More Reasons to Buy

I'm not online alot, so I always find out about these things late, but here is six exceptional new reasons for buying a copy of Dark Pages Volume 1

Ellen Datlow's name is synonymous with all things great in the realms of dark fiction and editing. She is so respected that people hang out for the annual Honorable Mentions List, which contains all the great stories she has read in her ongoing and constant quest to read and publish the best short fiction from around the globe, so they know what they should be reading, and so writers know what level of excellence they need to reach to get published in the future.

This year, six stories from Dark Pages Volume 1 made that list. That means nearly half the entire table of contents, of the whole anthology, made it onto Ellen's list!

Congratulations to:

Naomi Bell for “Dust”
Joel L Murr for “The Franchise”
Robert Neilson for “Nightwork”
Aaron Polson for “Cargo”
Derek Rutherford for “Yellow Water Pike”
Lucien E.G.Spelman for “The Stain of the Psychopomp King”

Obviously, I'm a little biased, but I think the rest of the stories within Dark Pages are of equal quality and probably should have made the list as well (not that I'm one who could or should be telling Ms Datlow what she should be doing...).

So do yourself a favour, if you haven't yet purchased a copy of this Australian Shadow Award nominated anthology which contains a significant percentage of stories listed in the Honorable Mentions list for 2010, then now is the time to do so.

Shock Horror

I've done some work.

I've written 1836 words. They join together to form something I think they call a story. It's not publishable. It's not even something I'm going to keep, but I wrote something!

Maybe I'll even be able to do some work on my WIP...

Okay, lets not push it (How's this for Freudian - I didn't originally put the space between push and it - think I'm trying to tell myself something?)

A big thank you goes out to Danielle Ferries for her five star rating of Dark Pages Volume 1 on Goodreads. Much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'm sorry - this is just weird but it tickled my fancy when I was looking for pictures of Freud

 

Plotting

So I don't make Cate lose bodily control through uncontrollable laughter, I've started making cards to pin up on my board, which will allow me to see the whole storyline in front of me. Those couple of days I spent a week or two (or three) ago hand writing the major points of each chapter have now been transcribed into a carefully created table within Word which spans 17 pages.

Now that they are typed out, I can see where I need to add a great deal of detail as some of my rather overly concise noting leaves very little to the imagination and a whole lot to misinterpretation. In other words, my note taking sucks the big one and needs to be redone. But that's okay because I am working on my WIP without having to tackle the bad news that I'm not actually writing anything new at this moment. I'll tackle that little hurdle in due time. It's kind of like slacking off while I'm still working on it - I can live with that.

But, on a lighter point, it has also allowed me to see glaring loose ends I didn't tie off. It has also allowed me to plot in some things which need to be there and some things I now want to be in there to extend the story both in this instalment and further on into the series I plan to write (one day).

But I have an issue which could do with a good dose of your help and advice - if you would be so kind.

Currently, my story has two major characters who have lots of conflicts and complications thrown at them - all good and well. I now want to introduce a third character. I'm not sure if I should only have this character introduced around the edges in this story and include her more fully in the next, or make her integral to everything up front. This would necessitate a major rewrite - from scratch.

I've read series in the past, such as Darren Shan's, The Demonata series which concentrates on an individual character in each book and feeds in other characters as required. I have ideas about additional conflict between the three major characters on all sorts of levels (love, religion, lifestyle, etc), and I'm dying to include it all and drop my main man well and truly in it up to his neck, but am I trying to cram too much into one story? Should I simply allow the new girl to move in across the road and drop hints about her alternative lifestyle in the first book, which would allow me to not have a major rewrite other than the expansion of the characters I already have, or should I throw in all the ideas I have and use the later books to expand on what I started here, only changing the underlying scene and plot (what trouble are our kids in this week, type of thing).

