Sean Gibson's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
One Year Ago, I Gave Birth
Perhaps I should say that one year ago, WE, loyal readers, gave birth. (As the redoubtable Homer Simpson once pointed out to dear wife Marge, “it’s a uterUS, Marge—not a uterYOU�).
Fair warning: what follows is utterly self-serving (then again, that’s most of what I do, so you all should be used to that by now).
A year ago, I inflicted The Camelot Shadow upon the world. After some seven years of gestation, including pauses in writing for various durations for things like getting married, working a crazy busy job, grad school, and having kids, I finally reached a point where I said to myself, “Self…I don’t know how much better this is going to get iterating in a vacuum, or with nothing more than the input of your wonderful (albeit crazy) friends.� In the final stages of self-directed editing and revising, I danced with a few agents, but as with most of the women I dated back in my single days, while they were more than happy to sleep with this incredible hunk of man and take advantage of his otherworldly lovemaking skills, they were mortified at the thought of being seen with me in public, so they snuck out the door for a little walk of shame before I awoke in the morning.
(Okay, that’s a TERRIBLE metaphor, largely because my life up to and including my mid-20s was pretty much a virginal desert of untouched sand, broken only by the occasional (okay, more than occasional) oasis of self-love, and because these agents didn’t really want to do much more than shake hands with the book before giving me the old, “It’s not you, it’s me…well, maybe it’s really kind of you� speech and moving onto the next burgeoning young (sort of young?) Victorian-set pseudo-literary Arthurian semi-thriller writer.)
So, I decided to embark on the harrowing journey of self-publishing, which is basically like walking into a Taylor Swift concert and, in the midst of her singing [insert name of popular Taylor Swift song here, because I don’t know these things], going up to people and saying, “Hey! Hey! Do you want to hear a song I wrote?�
I don’t know how many books there are in the world. I’m pretty sure it’s more than seven, less than eleventy-billion. Somewhere in that range. It’s a big number. And avid readers would consider themselves lucky to get through reading 1% of the books they want to read in their lifetimes. In other words, getting people to want to read your book is hard even under optimal circumstances, with the muscle of a big publisher behind you; it’s nigh-impossible (though not totally impossible) when you’re the obnoxious guy at the Taylor Swift concert.
And, yet, here we are a year later, and I can honestly say that I look at this endeavor as a success. One of the primary reasons I wanted to write and tell stories is because so many storytellers and writers have shaped my worldview, gotten me through tough times, inspired me, or just entertained me and made me think or smile or laugh, and I wanted to be able to pay that forward. If I could write a book that helped even one person get through a tough day or spend a few hours distracted from a stressful job or fidget at the edge of their seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next, then I’d have achieved my goal. Sure, I’d like to be able to do that for thousands of people (nay, millions!), but so powerful was the compulsion to try to do for someone else what so many amazing writers have done for me that years of toil would be worth it if one person felt that way about the book.
I think I can say, probably with too much pride, but certainly with tremendous amounts of awe, gratitude, and appreciation for everyone who has read the book thus far, that I’ve achieved that goal. Heck, MORE than one person seems to have genuinely enjoyed a yarn I spun out of my very strange head. And, unlike other much-ballyhooed events in life that fail to live up to the hype, the feeling of knowing that someone somewhere out there genuinely enjoyed the hours they spent adventuring with Alfred, Will, and the other cast of characters in The Camelot Shadow was even more potently fulfilling than I could ever have imagined, and has spurred me to begin work on a sequel.
The fact that I’ve gotten to experience that incredible feeling is due in large part to the amazing people I’ve met through ŷ. Never in my life, even having worked in commercial publishing, have I encountered such a dedicated and kind-hearted group of people who love, love, LOVE books and stories. Every time I pop onto GR, I’m inspired anew by how passionate people are and how much they care about the books they read, and how much they support and encourage the authors they love to keep going, to keep sharing their insights and wisdom and incredible gifts.
I’ve always been a reader and I always will be a reader and consumer of stories. They give me strength and hope and inspiration and ideas and courage. They make me a better, more fully formed person. Being able to contribute to that world, to that global conversation, even in the very, very small way I’ve been able to thus far, is as important to me as anything I’ve done in my life (notwithstanding contributing to the formation of the tiny humans who live in my house, whom I hope grow to love and appreciate what stories can mean to their lives as much as their dear old dad does).
