PURE REASON

Slow Start for a Fast Year

2012-01-28T12:50:00.006-06:00

January is almost done, but I'm already behind.

The Imagicopter anthology (Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells, Kerlak Publishing, cover art by Dan Gamber) won't come out this month due to logistical problems, although it should appear early in February. It was an ambitious project to begin with, so I suppose I should be pleased its appearance only slipped a couple of weeks. The experience has given me a whole new respect for small press publishers. I only hope the anthology does help the careers of the contributors. That would make the effort worthwhile.

I wanted to have the manuscript for Deity ready for Sam's Dot Publishing by the first of this year, but that didn't happen, and it's not likely to happen before March. I have two events in February (MS PulpCon and Mysticon) and one in March (MidSouthCon) I must attend. Preparation and travel for those events will take up a significant amount of time. As a writer whose muse is as fickle as a politician's loyalties, I find myself in a frustrating dry spell. I have tried every anti-writer's block trick I know without result. Not that I have given up, just spending a lot of time staring at a blank page with an equally blank mind. Some would say that's no real change from my normal state.

Of course, my short stories will be appearing in a couple of anthologies this year (Call of Lovecraft from Evil Jester Press and Rogues in Hell from Perseid Press [formerly Adventurers in Hell]) and I am working to try to get a few more. Still, my personal goals are to finish Deity for SDP, Traitor Angel for Seventh Star Press, make seven appearances by August, and finish stories for three other anthologies before their deadlines. Come September, I'll know for sure just how ambitious that is.

Meanwhile, a couple of stories have already gone to different periodicals for publication already. Evidence of the Eternal, originally appearing in 1999 at "The Harrow" magazine, will shortly be reprinted. A new science fiction story, Sparks, is under consideration at Aoife's Kiss magazine.

I was pleased to hear that my story The Real Magic (Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts, Kerlak Publishing, 2011) was nominated for the 2012 Pulp Ark Best Short Story Award. I have written two steampunk stories in my life, and both have been nominated for awards. Is it possible I have missed my calling as a writer? Should I be concentrating on steampunk rather than science fiction and horror?

*Sigh* I hope I find out before the world ends in December.

Back to the notebooks. Stay low and keep your powder dry!

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T15:19:00.003-06:00

Here it is, the last day of 2011. Within just a few hours, we start a brand new year. I should be reviewing my accomplishments of the past year and making plans for what's next, but I just want to get through midnight tonight in one piece.

There are so many projects on the horizon, I just want to spend a few hours in the company of family and friends, passing the time and having fun. Work can wait. Heck, it's Saturday! The weekend is supposed to be a break from the routine anyway, right?

Tonight I'm gonna forget about the upcoming Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells anthology, featuring 19 very talented writers and artists, by Kerlak Publishing. I'm going to think about something other than my latest novel release, Angelkiller, from Seventh Star Press and how it's available in print and digital formats. I'm not even going to consider the fact that my short story The Shed will be featured in the upcoming Call of Lovecraft anthology from Evil Jester Press, nor that I'm still reading for the next issue of Sam's Dot Publishing's parABnormal Digest, which comes out in March. I won't even think about how my story "Chasing the Key" will be in the Adventurers in Hell anthology from Perseid Press.

I could dwell on the fact I'll be a guest at the 2012 Mysticon in Roanoke, MidSouthCon XXX in Memphis, and Duckon 21 in Chicago, but I won't. I could wonder how things will go at Shadowcon in a couple days, or how the half-dozen soon-to-be planned Imagicopter events for 2012 will be received, but not tonight.

I could mull over the guest post I did for Darlene's Book Nook and the interview in the Ginger Nuts of Horror blogsite, but why go over them again?

Nope, I won't be working on the manuscripts of Deity for Sam's Dot Publishing, or Traitor Angel for Seventh Star Press. I won't be working on the story for Visionaries from Hell for Perseid Publishing or book reviews or commentary or anything tonight.

Tonight, I'm going to relax, have a drink, and enjoy the company. Tomorrow can take care of itself.

What's that dear? Publisher on the phone?

Tell 'em I'm dead.

Another Year Nearly Gone

2011-11-25T09:50:00.003-06:00

As we approach the end of 2011, I'm finding much to be thankful for, and not just because it's that time of the year.

My family and some very close friends got together for Thanksgiving and it was a wonderful, heart-warming event. Eveyone overate, visited, and generally had a great time. It was one of those rare times when get-togethers actually work without friction or problems. Every gathering should be so enjoyable.

I have finally fought off the croup/pleuristical infection that has been haunting me for the last five weeks or so. I have been prone to pulmonary infections all my life, but this one was the kind that refused to let go. Now, if I can just get a full night's sleep...

Working on the Imagicopter anthology Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells with Allan Gilbreath at Kerlak Publishing. Once the cover art comes in from Dan Gamber, I believe we will have this fella wrapped. I know the writers and artists are anxious to get their due, both monetarily and publicly. Personally, I would just like to get the thing done. I have several other projects hovering in the wings awaiting their turn.

Uppermost in that queue is Deity for Sam's Dot Publishing. When I am not reading for the next issue of parABnormal Digest or finalizing the outline for Doom Angel or writing a short story for some recent anthology call, I'm writing on Deity. What spare time I have from those I have dabbled at The Boathouse novella and Eye of the Storm. I hope to have something for the next volume of the HIH series, Visionaries in Hell, as well. Something tells me 2012 will see a lot of my work finally in print. Barring the Zombie Apocalyse, of course.

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, etc., etc. Till next time, keep your powder dry and stay low.

Angelkiller Now Available!

2011-10-25T21:04:00.004-05:00

Seventh Star Press is hitting the ground running with the release of my latest novel, Angelkiller. I am very pleased with their enthusiasm and have really enjoyed working with Stephen Zimmer, Amanda DeBord and Matt Perry in preparing this work for the public. I couldn't ask for better, more professional help with making this a success. Any missteps in this process I will gladly shoulder as my responsibility. I am the one amateur in this process.

Now for the word from my sponsor:

Buy Now for limited hardcover of Angelkiller

softcover package of Angelkiller

2011-10-07T22:08:00.005-05:00

What happened to September? It was here a minute ago... Oh, well. Onward.

The progress on Angelkiller is heartening. With illustrations from Matt Perry and an able hand from my editor Amanda DeBord, it should be finalized and in print before the end of the year. Maybe in time for Christmas, who knows?

The September 2011 issue of parABnormal Digest went out, and so far the feedback has been good. Time will tell just how successful the PD experiment is, but it's looking like we have a hit.

I recently received the news that my short story Chasing the Key has been accepted for the upcoming Adventurers in Hell anthology from Perseid Press, latest volume in the Heroes in Hell series begun back in 1986. I look forward to writing for this series again. It should appear about the same time as the Call of Lovecraft anthology, which has my short story Shed, early next year.

Meanwhile, Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts is now available from Kerlak Publishing. My short story The Real Magic is tucked therein. DoS2 is edited by Kimberly Richardson, who is a great steampunk author in her own right. If it wasn't for her advice and that of the inimitable Nick Valentino, I would never have figured out steampunk (at least, that's what I tell them).

Ongoing still are the final preparation for Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells, the Imagicopter anthology from Kerlak Publishing; Deity, the final novel in the Thran triad for Sam's Dot Publishing; Traitor Angel, the second novel for Seventh Star Press for the Angelkiller triad; and assorted stories for various venues.

I would like to pass along a bit of good news about my friends James and Marcia Miller, who had a new addition to the family just a few days ago: Lillian Marie. Congratulations!

That's it for now. Until next time, stay out of the basement and keep your stakes handy. Halloween's just around the corner.

A Pause to Catch My Breath

2011-08-27T09:39:00.004-05:00

August signaled the end of work on parABnormal Digest for a bit, a finalizing of the Imagicopter anthology Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells, and a chance for me to catch my breath. There were some significant personal events -- birthdays and anniversaries and such -- but the business of writing hit a metaphorical comma. I am currently critiquing some manuscripts for friends, trying to reduce a pile I had allowed to grow too high. Before I dive back into writing, I want to get those done and the critique to the writers. They have been very patient with me, and I appreciate that.

In the middle of all the summer activity, I was happy to be invited to write for the upcoming Adventurers in Hell anthology, edited by Janet Morris. AIH is the second in the resurrected Heroes in Hell series that began in 1986. I completed the requested story and sent it along for consideration. Have yet to hear back. Will keep you updated.

Next month I celebrate a birthday. I could turn morbid and talk about how much I enjoy every day vice the alternative, but I won't. I think everyone past 50 knows what I mean, and those younger will soon. Nuff said.

Upcoming in the next few months, with any luck, are the second drafts of Deity, Boathouse, Traitor Angel, and three short stories for various publications. I will be headed to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in November for an event and possibly to Vicksburg, Mississippi, in December. My traveling is going to scale back while I concentrate more on the writing side of my career. I will, however, still try to make as many events as I can. Can't completely forget the business side of being a writer.