Nate and Cindy are only just getting to know each other - they don't kiss until very late in the first book. Do I need to add the love triangle into this or should they get to know each other better before I add that poker into the fire (in the next book)? Should I establish that Nate is a very scientifically minded individual in the first book and hit him with some alternative points of view from the new girl, or do I just let the readers become comfortable with Nate's way of thinking in this book and introduce magic into the next book?

I'm quite enjoying playing chess with my characters and the story as it currently stands. I'm not looking forward to actually pulling it apart and then trying to get it all to fit back together seamlessly. I'm not sure I can manage it.

On another tack...

Has anyone read the Dark Pages anthology yet? I've had verbal feedback from a work colleague, who allowed his daughter to read it. Apparently she thought it was pretty cool, although I thought she was a bit young to be reading the type of content Dark Pages contains - but each to there own. At least she thought it was cool. I'd love to see any review or thoughts anyone else has (and you can buy it from the link above or from the Amazon widget at the end of this post...).

Alan - are we selling any? How are things going on the business end of it? Email me.

On yet another subject...

My family were jumping around celebrating this morning as we only have one day left to go before we get the Internet back on at home. It's sad that a countdown has been running alongside the countdown to my daughter's birthday and they are almost as excited about the Net relaunch as the impending increase in age for the little one. Says a lot about our society's way of life in this day and age...

Anyway, I'm now rambling, so you all know that things are getting back to normal with me. Any and all suggestions and comments on any and all of the topics above would be appreciated.

Speak soon

I've Turned Into One of Those...

I've always distanced myself, as politely as possible, from writers who talk a lot about writing, who discuss their current WIP, but who never sit down and actually work on them.

I think I've become one. I think about Inner Voice a lot. I work on characterisation and plot and scenes, in my head, over and over again. I make break throughs, sometimes small, sometimes not so small, and I continue to scheme and dream.

But I don't write.

So far I've changed two characters into a family of three and promoted one of them into one of the co-stars of the whole shooting match. I've rewritten the final chapter in my head at least twice and tweaked countless other scenes and settings. Lots more needs to be done.

But I've not changed a word of the manuscript.

God help me, I've definitely become one of 'those'...

Or is it simply that I really don't like the idea of rewriting something I spewed out in linear form. All those changes and trying to fit things so they marry with other areas I deem acceptable to keep. Perhaps I'm just not that good at killing my little darlings and reforming them in someone else's image, even if that someone else is just a later version of me.

If you need to kill a character and replace them with another, or rewrite in an entirely different POV, how do you go about it? Do you rewrite from word one, or do you rewrite bits and try to mesh them in with the other bits?

Am I over thinking this and scaring the crap out of myself for no good reason?

All suggestions short of running naked through the streets will be considered (it's bloody cold around here at the moment).

Oh, and if you've read Dark Pages - let me know what you thought of it. Currently the publisher is slumming it in Europe so I have no idea how sales are going and haven't heard a lot of feedback. Any comments would be appreciated.

Cheers

BT

More Dark Pages News

Dark Pages is now available on Kindle and Smashwords!

Blade Red Press have been busy little bees and have made our little antho available in more locations. See here for the official release details. I've also been notified that Dark Pages has hit the top 100 book list on Amazon.co.uk. This list is updated hourly (I think) and we're not there now, but we were, and with your help, we can get back in there and stay for a while. Thank you for getting us into it in the first place.

On the Smashwords page you can also read samples of the stories, so if you've not decided whether to take the plunge or not just yet, go have a look at the quality of the stories that await you.

Happy reading!

Thinking

I've not got any evidence, but it seems sales of Dark Pages should be doing okay - at least if everyone who has made a comment on either this blog or the blogs of the contributors is anything to go by. I'll await official confirmation on numbers from the publisher before getting specific. In better news, my copy arrived in the mail last night. Stoked would be an understatement. The reaction of my little girl when she saw my name on the front cover was also priceless. Now if I can only get a book I've written with my name on the front cover...editing is great and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment, but it isn't the same. I want that total immersion in a feeling of my art being presented to the unsuspecting public. One day...

