New Short story sale and other news :-)

The wonderful podcast Pseudopod bought my story, Crawl! I'm waiting on the contract and whatever else they need. The hundred bucks is going to buy some limited edition books I've wanted!

My story Mystery's Vast Empty is out now in Morpheus Tales Special Fantasy Femmes!Sweet.

My story Family Curse will be in Morpheus Tales 13 later this year.

I'm working on five new stories. I planned on starting book 2 of my dark fantasy novels on March 1st. But I'm going to have to push it back a week so I can wrap these shorts up. Once I'm in novel writing mode I don't sway into any other writing. Gotta finish them this week.

I hope everyone is doing great!

Writing: Novels

It felt good to take a break during February—after writing/editing a YA and a Dark Fantasy novel the past six months. Short stories are an easy breather, but the break is almost over. I’m getting ready to gear up and write the second book in the Dark Fantasy trilogy, Those Fragile, Forsaken. I don’t know how other people approach their novels, but I end up writing a lot of questions out in notepads before I begin—things I want to know about the characters’ backgrounds: what do they love and how would they react if what they love was threatened or taken from them? What was the best moment of their childhood and what was the worst? What in their lives gives them hope and what situations make them feel hopeless? Where do their faults stem from? What would they never do and how can I put them in the position where they’d do it?

A lot of other things too.

I’m excited to watch the characters as they change, act, react, think, and fight during this next book’s birth. I’m interested to see where it takes them. It’s usually to places I didn’t expect. It’ll be a fun two months, followed by a month of non-stop editing with the help of a couple valuable people that I trust whole-heartedly. But lately, after the last two novels, even editing is fun. It feels great to work out the kinks, spot weak areas, and pinpoint the heart of each scene. Around the 10th of March I’ll post the first chapter.

What are you working on? What are your goals for the next three months?

Upcoming interviews

Coming soon: Interviews!

Lined up first is R.J. Cavender, writer/editor/reviewer for the Stoker-nominated Horror Library anthology series/Dark Recesses magazine/Cutting Block Press.

Right now he's working on Vol. 4 and it is going to be the best yet. I'm really looking forward to it.

Thanks,

Lee

Ah 2009. . .

Man, what a great year for me. I joined Zoetrope in May and met some wonderful writers and editors (Shaun Ryan, Linda Evans, Kevin Wallis, John Miller.) I learned a ton from all kinds of people. I met more writers. More editors. I made some friends who have the shame (sorry, I meant Same!) passion for stories.

In the last six months Shaun Ryan, Linda Evans and Kevin Wallis helped me--big time, more than I could ever explain--while I wrote the first in a series of adult novels and the first in a series of YA. I learned tons. My head is still spinning in gratitude.

I placed three stories with Morpheus Tales. And I must say, I really like that Adam Bradley guy for making me feel like I'm not just talking to myself.

My story Crawl won 3rd place in the CafeDoom/Dark Discoveries/Shocklines contest. Which bought me two limited edition books I really love (Tom Piccirilli's: Waiting my turn to go under the knife; and William F. Nolan's: Ill met by moonlight. Fantastic!) Thanks to Ed and James and Matt. And thanks to the voters who thought I'd written something pretty gripping. I was honored. I still am. Now, I just want to get better. I want to learn more.

I have high hopes for 2010. What about you?

My first blog. Whoa.

I am not a blogger. But it seems like it'd be fun to record some of my thoughts on the next book I'm writing, as I write it. Maybe to share some fascinating tidbits, if I ever run across any. I guess I better invite a couple people eventually. Need to think about what I want to say first though.

Man, this feels like too much power. . .