September Status

Some interesting twists are in work.

 

First, submissions are out. There are currently 5 agents who have requested full or partial manuscripts. Tthis is REALLY good, so good I have put new queries on hold. So exciting--I feel action is imminent in the agent department. Once the agent-side moves to the next level, I will have a better feel for how things will move forward on phase two: selling the bloody thing.

 

But the agent search has been the plan all along, and it is a good book--so progress here is no surprise.

 

What is surprising is that I can’t get the story out of my head--a state that is causing some interesting side effects:

 

1) Thinking about zombies more than usual. Jotting some of it down -- a few blog posts, two dozen more in various stages of completion.

 

2) I’ve taken to drawing zombies and dogs. Started with a few gag-stick figures for illustration, but it could evolve into a regular thing (especially if I get positive feedback from readers).

 

3) ZPF spin-off short stories are popping out of my head like brass from a Glock on Saturday night. One, looking at the soma trade and the drug problem in the camp, is nearly done (done done--as in ready to sell), while several others are in the outline / brainstorming phase.

 

4) Darby Drew -- I have found myself back at the story, and the dog, that spawned all of this. Without meaning to, I am spending a lot of time revisiting this story, expanding it, and updating it to fit what happened in Zombie Proof Fence.

 

 

 

 

This last one is taking me to some interesting places, which were not in the plan for this year:

• I have outlined the first act of the second book (focusing on the girls and the dog).
• I am playing around with a graphic novel script, telling the story of the Rising from the dog’s point of view. A script for 22 pages (standard comic episode) will go to Writer’s Block for feedback. This project may go farther -- not sure yet.
• Fiddling with a screenplay version (outline / notional), also from the dogs point of view.
• Updating the short story.

 

These open up many interesting possibilities. However, they also distract me from the current project (revision of a YA steampunk novel).

 

We’ll see where this goes. Should be an interesting ride.