But I have a problem stopping me from getting there at the moment.

I've still not written anything new. I began two short stories back in January but let them fizzle out unfinished and unloved. These two mis-starts are the only pieces I've written since October 2009. I did a single read-through of Inner Voice around the same time and added a poultry few hundred words, and pinpointed a couple of areas that need work.

I'm still thinking about Inner Voice (hence the blog title). The short comings of it are still percolating inside my skull and different solutions are being trialled and discarded, or kept for further introspection. I'm enjoying simply squirming into the skin of the characters and thinking about the different scenarios I've thrown at them. I've recognised where they're not fully developed and have suggestions on fixing that - some of which lead onto further stories.

I have a couple of ideas for the next book in the series and a whole bunch of new tricks for Nathan Steele to use to get himself and his friends out of trouble. I have copious sticky notes around the place with ideas. I have a new family to create as I'm ditching a nosey neighbour and introducing the possibility of a slight paranormal bent for this and future books in the series. It will give me additional conflict between a scientific mind and a more pagan belief, and the old classic of a second possible love interest so my heroine will have competition for the affections of Nathan as I move forward. More irons in the plot-fire can only be a good thing.

So yeah, I'm not writing, but I am thinking about it a lot.

Dark Pages Launched!

Dark Pages Volume One has been listed on Amazon.com for a paltry $10 and on Amazon.co.uk for a very reasonable £6.99! (Thanks for the tip, Alan)

The cover image should update onto Amazon very soon.

It's kind of like my baby has taken its first steps out into the world - all very exciting and yet a little scary as well.

Now it's time for you to do your bit. Go order multiple copies for yourself and your loved ones.

I'll add the link to the side bar just so you'll always know where you can get it from.

Stolen from Alan Baxter's website.

The Stain of the Psychopomp King by Lucien E G Spelman

Heart Of Ice by Martin Livings

Neptune’s Garden by Lisa A Koosis

Dust by Naomi Bell

To Die For by S D Matley

The Franchise by Joe L Murr

Clip Notes by Marty Young

Blood on Green by Victoria Anisman-Reiner

Cargo by Aaron Polson

Nepenthe by Felicity Dowker

Yellow Water Pike by Derek Rutherford

Surveying The Land by B D Wilson

Nightwork by Robert Neilson

Hand And Cradle by Trent Roman

Cover art is by the awesomely talented Australian artist Halinka Orszulok.

You can find Dark Pages now at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Don’t forget you can also order the book directly from the press see Alan's website for details.

Treat yourself to a sumptuous feast of dark fiction today. While you’re at it, treat a few other people too. You won’t regret it. Would these people lie to you? (Well, they might actually, but in this case they’re being very honest):

“Blade Red Press have honed their knife to an edge that sits uncomfortably next to the skin, teasing the veins and arteries beneath. The stories within can and will make you feel things you may prefer stay buried, allowing you to breathe that little bit easier in the waking day.

These stories will grab you by the balls, or cruelly twist your nipples, making you sweat and squirm, and then when you least expect it, touch your heart and make you want to cry. Why the hell haven’t I got something in here?”

- Paul Haines, award-winning author of Slice Of Life

“What can I say other than, ‘Wow!’ Every one of the fourteen stories nestled within these Dark Pages is intriguing, different, grabbing. And definitely dark. From dystopian future-worlds to quietly dark fantasy, the stories will have the reader hooked from beginning to end.”

- Gill Ainsworth, Co-Editor of the Stoker Award-nominated anthology Aegri Somnia

“An eclectic collection, ranging from the mysterious through to out-and-out horror, all the way to hardcore science fiction. Some fresh new voices side-by-side with well-seasoned genre hands. An entertaining read.”