I hope this is only the beginning. I have a long way to go. I can get better. A lot better. And I can’t wait to dig in.
In the meantime, happy birthday, Camelot Shadow. Sure, you’re a little slow to get going, and a bit too florid, and you exist in some weird niche that not too many people dig. But I love you anyway, you old tosser.
Fair warning: what follows is utterly self-serving (then again, that’s most of what I do, so you all should be used to that by now).
A year ago, I inflicted The Camelot Shadow upon the world. After some seven years of gestation, including pauses in writing for various durations for things like getting married, working a crazy busy job, grad school, and having kids, I finally reached a point where I said to myself, “Self…I don’t know how much better this is going to get iterating in a vacuum, or with nothing more than the input of your wonderful (albeit crazy) friends.� In the final stages of self-directed editing and revising, I danced with a few agents, but as with most of the women I dated back in my single days, while they were more than happy to sleep with this incredible hunk of man and take advantage of his otherworldly lovemaking skills, they were mortified at the thought of being seen with me in public, so they snuck out the door for a little walk of shame before I awoke in the morning.
(Okay, that’s a TERRIBLE metaphor, largely because my life up to and including my mid-20s was pretty much a virginal desert of untouched sand, broken only by the occasional (okay, more than occasional) oasis of self-love, and because these agents didn’t really want to do much more than shake hands with the book before giving me the old, “It’s not you, it’s me…well, maybe it’s really kind of you� speech and moving onto the next burgeoning young (sort of young?) Victorian-set pseudo-literary Arthurian semi-thriller writer.)
So, I decided to embark on the harrowing journey of self-publishing, which is basically like walking into a Taylor Swift concert and, in the midst of her singing [insert name of popular Taylor Swift song here, because I don’t know these things], going up to people and saying, “Hey! Hey! Do you want to hear a song I wrote?�
I don’t know how many books there are in the world. I’m pretty sure it’s more than seven, less than eleventy-billion. Somewhere in that range. It’s a big number. And avid readers would consider themselves lucky to get through reading 1% of the books they want to read in their lifetimes. In other words, getting people to want to read your book is hard even under optimal circumstances, with the muscle of a big publisher behind you; it’s nigh-impossible (though not totally impossible) when you’re the obnoxious guy at the Taylor Swift concert.
And, yet, here we are a year later, and I can honestly say that I look at this endeavor as a success. One of the primary reasons I wanted to write and tell stories is because so many storytellers and writers have shaped my worldview, gotten me through tough times, inspired me, or just entertained me and made me think or smile or laugh, and I wanted to be able to pay that forward. If I could write a book that helped even one person get through a tough day or spend a few hours distracted from a stressful job or fidget at the edge of their seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next, then I’d have achieved my goal. Sure, I’d like to be able to do that for thousands of people (nay, millions!), but so powerful was the compulsion to try to do for someone else what so many amazing writers have done for me that years of toil would be worth it if one person felt that way about the book.
I think I can say, probably with too much pride, but certainly with tremendous amounts of awe, gratitude, and appreciation for everyone who has read the book thus far, that I’ve achieved that goal. Heck, MORE than one person seems to have genuinely enjoyed a yarn I spun out of my very strange head. And, unlike other much-ballyhooed events in life that fail to live up to the hype, the feeling of knowing that someone somewhere out there genuinely enjoyed the hours they spent adventuring with Alfred, Will, and the other cast of characters in The Camelot Shadow was even more potently fulfilling than I could ever have imagined, and has spurred me to begin work on a sequel.
The fact that I’ve gotten to experience that incredible feeling is due in large part to the amazing people I’ve met through ŷ. Never in my life, even having worked in commercial publishing, have I encountered such a dedicated and kind-hearted group of people who love, love, LOVE books and stories. Every time I pop onto GR, I’m inspired anew by how passionate people are and how much they care about the books they read, and how much they support and encourage the authors they love to keep going, to keep sharing their insights and wisdom and incredible gifts.
I’ve always been a reader and I always will be a reader and consumer of stories. They give me strength and hope and inspiration and ideas and courage. They make me a better, more fully formed person. Being able to contribute to that world, to that global conversation, even in the very, very small way I’ve been able to thus far, is as important to me as anything I’ve done in my life (notwithstanding contributing to the formation of the tiny humans who live in my house, whom I hope grow to love and appreciate what stories can mean to their lives as much as their dear old dad does).
