I’d love if you would check out the excerpt from Meat City & Other Stories. You can read the first 1000 words (give or take) by clicking HERE. I appreciate it!
Writer’s Block? I Suffer from Writer’s Flood
I’ve never had to deal with a bout of writer’s block. For that, I’m very grateful. However, I do have what I call writer’s flood, a deluge of ideas that hit me almost constantly. To anyone who has writer’s block, this probably sounds great. I’m sure it’s better than staring at a blank page. Still, it has some drawbacks, and I’ll tell you why.
Just like in a real honest-to-goodness flood with rising waters (and large ladies in ice cream stained moo moos clinging to the tin roofs of their homes), it’s easy to get swept away. The rush of ideas can be overwhelming. You start working on one idea only to have another more attractive idea come along. The real problem comes from separating the good ideas from the bad and realizing that just because you have a cool idea it doesn’t mean you have a story. The bad ideas, the ones that never really go anywhere, outnumber the ones that have potential and they can threaten to drown you if you aren’t vigilant. Carefully choose those ideas you pursue.
Ideas in most cases are just fragments. You need to make sure that any idea you choose has a potential greater than the initial “cool idea”. It has to be able to support a real story; you need characters, a good setting, plot, etc. Don’t waste too much time on idea fragments that aren’t going anywhere. Instead, file them away and come back to them later. If it’s still a real stinker of an idea when you revisit it, scrap it. I’ve found that I’m far less frustrated when I don’t futz around with those deadwood ideas.
When the good ideas (those I think are good) start to pile up, I have to prioritize. What do I want to do first? I write fulltime, so I need to write something that has commercial potential and that is still fun, interesting, and something that I really want to write. I’d like to say I’m getting better at figuring this out, but I’m not. Organization is not something that comes naturally to me. At any given time, I’ll have several projects going.
Right now is a prime example. I’m working on an outline for a screenplay, a comic book (I plan to post the first pages of the script for Aberrant Nation here soon), several novels (including one that ties into “Meat City” and “Ballad of the Pale Riders”), and a strange hybrid project that . . . well, you’ll see. Plus, I’m getting into some interesting collaborations. And doing some artwork. And freelancing.
As much of logistical headache as it can be, it’s fun and I think all of my current projects have potential. Of course, I imagine every writer feels that way about his or her ideas. If they didn’t, why even bother?
Writers flood is like having your muse regurgitate on you. Except that every once is a while she upchucks a gold nugget. I’m cool with that.
Now You Can Order a Signed Copy of MEAT CITY & OTHER STORIES
I have copies of my collection, Meat City & Other Stories, now available for purchase directly through my website. They are just $15, which includes the shipping. I’d love for you to order some for yourself or as a gift to the horror lover in your life! You can buy the book through the paypal link on the sidebar. I’d love to know what you think of the stories after you’ve finished reading!
Order a signed copy for just $15, includes shipping
Meat City & Other Stories Now Available for Preorder
Hey! As the title of this blog post suggests, Meat City & Other Stories is now available for preorder through the Black Bed Sheet Books online store – it’s a great price too. It will be available in other online stores by the end of the week, and you will be able to ask for it at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore as well. The publisher will be making ebook and Kindle versions available, and they should be out by the end of the week as well. I’ll be adding updates as soon as I get more information. I will also have more information about signed copies and some upcoming contests as well. I would also like to mention that S.D. Hintz, Terry “Horns” Erwin, and Matthew Ewald also have books coming out from BBS this week. You might want to order a copy of each . . . I’m just sayin’.
If you would like to preorder your copy now, click the image of the book cover below and you will be directed to the BBS store. Thanks so much!
Meat City & Other Stories
Zoinks! Meat City Releases One Week From Today
My book, MEAT CITY & OTHER STORIES, should be available in just one week. I’m excited, nervous, and still promoting. I will be promoting long after the book is released as well – that’s part of the job, and I’m learning all the time.
Speaking of promotions – I’ve nearly finished the trailer for the book, which should be up on Sunday. I thought that some of you might want to have some insight as to how I put the trailer together and how you can do something similar. When the trailer goes up on Sunday, I’ll also add a (long) post here letting everyone know the equipment I used, the software, footage, etc. You can make your own trailer and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have something nice to help promote your book. It’s easy and fun. I’m not yet sure how effective book trailers are in terms of promotion, but every little bit helps.
Come back on Sunday and take a look at the trailer!
In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the cover yet again.
Meat City & Other Stories
Cover Art for Meat City & Other Stories
My short story collection, Meat City & Other Stories, is scheduled for release on May 28th through Black Bed Sheet Books. The publisher has lots of great titles coming out on the 28th including Blood Orchard by S.D. Hintz and Human Nature by Matthew Ewald.
Meat City & Other Stories
Marginal Boundaries Issue #1 on Sale!
The first issue of Marginal Boundaries, featuring my story “Blood, Magic, and a Concubine”, is now on sale. You can get your PDF copy here. You can also read excerpts from the fiction in the first issue, so you can see what strikes your fancy. Marginal Boundaries is a great magazine, and I truly hope you support their efforts and pick up the first issue (and all that follow).
I had a great time working on the story, and the editors at the magazine were wonderful in helping me shape the tale into something better than it was when it started. I hope you like my story, an urban fantasy set in a place called Underbelly, filled with gods, myths, monsters, and more. If urban fantasy isn’t your thing, you will find many other types of fantasy fiction in the issue – there is something for just about everyone!
Here is the table of contents for issue #1.
“A Stitch in Time” by Thomas Olbert
“A Missing Piece of December” by Melvin Cartagena
“The Covenant of the ARC” by Edward R. Rosick
“The Glow of the River” by Atanas P. Slavov
“I Dreamed a Human Face” by Ivaylo P. Ivanov
“In the Beginning was the Subway” by Lyubomir P. Nikolov
“Blood, Magic, and a Concubine” by Jason M. Tucker
“Tears on the Jade Moon, Brave Blood on Her Lips” by Eric Del Carlo
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” by Roger Dale Trexler
The magazine has some wonderful artwork as well, including pieces by Alina Atanasova, Ertan Musov, Stefan Vasilev, and a cover by George Tanev.
So, head on over to Marginal Boundaries and download that first issue!