- Cat Sparks, multi award-winning writer and editor

“Dark Pages offers an admirable diversity of subject matter, theme and approach – quietly unnerving or brutal, naturalistic or speculative, these tales range from everyday horrors through to full-on supernatural terror. An entertaining exploration of dark possibilities.”

- Robert Hood, author of Backstreets & Immaterial: Ghost Stories

Swept Away

My short, and yet again, nautically-themed piece is up on 52 Stitches. There have been a lot of seriously cool stories in this years version of the micro/mini-flash anthology.

Thank you to those who have read it and left nice comments.

And yes, I totally forgot it was out this week until today - I'm getting very slack and wandering way off course from my writing.

Life is what is.

Hope you enjoy the story.

***Breaking News***

Rumour has it, Dark Pages Volume One could be available in the very-not-too-distant-future!

You must all buy it--and an extra copy for your partner, possibly one for your Mum, and another for your local library.

Seriously, if we don't sell heaps, then I don't get anything more than the satisfaction of editing a kick-arse anthology. Warm fuzzy feelings are all very nice, but they won't buy me a new golf bag (yes, I've started playing golf again).

Happy reading!

Dark Pages Volume 1

Here it is in all its stunning beauty, the cover art for Blade Red Press Dark Pages Volume One anthology. 

(I believe if you click on the image it will open in its own window for better viewing)

Superb - isn't it?

The official release blurb can be found here. Check more images from the artist Halinka Orszulok here (worth the trip).

We have excellence both inside and out now sorted with the cover art above and the previously announced ToC listed below.

The Stain of the Psychopomp King by Lucien E G Spelman

Heart Of Ice by Martin Livings

Neptune’s Garden by Lisa A Koosis

Dust by Naomi Bell

To Die For by S D Matley

The Franchise by Joe L Murr

Clip Notes by Marty Young

Blood on Green by Victoria Anisman-Reiner

Cargo by Aaron Polson

Nepenthe by Felicity Dowker

Yellow Water Pike by Derek Rutherford

Surveying The Land by B D Wilson

Nightwork by Robert Neilson

Hand And Cradle by Trent Roman

Almost there. Keep watching this space and/or the Blade Red announcements page.

Sweet.

Moving Right Along...

I'm at work and they've blocked access to Youtube and other Internet video access - again :c(

Kermit & Fozzie Bear
Things are picking up a few paces in the world of Dark Pages.

Final tweaks are just about done on the master copy (removing typos, finding missing words, etc), and the gathering of blurbs from wind-swept and interesting people is going well(ish).

In tweaking the master copy, I've once more had an opportunity to read the stories we've chosen and I'm happy to say I'm still blown away by what we have coming up for you. After you've purchased a copy and read it a few times because you can't put it down, I fully expect you all to nominate us (and your favourite story from the collection) for every award under the sun. I'm clearing space on my shelf as we speak...

With the content just about put to bed, the publisher's foreword has been done, the editor's (that's me) foreword has been done, the back cover blurb has been done (and will be released when the publisher says I can), and things are starting to look good for the whole thing to go to the printers within weeks.

Not long now till we have cover art to reveal...

Stay tuned.

Edits

We have finished editing the stories for Dark Pages!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the editorial staff and the authors on getting through this period - an excellent job was done by all. We now move on to more mundane stuff like an editorial foreword, the gathering of quotes from ARC readers, blurb writing, and cover art finalisation! As promised by Blade Red, it will be released in the first half of this year.

I've also done 'another' final edit on Dreaming, my piece in the Apex anthology "The Blackness Within", which is due for release around August. This was a request from the editor, Gill Ainsworth--not something I did off my own bat. Hopefully it is now well and truly done and the next time I see it will be inside the cover of my contributor copy...

One last thing of note - I've not written often or recently on this blog, and yet I'm still gathering followers. Kind of scary to be reminded that what goes up here will be available for the rest of time. I guess it's a timely reminder to always be very aware of what you publish, and never ever burn a bridge with harsh words because it will be around to haunt you for a long time to come!