I hope this is only the beginning. I have a long way to go. I can get better. A lot better. And I can’t wait to dig in.
In the meantime, happy birthday, Camelot Shadow. Sure, you’re a little slow to get going, and a bit too florid, and you exist in some weird niche that not too many people dig. But I love you anyway, you old tosser.
Celebrate Mystery/Thriller week with a FREE copy of The Camelot Shadow (is there a catch�?)
I made some crazy promises about giving out free copies of The Camelot Shadow to celebrate Mystery & Thriller week on ŷ and, since I’m a man of my word—at least 17% of the time, anyway—I intend to follow through.
Even better? Not only am I going to make it so that EVERYONE IS A WINNER, I’m not even going to make you read through all of my rambling, turgid prose below before telling you how to get your copy (though you’re more than welcome to continue reading my rambling, turgid prose, which is essentially what you’re committing to doing if you’re reading The Camelot Shadow anyway).
So, what do you need to do? Two simple things: 1) Add The Camelot Shadow to your “to read� list on GR so all your friends can see what good taste you have in handsomely-nosed independent authors; and 2) in the comments section below, list your favorite mystery or thriller (if you’re feeling effusive, please feel free to tell us why). (Also, I wouldn’t be upset if you shared this link with your GR friends.)
The only catch: you’ve got to do it by midnight (Eastern) on Friday, May 5 (what better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a bunch of sexagenarian mystery solvers, right?). (Or, heck, by the end of the day on May 6...I'm a benevolent soul.)
Once you’ve commented, I’ll send you a private message asking which format you’d like the book in (Mobi/ePub/PDF) and what email to send it to. It’s that easy, folks!
Now, if you’re only here for my goodies, you can stop reading (and, let’s face it, who DOESN’T want my goodies?).
Now then…you there—in the back. I see you waving your hand frantically. What is it?
“But, Mr. Handsomely-Nosed Independent Author—is The Camelot Shadow REALLY a mystery/thriller? I mean, come on—it’s set in Victorian times, when they didn’t even have cell phones or Snapchat or Dippin� Dots ice cream, and there’s magical stuff going on, and it’s got King Arthur references that don’t have anything to do with the Guy Ritchie movie (I mean, what’s that all about?), and the pacing is kind of slow out of the gate. Also, your nose isn’t all that handsome.�
Well, I’m glad you asked that, Mr. Bludgeoned Repeatedly and Enthusiastically With the Ugly Stick. The Camelot Shadow is something of a cross-genre hodgepodge, mainly because that’s exactly the kind of thing that I like to read. While I dig fast-paced, straight up thrillers on occasion (more on that below), I’m an even bigger fan of a slow burn mystery that builds up as characters are simultaneously built up and clues revealed, where an unexpected twist throws you off track and, before you can recover, you get twisted right back around, and where the characters can’t rely on high-tech gizmos to help save the day (not that there’s anything wrong with stories where that happens; I just love the dramatic tension of characters not instantly being able to communicate with each other across distances or find an answer to an unsolvable mystery in less than two seconds by Googling it). Throw in elements of history, fantasy, bromance/buddy movies, and a Victorian setting and you’ll literally see me drool. (Not that seeing me drool is a particularly unusual occurrence, incidentally, as all of my stained shirts will attest.)
So, sure—The Camelot Shadow isn’t a mystery/thriller in the same way that a Janet Evanovich or Nelson DeMille book is a mystery/thriller, but it’s got enough of such elements for me to use this week as an excuse to give you free books, so be quiet. If you dig mixing all of those genre elements together, you might like the book (and, if you don’t, I promise I won’t be mad if you have to publicly trash it in your review—reading is subjective, and we can still be friends). And, I have no idea what that Guy Ritchie/King Arthur nonsense is all about.