Speaking of which, back to the salt mines. Stay cool!

The Hottest July on Record

2011-07-26T09:49:00.005-05:00

July is usually a hot month, but jeez!

Got back from Fandom Fest steaming in more ways than one. I won't go into the details here, because there are more than one places you can find out the details of what happened, and it seems like overkill to restate what I and many others have said about it. I'll put some links at the end of this post for those who still want to know.

Otherwise, we have closed submissions for the September issue of parABnormal Digest and are now reading for the March issue. Will be doing the final edit to forward to the publisher soon. I am really looking forward to seeing this newest issue in print. We will have stories by Lindsey Duncan, Tom Howard, Eamonn Murphy, Bill Rasmussen, Matthew Tolbert, and more. Cover artwork is a beautiful piece (pictured here) by Sandy DeLuca and interior art from Sandy and Karl Eschenbach. Poetry from Lauren McBride, April Bullard, Wade German, Marina Lee Sable, and others help color the pages while articles from Leslie Cargile and Shelly Beard and interviews with the South Eastern Paranormal Society (SEPS) and the Mississippi Society of Paranormal Investigators (MSSPI) round out the issue. The digest is finally beginning to measure up to what I believe it should be, and I hope the readers are both entertained and educated by it.

I do feel compelled to explain why I accepted one of the stories for PD: Lindsey Duncan's "The Herd Mentality". Now, strictly speaking, it is not what I consider paranormal. However, the very fact this story exists at all is, IMHO, a paranormal phenomenon. The premise of the story is Just. So. Bizarre. I had to accept it. Blame me, if you must, for breaking the guidelines on this one.

On a personal front, my novella High Kings was a big seller at the convention and I couldn't be more pleased. Now that I'm back, I have a couple of months of down time as far as conventions, etc. are concerned. This will give me time to catch up on PD, Imagicopter, and family projects as well as finally get some serious work done on Deity.

I am reading manuscripts for a couple of friends, Wes Yahola and Steven Baird. Both are fine writers and I use their MSs for diversion from my own scribbling. Hope to have those done for them soon, and they find my critique useful.

Okay, enough. Check with you next month. Stay cool and dry until then.

Oh, here are those links about the Fright-Night Film Festival/Fandom Fest weekend, FYI:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150330032664203
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150251400354272
http://jasoncordova.com/2011/07/25/fandom-fest-aar/

Commitment is not a dirty word

2011-06-24T12:55:00.004-05:00

Well, by now the news that I have signed a three-book deal with Seventh Star Press is old hat. Angelkiller is the first in the triad, to be followed next year by Traitor Angel and then Doom Angel in 2013 (if we are all still here). I am pleased to be a part of SSP and look forward to working with them.

I still have Deity to come out from Sam's Dot Publishing. That is currently on the front burner and working it frantically for an early 2012 release. Deity and Traitor Angel may be competing for attention over the holidays, but I am determined to get them both done by their respective deadlines.

Besides those novels, I am editing the September 2011 issue of parABnormal Digest for SDP with Terrie Lee Relf. I really enjoy that project. Although I can't accept everything submitted, putting together a project of that magnitude with Terrie has been a satisfying process. I was very pleased to find how well PD was received, and how well it sold at the conventions in which it was featured.

I am also working to get involved with another project that, for now, has to remain under wraps. As soon as I know for certain it will be a part of my upcoming public projects, I will let you know.

I was recently at DucKon 20 in the Chicago area, and I have to say I really enjoyed the convention, the panels, the company I shared, and the event in general. I would definitely recommend the event to anyone and look forward to returning next year. Present at the convention besides me and my daughter, Herika R. Raymer, were Allan Gilbreath, Kimberly Richardson, Elizabeth Donald, Jimmy Gillentine, Jon Klement, and Dan and Jackie Gamber. I was honored to meet the author GOH Shirley Damsgaard as well as Kathryn Sullivan, Jody Lynn Nye, and a very personable Tom Niven Huber. Of course, I can't forget Stephen Zimmer and Patricia Palm and all their hard work. Many, many thanks to all!

Enough talk. Back to the notebooks. Til next time, stay warm and dry.

The Month of Confusion

2011-05-25T10:40:00.004-05:00

May. Maybe not. Who knows?

Man, this has been a strange one. I ducked out of an Imagicopter event to take care of personal business, but Imagicopter continued to insert itself at odd times. We've decided that, before the third birthday, we need to cull the herd, as it were, and review the active members. I have mixed feelings about this, as the idea behind Imagicopter was always to help authors and artists promote their work, but if we are the only ones doing so, without the author/artist participating, then the public gets the idea Imagicopter is a representing agency, and that is something we cannot afford. So, our ranks may be significantly reduced come June. The good thing about that, though, is that the remaining members will be the people who see their art as something they personally want to promote, and are serious about their work.

I have been spending a load of time writing and have sent a story to the Southern Haunts anthology for consideration. The submission for Dreams of Steam II is still in the works and I have been frantically trying to get it ready before the deadline at the end of the month. Not sure I'll make that one.

The High Kings novella is now available from Sam's Dot Publishing. Many thanks to Tyree Campbell, Mitch Bentley, and J. Alan Erwine for their support in presenting and promoting the book.

Expect some news about Angelkiller very soon. Deity, the last of the Thran novels triad, has moved to the front burner, with the second Angelkiller series novel close behind. I never thought you could break a sweat from just writing, but...

Anyway, I have another three novels, unrelated to previous revelations, in outline and ready to join the queue once Boathouse is done. Including a long threatened vampire novel. Hopefully, vampires won't have passed from vogue by the time I get around to them.

Look for me at Duckon 20! It should be a lot of fun. Oh, and Happy Towel Day! Remember the genius of Douglas Adams and thanks for all the fish!

Generic Title for Post

2011-04-24T09:51:00.002-05:00

April. And yet another blog post. Thank goodness I didn't promise to blog once a week.

The majority of this month has been taken up with personal and family matters, which will remain so. I don't mind sharing my writing and Imagicopter activities with you, but I never understood the wish to bare one's soul to the world. I guess I'm just a dinosaur when it comes to privacy issues. Oh well, there is a little to talk about.

The first issue of parABnormal Digest has received some very encouraging feedback. The writers and artists featured in the Digest wrote to say how much they like the publication. That is very encouraging. The fact that the people who put their effort into participating approve of the look and feel of the publication in which their name appears is important. The editors of any publication need to remember that the magazine or book not only represents the company, it also represents the writers and artists. It needs to be professional both in appearance and quality. I hope PD will always be both. I have begun reading for the next issue and have some very unusual and excellently written pieces on hand. The new issue's cover art, by Sandy Deluca, is a marvelous piece entitled "Valerie" and instantly caught my attention with its combination of innocence and timelessness. Sandy is a very talented artist and I look forward to seeing much more from her in future.

The new issue of Shelter of Daylight came out this month, featuring my story Sands of the Marid. The story was supposed to come out last October, but fell through the cracks, as it were, and didn't appear. I'm glad it has finally come out. I wrote that story back in 2006 and it is part of a backlog of short stories I am constantly finding in notebooks hiding in the dark, shadowy corners of my office. Really, my office is one of those rooms you don't want to go into with a weapon. No telling what's lurking in there.

I am looking forward to the appearance of my novella High Kings early next month, and Angelkiller (which has now become the first in a series of three books, to my surprise) to appear sometime later this year, probably closer to September.

Imagicopter is having its third birthday in August. We will be having an extended birthday party the third week of August featuring a lot of the writers and artists as well as the announcement of the Table of Contents for the anthology, which is currently tentatively entitled Clockwork Spells (and, yes, that is the first known appearance of that title). We hope to have work from people like Allan Gilbreath, Kimberly Richardson, Bill Eakin, A. Christopher Drown, Roland Mann, and many more, with artwork from the Bielaczyc brothers and Sam Flegal. I was sorry to hear that Elizabeth Donald would not be participating. Can't have everything, I suppose.

Okay, I think we're caught up. On into May, and hopefully more interesting tidbits. Until next time.

Just Under the Wire

2011-03-30T22:51:00.002-05:00

That's what this blog is. I promised to try to get in one a month, and almost missed this one.

It has been very busy this month, but the highlight has to have been MidSouthCon 29. I won't post any pictures here, because there are a ton of them on my Facebook page. I will just say that, if you didn't make it, you missed it! MidSouthCon this year was in a great location, had great GoHs, and the crowd had to have been double what it was last year. All in all, it was the best MSC I have attended, and I have been to a LOT of them. Multi-kudos to the con-com, staff, security, and hotel for a magnificent job.

