Stuff and Nonsense

[blackaire]

Long catchup post, fair warning given in advance...

I'm happy to report I've finished the second edit pass on Demon Bound, and turned it in to my editor. It was decided, since I added 9,000 words and nearly 40 pages, that the manuscript would go through a second copyedit before final proofing. That means I get another (very brief) chance to take a look at it before ARCs are printed, which is good since I'm wary of flinging what's essentially first-draft work in many scenes into the world untested.

Let's see, what other book news? I had an anthology out yesterday that I completely forgot about, being in a creative coma from the long push on Demon Bound. Huntress contains my novella "Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go", which is a story about Jack and his band, the Poor Dead Bastards, before Pete came into the picture. There's also catacombs, a demon hunter, several demons, punk music, and taking the Lord's name in vain.

And here are two more reviews of Street Magic:

Fresh Fiction does it here.

McNally-Robinson (they of the fancy endcap) deems it a staff pick.

Finally, with the edit off the ground the rest of my year looks something like this:

• Write original paranormal TV pilot episode (now working-titled Raising Kane )
• Write first 50 pp. + outline for new adult proposal
• Write first 50 pp. + outline and/or TV treatment for YA option books
• Write and turn in official synopsis for The Nightmare Clock (Iron Codex Vol. II)
• Write Pete short story for Anthology #1
• Write [someone's] short story for Anthology #2
• Write "The Curse of Four" (SubPress novella) + chapbook story
• Write The Nightmare Clock

There's other stuff going on, too, that's not officially on the schedule because it's officially not supposed to be written. Some people know what it is, though because some people have been urging me to write it with encouragement like "Type, monkey, type!" Some people are relentless in their "support." Anyway, the Seekrit book that was not supposed to be written still needs a plot, one that doesn't groan under the weight of its cliches. I like the characters, though. And I wrote one chapter that I'm fond of. So we'll see.

My new historical fantasy proposal is coming together in my head. I'm rather fond of one-word titles and for now I've been calling this one Haunted in my head, with two sequels concrete so far, Possessed and Wanted. Haunted's got washed up private eyes, murder, mad science and Japanese ghosts. So far. (I started thinking about what types of Japanese monsters to use in my proposal pages last night while I was falling asleep and freaked myself out. Usually a good sign.)(It was the hair monster from Kwaidan that got me freaking out. I hate those hair monster ghosts almost as much as I hate mirror ghosts.)(I suppose if I'm writing a book about Japanese mythology I should stop calling them "hair monsters" and figure out their actual names.)

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Speaking of books, I've been reading at night while I wait for my Ambien to kick in (and no, I have not sleep-dialed or sleep-driven. The craziest side effect I can report so far is a dream about Jared Padalecki demanding I drive him to Target to buy jeans. And when we got there, they had NONE IN HIS SIZE. Celebrities, man.)

With that said...

12. Kimberly Derting, The Body Finder (ARC)

This book has a killer concept, and I got a sneak preview of it thanks to Kimberly and the Tenners ARC tour. In short: teen girl can sense murdered bodies. Serial killer comes to town. Hijinks ensue. Also, a hot guy.

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Lastly, part of Team Seattle and I went up to Deception Pass on Saturday for a walkabout/photography jaunt. Deception Pass is in Skagit County and also where they filmed part of The Ring. Here's a couple of shots from my attempts:







The last one reminds me of the beginning of a ghost story, or perhaps a setpiece from a low-budge horror movie (or something Sam and Dean poke around on Supernatural.)(Assuming Padalecki finally found himself some jeans.)

Originally published at Caitlin Kittredge.