Getting Close

I've been trying to get the last of the edits done on Dark Pages Volume One. I'm down to the last three stories. One has gone back to the author and two are currently with the copy editor before they go back to the authors. I'm hopeful that one more pass by all concerned and we'll be just about done.

Blade Red press and I have moved onto cover design and the first mock up looks seriously cool. Stay tuned for more on that in the near future.

We've also put out the word to some exceptionally well known individuals (ie famous people) to have a read of the ARC and provide comments for the back cover. Everyone has been extremely kind with their time and I have my fingers crossed that the comments will be just as generous.

So we are moving along. I'm over my sty, the cricket season has finished (we lost the semi final), and I've got time and energy to devote to finishing this project off.

Watch this space for a launch date...............

Gathering Speed

Today during my insanely hectic *cough* day at the 'real' job, I "found" some time to do a little research.

For the past few days I've been giving Inner Voice (IV) a nudge (playing with some line edits, marking things I want to change, having brainstorming session on characters and how to improve them). With just playing on the peripherals, in only about half the chapters, I've already added nearly a thousand words. Only one chapter actually decreased in size (and that wasn't by a huge amount).

I have quite a few notes at home I'm yet to incorporate. Like the post title suggests - I'm gathering speed.

Even while writing this post I've come to a decision about a minor character who is now going to change sex, learn new skills, become a love interest conflict, and open up possible threads into the paranormal. Along with the ramping up of another minor character, I guess I'm totally into gathering together the Scooby gang, or building the team - as it's referred to in "How to write" posts on many other websites. This will all work out nicely when I write the new final two chapters (I did mention in earlier posts how I wasn't happy with the ending, didn't I?).

But I digress from the mental toils started today, which is not unusual when I get started on IV.

My research was all about creating an agent list. I'm a long way from finished but I have so far gathered two dozen links (or so) I need to collate and further expand on to arrive at my final agents submission list.

I expect that by the time I've finished editing and polishing the manuscript, I'll have a fully prepared stable of agents to query, and hopefully a nailed down log-line-come-elevator pitch, query, and synopsis (stop laughing).

I have a few items each agent/agency must meet for me to consider submitting to them:

• They must accept YA submissions but also handle darker and edgier stuff.
• They must accept email queries
• They must have a track record of exposing new talent
• They must state their willingness to work editorially with clients
• They must have a decent stable of already signed writers
• They must not have any reading fees or associations with editorial businesses
• If not in the US or UK, they must have international connections with a proven track record

Once I've done my initial electronic research, I'll be researching YA writers who write in same/similar genres as my offering as I'll be targeting the agencies who represent them as well.

As I move into this new phase of the writing journey, I'll post my findings, recommendations and experiences. I'll not be posting any negative comments as I'm keen not to burn any bridges at this embryonic stage of my attempting to leave the nest (hows that for mixing metaphors?).

On the Dark Pages Volume I front, things have slowed to a crawl. We have over half the ToC stowed away and ready to go to publishing. The last few stories are taking a little longer to square away, but I'm sure it will all come together in the not-too-distant-future.

So how's your day been?

Still Ticking

I'm still here.

We're almost there. I think we have two-thirds of the anthology edited and squared away. Not long now until we go into the production stages. Very cool.

My mind is drifting back to Inner Voice and I'm making copious amounts of notes on what I want to add, need to change and have to revise - all good stuff.

We're also about to enter our third heatwave for the summer. 35C and above for the end of this working week and continuing in the high 30's for the weekend. Normally we have a week long blast of hot once a summer but this season it just keeps coming. Personally, I like the heat. I much prefer it over the cold but even I've just about had enough.

I want the end of March to hurry up and arrive - the end of the real heat season, the end of cricket season, the anthology will be done and hopefully for sale (and hopefully flying out the door), my 42nd birthday will be a distant memory, and I can get on with getting some real writing done.

