Writing update for November.
A few days late, but it's been one of those weeks. November was a busy month, too, and December's not looking any more sedate.
The 4400: Wet Work - The book should've been in stores by the second week of the month or so. I did actually conduct an experiment of my own, and the book slides right into a Christmas stocking, and without any lubrication! So...you know...add a couple (dozen) to your shopping list.
"Ill Winds" - for the Star Trek: Mirror Universe - Shards and Shadows anthology. We returned our final corrections to our editor on September 11th. The book's still slated for a January 2009 publication date.
Captain Proton articles for Star Trek Magazine - Written to tie into the magazine's special Star Trek: Voyager coverage for issue #16 US/#146 UK. Turned these in on October 24th. One piece is a fictional history of Captain Proton as an entertainment icon, as though he might have existed alongside Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers (Wait...he didn't? The hell you say!). The other piece is a complete episode guide to the three movie Captain Proton serials from the 1940s; possibly even Tom Paris's inspiration for the Proton holodeck program!
(Well...hopefully they work out as well as they sounded to the voices in my head.)
Things Fall Apart - for the forthcoming trade paperback reprint of the 6-part Star Trek: Mere Anarchy e-Book mini-series. We were informed on September 29th that we would be receiving pages to review for the new edition, and we returned our final corrections to the editor On October 6th.
Full-Throttle Space Tales #3: Space Grunts - Anthology editing project. I was approached earlier this year by Flying Pen Press, a small-press publisher based in Denver, about editing this anthology for them, which carries a general theme of "space soldiers/space Marines/etc." A lengthy list of potential contributors was assembled and invitations sent, and September 30th marked the official closing of the submission window. I've reviewed all the submissions, made my selections, and I'm currently in the process of notifying the writers as to acceptance. The book is currently slated for a May 2009 publication, but I'm hoping to have copies on hand when Kevin and I travel to Denver next April for Starfest!
"Contact Lost" - Original SF short story I wrote originally for the kick, after being inspired for some banner artwork a friend of Kevin's rendered for us (see my website). I wasn't sure what I might do with this, but then I opted to submit it to the Big Editor In Charge at Flying Pen Press, and let him decide if it was good enough to include in the aforementioned Space Grunts anthology.
Open Secrets - The fourth Star Trek: Vanguard book. Delivered the first draft on October 31st. I've since received back the copyedited version of the manuscript along with editorial comments. I'm making the necessary changes, which are due back to Pocket on Monday, December 8th.
"Pride" - novella for the forthcoming Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins anthology - We've been given a due date of just after the new year for handing in a manuscript (though we should be able to get it done earlier, if the remnants of my master scheduling plan work out). Publication is slated for late next summer.
Audio Drama script - I'm putting this on here because I want to do it, and listing it here makes me accountable (sorta kinda...work with me). It would be for a competition currently being sponsored by The Chronic Rift the new, 21st century podcast version of a public access show from back in the early 90s and featuring, among other fine folks,![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
drewshi, kradical, and popfiend. All of the original players are back, and they've recently released their second episode. Anyway, they're putting on an audio drama script competition, with the winner to receive a cash prize and have the script performed by the CR crew. I've got a notion brewing, so we'll have to see what happens.
"Stayin' In Vegas, Part VI and Part VII" - Sent these to DZ Allen at Muzzle Flash on July 4th and August 29th, respectively. However, now that Muzzle Flash has been retired, I have no idea what to do with these, or indeed the entire story. Well, that's not true, as I started thinking about ways to expand the general premise into a longer form, but after that? Who knows?
Young Adult SF book/possible series with Kevin - Bubba came back inspired after attending a local writing conference, just brimming with ideas about this notion he had for a book (possibly a series!) he wanted to pitch to a YA editor. Apparently, said editor at said conference liked his initial 60-second quick pitch, and told him she would definitely look at a more formal proposal for the premise, an outline, sample chapters, etc. Based on our brainstorming sessions, I worked up a first draft of an outline and fired it to him on March 16th, and I'm still waiting to hear back from him (other stuff has moved to the top of the stack, of course). No idea yet when we might push forward with this.
"The Enterprise Job" - A goofy-assed short story I wrote, based on an idea that's been rattling around in my head for a couple of years. Not a Star Trek story like you might think, it is however Star Trek-related. TV Guide version: Hilarity ensues when four overaged fanboys hatch a plot to steal the original Enterprise model from the Air and Space Museum in D.C. I wrote it for the laugh, and honestly have no idea what to do with this freakin' thing. Gave it to another beta reader to get some fresh perspective and he gave me some interesting notes to work with. I'm going to have to ponder how best to incorporate his suggestions, but I think it'll result in a better story. After that, well...I still have my same problem....
Counterstrike: The Last World War, Book II - Proposal is with a publisher, but it's still in limbo. However, I've checked its pulse, and it's still there.
Tie-in project with Kevin - We were contacted with regards to this project in late September, and I have a stack of research material to wade through as we try to figure out how/what to pitch so far as ideas to the editor. No firm timeline's been given to us yet on this one, but I expect we'd need to have an outline produced not long after the new year.
There also are other things in various stages of gestation which I can't talk about just yet.
The 4400: Wet Work - The book should've been in stores by the second week of the month or so. I did actually conduct an experiment of my own, and the book slides right into a Christmas stocking, and without any lubrication! So...you know...add a couple (dozen) to your shopping list.