As for MY favorite mystery or thriller? First off, I think those are two different things—a book can certainly have elements of both, but a story can also just be a straight mystery (that’s not so thrilling, and I don’t mean that pejoratively), or a straight thriller (where the reader knows what’s going on but the characters don’t, and it’s a pulse-poundingly, rip-roaringly paced yarn). Putting that aside, though, and with nods to more contemporary writers like Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (the Pendergast books never fail to entertain), Dan Brown (The Camelot Shadow borrows from the formula that Brown popularized so adeptly in his Robert Langdon books), and John Saul (that man writes some creepy thrillers), as well as masters of the genre like Agatha Christie and Edgar Allen Poe (arguably the inventor of the genre), I have to go with a tale featuring a certain deerstalker-wearing detective: The Hound of the Baskervilles. The combination of Holmes and Watson (the best detective duo ever, for my money), a haunting setting, the intimation of supernatural chicanery afoot, and some of Doyle’s most effective pacing makes for an unforgettable reading experience.
Now then—let’s hear from you�
Even better? Not only am I going to make it so that EVERYONE IS A WINNER, I’m not even going to make you read through all of my rambling, turgid prose below before telling you how to get your copy (though you’re more than welcome to continue reading my rambling, turgid prose, which is essentially what you’re committing to doing if you’re reading The Camelot Shadow anyway).
So, what do you need to do? Two simple things: 1) Add The Camelot Shadow to your “to read� list on GR so all your friends can see what good taste you have in handsomely-nosed independent authors; and 2) in the comments section below, list your favorite mystery or thriller (if you’re feeling effusive, please feel free to tell us why). (Also, I wouldn’t be upset if you shared this link with your GR friends.)
The only catch: you’ve got to do it by midnight (Eastern) on Friday, May 5 (what better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a bunch of sexagenarian mystery solvers, right?). (Or, heck, by the end of the day on May 6...I'm a benevolent soul.)
Once you’ve commented, I’ll send you a private message asking which format you’d like the book in (Mobi/ePub/PDF) and what email to send it to. It’s that easy, folks!
Now, if you’re only here for my goodies, you can stop reading (and, let’s face it, who DOESN’T want my goodies?).
Now then…you there—in the back. I see you waving your hand frantically. What is it?
“But, Mr. Handsomely-Nosed Independent Author—is The Camelot Shadow REALLY a mystery/thriller? I mean, come on—it’s set in Victorian times, when they didn’t even have cell phones or Snapchat or Dippin� Dots ice cream, and there’s magical stuff going on, and it’s got King Arthur references that don’t have anything to do with the Guy Ritchie movie (I mean, what’s that all about?), and the pacing is kind of slow out of the gate. Also, your nose isn’t all that handsome.�
Well, I’m glad you asked that, Mr. Bludgeoned Repeatedly and Enthusiastically With the Ugly Stick. The Camelot Shadow is something of a cross-genre hodgepodge, mainly because that’s exactly the kind of thing that I like to read. While I dig fast-paced, straight up thrillers on occasion (more on that below), I’m an even bigger fan of a slow burn mystery that builds up as characters are simultaneously built up and clues revealed, where an unexpected twist throws you off track and, before you can recover, you get twisted right back around, and where the characters can’t rely on high-tech gizmos to help save the day (not that there’s anything wrong with stories where that happens; I just love the dramatic tension of characters not instantly being able to communicate with each other across distances or find an answer to an unsolvable mystery in less than two seconds by Googling it). Throw in elements of history, fantasy, bromance/buddy movies, and a Victorian setting and you’ll literally see me drool. (Not that seeing me drool is a particularly unusual occurrence, incidentally, as all of my stained shirts will attest.)
So, sure—The Camelot Shadow isn’t a mystery/thriller in the same way that a Janet Evanovich or Nelson DeMille book is a mystery/thriller, but it’s got enough of such elements for me to use this week as an excuse to give you free books, so be quiet. If you dig mixing all of those genre elements together, you might like the book (and, if you don’t, I promise I won’t be mad if you have to publicly trash it in your review—reading is subjective, and we can still be friends). And, I have no idea what that Guy Ritchie/King Arthur nonsense is all about.
As for MY favorite mystery or thriller? First off, I think those are two different things—a book can certainly have elements of both, but a story can also just be a straight mystery (that’s not so thrilling, and I don’t mean that pejoratively), or a straight thriller (where the reader knows what’s going on but the characters don’t, and it’s a pulse-poundingly, rip-roaringly paced yarn). Putting that aside, though, and with nods to more contemporary writers like Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (the Pendergast books never fail to entertain), Dan Brown (The Camelot Shadow borrows from the formula that Brown popularized so adeptly in his Robert Langdon books), and John Saul (that man writes some creepy thrillers), as well as masters of the genre like Agatha Christie and Edgar Allen Poe (arguably the inventor of the genre), I have to go with a tale featuring a certain deerstalker-wearing detective: The Hound of the Baskervilles. The combination of Holmes and Watson (the best detective duo ever, for my money), a haunting setting, the intimation of supernatural chicanery afoot, and some of Doyle’s most effective pacing makes for an unforgettable reading experience.