Anyone want to lay bets that come the end of March, I'll still be wondering when my writing year is going to begin....

I think I need a holiday. In fact, I think I could do with two!

Soul-searching

How true is this?

The problem I have is the first sentence - 'It's not all bad.' Being a writer tends to make soul searching a downward spiralling experience: am I good enough; is my work good enough; am I actually improving; why do I bother...that is bad.

I've not written a lot this year. I've not read a huge amount either. Yes, I've been working on the Dark Pages antho for quite some time now but I'm at a stage where I make overall decisions - most of the work is being done by my copy editor (who is a God send).

During all this soul-searching time, I keep coming back to the thought that I'm kidding myself and I should just bite the bullet and call an end to the farce. The saying is, "Writer's write" and I'm not writing so the conclusion is pretty self explanatory.

But

Inner Voice is still tugging at my brain. Last night I realised I needed a new chapter and a new ending (I've known about needing a new end for a while but I think I found one last night). I already know I need to expand on a couple of character arcs. I've come up with a couple of new problems for my MC to solve with ingenuity and common household items. I've even come up with the ways he could solve them (a couple for each so the first attempt may not always work or work as expected). The overall result should be an increase in tension, a better resolution for the MC, a closer tie with the love interest, a chance for a little bit of humour, and a better highlighting of this kids overall abilities. Good things.

I don't think I'll ever do an editor gig again. I can't seem to break from this project and spend time on my work. The desire just isn't there, and I'm self aware enough to know that it's because I can work on only one major project at a time, even if I'm not doing a huge amount of the primary project at that time. I need an uninterrupted flow from inspiration to perspiration. If I worked on Inner Voice now, and was then required to reread a Dark Pages story and make editorial decisions, I'd quickly loose the want to go back to Dark Pages or the inspiration to work on Inner Voice. Result = nothing gets done.

So I'll continue with Dark Pages and continue to not be writing at this moment in time (there, I'm owning that decision). When the antho is done, I'll take a break as suggested by many of you. I'll get some reading done. I'll potter around the house and bang some tools together. When I can't stop creating new scenes for Inner Voice (inside my head or on note paper), I'll come back to it, and then I'll be a writer again.

Biggest issue with that is the total lack of material that will give me for regular blog posts. I tend to only blog about the writing side of my life and the lessons I learn as I go forward (at least I hope it's forward). Most other writers understand the limiting nature of this and either philosophise about writing or find humorous antidotes or comment on a broader range of topics. Not sure which way I'll go with this.

Suggestions for great current affairs sites appreciated.

Working With An Editor

Nobody knows the look and feel of your story better than you. Nobody knows exactly what you meant better than you...except the editor who accepts your story.

The purchasing editor will "get" the inner gem that is lying under the semi-polished version you sent them. Yes, you've spent a long time going through it, making sure the punctuation and grammar is as good as you know how to make it, restructuring awkward sentences, removing repeated phrases, and killing babies as required. For every conceivable method of measuring things, you have polished your story to a high sheen--and yet it comes back from the accepting market with changes, both requested and suggested.

And more often than not, writers accept the changes, agonise over sentence restructuring, and find clever ways to say what we said in the first place, only a little more clearer.

Why?

Some writers believe the editor must know better than they as why else would they be in the position of Editor. Some accept the changes and then reread the story and find it is either better or, at the very least, no worse than the baby they'd originally sent. Some writers don't care and are ready to accept any changes so the story can finally find a home and get published.

Personally, I think it's a little of all of this, but I don't think it's all true either (I'm certainly no better than the writers in this anthology-but I believe my copy editor has a great deal more knowledge in the presentation of the English language than almost anyone I've ever met...argue a point at your own peril).

