My school year was done at the beginning of June and the students report tomorrow morning for the first classes of the new school year. I’ve been back in the building since last Wednesday and will admit that I was lesson planning in bits and pieces throughout the summer.But it was also a time to throttle back and enjoy some relaxation. In this case, it meant being able to luxuriate over coffee and the paper with Deb before we each retreated to our home offices.
There, I managed to get a bunch of freelance writing and editing done at a pleasant pace. Here are the highlights:
- I wrote several more introductions for the Eaglemoss Star Trek Graphic Novel Library, including ones collecting my editorial run on Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Flipping through those books was like visiting with old friends.
- I was asked to edit a quarterly series of books and spent a few weeks sifting through materials for the first volume. I prepped a wish list, sent things off to the publisher and heard back recently that he was having trouble obtaining the reprint rights for the material so has abandoned the project. At least I got a kill fee for my time.
Edited Valerie J. Mikles’ fifth book in her New Dawn science fiction novel series- I wrote the text material for DC Comics’ forthcoming Crisis Companion Vol. 3, completing the trilogy of collections reprinting the significant Crisis on Infinite Earths crossovers. There will also be a timeline of events, slotting in where the crossovers fall. Personally, it’d be nice if they reprinted the Crisis Compendium from the out-of-print Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths, but I’m no longer working there.
- I finalized the lineup for 100 Greatest Moments: DC Comics Super-Villains and wrote the manuscript. A few weeks back, I received DC’s notes and their suggested changes and I am currently working on that.
I’ve helped promote the release of Justice League: 100 Greatest Moments, with interviews and podcast interviews being set up to bridge this release and the forthcoming 100 Greatest Moments: DC Comics Super-Heroines (out in October).- Wrote about the Star Trek Set Tour for Michael Eury’s RetroFan #4.
- I wrote about the Firefly episode “Jaynesville” for ATB Publishing in an as-yet-unannounced anthology. It was fun rewatching it after several years and I may find a way to use it with Beowulf in class.
- Began the planning work on next summer’s Thrilling Adventure Yarns anthology, scheduled to appear at Shore Leave 41 in July. I’ll be announcing the writers’ lineup in the next few weeks.
- Appeared at the Authors Weekend at The Star Trek Set Tour in June and, of course, Shore Leave 40, in July.
Perhaps the best part of the summer, though, was traveling to Scotland and Iceland with Deb as we celebrated turning 60. Both countries were delightful to tour and visit. Deb took something like 1200 pictures and is still sifting through them all. We enjoyed the sights, trust me.And now, as Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer approach, it’s back to the classroom routine. Seeing my returning students dribble in to help out has been energizing and I find myself truly looking forward to being with them, and the newcomers, again.
Bob's Test Import 