Now then—let’s hear from you�
The Camelot Shadow Hits a Milestone…and a New Story in the Works?!
I may not be the sharpest marshmallow-toasting stick in the campground, but I know two inalienable truths: 1) ketchup is not an optimal condiment for cinnamon and sugar Pop Tarts, and 2) no one wants to read self-congratulatory blog posts.
Still, there’s an auspicious occasion that calls for celebration, and writing about it in ketchup on a Pop Tart seems like an ineffective way to get the word out. So, a self-congratulatory blog post it is, but rather than patting myself on the back (an exercise that requires contortions my body can only barely manage), I’d like to take a moment to thank you, Goodreaders, for your support. (ŷers? Goodreadi? What’s the proper plural here?)
The Camelot Shadow recently notched its 100th rating on ŷ, and while that’s an admittedly arbitrary number to celebrate and a far smaller number than any legitimately good book can claim (you think you’re sooooo awesome with your 4.7 million ratings, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, don’t you?), it’s mind-boggling to me that a hundred people have been interested enough to not only read something I wrote (a not short and stylistically ornate something, I might add), but to take a moment to let their fellow readers know whether they liked it (and, in many cases, to take extra time to write thoughtful reviews explaining why they did (or didn’t) like it).
That’s an incredible thing for any author to experience, but it’s particularly amazing for an independent author. Authors who say they write solely for themselves are full of surplus fecal matter, because if that’s what they were really doing, they would never publish anything. No, writers want—maybe even need—to be read, because they feel like they have something to say, a story to share with the world, one that readers will learn or glean insight from, or simply take heart from or be entertained by.
I think the most exciting part about this modest milestone is that we’re just getting started. Thanks to you all, word is spreading and enthusiasm is growing, and I can’t wait to introduce even more people to The Camelot Shadow (or The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple, if comedic fantasy is more your speed).
For those of you who have already sampled The Camelot Shadow’s fruits and found them to your liking (where am I going with this metaphor?), I have exciting news—I’m hard at work on a short story featuring a prominent character from The Camelot Shadow, set several decades before the book takes place. No spoilers yet, but let’s just say that if you’re a fan of arch, devil-may-care booksellers, you WILL like this story.
(I’m very good at subtle hints.)
If all goes according to plan, the story should be released sometime late in the fall—watch this space for more details and a preview of coming attractions. Plus, I have a feeling we’ll find a way to get the story into the hands of loyal Camelotians before the release date. (“Camelotians� is a really terrible nickname, and it sounds a little bit like “Cameltoeans”…I may need to rethink that one.)
Thank you to each and every person who has read the book, shared the book, said a kind word about the book, or otherwise just been a generally encouraging supporter of my storytelling efforts. I have a tendency toward sarcasm�(*gasp*) a shocking revelation, I know—but let me swap snark for sincerity for a moment to say that I am so incredibly grateful for all of you, and constantly humbled by the kindness of total strangers whose love of stories and open-mindedness both makes me happy and gives me hope for the world.
I promise you that things are only going to get better from here (pipe down in the back there, with your “how can it get any worse?� commentary)—so stick around and let’s have some adventures together.
Still, there’s an auspicious occasion that calls for celebration, and writing about it in ketchup on a Pop Tart seems like an ineffective way to get the word out. So, a self-congratulatory blog post it is, but rather than patting myself on the back (an exercise that requires contortions my body can only barely manage), I’d like to take a moment to thank you, Goodreaders, for your support. (ŷers? Goodreadi? What’s the proper plural here?)
The Camelot Shadow recently notched its 100th rating on ŷ, and while that’s an admittedly arbitrary number to celebrate and a far smaller number than any legitimately good book can claim (you think you’re sooooo awesome with your 4.7 million ratings, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, don’t you?), it’s mind-boggling to me that a hundred people have been interested enough to not only read something I wrote (a not short and stylistically ornate something, I might add), but to take a moment to let their fellow readers know whether they liked it (and, in many cases, to take extra time to write thoughtful reviews explaining why they did (or didn’t) like it).
