Vacation

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Killer The Pug understands relaxing.
Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow (I've been off since the 23rd of December). I really need to figured out how I can stay home and still get paid...but, seriously, I needed this break. Between personal stuff and work stress, I was feeling pretty damn beat.

I took it easy during my vacation. I caught up on a lot of sleep and managed to sneak a few naps in here and there. Spent some time with friends from out of town. Read five Christopher Pike books (I still enjoy those--I admit it). Watched a good bit of Sons of Anarchy and re-watched the early 1990s Dark Shadows revival on Netflix streaming.

However, I also did some writing. Yesterday, I finished the Simon Rip novella and sent the 35K adventure off to David Cranmer. I'm pretty happy with it. I wrote it with two specific goals in mind. First, I wanted to it be fun and exciting. It needed to move like a summer blockbuster. And, second, I wanted it to be full of interesting ideas. I wanted to try to capture a small bit of that sense of awe I felt when I discovered Tim Powers, Michael Moorcock, and Grant Morrison.

I don't know if I succeeded in those--I'm looking forward to what David has to say and his suggestions. If what I did works and people buy it, I think Simon Rip can really be a series with a long life.

Also, started plotting two other things you'll be seeing soon. The first, I know I can't talk about. The second will be part of a currently ongoing horror series. I've very excited about both this projects. I appreciate the chance to flex my muscles in different areas. I haven't given up crime fiction, but I think these excursions are what keeps a writer's work from stagnating.

Work on the Shane Stevens biography/search continues. Currently, I'm trying to figure how to get the cash together for a research trip that should provide the mother lode.

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