Too much to do, too little time

 

So I'm diving deep into writing/editing/OMFG what next? territory and disappearing for a while. I'll still be answering emails, but that's about it. See you on the other side!

Acheivements achieved: an achievable day

I just sent the edits for A Fear Unnatural back to the author! Yay! Or at least, yay if he's happy about them... It was a very good book, but it needed lots of fine-tuning, so I hope he doesn't hate me... Anyway, First editing assignment complete. Huzzahs!

In other news, I went to a local wildlife park this morning with Pip as a pre-birthday treat for her. We got there very early, so a lot of the animals were actually still dozing, but we got to see tigers and meerkats, and adorable otters! They sneezed! It terrified Pip. I'm not sure why. Then we headed into Cambridge for brunch and shopping and I managed to achieve the one thing I've been determined to do all summer: buy a maxi dress. I found a gorgeous blue one on sale, so I snapped it up. Now, obviously, it's pouring with rain, but the point is I found the dress, dammit.

I also finished reading this:

I love this story, and it actually suits the graphic novel format really well. I have it on audiobook too, so I might listen to it tomorrow and see how they all compare. I'm slacking off for the rest of today because my beloved chaostheory  is on her way over, possibly for more Lovecraft-related activities, but there is still some stuff I want to get done before the week is over, so let's have a list!

1. Edits for DARK HUNT.
2. Finish a short story about Ayla and Shannon, for DARK HUNT promotional purposes
3. Sort out my books and take a load to charity (to make room for all the new books I want)
4. Get back to work on Night Breed
5. Start the next freelance editing job

Will I achieve any of these things? Stay tuned for my next adventure...

AFTERLIFE winner and WILD review!

Hey there, eldestmuse , you won a signed copy of AFTERLIFE! Drop me a message with your address and I'll get it sent out to you. Thanks to everyone who entered! I might do something like this again before the week is over, so stay tuned.

In other news, WILD has picked up a nice review here at Aobibliosphere. I love the number of people who have picked up on the Vargulf/Kurtadam etymology - it's not like I've been particularly clever with the words, but I like that other people recognise them too.

Anyway. I'm very nearly done with the edits for my first Damnation Books assignment and plan to wrap that up today, as the edits for DARK HUNT came through on Monday and I'd like to get them done before I go back to work (Argh! Where is this week going?!). I'm really enjoying doing the editorial thing, but I am worried the author will hate me when he gets his book back... I've been tough but fair, I hope. And I've definitely realised that this is the direction I want my career to go in. I've loved getting up early and editing til noon, then writing in the afternoon. It's been hard work, but it's also incredibly fulfilling. 

Last day for a signed copy of AFTERLIFE!

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning it, just leave a comment here.

I am now officially on holiday! Yay! I'll hopefully spend the first half of the week finishing off some editing assignments, then the second half writing. As usual, I have so many things I want to work on. There are actually several projects I want to wrap up before the end of the year - namely, the rewrite of NIGHT AND CHAOS, finishing Halflife, and at least starting the next Ethan project. I'm sure at least one of those things will not happen, but we'll see. In the mean time, there's Urban Wolf stuff to be done!


PS - a couple of people have mentioned not being able to leave comments here. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I am looking into it!

Yay! Ethan love!

Hellnotes have reviewed DEMONISED, and I have to say, they've been very nice about it too! Ethan is " one of the most engaging first person narrators I’ve encountered" and the story is "a great supernatural yarn," comparable to the Dresden Files, apparently, which is pretty damn cool. I'm sure Ethan would love to share a drink with Harry Dresden some time.

This is just adds to my desperate desire to work on Undertow, the next Ethan novella (or possibly novel), but I realistically just cannot fit it into the schedule right now. I don't know why, but people seem to have taken to Ethan more than any of my other characters (is it the porn? It must be the porn, right?), and since I love him a whole lot too, I just want to get back into his seedy adventures as soon as possible.

"Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else" - JM Barrie

I would rather be doing anything else right now than making a list of gene mutations. Honestly.

Anyway, some bits and pieces, which is all I really seem to have to blog about lately, as so much of my time is being eaten by great big projects.

1. Remember UNGRATEFUL DEAD? The story where Ethan spends the night at a haunted morgue and almost nothing bad happens? It's now also going to feature in Static Movement's anthology The Morgue, as this seems fitting. It'll still be available for the Kindle and for free if you email me, but I like the idea of getting the word about Ethan out to as many places as possible, so that's that. (I cannot tell you how excited I am about my ideas for the next Ethan novella-possibly-novel. Like, seriously. I can't wait to get started on it).

2. In Shoregrave-related news, whilst trying to cram one more book onto my sagging bookshelves last night, I discovered I have an extra copy of AFTERLIFE. So, if you'd like a signed copy of my debut novel (wherein Ethan first appears), how about you leave me a comment here before Monday 8th August? I'll draw someone at random to receive it and maybe I'll throw in something else cool as well. Maybe. No promises.

Number 8 on this list is pretty much how I live at the weekends

It's been a while since we had some Daily Lovecraft, so here's ten ways you know you're reading too much...

In other news... there is no other news, really. I'm feverishly counting down to holiday time! Oh my God. I'm going to write until my fingers fall off next week. You don't even know.

Oh wait, there is some news! The WILD July summer sale is over, because it's now August, so WILD is back up to full price, but that's still pretty damn cheap. On that note, Monster Librarian has reviewed WILD here and they think it's a "fantastic book, dark in ways that are somewhat uncomfortable, but ultimately hopeful."
I've also had a short story about sea monsters accepted into Static Movement's Evolutionary Blueprint anthology. So I guess there is more news than I realised. I think that's it though.
I'm considering giving the blog a bit more structure, incidentially, maybe having like themes days? You know, Writely Wednesday, Random Friday, whatever? I don't know how people feel about that as opposed to blogs that are just always random (as mine tends to be). Thoughts?