Attending were some of the most talented people I know. [Name dropping mode on] Stephen Zimmer, Elizabeth Donald, Allan Gilbreath, Kimberly Richardson, Jackie Gamber, Tyree Campbell, Windsong Levitch, Robert Krog, Angelia Sparrow, Stephanie Osborn, Kara Ferguson, Mitch Foust, Jim Hall, Dean Zachary.... the list goes on and on. [Name dropping mode off] And that's just the people I know. There were a whole group I didn't know or were just barely acquainted with. I shared a panel with Kara Ferguson (Midnight Screaming Magazine) and Laura Underwood and Lynn Stranathan (Yard Dog Press) on writing research, and one with Ruth Souther (a fascinating character and entertaining conversationalist, to say the least) and Jenny Oldenburg (an up and coming writer) on creative writing. The changing weather attacked me on Saturday night and finally defeated me on Sunday. I gave in to the sinus headache, went home and took a badly needed painkiller and nap. Apparently, I don't tolerate late nights as well as I once did.

I did get to attend the screening of Swordbearer right after the Opening Ceremonies. Once again I was struck by the great job everyone did on the film, and the input from the audience was that they appreciated it as well.

The first issue of parABnormal Digest came out and premiered at MSC. The Digest was a big hit on both the Sam's Dot table and Robert Krog's (his story Babies' Breath got cover billing). It didn't hurt that the Editor GoH had a story in the Digest. Robert sold out of his story collection The Stone Maiden and Other Tales, already in its second edition, so congrats to him!

In news that doesn't bear on MSC, I finished the manuscript on Angelkiller and sent it along to the publisher. I hope to hear about it soon. I am now working on finishing stories for the new Dreams of Steam 2 anthology from Kerlak Publishing, a story for the Southern Haunts anthology, and reading for the September issue of the Digest.

Seems I'll be busy for a while.

What a Weekend!

2011-02-10T09:10:00.006-06:00

The first few days of February were an adventure for me. I got to see the working copy of Swordbearer previous to the test screenings and was blown away by the CGI enhancements to the film. I must admit to a bit of trepidation upon first blush, having lived with the story for so long and seeing an abbreviated version acted out, but when I took the copy to Studio on the Square in Memphis and Maria and I sat in that theatre, I was again stunned by the impact of the images that have haunted me for decades displayed on the big screen. To Cineline Productions and the cast and crew, all I can say is many thanks for such a marvelous job.

Thursday night, February 3, 2011. After Stephen Zimmer's booksigning at Davis-Kidd for his new novel Dream of Legends, we headed over to Studio on the Square for the test screening. Most everyone who attended was familiar in one way or another with the material, whether in the form of the novel or the extended version of the world of Thran, so I expected them to be honestly interested in what it would look like, and I wasn't disappointed. I was grateful that John Beifuss of the Memphis Commercial Appeal attended as well and appreciate his input. We received some great critique of the film from the attendees, things that will only improve the final version. Thanks to all who came and participated.

Friday, February 4, 2011. The day was kind of dreary, but my daughter and I, with Stephen Zimmer in tow, headed west toward Clarksville, Arkansas, for the Redgunk Festival. The event, held at the University of the Ozarks, was hosted by Dr. William "Bill" Eakin. Bill, whose work I have admired for years, is a veteran at genre writing, with publications in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, Realms of Fantasy, and many others. His work has been recognized for Nebula Awards, although he's never received one (a crime, IMHO). It was a great privilege to share the spotlight with this man, and I was pleased to be invited.

Appearing at the Festival were other talented writers as well: Stephen Zimmer, of course, A(aron) Christopher Drown and Roland Mann. All four gentlemen entertained with readings from their works. Aaron read from his novel A Mage of None Magic, Roland from his Buying Time, Stephen from Dream of Legends, and Bill from an unpublished Redgunk story which I sincerely hope he will submit to parABnormal Digest for publication. It snowed all day Friday and most of Saturday in Clarksville, closing down the campus, but we still had a fair turnout considering. I got to meet Stephanie Lund and her little ones. Stephanie did the jewelry for Swordbearer, and a wonderful job it was. To close out the night, we had a test screening and received some good critique which confirmed much of what we heard the night before and gave us more to consider. Thanks to all who attended and participated!

Saturday, February 5, 2011. The expertise of Messrs. Drown and Mann were on display as they regaled the audience with the secrets of how to get your work published (Drown) and how to write for graphic novels (Mann). Between these two gentlemen, the audience went away dressed for success.

The Redgunk Festival may have officially been over, but the excitement was not. We formed a little convoy and headed over to Bill's house where his charming wife Cody had hor d'oevres prepared. Bill lives just outside Clarksville in what I can only describe as probably the most picturesque setting I have ever seen. Perched atop a cliff 150 feet above Lake Dardenelle, his home is a writer's paradise, and the stories he told us about its building kept us entertained.

We returned to my homestead that night, tired but satisfied. It had been the experience of a lifetime for me and I hope every event I attend leaves me with the warmth I felt that night as I collapsed into my bed.

Sunday, February 6, 2011. Off again, this time to Nashville, where Stephen had a booksigning at the Borders Bookstore near Vanderbilt. Among those attending were Eric Wilson and Nick Valentino, two outstanding writers in their own rights. We discussed everything from writing to the Super Bowl and Stephen read from Dream of Legends for us. Reluctantly, I had to leave before the others.

I have paid for all the activity with an aggravated bonespur in my foot, but it was definitely worth it. As I hobble around the house with my cane, I still look forward to the coming weekend in Jackson, MS, with the February Fright Fest sponsored by Java Ink. Meanwhile, back to work on Angelkiller and the stories for Southern Haunts and Dreams of Steam 2. A writer's work is never done... or is that no rest for the wicked?

Off Like a Shot

2011-01-23T09:21:00.004-06:00

Here we are in 2011. There are a few things that continue to please me and some that continue to confuse me. First and foremost, I am pleased that I can still get people to read my work without chucking it in the dustbin in disgust. That, more than anything, keeps me writing. What confuses me is that people continue to read books in print format.

Wait, maybe that's backwards.

With the growing influence of electronic formats like Kindle, the massive market share given over to online sales, and the beginnings of technologies to put books on phones fer Pete's sake, independent bookstores are now feeling the crunch hard. Even some of the larger chains are hurting, and the mainstream book publishers go home at night and cry into their pillows over the loss of what they thought was an eternal market to the upstart child Technology.

I am a Luddite. If you don't know what that is, go look it up on Wikipedia (stop looking for a link there). I still do my writing longhand with pen and paper. It is the only way I can feel connected to my work and my audience. Watching words come into being on a screen, whether it's a word processor or this blog window just isn't the same. I know that probably makes me a dinosaur. So what? Dinosaurs are cool. Just ask my grandkids.

That's probably why I have mixed feelings about my new job as story editor for parABnormal Digest. In the old days, when you had to mail in your work, people invested a lot more into its appearance. A standard manuscript format was developed and taught in schools. Now, even though the material I receive is usually good, strong stories, they are often, very often, not in that standard format. My publisher says I'm too picky. It's the story that counts, he says. I can't help but think that, if you don't have enough respect for your work and the publication you're sending it to, to follow the instructions in the guidelines, why should the editor?

Rant mode off. Back to the writing side of things. Kind of.

Swordbearer will be out very soon and I've seen a teaser trailer for it. I have to say that Stephen Zimmer, Matthew Perry, Sven Granlund, and everyone who works on the post-production is doing a bang-up job. And, yes, the Hat (aka Justin Powell) is the kind of energetic personality that makes following the antics of the local media community all the more entertaining. I will be sharing a link for the teaser soon.

The first weekend of January saw us at Shadowcon in Memphis. Nick Valentino was the Writer Guest of Honor. Nick has spent the last year or so travelling all over North America promoting his novel Thomas Riley, and rightfully so. It was great meeting with him and his stunning friend Elizabe th Darvill. All the best for them both as they hit the road with their books.

Unfortunately, everyone who sat at the Imagicopter table, and some who didn't, came away from Shadowcon with the flu. It laid me low for several days and I still have a nagging cough. It really sucks getting old.

Coming up soon: High Kings and Emperor releases from Sam's Dot. Still have yet to see the Call of Cthulhu anthology from Papercut Books hit print due to formatting problems with the publisher. Since I never received even an acknowledgment about He Who Hesitates from Elder Signs Press, I have to assume it didn't make the cut. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Attending the MRPA Gamecon the weekend of January 28-30. Will also be headed to Clarksville, Arkansas February 4 for the Redgunk Festival at the University of the Ozarks. Two weeks later, off to Jackson, MS area for February Fright. March is, of course, Midsouthcon in Memphis. It's gonna get busy real quick.

Working on: finishing Angelkiller, Deity, Eye of the Storm, and Boathouse, probably in that order. Stories in queue targeted for Dreams of Steam 2, Southern Haunts, and a couple of Sam's Dot magazines.

That's it for now. Back to the salt mines. Later all!

Who would have thought...

2010-12-13T20:11:00.004-06:00

When I retired more than two years ago from a career spanning almost three decades, I thought I was going to spend my remaining years doing what I had always planned -- writing. And for several months, that is exactly what happened.

Then came some wonderful things. Imagicopter. Swordbearer. And now parABnormal Digest.

I have been privileged in my life to meet and work with some talented individuals, and some that border on genius. It seems that in the last few months the number of those individuals has increased beyond all reason. I find myself often wondering whether this can continue, and then hoping it will.