That’s an incredible thing for any author to experience, but it’s particularly amazing for an independent author. Authors who say they write solely for themselves are full of surplus fecal matter, because if that’s what they were really doing, they would never publish anything. No, writers want—maybe even need—to be read, because they feel like they have something to say, a story to share with the world, one that readers will learn or glean insight from, or simply take heart from or be entertained by.
I think the most exciting part about this modest milestone is that we’re just getting started. Thanks to you all, word is spreading and enthusiasm is growing, and I can’t wait to introduce even more people to The Camelot Shadow (or The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple, if comedic fantasy is more your speed).
For those of you who have already sampled The Camelot Shadow’s fruits and found them to your liking (where am I going with this metaphor?), I have exciting news—I’m hard at work on a short story featuring a prominent character from The Camelot Shadow, set several decades before the book takes place. No spoilers yet, but let’s just say that if you’re a fan of arch, devil-may-care booksellers, you WILL like this story.
(I’m very good at subtle hints.)
If all goes according to plan, the story should be released sometime late in the fall—watch this space for more details and a preview of coming attractions. Plus, I have a feeling we’ll find a way to get the story into the hands of loyal Camelotians before the release date. (“Camelotians� is a really terrible nickname, and it sounds a little bit like “Cameltoeans”…I may need to rethink that one.)
Thank you to each and every person who has read the book, shared the book, said a kind word about the book, or otherwise just been a generally encouraging supporter of my storytelling efforts. I have a tendency toward sarcasm�(*gasp*) a shocking revelation, I know—but let me swap snark for sincerity for a moment to say that I am so incredibly grateful for all of you, and constantly humbled by the kindness of total strangers whose love of stories and open-mindedness both makes me happy and gives me hope for the world.
I promise you that things are only going to get better from here (pipe down in the back there, with your “how can it get any worse?� commentary)—so stick around and let’s have some adventures together.
More stories are on the way—I’m not just sitting on my ass (well, metaphorically speaking)
I should note that I am, literally, sitting on my ass, if only because it’s more comfortable than sitting on my face, though, when so doing, my nose does make for a nice, one-legged George Jetson-like chair support.
Of late, I’ve had a few folks politely inquire as to when I’ll be putting out some new stuff (and by “politely inquire,� I mean eloquent inquiries such as, “Hey, jagoff, stop being a lazy asshole and write something new, will you? There are only so many times I can torture myself with your prior mediocrities.�). (Being a writer is the best, I tell you. And I mean that sincerely—no matter offensively phrased, when someone wants to read more of your stuff, it’s a good feeling.)
So, I thought I’d provide a quick and probably unsatisfying update (stow it, peanut gallery, before you start cracking jokes about how my updates are like my lovemaking—being correct and being nice aren’t always the same thing, you know). When you’ve got a crazy-busy full-time gig and little ones, as many of you know, free time is at a premium, which makes the writing process a lot slower than I’d like it to be. And, even when stories have been written, the whole trying-to-get-a-book-deal thing means that they spend a lot of time circulating amongst agents who, I think, look at my work like I do asparagus at a dinner party: smile politely, shake your head, and say, “Wow, that looks great, but I really don’t like it when my pee smells.�
So, while I do have a new Heloise book written, it’s not yet ready to share with the general public, though maybe I’ll post a few pages at some point in the near future if enough people indicate that it’s likely that they will die if they’re unable to read it (I mean, the Hippocratic oath applies to writers, right?). I’m hard at work on a new story as well, and I’ll provide some updates on that when and if I think it’s going to stick. (No, it’s not the long-awaited Camelot Shadow sequel, but I promise that will happen down the road.)
“Well, that’s all well and good,� I hear the polite inquirers saying, “but what am I supposed to do in the meantime if I need to read something soporific on those nights I’m tossing and turning in bed?�
Were I a less well-mannered individual, I might suggest that you suck it; fortunately, I’m exceedingly courteous, so I will provide a few helpful suggestions.
