More Birdwatching Inks and a golf story

I got an e-mail from the good folks over at Stymie magazine on Monday.  My story “Farewell, From the Eleventh Hole” will be published in their next issue.  The odd part of this is that I have never played golf and, quite frankly, don’t think I’ll ever care to.  But this story came to me out of nowhere and as I was writing it, I saw Stymie’s call for subs.  So I obeyed the writing gods and sent it in.  The story and the new issue is slated to appear in August.

The weekend also brought about a few new rounds of inked pages for Birdwatching From Mars.  Schedules are conflicting, but it looks like Issue 1 will still be released in late August or early September.  The following is one o of the 3 full pages I got over the weekend…can’t post them all as I would like to leave SOME mystery leading up to the release!

And as for writing goals for the week, well I’ve learned my lesson on posting that sort of thing.  This week will simply be a surprise.  If I get ANY writing done, I’ll consider it a nice surprise.

The BFM blog is up

We are finally making progress on Birdwatching from Mars.  The artist is churning out sketches and page drafts like a lunatic and I am nearly done with the script of issue #2.

We have been working out a promotional blog to hopefully generate some interest.  You can see it here.  If you have friends that are into comics, please spread the word!

It is killing me to not go into detail about the plot of the story, but I have been asked to stay hush-hush until issue #1 is released (looking to be August or September).  I may just have to drop some hints on here from time to time.  Anyway, swing by the blog, check it out and let me know what you think!

The wind up and the pitch…

I was delighted to receive an e-mail from Paper Crow this morning, stating that they would like to accept and include my poem “Well Rested Towns” for their very first issue.  While that issue is still a long-time coming (early 2010), it still marks my first poem published in a print magazine.

Additionally, here is some news on the Birdwatching From Mars/comic book front. So far, I have not been able to use the company’s name and that is because they have discovered that an older company used to have the name.  And although said company is now out of business, there is apparently paperwork and all other kinds of stuff that needs to be wrestled with before anything is official.

Secondly, I am very pleased with the new artist that I will be working with.  He has sent some very basic sketches and those alone have convinced me.  He is currently penciling Issue #1 and I am working on the script for Issue #2.  According to him and the owner of the company, I should be seeing some panels and full pages within the next few weeks.  We’re hoping to have Issue #1 in print no later than September.  As more details on the art and the company come to me, I’ll post them.

Also, I was asked to pitch another idea to the company last week.  Apparently, they had an art team assigned to a project that fell through and now that team has no work.  So I put together a synopsis for a novel that I junked a while back because it was too complex.  I added some comic book flavor to it, made it a bit more expansive in plot and mythology and sent it to them.  I received word this morning that with some very minor changes, the series is a go.

Titled Nights In Gomorrah, it will be much darker than Birdwatching From Mars and rather than a one-time series of 25-30 issues, this one could very well be a long-running sort of comic.  Well, first I need to find the time to write Issue #1 and send it off.  Now where will I find that time?  No clue.

Anyway, I’m also editing the last chapters of The Bleeding Room and it looks as if my goal of sending it back as a final draft by the end of the month will be accomplished.

I’m nervous as hell about it, but that’s a whole different blog post…

Weekend Update (without Norm MacDonald)

(Note: …because the last time Saturday Night Live was any good was when Norm MacDonald was anchoring Weekend Update…)

As the weekend approaches, there is actually quite a bit going on with my several different writing projects.  And as usual, as I do my little checklist, I remain convinced that I am trying to work on to much at once.  So, in no partiuclar order…

About two weeks ago, I got a notice from The Yet Unnamed Comic Company concerning the artist for Birdwatching From Mars.  The artist they had taken on for the project called it quits (a pay dispute) and I was asked to choose another one.  I did, and he has apparently started doing character sketches and panel test.  I’m supposed to get some of them by the end of next week.

Also, the Still Shrouded in Secrecy Publisher that has shown interest in The Bleeding Room is being very cooperative and helpful with my edits and revisions.  And while there is still no guarantee that all of this editing will ensure that they will eventually give a resouning ACCEPTED, I am already convinced at only 5 Chapters in, that I’ll have a much better manuscript to show for it.

Also, in the course of the past week, I have added about 1,200 words to Blood Routes and 3,400 words to my Still Untitled First Book of My Series.

As far as submissions go, I received a “maybe” letter from Allegory for my short story “This Tour Don’t Roll Through Seattle”.  This is the second time I have been placed on their shortlist (I didn’t make it in last time).  It also goes in my shortlist pile which now stands at 4.  And while that is very exciting, it also has me bouncing off of the walls.

Lastly, I somehow managed to edit and basically rewrite an older short story called “The Mannerisms of Runners”.  I knocked it down from 2,050 words to about 740.  And I fear that it may be the last bit of flash fiction I write in a while.  (I currently have about 3 flash peices out for consideration).

And with that, I shall return back to work and wait for The Wife to get home.  With freelance writing there are no set hours, so closing time for me is when she gets home.