In 2011 there are so many things coming. Swordbearer and Call of Lovecraft early in the year, High Kings and Emperor by March, parABnormal Digest about the same time, and I will be attending conventions throughout the year, including Fandom Fest, which I am very excited about.

With the possibility of Angelkiller coming out by the end of 2011 and Deity early in 2012, it seems that next year will truly mark the beginning of a writing career that until now has been merely sputtering to life. Although I am not likely to be traveling as much as before, the places I will be going will be strategically chosen to best advance my writing.

I am very grateful to M.R. Williamson, J. L. Mulvihill, Herika Raymer, Stephen Zimmer, Henry Sanders, Deborah S Ford, Bill Eakin, and Alexander S. Brown for making Imagicopter such a success in 2010. Without the efforts of those fine folks, Imagicopter would not be what it has become, which is a writer and artist cooperative with growing national recognition.

Lastly, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2011!

Looking toward a busy holiday season

2010-11-20T10:19:00.004-06:00

Well, November began a little bittersweet for me. I attended the Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention the first Friday. Allan Gilbreath drafted Sam Flegal and I to talk to the 300 local schoolchildren attending with their teachers about art and writing respectively. We set up an Imagicopter table next to Elizabeth Donald's Literary Underworld and spent a lot of time driving traffic to her and several other people's tables who have expressed interest in joining Imagicopter.

Saturday the crud that had threatened to lay me low finally won. Although I was still ambulatory through it, I felt as if I was carrying a freight train on my chest the whole time. Even today, most of the way through the Z-Pack I submitted to, the coughing continues. I hate bronchitis, my personal, ever-present demon.

I was able to get some work done on Angelkiller, and got a chance to discuss an upcoming project with Tyree Campbell of Sam's Dot Publishing. On a side note, I am proud to announce that Sam's Dot will be publishing my novella High Kings, to appear in 2011.

The debut of Emperor, the second Thran novel, will probably be earlier than planned at MidSouthCon due to other projects in the offing. I'll keep you posted on that.

Swordbearer is scheduled to premiere in Lexington, KY, in January, with showings in Memphis, TN, and Clarksville, AR, in February. After that, there is a fairly extensive schedule of screenings in conventions all over. I'll keep you advised as to dates and locations as they become available.

I still have plenty to keep me busy over the holiday season, writing-wise, so keep an eye on this blog for more announcements. Meanwhile, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

BOOK REVIEW: The Storm Guardians by Stephen Zimmer

2010-10-22T09:41:00.003-05:00

TITLE: The Storm Guardians
AUTHOR: Stephen Zimmer
PUBLISHER: Seventh Star Press, 2010
ISBN 978-0-9825656-3-6 (553 pages, including Appendix)

Forces set in motion in the first book of the Rising Dawn series, The Exodus Gate, move forward with a vengeance in The Storm Guardians.

We find the familiar and the fantastic once again inextricably linked as Benedict Darwin and his troupe try to deal with the frightening reality of a world changed to its very core. The survivors of the Great Flood, both the noble An-Ki and the demonic Erkorenen, find themselves pawns in a greater power struggle, whose manifestations extend into the ethereal world of Purgatarion, where the hordes from the Abyss commanded by the leader of the Ten-Fold Kingdom are launching an assault, aiming for the very walls of the White City itself.

In the normal world, Night Hunters prowl the forests, pursuing the now-divided An-Ki clans. A group of high schools students decide they are going to find out if the rumors of giant wolves in the woods are true, and fall afoul of a force whose true nature they do not suspect. Watchers, their ranks thinned because of the conflicts in the Middle Lands, struggle desperately to protect humanity against the growing threat of the Nephilim and their allies, while a lone Avatar stands against many enemies.

In the Middle Lands, mighty Avatars clash, great forces Light and Dark and neither meet on the battlefield of Purgatarion in a clash that boggles the minds of even those denizens of the stricken area which forms a buffer between the Abyss and the White City.

The scope of The Storm Guardians is massive, opening up and expanding on the conflict only hinted at in The Exodus Gate. The intrigue and action promised in the first book is fully developed and mercilessly exhibited. The Storm Guardians is a non-stop thriller that lives up to the promise of The Exodus Gate and points at an even more amazing denouement in the final book of the series. Once again, Zimmer has used his command of cinematic imagery to give us a spectacular vision of war both heavenly and hellish.

Two thumbs up on this one.

Catching up again

2010-10-02T12:22:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I missed the September post altogether. Hopefully, I can make up for that by posting more than one this month, including a couple of book reviews.

On September 25, I went to Frankfort, KY, to the shooting of the climactic scene of Swordbearer, the independent film based on scenes from Ascendant. The cast and crew got there before dawn, and it was a very cold start to a very long, but productive, day. I traveled with my friend Chris Prince, who good-naturedly stood by and watched me make a fool of myself as I yelled and screamed my head off with the rest of the extras during the fight scene. It was loads of fun. Someday, I may regret it, but not today.

The gist of the scene was this: the two warring Houses (Thran and Suum) have agreed to a single combat between their champions to determine who will have pre-eminence. The winner takes all in this combat, the losing House ceding all claim to any political influence, forfeiting its holdings, and losing its position in the ruling Council. It is a true final conflict, designed to decide once and for all the outcome of a blood-feud more than four centuries old. The combat comes down to the champions Hennock (Al Snow) of House Thran, and Tchek (Benjamin Wood) of House Suum. The fight scene might only run a few minutes in the final film, the shooting itself took hours.

The actors, both professional wrestlers in real life, performed using actual weapons - live steel that spelled real danger. My old friend Allan Gilbreath, who is well versed in martial arts and weapons, served as fight choreographer, and even he was uneasy about the use of real hand-and-a-half swords. As it turned out, except for a couple of minor scratches, the combat went extremely well.

I cannot praise the cast and crew highly enough for their professionalism and enthusiasm for this project. In the end, this film will be for me the once-in-a-lifetime event that few people get to experience: the manifestation of a dream.

But enough of that. There will be much more on the film as time goes by.

I have several stories out for consideration and now in print. He Who Hesitates is out for consideration for Elder Signs Press' High Seas Cthulhu 2. Sparks and The Real Magic went to Kerlak Publications for upcoming anthologies. Person-to-Person has been accepted by Midnight Screaming Magazine and will appear soon. End Game is now appearing in Sam's Dot Publishing's Infradead anthology. I shortly intent to inflict No More Running and a couple others on unsuspecting periodicals. I'll keep you advised as that goes along.

Many people have asked me if I am enjoying my retirement. For those of us who are "retired", we know there really is no such thing. My writing career continues to expand, from short stories to novels and now into screenplay. What new adventure is around the corner? With the ever-increasing technological advances in the west, the growing political movements in the east, and the inevitable conflict or marriage of the two, who can say?

BOOK REVIEW: Setting Suns by Elizabeth Donald

2010-10-02T11:50:00.003-05:00

TITLE: Setting Suns
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Donald
PUBLISHER: New Babel Books, 2006
ISBN 0-9720197-6-6 (196 pgs)

Setting Suns is a compilation of stories from the delightfully bizarre imagination of Elizabeth Donald. After each of the 15 tales included, Ms. Donald gives the reader a little insight into the thought processes that tormented her into producing the story.

The favorite of all is, of course, Jesus Loves Me. This account of a singing, winged teddy bear, a gift for a three-year-old boy, whose terrifying rendition of the old hymn portends something much darker, is made all the more haunting by the revelation made at the end of the story in Ms. Donald's afterword.

The rest of the stories run the gamut from the inherent tragedy in resisting the finality of death (Sisyphus, Memoir), the mutability of mind versus time (Silent), and a brilliant monster story (Deep Breathing), to a fantastically well-written and nastily cutting commentary on men and their treatment of women (Memory Lane), a welcome story about Ms. Donald's foul-mouthed but strong-willed heroine Aurora Crawford (Gauntlet), and a disturbing suicide deliberation (The River). There are weak points in the book. Vertigo, The Puzzle, and Symphony of the Woods are obviously emotional venting of deeply felt feelings and beliefs that probably would have been better placed elsewhere. I Live With It Every Day (co-written with Jason R. Tippitt) is, IMHO, unworthy of the collection altogether. The re-visiting of the old "computers can be monsters" theme of Wonderland is well-handled and differently structured, worth the read only for its novel approach to a trite subject. Prisoner's Dilemma left me wondering.

Elizabeth Donald is one of the strongest writers it is my privilege to know. This book has a broad range of her fiction, showing her ability to write for any and all tastes, and showing her readers her human side through her notes and explanations. I came away from Setting Suns with a greater appreciation for her work, and a greater respect for the author herself.

Highly recommended.

Swordbearer!

2010-08-26T10:05:00.006-05:00

Okay, so it's been over a month since my last post. I promised one a month, and it looks like I may just make it in under the wire.