If you’ve already worked your way through The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple, The Camelot Shadow, and The Strange Task Before Me: Being an Excerpt from the Journal of William J. Upton (and I hope that, if you’ve read and enjoyed The Camelot Shadow, you’ve checked out Strange Task—it sets up some things that will bear fruit in future sequels), you might want to check out the following reviews, which are basically short stories/scripts. I like to exercise the creative writing muscles on GR now and again, so keep your eyes peeled (but not literally, because gross) for similar output in the future.
A pilot script for "Doctor, Doctor," a sitcom starring Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom
A pilot script for "Days of our (Future) Lives," a teen dramedy starring the Uncanny X-Men
An account of my abduction by aliens who wanted me to explain human mating habits
If you’re still incredibly desperate for reading material, I’d also suggest digging through the archives of this blog, where you’ll find flights of wit, fancy, and wonder, mainly from the commenters who are taking shots at the material.
I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have taken time to hang out with my stories and who continue to support me and show an interest in future work—I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: every writer, no matter what they say, writes to be read, and the reason I do that is because I’m so indebted to the many incredible writers who have made me think, laugh, cry, or just generally entertained me over the years. If I can do the same for someone somewhere along the way, then I’m a happy cat.
As Stan Lee famously said in Mallrats, “You keep reading ‘em, I’ll keep writing ‘em.�
Of late, I’ve had a few folks politely inquire as to when I’ll be putting out some new stuff (and by “politely inquire,� I mean eloquent inquiries such as, “Hey, jagoff, stop being a lazy asshole and write something new, will you? There are only so many times I can torture myself with your prior mediocrities.�). (Being a writer is the best, I tell you. And I mean that sincerely—no matter offensively phrased, when someone wants to read more of your stuff, it’s a good feeling.)
So, I thought I’d provide a quick and probably unsatisfying update (stow it, peanut gallery, before you start cracking jokes about how my updates are like my lovemaking—being correct and being nice aren’t always the same thing, you know). When you’ve got a crazy-busy full-time gig and little ones, as many of you know, free time is at a premium, which makes the writing process a lot slower than I’d like it to be. And, even when stories have been written, the whole trying-to-get-a-book-deal thing means that they spend a lot of time circulating amongst agents who, I think, look at my work like I do asparagus at a dinner party: smile politely, shake your head, and say, “Wow, that looks great, but I really don’t like it when my pee smells.�
So, while I do have a new Heloise book written, it’s not yet ready to share with the general public, though maybe I’ll post a few pages at some point in the near future if enough people indicate that it’s likely that they will die if they’re unable to read it (I mean, the Hippocratic oath applies to writers, right?). I’m hard at work on a new story as well, and I’ll provide some updates on that when and if I think it’s going to stick. (No, it’s not the long-awaited Camelot Shadow sequel, but I promise that will happen down the road.)
“Well, that’s all well and good,� I hear the polite inquirers saying, “but what am I supposed to do in the meantime if I need to read something soporific on those nights I’m tossing and turning in bed?�
Were I a less well-mannered individual, I might suggest that you suck it; fortunately, I’m exceedingly courteous, so I will provide a few helpful suggestions.
If you’ve already worked your way through The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple, The Camelot Shadow, and The Strange Task Before Me: Being an Excerpt from the Journal of William J. Upton (and I hope that, if you’ve read and enjoyed The Camelot Shadow, you’ve checked out Strange Task—it sets up some things that will bear fruit in future sequels), you might want to check out the following reviews, which are basically short stories/scripts. I like to exercise the creative writing muscles on GR now and again, so keep your eyes peeled (but not literally, because gross) for similar output in the future.
A pilot script for "Doctor, Doctor," a sitcom starring Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom
A pilot script for "Days of our (Future) Lives," a teen dramedy starring the Uncanny X-Men
An account of my abduction by aliens who wanted me to explain human mating habits
If you’re still incredibly desperate for reading material, I’d also suggest digging through the archives of this blog, where you’ll find flights of wit, fancy, and wonder, mainly from the commenters who are taking shots at the material.
I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have taken time to hang out with my stories and who continue to support me and show an interest in future work—I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: every writer, no matter what they say, writes to be read, and the reason I do that is because I’m so indebted to the many incredible writers who have made me think, laugh, cry, or just generally entertained me over the years. If I can do the same for someone somewhere along the way, then I’m a happy cat.
As Stan Lee famously said in Mallrats, “You keep reading ‘em, I’ll keep writing ‘em.�
