Some people out in the world wide web may have noticed some new clothes on old books, including a name change for my novel, Loathsome, Dark, and Deep. Yes, I took it to the courthouse, filled out the appropriate paperwork, and now it has a new name: The Forest of Ruined Men. Why? It's a bit more marketable. I think.
Okay. I'm not a marketing genius. I'm not even a writing genius, but I write. And revise. And write some more. And re--well, you gather the general idea. What I know is this: since coming back to writing, all my earnings are going to charity. I used to drop a fair bit in the community pot before, but now all of it--all my sales, Smashwords earnings, KDP sales, etc., goes to help the uninsured of Douglas County receive health care.
This reluctant salesman finds it a whole helluva lot easier to ask folks to spend money if I know that money is going to do something positive. The nickels and dimes for which I begged before mean little to me, but my chosen beneficiary,
Health Care Access, can do so much good with my money. Why
Health Care Access? Why health care for the uninsured? I thought everyone had insurance now?
No.
Health Care Access does good work here at home. It's a cause in which I believe--and it makes it so much easier to spend time and energy selling books. My nickels and dimes can become diabetes treatment for someone without insurance or the resources to purchase it. My nickels and dimes mean early cancer detection so someone can qualify for state aid and treatment. I believe we have a duty to help everyone access quality health care, and I'm starting in my hometown.
So yes. This is what I'm doing.
And here's more of what I've done to help what I'm doing:
It's like they're a happy family now... a series even... and guess what? I'm laying groundwork for a third "Sons of Chaos" novella. It's going to be a cold one.
And you know what? I'd love it if you bought an ebook or read anything I've written--but sending some love to
Health Care Access is beautiful, too, and you don't even need an e-reader.
Let's start in Australia, where this:
has just been released. Not only is the cover art delicious (I promised scary, right?), but lookie here...I'm sharing a TOC with Terry Dowling. (I'm humbled, to be sure.) My little story, "The Weight of Children's Stories" is about stories (and caves, and monsters, and...oh just read it). Grab a copy in PDF or lovely dead tree edition.
On to the United Kingdom, which happens to be where the incredibly talented Cate Gardner lives. I've finally formatted and uploaded Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits to the Kindle store, and you know what? Cate's generously priced the book at 99 cents. Yippee! Check it out on Amazon.
Okay, so my WIP takes place in New Mexico, way back in the territorial days. 1881 to be exact, just about a year after the arrival of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad. Welcome again to the world of the Sons of Chaos (first seen in Black Medicine Thunder). I don't want to give too much away:
The thing had him by the throat, and the pistol fell with a thunk to the wooden floor.
So should I mention the "thing" takes out his heart? I did say scary, didn't I?
I'm out of town for the weekend, but leave you, dear readers, with the following debris:
Another installment of The Borrowed Saints and the rip-roaring conclusion of "Black Medicine Thunder and the Sons of Chaos".
Enjoy your weekend.
I can't seem to finish a story.
Oh, I've been writing them, but each disappoints in the end. I'm sure there's a few possible reasons for this:
- I've forgotten how to write.
- I'm more critical of my work now.
- I'm more critical of venues to which I'll send my work.
On #1...I hope this isn't true. I still "get" it. The words are still there. I keep scribbling little notes, typing sentences, developing characters, putting them in unfortunate situations....
So maybe it's #2. I like some of what I've written lately, but I don't love it. I should love it, right?
And I know #3 is part of the equation. In the beginning, I was happy to have a "yes" from anyone. I'm just not there any more. Pay and prestige aren't the only deciding factors--I want to send something that is a fit for the magazine/anthology/etc. With more experience, I find the list of possible markets for any particular story grow smaller (and smaller).
So, yeah. Working. Writing words. I suspect I need some dedicated editing and revision time...
I've been reading, too, and falling in love with much of what Kelly Link writes. If you're unfamiliar with her work,
"The Specialist's Hat" is a good place to start. Don't be surprised if you finish the story with more questions than answers.
(By the way..."Black Medicine Thunder and the Sons of Chaos" finishes this week at
Red Penny Papers)
I failed to mention yesterday's installment of "Black Medicine Thunder and the Sons of Chaos" at The Red Penny Papers yesterday (bad writer!). Oh yes, things go from bad to severely f*cked this week, or as Max would say, "What the heck?"
(We've worked so hard at keeping the little scamp's language clean. Can't you tell?)
Also, review goodness from ScaryMinds re: Dark Pages Volume 1...
"And Cargo by Aaron Polson calls to mind the best of Romero in a sort of sifting through the ashes of post apocalyptic society way."
Awwww...I conjured Romero. (I'm not even sure if the things out there in the dark were zombies. Hell Heck, this review at ASIF suggests it was a vampire apocalypse. Now I'm confused.)
If you don't know about KV Talyor's The Red Penny Papers yet, it's time you gave it a gander. Not only is the artwork to die for, The Red Penny Papers is where you will find my serialized novella, Black Medicine Thunder and the Sons of Chaos, this fall.
Sensational, you ask?
Well, yes. Therein you will find:
- undead buffalo
- deals with the devil
- all manner of facial scars
- necklaces made of human teeth
- and a mean ol' bastard named Reaver
...not to mention a cameo (or two) by characters from Loathsome, Dark, and Deep.
Excited? I am.
I put the lid on a short story yesterday which, among other things, involved a girl watching her father crush an old man's throat with his booted foot. Needless to say, the father didn't know his daughter was watching. Yes, it was rather a dark little tale.
Currently, I'm revising my not-so-top-secret novella, and I've decided I need more fistfights. At least one more, to get the action rolling.
Maybe the hint of one is enough:
“Amanda.” The woman’s blue eyes burned into Isherwood’s gaze. She had a fire inside, blue like ice but sharp as a barber’s razor—he could see the cutting blade in that glare. “Amanda Reaver.”
Lawton pulled on his chin. “Jesus. You’re Reaver’s—”
“Daughter. Yes.”
“And he’s in the stockade for—”
“Decking me in public?” She pointed to her bruised eye. “That’d be the one.”
Nobody ever said Abraham Reaver was a nice man.
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Nice! Doubly so, in fact. (I just wanted to say "doubly"). That cover art really is cool.
Congratulations on the Oz and UK productivity--that cover is brilliant!--and, well...
Hee!! *dance*
Tony - I was pretty stoked when I say it.
Katey - *dance* (of the dead--haha)
That really is a super cover!
Loving the Midnight Echo cover.
Any time I'm tempted to set something *insert historical time here* I remind myself how much research it would entail. Then I cry. It's not that I didn't pay attention in school, I just have a really bad memory.
Nice!
Cool. I've downloaded my copy and will be reading it soon.
This post is replete with cool! I'm picking up a copy of Cate's collection, and congratulations on cracking into Midnight Echo. Terry Dowling is one of the best weird writers. Really dig his fiction (thoroughly atmospheric).