The big news is that Swordbearer, the indie film based on my novel Ascendant, is under production. Stephen Zimmer, the director, gave a marvelous summary of the process so far in his great blog Fantastical Musings, so I'll not add anything to that except to say that I had a great time working as a mostly-anonymous extra. The experience is one I will treasure, and I look forward to going back in September for the final battle scene. This project, from what I understand, is something out of the ordinary for independent filmmaking, being a fantasy film. All I know is that I was delighted and a little overwhelmed by the expertise, enthusiasm, and enterprise shown by everyone on the set. It was a moving experience to see my characters come to life, but it was a humbling one to see how dedicated each of the people involved were to making it happen.

Many, many thanks to everyone on Swordbearer. You are making a dream come true.

On to other things...

My short story Shed was accepted for the Call of Lovecraft anthology from Papercut Books (J. Travis Grundon, editor). I am deeply honored to be in some very talented company. I understand they had over 300 submissions, and only 11 selected for publication. I am especially happy to be included in an anthology with reprints from two masters: Ramsey Campbell (Cold Print) and HPL himself (Pickman's Model). Can anybody say fanboy moment?

Sam's Dot Publishing accepted End Game for their Infradead anthology (Tyree Campbell and J. Allan Erwine, co-editors), to appear very shortly. I have not heard from Midnight Screaming about Person-to-Person, but then again I haven't received a rejection letter. I take that as a good sign. The Real Magic, my submission to Woodland Press for the Mountain Magic anthology, missed the deadline. Thanks to Brian Hatcher for letting me know about it. I will work harder in future to ensure the works get there on time.

Emperor, my newest novel, will be appearing in March 2010. I hope to convince the folks at MidSouthCon in Memphis to let me have the premiere there. I'll let you know how that goes.

I have promised book reviews for several people, and I will be doing that and posting them soon. Look for reviews on books by Elizabeth Donald, M. B. Weston, and Stephen Zimmer.

Now, if I can just find some time to write...

Man, Is It Just Me, or Is It Busy in Here?

2010-07-09T20:09:00.006-05:00

Let's see, what's been going on?

Kelly's Beast was accepted for the WTF Mysteries anthology (Mark Fitzgerald, editor, Kerlak Publi shing) appearing shortly.

Phoenix was accepted for the Dreams of Steam anthology (Kimberly Richardson, editor, Kerlak Publishing) appearing shortly

Sands of the Marid will appear in Shelter of Daylight from Sam's Dot Publishing this October.

The story The Shed is on the short list for the Call of Lovecraft anthology from Papercut Books (J. Travis Grundon, editor).

Emperor, my next novel, should appear around the end of the year from Sam's Dot Publishing, with my novella High Kings shortly thereafter.

Have stories under consideration at Midnight Screaming magazine (Kara Ferguson, editor) and at Woodland Press for their Mountain Magic anthology (Brian J. Hatcher, editor). Also one being looked at for Sam's Dot Publishing's Infradead anthology (Tyree Campbell and J. Alan Erwine, co-editors).

I have attended several conventions and events since my last posting, in Jackson, MS and Memphis. I spoke to the Southwest Tennessee Freelance Writers Guild last month about self-editing.

Last, but certainly not least, Cineline Productions and Stephen Zimmer are working on a short independent film based on my novel Ascendant. Readings are being done now and I have been told the shot schedule is done. The film should be available for viewing early in 2011.

And I continue to work on many projects, attend events, and try to keep my sanity. I hope to remain at least as successful as I have in the past doing it all...

Many thanks to Mitchell Davidson Bentley for the cover art on Emperor!

Hypericon 2010

2010-06-09T14:28:00.002-05:00

There are a few cons I attend that I have a special liking for. Hypericon is one of those. It is a relatively small con, but the people you meet there are friendly and personable, the staff is more than patient and competent, and the con itself has an overall down-home kind of feel to it that leaves you feeling like you just visited your favorite aunt and uncle when you're headed home afterward.

The foremost reason I attend cons is networking, which is fun, but I spend a lot of time on my feet, pressing flesh and not actually seeing the con itself. I made it a point to go out of my way this time, fall off my career-advancement ambitions, and become a fanboy because the Guest of Honor at this Hypericon was Ramsey Campbell.

Mr. Campbell is one of the authors who inspired me to become a writer. His work and that of his pre-cursors (like Bierce, Lovecraft, Machen, even Conan Doyle and Burroughs) and contemporaries helped me define how I wanted to write horror. I have always maintained that what we cannot see is always more terrifying than what we can, and Mr. Campbell's brand of psychological horror epitomizes that. I spent a great deal of time speaking with him about a wide variety of subjects and found him to be a most gracious gentlemen and a great conversationalist. He was attending with his lovely wife Jenny, who I mistook for his daughter, to her delight. I will always remember fondly the moments I had with them.

I reconnected with my good friend Stephen Zimmer, author of the Rising Dawn and Fires in Eden fantasy series. He was debuting his latest book The Storm Guardians and I got to attend the official launch. I wish him all the best in his series. I will post a review of The Storm Guardians soon.

Among the friends I met there was Sam Flegal. He was there with his wife and 4-month old baby girl. Congrats again on an adorable little one, Sam. You have a lovely family.

Jennifer Mulvihill was there with her daughter and two of her girl's friends. Jennifer is a ray of sunshine wherever she goes, but I was especially honored to get to hear her sing at the karaoke session. Someday she needs to cut a CD. She has a great voice.

Allan Gilbreath and Kimberly Richardson manned the Kerlak Publishing table. Always fun to meet with Allan, although I would have preferred him to have those Squirrels of Mass Distraction for sale. Kimberly is the editor of the upcoming Dreams of Steam anthology and nearly as animated as Allan when it comes to life in general. I swear, between the two of them, there was enough energy in the room to light a small town.

Elizabeth Donald was another source of energy only barely contained behind her table (The Literary Underground). Elizabeth has the kind of outgoing personality that delights everyone around her, and when she gets together with Sara Harvey, the sparks fly. One of the most memorable panels was composed of Elizabeth, Sara, Eric Wilson, and Stephen Zimmer. Believe me, you had to be there to appreciate it.

Finally, I got to start the meetings for the production of the short film based on my novel Ascendant, with Sven Grunland and Matthew Perry of Cineline Productions, and Stephen Zimmer, who will be directing. It was a lot of fun getting to know how movies are put together from scratch, and I really look forward to working with these guys. There was even some talk of producing some shorts based on stories in my Eclectic Dreams collection. More as that develops.

All in all, Hypericon 2010 was one of the most memorable cons I have attended. I will definitely be back to the Nashville area next year for the next one.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-05-27T07:57:00.007-05:00

For the last couple of months I have been working on the rewrite for EMPEROR, attending events, and generally enjoying the spring.

There is nothing much more satisfying to me than spending time on my front porch with a pencil and paper, watching the woods, and sipping a fine whiskey while my muse teases me with visions of creativity that more often than not manifest as words on the page. In spite of the great technological tool advances available to writers today, I still find the traditional paper and pencil the most effective way to connect with my work.

But enough of my exposition...

Since my last entry, which was too long ago, I have finished three short stories, one which I completed with no idea where it might find publication (No More Running), one which I intend to inflict on Sam's Dot shortly (Sparks), and one I hope will find a spot in Papercut Books' upcoming Call of Lovecraft anthology (The Shed). The rewrite on EMPEROR is done, and I await feedback from my proofreaders before forwarding it to Tyree and Mitch for approval. I also forwarded End Game to Sam's Dot for their Infradead invitation anthology, a short story that was to appear in the Even More Monsters from Memphis anthology, had it actually seen print.

I attended Imagicon this past weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, and I cannot praise the job the convention committee did highly enough. I understand that there was a major shakeup in the committee only a few weeks before the event that crippled them significantly, but I saw no evidence that they were fazed by that. The staff were generous and courteous, personable and a joy to work with.

Guests at the convention were Gil Gerard and Erin Gray (of Buck Rogers, the television series) and John Billingsley (of Star Trek: Enterprise). I am a great fan of the Buck Rogers series, and a serious fan of Ms. Gray, who looks as lovely now as then. Mr. Gerard still has that quick, mischievous smile and wit, and they both handled the attention with ease and aplomb. Mr. Billingsley and wife Bonita Friedericy tolerated my ignorance with grace and enthralled the audience with their charm.

I had the honor to spend a great deal of time with Deborah Smith Ford, and her daughter Courtney, whose company was an immense source of enjoyment for me and my daughter. Ms. Ford is a multi-talented individual -- an actress, writer, and speaker. Someone who is well worth meeting and I hope in future to spend more time with her, discussing film, family, and art.

I found that the traveling for conventions and events does not agree with me as much as it used to, but the trip to Birmingham was well worth the effort. I believe I will be returning next year for Imagicon 2011.

I plan on attending Hypericon the first weekend of June in Nashville, followed by Mississippi PulpCon and the Southern Fried ComicCon in Jackson, MS. That, plus my writing, a chance to speak to the Southwest Tennessee Freelance Writers Guild, and my continued participation with the great people of Word Catchers, means that the upcoming month will be one of the busiest of the year so far.