"Ill Winds" - for the Star Trek: Mirror Universe - Shards and Shadows anthology. We returned our final corrections to our editor on September 11th. The book's still slated for a January 2009 publication date.
Captain Proton articles for Star Trek Magazine - Written to tie into the magazine's special Star Trek: Voyager coverage for issue #16 US/#146 UK. Turned these in on October 24th. One piece is a fictional history of Captain Proton as an entertainment icon, as though he might have existed alongside Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers (Wait...he didn't? The hell you say!). The other piece is a complete episode guide to the three movie Captain Proton serials from the 1940s; possibly even Tom Paris's inspiration for the Proton holodeck program!
(Well...hopefully they work out as well as they sounded to the voices in my head.)
Things Fall Apart - for the forthcoming trade paperback reprint of the 6-part Star Trek: Mere Anarchy e-Book mini-series. We were informed on September 29th that we would be receiving pages to review for the new edition, and we returned our final corrections to the editor On October 6th.
Full-Throttle Space Tales #3: Space Grunts - Anthology editing project. I was approached earlier this year by Flying Pen Press, a small-press publisher based in Denver, about editing this anthology for them, which carries a general theme of "space soldiers/space Marines/etc." A lengthy list of potential contributors was assembled and invitations sent, and September 30th marked the official closing of the submission window. I've reviewed all the submissions, made my selections, and I'm currently in the process of notifying the writers as to acceptance. The book is currently slated for a May 2009 publication, but I'm hoping to have copies on hand when Kevin and I travel to Denver next April for Starfest!
"Contact Lost" - Original SF short story I wrote originally for the kick, after being inspired for some banner artwork a friend of Kevin's rendered for us (see my website). I wasn't sure what I might do with this, but then I opted to submit it to the Big Editor In Charge at Flying Pen Press, and let him decide if it was good enough to include in the aforementioned Space Grunts anthology.
Open Secrets - The fourth Star Trek: Vanguard book. Delivered the first draft on October 31st. I've since received back the copyedited version of the manuscript along with editorial comments. I'm making the necessary changes, which are due back to Pocket on Monday, December 8th.
"Pride" - novella for the forthcoming Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins anthology - We've been given a due date of just after the new year for handing in a manuscript (though we should be able to get it done earlier, if the remnants of my master scheduling plan work out). Publication is slated for late next summer.
Audio Drama script - I'm putting this on here because I want to do it, and listing it here makes me accountable (sorta kinda...work with me). It would be for a competition currently being sponsored by The Chronic Rift the new, 21st century podcast version of a public access show from back in the early 90s and featuring, among other fine folks,
drewshi, kradical, and popfiend. All of the original players are back, and they've recently released their second episode. Anyway, they're putting on an audio drama script competition, with the winner to receive a cash prize and have the script performed by the CR crew. I've got a notion brewing, so we'll have to see what happens. "Stayin' In Vegas, Part VI and Part VII" - Sent these to DZ Allen at Muzzle Flash on July 4th and August 29th, respectively. However, now that Muzzle Flash has been retired, I have no idea what to do with these, or indeed the entire story. Well, that's not true, as I started thinking about ways to expand the general premise into a longer form, but after that? Who knows?
Young Adult SF book/possible series with Kevin - Bubba came back inspired after attending a local writing conference, just brimming with ideas about this notion he had for a book (possibly a series!) he wanted to pitch to a YA editor. Apparently, said editor at said conference liked his initial 60-second quick pitch, and told him she would definitely look at a more formal proposal for the premise, an outline, sample chapters, etc. Based on our brainstorming sessions, I worked up a first draft of an outline and fired it to him on March 16th, and I'm still waiting to hear back from him (other stuff has moved to the top of the stack, of course). No idea yet when we might push forward with this.
"The Enterprise Job" - A goofy-assed short story I wrote, based on an idea that's been rattling around in my head for a couple of years. Not a Star Trek story like you might think, it is however Star Trek-related. TV Guide version: Hilarity ensues when four overaged fanboys hatch a plot to steal the original Enterprise model from the Air and Space Museum in D.C. I wrote it for the laugh, and honestly have no idea what to do with this freakin' thing. Gave it to another beta reader to get some fresh perspective and he gave me some interesting notes to work with. I'm going to have to ponder how best to incorporate his suggestions, but I think it'll result in a better story. After that, well...I still have my same problem....
Counterstrike: The Last World War, Book II - Proposal is with a publisher, but it's still in limbo. However, I've checked its pulse, and it's still there.
Tie-in project with Kevin - We were contacted with regards to this project in late September, and I have a stack of research material to wade through as we try to figure out how/what to pitch so far as ideas to the editor. No firm timeline's been given to us yet on this one, but I expect we'd need to have an outline produced not long after the new year.
There also are other things in various stages of gestation which I can't talk about just yet.
ps. Very nice book, EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT!
The plans for the sequel are in limbo, but I did write a short story a little while back using the setting. It's called "Texas Pride" and takes place during events of the original book, and is available at Amazon via their "Amazon Shorts" program.
I'm hoping to touch base with certain parties next week and get some LWW-related news, but I'm not sure how I'll successful I'll be.
There's also the fact that my biggest champion for getting a sequel commissioned was just laid off last week....
I am still looking forward to reading the sequel. I have to say, I have enjoyed every thing of yours that I have read so far. (not sucking up by the way) just being truthful.
"The Last World War by Dayton Ward and Dayton Ward (Mass Market Paperback - Sep 1, 2003)"