When I haven’t been in the classroom, I have been home, at the desk, writing and editing. There have been the usual Westfield Comics columns and reviews over at ComicMix, but there have been some projects occupying my time.
Back in February, the Kickstarter campaign for Thrilling Adventure Yarns came to a rousing conclusion. Since then, I have worked to complete the manuscript, gather up all the excellent interior art, get the book designed by the ace Aaron Rosenberg, get the authors to proofread their stories, etc.
It’s been a learning experience working on a Kickstarter campaign. Currently, I am in the process of chasing the final two dozen backers to complete their surveys so we can finalize the acknowledgments page and begin to set the print run for the hardcover and softcover.
There are far many more logistics involved than I imagined,such as gathering all the digital rewards, figuring out the right packaging forthe books to be mailed, etc. It’s certainly been a learning experience.
But none of the headaches mar the fact that the book is oneI am incredibly proud of and hope finds a receptive audience. I’d love to doanother volume down the right.
The other editing has been the sixth volume of Valerie Mikles’ science fiction series, out later this year. Exiles is an interesting project in that we’re now in the second half of the nine-book series and she is doing a nice job of moving things along while introducing new places, characters, and elements. No retreads here. She also is very receptive to my feedback, regardless of how harsh it can be. At least I think each novel is better for the collaboration.
I’ve also been writing. Not a lot, but some. There’s been another essay for a forthcoming volume of ATB’s Outside In series. It’s not yet been announced, but it allowed me to rewatch a 1974 TV movie that I haven’t seen in ages and was delighted with all over again. There’s also an essay for From Bayou to Abyss: Examining John Constantine, Hellblazer, coming from Sequart. There, I riffed on how a prime time series could adapt a Vertigo comic book, with an exclusive interview with my pal Mark Verheiden.,
Fiction has proven far more elusive. The creative spark seems to be missing and has gone on walkabout for quite some time now. I wish it would come back. First, I am pleased that a 2017 story will finally see print this year in Defending the Future: In Harm’s Way now that eSpec Books’ recent Kickstarter campaign was a success. The funding also allowed them to go forward with Beyond the Cradle: Footprints in the Stars. That story was interesting in that I had the beginnings of a notion that required more research than usual for the scientific underpinnings. Then, Danielle Ackley-McPhail gave me excellent editorial notes. And while that required two more passes before we were both happy, I suspect it will be one of my stronger pieces as a result. You can decide for yourselves when the book debuts, as does Thrilling Adventure Yarns, at Shore Leave in July.
I also started the year off by writing the manuscript for Batman: 100 Greatest Moments and just this past weekend I reviewed the first pass design pages. It should look pretty good to readers, who will no doubt debate the lineup. I have also finalized the 100 moments line for the next, still-unannounced book, in the series. It’s off to Chartwell Books and DC Comics for approval and later in June, I should be starting in on that manuscript.
And that, I think, brings us up to speed on the freelancefront.
Bob's Test Import 