OK, I know, I know, it's been a long time since the last update, but to be honest, that's because it's been a long time since anything worth mentioning has happened. That's the thing with writing, you spend a good (or bad) deal of your time waiting. You put together the best story you can, send it out, and it sits collecting dust on the desk, or in a box, of an editor who has a hundred other things to do. Who now and then looks down at it and laughs, "You want me to read you, little story? Hah! Keep dreaming..." at which time he or she throws the remnants of a peanut butter and goat cheese sandwich on top of it (muttering, "Here, hold this for a couple of days and I'll consider it") and heads outside to find a puppy to kick. ...Sigh.... Anyhow, stuff's slowly starting to happen now, so on with what's up:
* The Italian edition of Solomon's Grave, titled il Segreto di Salomone, has just been released by the publisher Edizioni il Punto d'Incontro out of Milan. I got my author copies and it looks great. Hardcover with front-to-back illustration. Nice job. I can't read a word of it, but it's nice to look at. :-) A couple of people have asked if they can get a copy, but the publisher has yet to tell me how I can get more. When I learn, I'll let you know. I have noticed lately that the book's starting to appear in the online bookstores in Italy (Google is the writer's friend) - there's no Amazon, though. Again, I've got the cover on my website if you haven't seen it.
* One country down.... one more coming up. German language rights for Solomon's Grave have just been purchased by Germany's Otherworld Verlag! No word yet on when the book will come out, but it'll take time to translate, etc. Late next year at the earliest, probably. More as I know it.
* Now, as I say up top, better late than never. A movie was recently released on video I wanted to let you all know about (at least those who don't already know) - The Legend of Lucy Keyes. Written and directed by my neighbor John Stimpson, filmed almost entirely in my hometown, it's a horror flick based on an old Scare The Kids Because We Were Scared As Kids local legend about a girl who disappeared 300 years ago. Some faces you might recognize from other bigger budget movies, and some others you'd only recognize if you lived in town. :-) No, we're not in it, sorry. But if you want a tour of my town, and get creeped out at the same time, or just want a fun, scary movie to watch on Christmas, give the movie a buy or rent. It's rated R but that's ONLY because John got screwed over by the ratings board. It's BARELY PG-13, probably closer to PG. We don't have it in our house, unfortunately, because when we watched it in the theaters (at a film festival), it took our 9 year old daughter 8 months to finally sleep through the night in her own bed again (doesn't help that the events take place just a stone's throw through our back woods).
* Various updates?.... I must have had something in mind... Well, I have a few short stories written and sent out (and waiting.. waiting...). Finishing up a short story right now called "Ray Gun" - it's coming along nicely. My rewrite of Plague of Darkness was finished a few weeks ago. Done, done, done. Finally. I haven't started a new novel yet - three out in the market looking for a home at one time is enough for now - besides, there are about 10 short stories I've been itching to write for years and I need to get at least a few of them freed from the prison of my soul before I go mad (or madder). But I'll be starting a new novel soon enough.
* OK, so the VHS movies are stacking up too high in my armoire, and I need to unload them. So, I'm about to randomly (thanks to Excel's random # thingie) pick 10 names, and give away 10 Sparkling Used, Slightly Dusty VHS Sci-Fi / Horror Movies. I have a list of the movies and will give said list after the list of winning names. If your name is picked, let me know your top 3 choices (in case someone who replies before you picks your first choices). Check for your name and reply soon!
The winners are (and note: if you've won in the past, so what, you win again!): Nick Kaufmann, Linda Gunn, Ron Breznay, DrMindful@ (OK, I'm completely blanking who this is... but you WON!), Willy Earle, Kevin McCarthy (hah! now you HAVE to call/email me to claim your movie!), Deb "Valerie F de Daulles" Reilly, Janet keohane.. wait, since my wife already lives here and can watch the DVDs, let's pick another... Paul Shaw, Alton Gansky and... drum roll as I click the cell...: John Kokotiuk!
And your choices of movies are: The Birds, Terminator 2, Gamera The Invincible! (exclamation point part of title - and this one's a DVD), King Kong (the original and STILL the best!), The Invisible Man, Raiders of the Lost Ark, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Creepshow 2, The Corpse Vanishes (starring Bela Lugosi), Spooks Run Wild (starring the ever popular - in the early 30's Sunday Matinees - Bowery Boys!), Them! Christine, and The Wolf Man! (that last exclamation point mine....)
* OK, enough rambling and giving away. Well, not quite - since Christmas is coming. I hope it's a fun, warm happy time for you and your family. It's what's the most important, in the end, anyway. Keep sight of that, and everything else is gravy.
...mm, gravy.....
Dan
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