I hope I can get some writing done in the meantime.

The Continuing Stooooory...

2010-03-25T12:47:00.004-05:00

After the MidSouthCon excitement of the beginning of this month, it is difficult to get back into the groove of writing, but I have accomplished quite a bit.

Sam's Dot returned EMPEROR to me for rewrite. I appreciate the feedback I got from Tyree Campbell and Mitch Bentley and will do my best to repair the damage I did to the story while trying to compress the original three books into one. To say it will be a challenge to do in the short time available is an understatement, but, in the words of Blackadder's dogboy Baldrick, "I have a cunning plan."

Meanwhile, stories are now out to Aoife's Kiss (a Sam's Dot publication), Kerlak's steampunk anthology, Shelter of Daylight (also Sam's Dot), Midnight Screaming (it'll be in the mail shortly, Kara!), and further stories are growing in the pages of the ever-present spiral notebooks that populate my office.

With the advent of spring, I have re-established my writing post on the front porch, where I can take in the air, enjoy the woods that surround my domicile, and partake of a good cigar, fine whisky, and the company of an interesting, bizarre, disturbing, and/or inspiring muse.

Life is good.

BOOK REVIEW: Thomas Riley by Nick Valentino

2010-03-18T09:59:00.003-05:00

TITLE: Thomas Riley
AUTHOR: Nick Valentino
PUBLISHER: Echelon Press, LLC, 2010
ISBN 978-1-59080-700-2 (282 pages)

I readily admit I know very little about steampunk. It is one of those concepts my brain simply has a hard time wrapping around. That didn't keep me from enjoying Thomas Riley. It is a non-stop adventure ride reminiscent of the Indiana Jones entertainments with some Pirates of the Caribbean thrown in.

Thomas Riley, the armaments genius behind West Canvia's war effort, and his assistant/companion Cynthia Bassett are unexpectedly hurtled into adventure when the West Canvian princess is mortally wounded. Forced to perform a complicated and risky procedure, Riley finds himself needing the aid of Isaac Maier. Unfortunately, Maier is Riley's counterpart in the enemy camp, and to get to him, Riley and Bassett must travel deep into enemy territory, force Maier to cooperate, and escape with their lives and the princess'.

Valentino weaves a swashbuckling tale of intrigue, betrayal, and high adventure in Thomas Riley. If you like steampunk, this is a must-read. If you like adventure, this is a great read. If you just like a good story, you are in for a real treat. Two thumbs up on this one.

Moving Right Along...

2010-02-22T14:53:00.002-06:00

Just got word that my short story Here There Be Dragons (Dragons Composed anthology, Kerlak Publications, 2010) has been named as a finalist for the Darrell Award for 2010's Best Midsouth Short Story by the Memphis Science Fiction Association. This places me in some very talented company, including CRS Bailey, Jackie Gamber, Angelia Sparrow, and Naomi Brooks. The awards jury reads a ton of material each year, so it is especially nice to be named a finalist.

I have been doing quite a bit of traveling this month. On February 6, I attended an Imagicopter event at the Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, TN. I can't give the DKB folks high enough marks for their friendly attitude and support. It was a pleasure being there and getting the chance to touch base again with my Imagicopter friends. Attending were D.A. Adams, Jackie Gamber, Sara Harvey, Stephanie Osborn, Debra Parmley, MR Williamson, and Stephen Zimmer. We had a visit from Fred and Stephania Grimm of Hypericon fame, and a host of Stephen's friends from the area.

The weekend of February 13 my daughter Herika and I went to Florida for my sister's wedding. It was a long trip, but fun, and we got a chance to visit with my nephews, nieces, grands, and lots of friends.

This last weekend I took Herika and the two grandkids to the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. It has changed significantly since last I was there (has it been nearly 20 years?), but it's still a magic place and I have to go back soon to see what we missed. Yes, the grandkids will go along as well.

Next month promises to be at least that busy, if not more so. No rest for the wicked...

2010? Already?

2010-01-25T17:31:00.003-06:00

If there is one thing I have discovered about blogging, it's that I was never meant to be this wordy. Nevertheless, I will try a little harder this year to get at least one post per month written and published. It is one of those "New Year's resolutions" that I hope won't fall by the wayside.

On the news front:

Sam's Dot Publishing has accepted my short story Sands of the Marid for the October 2010 issue of their Shelter of Daylight biannual magazine. Sands is the story of a soldier from small-town Tennessee during the first Gulf War encountering forces he doesn't understand and how he copes.

EMPEROR, the second Thran book with Sam's Dot, should be out shortly. I understand the cover art is being worked right now. With luck it will be available by MidSouthCon in March.

No word yet on whether my time-travel novella High Kings has been accepted. I'll keep you posted on that.

Work proceeds on Deity, slowly. I had a burst of energy on Angelkiller that made me think for a moment I might actually get the final draft done before the end of this year, but that doesn't look good anymore. The Boathouse, my secret society thriller, got some serious attention for the first time in over a year, so it is likely that might come out before Angelkiller.

I am working with Stephen Zimmer on the screenplay for a short film based on my novel ASCENDANT. Cineline Productions will be the outlet from which this will spring, hopefully before the end of the year. More on this as it develops.

I continue to work on a number of short stories, mainly as a way to distract myself from the monotony of looking at the same plotlines for days on end. In the works are stories about electronic viruses onboard asteroid mining ships, intelligent cacti, demonic insects, and a plethora of other twisted and fascinating concepts. Thank God I have writing to purge these things from my brain. I can't imagine how long my sanity could survive if it had to co-exist with these things for any longer than it now does.

There are several family events pending that will keep me busy as well, but I won't go into those. Suffice it to say, we are all getting older, even the smallest of us.

As for my participation in Imagicopter, it continues unabated. I will be attending an Imagicopter event at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, TN on February 6 with several other writers, and will continue to attend at least one a month at least through August at locations throughout the south. The Imagicopter writers and artists are great people and I always look forward to spending time with them.

Interestingly enough, over the last couple of months, I have noticed several groups surfacing with the same idea as Imagicopter. I don't know if these organizations pre-date Imagicopter, but it is nice to know the idea is now or has been as popular as it seems to be.

Stay safe, all! Back to work...

Where does the year go?

2009-11-09T13:39:00.003-06:00

October zipped by. There was so much going on, there simply didn't seem to be enough time to hold it all.

I am spending so much time with Imagicopter issues that my writing has unfortunately taken a back seat. To remedy this, I have asked Jennifer Mulvihill and MR Williamson to help, and they have been gracious enough to agree. I would be extremely remiss to ignore the participation and invaluable aid of my daughter, Herika Raymer, in the nitty-gritty bits and pieces that make up the framework of Imagicopter.

Over the past month, we have had the participation of Allan Gilbreath, Debra Parmley, David Nora, J. Moffett Walker, Stephanie Osborn, Kimberly Richardson, Michael Greenway, C. Leigh McInnis, Dean Johnson, Dr. Selby Parker, Andy Childress, Shane Sullivan, Lottie Boggan, Johnny Lowe... the list goes on and on. This project has exploded over the last few months and I have been immensely privileged to meet and work with some marvelously talented individuals.

In other news, I have sent the manuscript to SamsDot Publishing for the second fantasy book, EMPEROR, and also to a novella, HIGH KINGS. Looking forward to the verdict on those two works, as well as for the two stories I have sent to Kerlak Publishing, Kelly's Beast for the WTF Anthology and Phoenix for the upcoming steampunk anthology. Now that we have a slight hiatus before the next Imagicopter event, I should be able to finish a couple of stories I have started, plus take a shot on something for a story call I caught from one of the online/print magazines.

Still working on the secret society novel, the thriller/occult novel, and the inevitable vampire novel. Look for continuing updates (and maybe some excerpts from one or all of them) in upcoming blog posts.

Back to the salt mines...

Playing Catch-up

2009-09-06T09:39:00.003-05:00

August went by so quickly! What with the Imagicopter event on the 22nd and the rush to finish Emperor in time, I clean forgot to update this blog. Well, one must have priorities.

The Imagicopter event was a huge success. I have to credit Davis-Kidd Booksellers' event coordinator Christina Meek for the majority of the success. Her help was invaluable, giving us exactly the support we needed when we needed it. A true professional. Thanks, Christina!

Of course, without the writers and artists there wouldn't have been much of an event. My thanks to CRS Bailey, Tyree Campbell, Jackie Gamber, Allan Gilbreath, Windsong Levitch, David Nora, Debra Parmley, Herika Raymer, Kimberly Richardson, and MR Williamson. Their entertaining attendance kept the event uplifting and bright. The readings, the interviews, the jokes, and the banter made the time fly by.

And the artists Sam Flegal and Ernest Lawson added a most welcome extra kick to the event. Sam's zombie portraits were a big hit and Ernest's portrait work is unexcelled. Nor should I fail to mention our own Sharpie artist Ellen Gamber, whose fantasy body art kept the younger attendees fascinated.

