Major and minor surgery

I’ve just finished Grimaulkin’s short, “Self Defense” and sent it to the editor. It’s a first draft, rife with errors probably, but hopefully will be an interesting part of Mike’s backstory.

I’m looking into getting into Necronomicon, the H.P. Lovecraft convention in Providence, RI in August. I’m probably a little too soft-core for that crowd, since my demons don’t look like the horrible things that Lovecraft fans get into.

Right now, pickings are pretty slim in the direct sales department. Hardly any venues this year. Or I’m being choosy because I’m poor.

I am two weeks behind on the surgery with War Mage. I am presently going through my manuscript (for the fourth time) and picking out each and every character, trying to decide if I over-described them or under-described them, and whether they need to stick around. The good thing is I’m getting great ideas for a rewrite. The bad thing is I have to plow through these exercises to clarify how I want to rewrite. I’m giving myself until August 1 to get this revision finished. With Grimaulkin half way in the can, I can concentrate on revising War Mage.

I also did some work on (mostly staring into space and thinking) Grimaulkin Tempted, the second book in Grimaulkin’s series. I stopped that cold when Grimaulkin came back, and it’s been about a month since I touched it. I’m too afraid to open it, because after working on it in my head, I’ve realized a lot of plot holes and tension-breakers. It’s not even a first draft; it’s more like a half-draft. I have to go in and fix those things before continuing on with what I’ve written so far.

Water is at the editor’s. As soon as that one comes back, I’ll put everything else on hold again and work on that. The next series, I believe, will be the Earth signs of Virgo, Capricorn, and Taurus. Capricorn I have to do some research on; Virgo is going to be my friend Casey Donovan; and Taurus, well…I don’t know yet. But I have plenty of time. Maybe I’ll do a NaNo on him.