining three of my 2020 projects: a horror novel, a novella project, and the third space opera book.

I just got the advance reading copies of CARPE GLITTER, my novelette coming out on the 29th with Meerkat Press. It’s a slim little book, and contains the story of a young woman who finds more than she expected when cleaning out the accumulated belongings of her stage magician grandmother, and asks the question – what do we do with unwanted inheritances when they’re part of our family?

Here’s a lovely early review from Sebastian Doubinsky:

Really enjoyed this family drama cum magic (mostly black) taking place in a late Not-So-Fairy-Grandmother’s house. Trying to find some interesting (and probably sellable) stuff in her deceased granny’s house, Persephone stumbles on stranger and more dangerous things than she had hoped for. A short, enjoyable and beautifully mastered anti-fairy tale novella, which offers more than its glittery surface indicates. Highly recommended for the readers who like true complexity hidden behind apparent simplicity.

One thing that’s helped keep me productive is working with the new Rambo Academy Critclub, our online community for fantasy and science fiction writers who want to exchange critiques, market news, advice, and pictures of their pets. Want to join us? You can by being a supporter on Patreon or by subscribing through Paypal. Here’s the details. Critiquing is not mandatory! Come hang out and see what you think. 🙂

This weekend, the Rambo Academy presents two new live online writing classes that I’m excited about. The first, Writing in the Cracks: Finding Time to Write with Diane Morrison, is aimed at people prepping for NaNoWriMo next month, and provides guidance for making and defending writing time. It’s $49 (or $39 for Patreon supporters and former students.) If you can’t make it, don’t despair! Next week the on-demand version will be up as well.

The second class on Sunday is a timely one if you’re thinking about Halloween fiction. Crimson Peaks and Menacing Mansions: How to Write Gothic Horror is a session where Catherine Lundoff will provide lecture and writing exercises designed to help you incorporate gothic horror into your own writing. It’s $99 (or $79 for Patreon supporters and former students.)

Wow, it’s been a long time since I last checked in. By now, pandemic existence seems somewhat normal. We have masks, plastic gloves, and sanitizer by the doorway; we’ve been out for fast food maybe once a month and felt quite daring about it. The move to Portland is on hiatus for now as we wait to see how the world shakes out.

I have a StoryBundle up today, focused on glitter and hope! Please check it out and spread the word.

Writing-wise:

• I’m wrapping up the final edit of Exiles of Tabat and am on track to hand that in to the publisher on July 31.
• After that I’ll spend August working with Devil’s Gun and getting ready to hand that in at the end of the month.
• I’m up to installment 12 of serial novella Baby Driver, have found a publisher for it, and am also working on a comics script, while thinking about eventually funding that via Kickstarter as a comic book series.
• Forthcoming stories include “I Decline” in Daily Science Fiction and “Crazy Beautiful” in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as a story I co-wrote with my spouse in issue three of Dark Matter Magazine, “Stand and Deliver.” Anthology publications include “Snowflakes” in The Last Cities of Earth.
• I’m one of the three writers behind And the Last Trump Shall Sound, which appears in August, and I’m beyond the moon at the chance to work with James Morrow and Harry Turtledove. Thank you to David Boop for acting as our development editor.
• Also in the pipeline: an awesome space western collaboration; the final Tabat book, Gods of Tabat; book three of the space opera series, tentatively titled Flower Power; a 3/4s-written novella I’ve been tinkering with; at least three other novellas I would like to be tinkering; and a literary horror novel.

Other Non-Writing Stuff:

• I have an anthology project in the works and am establishing some of its structure. Stay posted for announcements and slush reader calls.
• I’m also thinking about a game module set in Tabat after having listened to Monica Valentinelli talking about adapting novels into games in her class last weekend.
• Continuing to build my Patreon, which is currently at 241 patrons (!), who are getting fiction, snippets, Zoom events, co-writing, chat server access, and free/discounted Rambo Academy classes.
• Finishing up the on-demand version of Writing Your Way Into Your Novel. There’s some other cool on-demand classes in the works from Evan J. Peterson and Jamie Lackey, along with others!
• I started some little bonsai trees and have named two of them, Groot and Augustus.
• Continuing to sous-vide all the things. Recently have been making homemade sandwich bread as well as my own butter. One recent success: garlic chili oil