We send work to critique groups, friends, other writers, et al, so we can get feedback and make subtle changes to move the story forward. Rare is the time when we go back to previous versions because we've moved too far from what we considered a brilliant idea. The creation of a story is all about evolution and about getting it out to appreciative readers. Getting paid is a bonus for everyone, except the professional writer who needs to pay this months rent.

If you are one of the few who believe that your work is exceptional as it is, if you reject suggested changes on principal as you believe it will ruin the underlying message you're trying to get out into the world - then stop sending your stories to editors. Publish them on your own blog or website. If you want to get into mainstream zines then stop being precious.

The editor and the magnificent people who work with them in reading, accepting, and in suggesting possible changes to your story are your final critique group. They want to publish your story and may even want to give you money for the honour they are giving you. Unless you have a rock-solid reason for not accepting a change, and can explain it better than 'It's just not how I saw it', then accept the suggestions or requests. If it doesn't change your voice as a writer (and a good editor would not try to do that), then accept the changes.

I've been lucky so far. The authors I'm working with are all very professional and the minor changes they've knocked back have been for very specific reasons, which, when explained in a clear and concise manner, make sense. Our editing process will be fairly quick if things keep moving as they are. And really, why wouldn't it? We purchased the story because we loved it in its originally presented form. We are not suggesting huge structural changes or major plot deviations.

So, if you've gone to the trouble of following the guidelines, formatting correctly, polishing a story to within an inch of its life and waited the long wait to finally gain an acceptance - why would you baulk at the final hurdle when an editor suggests a change? Remember, they like your story. They wouldn't have offered to buy it otherwise. They are only attempting to show it in its very best light. And, if nothing else, remember that every part of the writing to publishing process is subjective. Your name will be on the story, but the editor's name will be on the cover of the book, and if it's badly presented, it will be the editor (and probably the publisher) the who receives the most mud.

We all want to get great stories out there to be read and fawned over. It takes a partnership to accomplish that in a traditional sense. Let's work together and produce the best damn stories read by anyone. Now stop reading this blog and get back to writing!

Good luck with your submissions.

First Round Edits - Done

We here in the trenches we call Dark Pages Volume One, to be released early this year by Blade Red Press, have passed another milestone. We have completed reading and editing the ToC - the first time round.

We believe all the major changes, punctuation, grammar, character nicknames, English versus Americanisms, etc have been decided, pointed out, and the suggested changes, well,er, have been suggested.

I rush to point out that this is not an Australian anthology, and so I'm not aligning everything into Australian English. Authors from all over the world have their own way of looking and describing things and we've tried to stay true to the original visions where at all possible. We've even kept the spelling in line with the author's country of birth - to this point.

I can safely say, this collection is just getting better and better as we go through it.

Second round edits (this is where the authors send back manuscripts telling us how right or wrong we are in our suggestions) have started coming in and we're now moving through those as of this week. Another week or two and they will all be ready, signed off on, and approved to be left in the loving care of the publisher.

Not long now!

Onward (if you're American), or onwards (if you're English/Australian).

Done!

I've finally finish 99% of the major project at work I've been stuck under for the past couple of months - and, shock horror, it all went as I expected and planned it to go! If only my muse would behave that way...

It was Australia Day here on the Tuesday just gone so apparently over 500,000 Australians took a sick day (known as a sickie in these parts) on the Monday to turn it into a four day weekend. Due to the project work and an already shortened week, I was not one of them.

But weep not for my loss as my wife and I thought our youngest was returning to school next week, so I booked off this Friday (tomorrow) and next Monday. Low and behold, she went back to school this week so I now have a child free Monday and Friday - my own four day long weekend!

I've got work to do around the house but I also intend to make a huge dent in some editing. My copy editor has a few stories backed up for me to go over and the publisher has sent me a load of round 2 edits to look at - things are piling up from both ends. Time to clear the decks.

If we can square away Dark Pages in the next few weeks (maybe even two weeks), then it's over to the publisher to put the thing together. We'll sort out cover art and I'll be able to seriously get back into my own revisions which have been badly left hanging on the sidelines. I'm definitely a one-project-at-time-type-of-guy.

