Nothing for All

The Cole Novel is finally whipped into shape and off to my agent. I can officially wash my hands of it now until I get feedback from Kris or from my first readers.

Which means I can write something else now without feeling like I'm slacking on the book.

Time for some short stories!

I finished up the novel revisions last night after watching the Spurs fade. The good news is, I don't think the novel sucks overly much, and it might even be pretty decent. I've sent it out to first readers to get their feedback so evidence of suckitude or non suckitude should be forthcoming. Now I have to write a short summary (something I really hate doing) and then I'll get the whole thing off to my agent as well.

Even better news, I'll be back home this afternoon and won't have to leave Austin again until Monday! Four whole days at home! Woot!

I really need a weekend.

It's been quiet around here lately as I've been on vacation and doing general holiday "stuff." Writing has been slowed a bit too but I'll be back on track next week and have a definite plan to finish up some projects.

Looking back at 2008, it's been a good / busy year for my writing. Wheatland Press put out my first collection of stories (ahem...which you can purchase at www.wheatlandpress.com or at Amazon, BN.com, etc.)entitled "Can't Buy Me Faded Love" and I was lucky enough to have Howard Waldrop write a killer intro.

On the story front, I had 11 new stories published and 4 reprints. Here's a breakdown of publications by month:

December, 2008
“Veronica”, Lone Star Stories

November, 2008
“Fragments of a Fantasy Life” (w/ Mikal Trimm), Realms of Fantasy
“Gifting Bliss”, Drabblecast (audio)
“When the Rain Comes”, The Lone Star Stories Reader, LSS Press (reprint)

July, 2008
“Bury My Guitar at Wounded Knee”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“Can’t Buy Me Faded Love”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press (reprint)
“Gifting Bliss”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“Grievous Angel”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“Indie Gods”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“Nikola and the Wolf”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“No One Here Gets Out Alive”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press
“Stephanie Shrugs”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press (reprint)
“The Review Lester Bangs Would Have Written for the New Stones Album if He’d Lived Long Enough to Witness the Fall of Humanity and the Rise of the Other”, CBMFL, Wheatland Press

June, 2008
“No Leaving New Orleans”, Lone Star Stories

February, 2008
“Blood and Oil”, Realms of Fantasy

Most of these were sold in 2007, but I did manage some nice sales in 2008. I sold a couple of stories to Lone Star Stories, one to Realms of Fantasy, and reprints to the Lone Star Stories Reader and Drabblecast. And, I managed to get a story in the forthcoming Polyphony 7, due out in Feb.

I wrote several more new stories that I really dig and they're currently searching for homes, and I finished up my collab novel with Lon and am deep into another.

Last but not least, I landed an agent and have begun my plans for literary world domination. You have been warned.

I'll post a list of goals for 2009 soon. Let's hope it's just as jam packed full of writing awesomeness as 2008!