Monthly Archives: January 2013

Clockwork Phoenix #4, ToC

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CP4

Mike Allen just released the official Table of Contents for Clockwork Phoenix #4, in which I am in good company:              

The official launch date is June 2013, with a launch party and author readings at Readercon in July. I like Readercon, though it’s not likely I’ll be able to make it this year. Sounds like a blast.

Meet the Boyz

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Sterling and Sheffield

Meet the Boyz: The one on the left with the white streak on his nose is Sterling, and his big brother is Sheffield.We can only tell them apart so far from the fact that Sterling has both that one white streak on his nose and a white patch on his butt. Long story short–we paid a visit to MARL (Mississippi Animal Rescue League) and found these two guys who’d been given up by their owners for reasons I can hardly imagine. Regardless, Carol fell in  love with them and that was that. Despite their size, they’re still kittens at about 10 1/2 months old. After appropriate surgeries (sorry, guys) we brought them home and they had their first regular vet visit today. We had not planned on acquiring new cats so soon after the loss of Summer. So why were we at MARL in the first place? Wasn’t that asking for trouble? Yes. It was. But all I can say to that is…just look at those two. Honestly. What else could we have done?

I’m Calling This a PSA. Humor Me.

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Yamada_DH_FinalCover_smlFunny thing. While the official publication date of Yamada Monogatari: Demon Hunter was and is February 6th, it seems the physical book is available sort of…now-ish. I’ve checked, and both Amazon and Barnes & Noble list it in stock. It also is/will be available at some brick and mortar B&N, though don’t ask me which ones, and the Nook ebook edition is already listed. I’m sure the Kindle will follow shortly. So all you people who don’t like to do the pre-order thing? No excuses. The book’s ready when you are.

So it’s not official, but it is real. And now it’s that emotionally difficult time for me known as “launch time” when I’m simultaneously proud, excited, and terrified. New Book. Every writer should get to experience this at least once. Preferably lots of times, but at least once. There’s just no other feeling in the world quite like it.

As for the book itself, I like it, but feel free to tell me what you think. Don’t worry (if you were)–my ego has been worked over by experts. Nothing left but scar tissue, so I’m up for it.

Clockwork Phoenix #4

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Not a bad way to start the new year. Almost literally. I got a request from Mike Allen, the editor of the Clockwork Phoenix anthology series, for a small tweak in the story I’d submitted. The request came in just before midnight on the 1st, I approved it, and the confirmation of the sale came in just after midnight, January 2nd. So my slightly surreal, modernist fairy-tale, “Beach Bum and the Drowned Girl,” will be appearing in CP#4.

Pleased as I am about that, it’s not really what I wanted to talk about today, other than to note that “Beach Bum and the Drowned Girl” has something in common with “Three Little Foxes,” an entirely different sort of story that appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies #105 last year– those were the only two usable stories I wrote last year. Right. All year. While 2012 was a pretty good year in some ways, so far as writing progress goes, it kind of sucked. While I’m not the most prolific writer I know, I’m usually more productive than that. I generally manage 8-12 stories a year, and usually sell most if not all of them. Those two stories I did write were, in my humble opinion, pretty good ones and I sold them both which makes me happy, but they shouldn’t have been alone. 2012 was a fallow year. Continue reading →