It's way past time I got 2010 started!

Falling Way Behind

I've been a little preoccupied with life outside of writing for the past four or five days, hence my lack of blogging and any real progress in any of my areas of writing.

My car is about to cost me a packet to keep it on the road and we lost our second straight game of cricket on the weekend. Life is going well.

I have finally started working on the tiles in the bathroom though.

This week - lots more editing of Dark Pages antho stories. One is done and is ready to send. I have two others to go over before they go to the publisher and then get sent on to the authors. The way we're doing things, it passes through a nunber of different levels so hopefully it requires less passing back and forth to come up with an acceptably more brilliant piece. And, on that note, for those of you who may have missed it, the ToC (Table of Contents) for the anthology has been officially announced over at Blade Red. It took me a long time to narrow the field and then I had some great input from my copy editors to finalise the ToC. It then took me a few attempts to come up with the ToC order - which is:

The Stain of the Psychopomp King by Lucien E G Spelman
Heart Of Ice by Martin Livings
Neptune’s Garden by Lisa A Koosis
Dust by Naomi Bell
To Die For by S D Matley
The Franchise by Joe L Murr
Clip Notes by Marty Young
Blood on Green by Victoria Anisman-Reiner
Cargo by Aaron Polson
Nepenthe by Felicity Dowker
Yellow Water Pike by Derek Rutherford
Surveying The Land by B D Wilson
Nightwork by Robert Neilson
Hand And Cradle by Trent Roman

Expect cover art in the not too distant future.


I've also got a short story I want to do more work on, a book to read and, of course, the tiles to finish.

Oh, and at the end of this week, my big project at work is rolled out so that has to all be good to go.

Glad the kids go back to school next week - things might go back to some form of normality and I'll manage to get into a routine. 2010 has been pretty much a write-off so far.

WIP Wednesday

...it's still Wednesday somewhere in the world!

We're still waiting on confirmation from one author included in the ToC but everyone has now been notified, and all ToC authors (except the one noted above) have replied. Phase three is a go. The editing process has begun in earnest.

Once more I'm in a very lucky position. I'm working with writers who are exceptional with the English language. In particular, I have the good fortune to be working with my own Guru of all things language so there is also trust pre-built-in to the whole thing. It may be my name on the cover, but the copy editors will be listed inside and they are doing the majority of the leg work. I go over their edits, make final decisions and pass it on to the publisher who interacts with the authors on our behalf - it's a pretty sweet deal I've got.

In other news, I've placed a book on my nightstand to actually read! I've read one novella in the last couple of months. Yes, I've read hundreds of submissions for Dark Pages but that left very little time for reading anything else. I am going to get back into it in a big way very soon.

With my reading, so went my writing. I've not written very much since I started this whole editor gig. I've done bits and pieces, started a couple of stories which have ended up going nowhere, jotted down an idea or two, but I've done nothing that has that over-riding passion, that spark of inspiration which drives a story through to completion. I'm hoping this is changing as well. Yesterday I wrote a little over 1800 words on something new (and currently unnamed). It's a dark fantasy set in modern times with magic, zombies, lost love, and possibly sex - it's not finished yet but it definitely could be headed that way - we'll see. I'm guessing another 1000 words or so and she should be done. Fingers crossed I get this one finished and off to the critique group. It's been a while since I submitted anything for them to rip apart ;c)

Ah...an excerpt. Let me see. Let's set the scene to begin with (paragraph two)

In the centre of the yard, just in front of the marble-look bird bath made of hardened plastic, a mound of freshly turned earth marred the manicured lawn. With the full moon hidden behind heavy clouds, and no hint of wind to help reveal its comforting light, the mound took on the countenance of a small hillock of coal waiting to feed an invisible engine. The shovel speared into the ground beside it helped complete the setting