For a complete report on the event, with pictures, check out the website Black Box page. If every Imagicopter event goes half as well as that one, I will be more than content.

The next event is scheduled for this coming Saturday in Hernando, MS. Wish us luck!

On the writing front, I'm fairly certain my story Kelly's Beast has been accepted by Kerlak Publishing for their WTF Anthology (edited by Mark Fitzgerald). I have nearly completed the editing on High Kings, which I will be forwarding to SamsDot Publishing for possible publication, and from there I go on to complete The Boathouse and start major work on the last Thran novel, Deity. Angelkiller, my horror/thriller novel, is currently on the back burner out of necessity.

I currently have three new interviews up and online: Seventh Star Press' blogcast series #3, another BTR interview on Missa Dixon's Urban Homesteading, and Debra Parmley's Make-Believe Mondays blog. Stop by and spend a few minutes with me.

Well, back to work... keep your powder dry.

I Really Should Be Writing

2009-07-29T15:48:00.004-05:00

One of the worst things about writing is what to do with it when its done. If you want to share your work, you need to get it in front of people. If you want it to become widely known, then you need to get it in front of a lot of people. Now, I know there are companies that specialize in that kind of stuff, but, on a starving artists' kind of budget, who can afford them? Thousands of dollars out of my pocket for something I can do on my own with just a little bit of effort? No, thank you.

Internet advertising is almost free. Newspapers, radio, and television (except the national stuff -- they're nuts!) are very reasonable and friendly, but if you're like the thousands of other small press writers out there trying to make it on 5 cents a word, you better hope your day job is steady.

So, that's what Imagicopter is about. What with the bigger houses letting their midlist authors go, the market is suddenly a heck of a lot nastier than it used to be. Imagicopter gives us the "strength in numbers" we need to compete. And so far, it's met with passable success.

I was pleasantly surprised at how everyone we approach is ready to lend a helping hand. I like to think it's because people want to help, and those who have dedicated themselves to local fine arts councils, libraries, and bookstores, are ready to put some action behind their words. All they need is someone to organize things, bring writers and artists together, be ready to hawk the event to the public --- in other words, be the Face. Too bad I have such a mug. Now, if I looked like Matt Damon or a Baldwin or even George Clooney, I wouldn't need to work so hard. But there's no sense worrying about that. My vanity disappeared along with my hair years ago.

So, I'm left depending on sincerity and honest interest in what I do. Such a handicap...

In the "thanks for believing in my work" category, I would like to feature this time a beautiful webzine called The Harrow. Back before the turn of the century, The Harrow published a story of mine called Evidence for the Eternal. Although the publication is currently on a well-deserved hiatus after 11 1/2 years of non-stop top flight fiction, just perusing the archives can give you hours of great entertainment. I highly recommend you take a few minutes to scan the back issues. You might find some names there you recognize.

Anyway, I need to get back to the keyboard -- uh -- word processor. EMPEROR awaits.

Even More Imagicopter News and Stuff

2009-07-25T16:41:00.004-05:00

Jennifer Mulvihill has come through with a vengeance! Imagicopter is slated to appear at the Eudora Welty Library in Jackson, MS, on October 17, 2009 at 1:00 PM. Kudos to Jennifer for her work on this, and congratulations as well for being selected as the Jackson Literary Examiner for Examiner.com! She has been busy (she had to be -- she was headed on a fishing trip and had to get it done fast). Thanks, Jen!

Have been working on the adaptation of Ascendant for the upcoming video from Cineline Productions and Stephen Zimmer. Need to get together with them soon. Stephen has a note about the production on his Fantastical Musings blog (one worth following, by the way).

On a personal note, my younger daughter and the two grandboys are visiting with us this week. I got to babysit the littlest one, Joey, today and he was a ball! Is it wrong to think I have the greatest grandkids in the world? If so, so what? Have a look and tell me he ain't cute as a bug -- just try it!

Well, back to working on the novel manuscripts, short stories, Imagicopter, websites, and dealing with the "real" world. No rest for the wicked!

Imagicopter Expanding and Video News!

2009-07-17T09:34:00.004-05:00

Should I really be surprised? Imagicopter is expanding in leaps and bounds.

We now have a shop on CafePress.com offering hats, mugs, and buttons to promote Imagicopter. I figured it would be fun to see how that worked out. We are picking up artists as well as new writers, and events are developing all the way into 2010.

The Desoto (Mississippi) Arts Council is sponsoring an event on September 12, 2009. I wish I could take the credit for it, but credit where credit is due: M.R. Williamson took the lead on this and it was his effort that made it happen. Thanks, M.R.! And, by the way, there is talk of making this an annual event.

Late September may see Imagicopter in Jackson, Mississippi at the Central Library. Jennifer Mulvihill is currently working hard to make this happen. Look for something around the 26th of that month.

Still trying to finalize the Imagicopter presence at the gmx Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on the weekend of October 2-4. Having a little trouble connecting with the convention personnel, but there has been some movement there.

Halloween in Hot Springs, Arkansas? Looks like it. Once more, M.R. Williamson is working with the local literary authorities to bring Imagicopter there. That would be in concert with The Poets Loft and The Golden Leaves Bookstore. We are tentatively scheduled for Halloween from 5:00 PM on.

We should be back to Clinton, Mississippi in early November, if Jennifer Mulvihill has anything to say about it. Jennifer and M.R. have been absolutely invaluable to the Imagicopter effort over the last couple of months. I wish I had a dozen like them.

On the personal front, I am especially excited about the current project to produce a short promotional video for my novel Ascendant. Stephen Zimmer and Cineline Productions are currently working with me on the project and it really looks good. Still just in the preliminary (talking) stage, but looking good. Stay tuned for more as this develops.

Oh, yeah. And I've got the manuscript for Emperor, the sequel to Ascendant, nearly ready for Sam's Dot. I expect to see Tyree Campbell, my publisher, at the Imagicopter August event and be able to hand it to him then. With any luck, Emperor will be available before MidSouthCon next year.

Lots going on, and Imagicopter hasn't even left the ground yet. Hmmm... What have I gotten myself into?

To mention another venue that supported my early work, I have to thank Karen A. Romanko who, in her RavenElectrick site, featured one of my stories (Inner Enemies) several years ago. Although that publication is no longer running she does still post the archives and maintains a site entitled Raven Electrick Ink, Publisher. I support her work and recommend it to everyone. Follow her blog Raven's Rumors for her latest projects.

BOOK REVIEW: Pragamore by M.R. Williamson

2009-07-01T17:05:00.004-05:00

TITLE: Pragamore, A New Beginning (Book One of the Pragamore Chronicles)
AUTHOR: M.R. Williamson
PUBLISHER: Author House, 2008
ISBN 978-1-4343-3104-5 (364 pages)

In what is clearly the first of a series, M.R.Williamson introduces his readers to an England previously unsuspected, through the eyes of young Richard Alvis, inheritor of an unrealized magical aptitude that would eventually lead him away from his home and into adventures rife with enough legendary creatures and menaces to satisfy any fan of Tolkien.

Leaving his ancestral home at Whitestone, Richard goes searching for his heritage: to be joined to the dragon Pragamore. Along the way he is aided by Yenwolk, a gnome mystic of questionable background whose fairy familiars often provide surprising sidetracks to the main story.

Drawn from the pages of English folklore and cast into a fantasy environment rife with contentious Pookas, mysterious dragons, cantankerous dwarves, and mischevious fairies, Pragmore carries the reader along on an adventure that will enthrall and amuse from the first page. Williamson's writing is easy to read and has a down-home familiarity that makes the reader comfortable with the most peculiar circumstances. Two thumbs up.

BOOK REVIEW: Creiton's Sword by Steven Baird

2009-06-20T14:09:00.004-05:00

TITLE: Creiton's Sword
AUTHOR: Steven Baird
PUBLISHER: IUniverse, 2000
ISBN 978-0595133093 (464 pages)

Creiton's Sword is about a boy becoming a soldier in the heat of battle. It is the tale of a young man discovering his own abilities and limitations. It is the story of a man becoming something more than he could have ever expected. It is a coming-of-age epic that engrosses the reader and has that rare quality of making you forget what time it is.

The cover of the book has very little to do with the story, and I know that even Steven was put off by it. If and when he ever decides to re-release this novel, I sincerely hope he can find an artist who will be able to grab the spirit of the work and render it justice.

Steven Baird has something few writers have any more: talent. His ability to grab the reader with his storyline and take you along for the ride is phenomenal. The imagery is vivid, the characters believable. Definitely a page-turner with a satisfying ending.

I have known Steven for many years, and this is only the first example of his fine writing style. He currently is working on a sequel to Creiton's Sword, but I am really looking forward to seeing his fine fantasy novel Dragon in print soon.

See also the sffWorld.com review.

Imagicopter Taking Off Soon!

2009-06-19T10:46:00.005-05:00

All right, it's official. I'm a masochist.

That's the only explanation for me taking the lead on this huge project now called Imagicopter. What started out as a nice little idea about a multi-author signing at some of the local bookstores around the area is growing by leaps and bounds. I am delighted at the response, but becoming a little alarmed at the growth.

