I feel like a sea slug sometimes because if you read my “updates” online, it doesn’t seem like I’m working on a whole heck of a lot. The lack of “let me tell you what I’m doing every minute of every day” was a conscious decision on my part so I could feel a little freer when I’m in the trenches. I’ve got a few short stories out in the wilds right now and a couple of manuscripts I’m editing, but I don’t want to put the cart before the proverbial horse with no contracts or agent for the long form stuff.
Writing on spec can sometimes be very difficult for that reason — especially since this is a complete role reversal from running the freelancing circuit. Still, I feel it’s in everybody’s best interest if I don’t talk about what you may not ever expect. Thing is, with bigger projects like Violet War, I was trying to get interest in the setting but I *never* had any plans to self-publish that series. All that PR ended up being a huge distraction and some of the short stories I’ve pitched just weren’t as popular as my other, more darker fare. Now, part of that could have been I didn’t submit to the right markets given that VW is solidly urban fantasy, but also the violet war setting is very, very big. How large? Enough for hundreds if not thousands of stories. Short stories I write now may not be as meaningful to the reader unless they’re clearly connected to a novel or two. The long form has to come after the origin story I penned called “The Queen of Crows.”
I know a lot of people have very specific opinions about book marketing in general, but for me the timeliness of that will begin not when I accept the contract, but when the work is either done and accepted for publication or solicited with a Kickstarter.
Additionally, I want you to know that I feel this sort of thing is part of any author’s career. It’s not all steak and eggs, my friends. We screw up. I’m just not afraid to admit when I do because I learn from those mistakes and move on. In an age where we’re all supposed to be “perfect,” there’s nothing more gratifying than messing up, laughing at my stupidity, and putting more words down on the page. At the end of the day, the Work is all that matters. The less laughter, the more tears, the greater the negative impact on my Work. It’s a good thing to know!
There will be other publishing debuts coming yet this year, but again: I think there is such a thing as talking about a project too soon. At least on my end of things.
Mood: Escaping the heat. Ice ice baby.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Questionable. I plead the fifth, sixth, and eighth.
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Crazy-woman housekeeping
In My Ears: This is the last battle by Final Fantasy III
Game Last Played: Ermm…
Movie Last Viewed: The Aristocats
Latest Artistic Project: A grey and aqua bracelet
Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG
When I was approached to work on New Hero by 
I’ll be honest with you. My first draft reflected my anxiety and Robin caught onto that right away in his comments to me. It wasn’t until I tossed out those sticky emotions that I started having fun. Everything that he said to me I already knew, but I needed those friendly reminders about technique spelled out in a way that made it easier for me to focus. 