Not that I don't have the time to do it, what with being retired (or semi- I guess) and all. It's the sheer number of people becoming involved. There are now 12 writers in Imagicopter and five waiting to get involved, not to mention the people who are kind enough to help out. What a marvelous group!

Anyway, beginning August 22, 2009 at 1:00 PM Central time, Imagicopter launches from Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, and, with any luck, will become a project writers from this and many other areas can get involved with. I am really looking forward to this, and hope that the tour is as big a success as we envision it should be.

If you're in the area, come on out and support your local authors!

BOOK REVIEW: The Exodus Gate by Stephen Zimmer

2009-06-14T17:43:00.003-05:00

TITLE: The Exodus Gate, Book One of the Rising Dawn Saga

AUTHOR: Stephen Zimmer

PUBLISHER: Seventh Star Press, LLC, 2009

ISBN 978-0-615-26747-0 (566 pages)

The end of the world was coming, but almost no one believed it.

A fan of Benedict Darwin, host of a late night radio talk show, loans him what is supposed to be the prototype of a new virtual reality game. Darwin soon realizes this is unlike any game ever known when he steps into the device's elaborate harness and is instantly transported into a world where talking wolf-man hybrids called An-Ki are at war with the Nephilim and demons from the Abyss. The creatures he encounters, and the world they inhabit, are not mere computer constructs, images on wireframe. He can feel the ground beneath his feet, the wind on his face, and smell the odors of a different world.Excited, Darwin shows the game to his niece, Arianna, unwittingly making her a player in the drama that is about to unfold.

It rapidly becomes certain that the Gate was designed for more nefarious purposes than mere entertainment. The game is not a game at all, but a Gate through time and space, allowing Darwin to travel to before the Great Flood. His usage of the Gate attracts the attention of the High Avatar Calliel, who wishes to deliver the An-Ki from their watery doom into the modern world. Darwin learns that there are others, Fallen Avatars who have a similar goal in mind: to cheat Adonai of His Plan to rid the world of the evil that has overtaken it by sending themselves and their Nephilim offspring into the future.

Darwin and his niece are caught up in a growing conflict between the Fallen Avatars and the An-Ki. Unable to prevent the Gate's use by the Fallen, they work to stop the Nephilim, their Masters and minions from obliterating the An-Ki and taking back the power they lost at the Flood.

Stephen Zimmer has given us an epic tale that stretches across millennia and myth. He casts ordinary people in a most extraordinary situation and takes us along for a terrifying and sometimes horrifying ride. The unbridled evil of the Fallen Avatars is echoed in their children, while the An-Ki's noble struggle for survival is often heartbreaking. The hope offered by the presence of the High Avatar Calliel is the only thing that might carry the An-Ki through – if their internal discord can be contained.

The first book of the Rising Dawn Saga, The Exodus Gate is a promising beginning to what will probably be a thrilling trilogy in a style that is a cross between Clark Ashton Smith and C.S. Lewis for its usage of mythic and religious symbols in a fantastic mixture of the ancient and modern worlds.

Winding Up for Some Coming Events

2009-06-10T16:00:00.013-05:00

Okay, so the beginning of 2009 wasn't much more than a vacation for me. I figured I deserved at least a few months off after all. But, as they say, some things simply cannot wait.

First, I want to let everyone know about my friend Stephen Zimmer's upcoming booksigning in Bowling Green, KY. Here's the announcement in his own inimitable words:

"I'll be making an appearance on behalf of my debut modern fantasy novel The Exodus Gate at Waldenbooks in Bowling Green this Saturday from 12noon to 2pm (central standard time). Waldenbooks is located in Greenwood Mall, 2625 Scottsville Road, Bowling Green, KY. The phone number there is: (270) 843-6226.

"I'll be giving away alot of free items, regardless of whether or not someone buys the book, such as glossy art cards, bookmarks, and even 8X10's of the cover art to those that take the time to come and stop by. I will give away a special full color poster of the cover art and a full set of the art cards to those that do decide to get the book. I want to encourage fantasy fans to come out and say hi!

"If people want to get more information on the book in advance, and perhaps read a sample section in PDF format (and see some of the illustrations included in the book), they can always visit www.seventhstarpress.com They can also email me with any questions that they might have at: stephen@stephenzimmer.com"

I urge anyone who can to attend and get to know Stephen in person. He is a fascinating individual and a talented writer and independent filmmaker.

Speaking of Stephen, I might as well mention that there is another fellow having a booksigning this year. Yes, yours truly will be joining several other local authors in August for an event at the Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, Tennessee. I will post further details later. This is just the first of what we hope will be a triumphant tour of the MidSouth featuring local authors from the Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas areas. Slated to last through the new year, the events should appear in Memphis, Nashville, Jackson (MS), Little Rock, Dyersburg, Oxford (MS), and possibly Jacksonville (AR), Corinth (MS), Millington (TN), and/or Bowling Green, possibly Lexington/Elizabethton (KY).

July will be a month dedicated to my family, as I have two grandsons' birthdays that month and will probably be headed to the Atlanta area for a birthday get-together.

By the way, talking about Atlanta reminds me of another writer friend who is active in that area in several events. Jana G. Oliver, author of the Time Rover series of books (Sojourn, Virtual Evil, and Madman's Dance) was recently a guest at the TimeGate Doctor Who-themed convention and is to be the guest of honor at next year's JordanCon. Congratulations, Jana!

Finally, for this post anyway, I want to start mentioning some of the publications that have been kind enough to feature my work in the past. Early on, when I was first experimenting with publication on the internet, Dan Hollifield's Aphelion Webzine became a prime target for my growing interest in web publication. Dan was very receptive to my fiction and poetry (yes, Tyree, I do write poetry) and several of my stories appeared there including Up in the Air and Reparations. I believe he still has my name on his archive list. Thanks again to Dan, and his staff, for their faith in me and my work. Anybody interested in some good science fiction and fantasy should not pass up this great webzine.

Well, I guess that's enough for now. Til next time, keep your powder dry.

Making New Friends/Networking

2009-06-08T08:15:00.010-05:00

I attended Hypericon 5 in Nashville, Tennessee over the weekend. My intention was originally to attend mainly to do some networking to promote my book and help find contacts for the booksigning tour that starts in August. Instead, I found myself actually enjoying the company of several wonderful folks.

One of the most fascinating couples I met were Tracy and Ben Eller of World of Strange Fantastic Apparel. The T-shirts arrayed on their table bragged parodies of covers from some of the sci-fi and horror magazines I grew up with. I have to admit I have never seen better renditions of that artwork of old combined with the actual names of writers and artists dating from the late forties. Of course, they have material licensed from such artists as Dave Simons, Michael Whelan, and Cyril van der Haegen; cover art of crime noir books, comics; and the regular T-shirt madness. I definitely look forward to seeing them again. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

It was great to meet up again with Stephen Zimmer, author of Exodus Gate from Seventh Star Press. Stephen is a writer and a filmmaker. His latest film, Shadows Light, is available on DVD. Stephen and I spoke with the gentlemen of Cineline Productions about a promotional short for my book Ascendant. Matt and Sven were very enthusiastic about the project and I am excited to be working with them on it. More on that as it develops. Meanwhile, I will be posting a review of Exodus Gate shortly.

Dan and Jackie Gamber of Meadowhawk Press were there. I was disappointed that Bill Snodgrass of Double-Edged didn't make it, but maybe we can get together soon.

I got to talk with D. A. Adams, author of the Brotherhood of Dwarves books. His story about how John-Rhys Davies was so fascinated by the first book that he gave permission to use his name and image in promotions for the book is an example of how even lesser known authors can receive the recognition they are due. Alex is still reeling from that, I think, even after the release of the second book in the series, Red Sky at Dawn.

Of course, I have to mention Samuel Flegal, who sketched me "as you would look after the apocalypse", i.e. as a zombie. Sam's very talented and I hope to be able to work with him in future as well.

Also attending were Stephanie Osborn, Kat Hibpshman, Sara Harvey, Jason Sizemore, M.R. Williamson, and a host of other writers and artists. Thanks to all for the fun!

Beginning a New Career

2009-06-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

After over 35 years of working for someone else, I started working for myself in October of 2008.

It has been an interesting change. Odd not to have to go to work every day, listen to the drama around me, be caught up against my better judgment in the goings-on. As someone who never really got used to other people being around, even after turning 50, I was relieved when it finally came to an end.

Now, I can turn to my writing. For decades I have looked on my writing career as little more than a dream, something that would never come about. It was a fantasy that I would never live to enjoy, because there would always be another project, another thing to be done.

But it has happened, and in a way this is more frightening than anything else I have ever endured. I have jumped out of an airplane, tramped through tropical rain forest, walked Hadrian's Wall, been in car accidents, tampered with reality in ways that may or may not have been legal, but this is such a unique thing that I can find no comparison.

I look forward to, and dread, what is to come.

Exciting.