Current projects, February 2010.
Feb. 15th, 2010 10:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seanan_mcguireIt's Lupercalia, and more, it's time for me to make my monthly current projects post, wherein I prove to the curious that I either don't sleep or have access to some mechanism for stopping time (don't I wish). There's a reason I start to giggle and twitch whenever someone asks me "What are you working on?", and this post provides a bit of explanation. It also serves as something I can point to when the question gets asked, which it does. This is the February list of current projects, because I am the gift that keeps on giving.
To quote myself, being too harried to say something new: "These posts are labeled with the month and year, in case somebody eventually gets the crazy urge to timeline my work cycles (it'll probably be me). Behold the proof that I don't actually sleep; I just whimper and keep writing."
Please note that the first four Toby books are off this list, because they have been finished and turned in. You can purchase Rosemary and Rue [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] now. You can pre-order A Local Habitation [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] now. An Artificial Night and Late Eclipses are off the list until The Editor tells me otherwise.
The first Newsflesh book, Feed, is off the list because it has been turned in to The Other Editor. Not only that, but my page proofs have been finished and returned. You'll see this bad boy again when it comes rolling off the presses! Discount Armageddon is off the list because it has been turned in to The Agent.
The cut-tag is here to stay, because no matter what I do, it seems like this list just keeps on getting longer. But that's okay, because at least it means I'm never actively bored. I have horror movies and terrible things from the swamp to keep me company.
***
Deadline.
Formerly The Mourning Edition. Modern political/zombie horror, near-future setting, first-person protagonist. The second book in the Newsflesh Trilogy, and the direct sequel to Feed. Alive or dead, the truth won't rest. Rise up while you can. Status: I am currently 134,000 words into this book, with approximately 11,000 words to go to the end of the first draft. It's messy, it's mean, and it's making me very happy. I'm hoping to finish up in the next month, allowing me to start work on book three.
The Brightest Fell.
October Daye, book five. Urban fantasy/fairy tale noir, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Status: Having realized that I had one subplot more than was actually needed, I am in the process of ripping this book apart and stapling it back together. This means I'm hemorrhaging word count, but I'm making up for it by gaining clarity, coherence, and awesomeness. I am increasingly fond of this book, which has decided that I don't really need to know what's going on for at least a few more chapters.
Sparrow Hill Road.
Short stories don't normally make this list, but the Sparrow Hill series is a special case, being twelve interlinked stories focusing on Rose Marshall of "Pretty Little Dead Girl" fame. The first three are finished and turned in, and I'm working on the fourth one right now.
Midnight Blue-Light Special.
InCryptid, book two. Paranormal romance/light horror, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Verity Price is back, and she's ready to kick a lot of cryptid and human ass in her pursuit of a career in ballroom dance. If only the Covenant of St. George would leave her the hell alone... Status: I'm about two-thirds of the way through chapter one. DON'T JUDGE ME. I was bored.
Ashes of Honor.
October Daye, book six. Urban fantasy/fairy tale noir, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Status: outlines done, summary done, prepping the last of my foundation work before starting. Toby is not gonna be happy with me.
Sit, Stay, I Hate You.
Coyote Girls, book two. Young adult horror/paranormal romance, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Having survived the events of Lycanthropy and Other Personal Issues, Clady would really like it if her life would settle down and get, y'know, easy for a little while. Clady is not going to be terribly happy with me, either. Status: about halfway through chapter one, semi-stalled while I work on other things.
Deathless.
Dead Girl Diaries, book one. Modern urban fantasy/supernatural romance, first-person protagonist, two books per narrator. (First two are currently Deathless and Breathless, for Patience; they're almost certainly going to get renamed soon, just to avoid market confusion.) Status: poking in that vague and chipper "I'll be writing you soon" fashion.
The Nativity of Chance.
High modern fantasy ranging across the country, through the wonderful lands of Oz, and through a lot of explosions. Pythagorean philosophy meets the works of L. Frank Baum, alchemy meets modern technology, and a pair of cuckoos meet their destiny. Status: researching.
Chasing St. Margaret.
Chick-lit romance/travelogue, modern setting, first-person protagonist, diary-style. Think Bridget Jones' Diary meets Lost In Translation meets A Twelfth Night. Actually, quite literally, on the last. My dear, sweet, utterly bewildered Margery. Status: finished, pending revisions and rewrites. I think this may be my airplane book for the next few months.
Pretty Poison Apples.
The sequel to Nativity of Chance, and that seasonal monarchs book I've been threatening to write forever. Stop looking at me like that. Status: researching.
There are lots of other books floating around here—some finished and slated to be worked on further, others pending getting started—but these are the ones you're likely to hear the most about, at least currently. I'll update this list from time to time, as things move from "project" to "print" and new things take their places on the workshop floor.
To quote myself, being too harried to say something new: "These posts are labeled with the month and year, in case somebody eventually gets the crazy urge to timeline my work cycles (it'll probably be me). Behold the proof that I don't actually sleep; I just whimper and keep writing."
Please note that the first four Toby books are off this list, because they have been finished and turned in. You can purchase Rosemary and Rue [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] now. You can pre-order A Local Habitation [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] now. An Artificial Night and Late Eclipses are off the list until The Editor tells me otherwise.
The first Newsflesh book, Feed, is off the list because it has been turned in to The Other Editor. Not only that, but my page proofs have been finished and returned. You'll see this bad boy again when it comes rolling off the presses! Discount Armageddon is off the list because it has been turned in to The Agent.
The cut-tag is here to stay, because no matter what I do, it seems like this list just keeps on getting longer. But that's okay, because at least it means I'm never actively bored. I have horror movies and terrible things from the swamp to keep me company.
***
Deadline.
Formerly The Mourning Edition. Modern political/zombie horror, near-future setting, first-person protagonist. The second book in the Newsflesh Trilogy, and the direct sequel to Feed. Alive or dead, the truth won't rest. Rise up while you can. Status: I am currently 134,000 words into this book, with approximately 11,000 words to go to the end of the first draft. It's messy, it's mean, and it's making me very happy. I'm hoping to finish up in the next month, allowing me to start work on book three.
The Brightest Fell.
October Daye, book five. Urban fantasy/fairy tale noir, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Status: Having realized that I had one subplot more than was actually needed, I am in the process of ripping this book apart and stapling it back together. This means I'm hemorrhaging word count, but I'm making up for it by gaining clarity, coherence, and awesomeness. I am increasingly fond of this book, which has decided that I don't really need to know what's going on for at least a few more chapters.
Sparrow Hill Road.
Short stories don't normally make this list, but the Sparrow Hill series is a special case, being twelve interlinked stories focusing on Rose Marshall of "Pretty Little Dead Girl" fame. The first three are finished and turned in, and I'm working on the fourth one right now.
Midnight Blue-Light Special.
InCryptid, book two. Paranormal romance/light horror, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Verity Price is back, and she's ready to kick a lot of cryptid and human ass in her pursuit of a career in ballroom dance. If only the Covenant of St. George would leave her the hell alone... Status: I'm about two-thirds of the way through chapter one. DON'T JUDGE ME. I was bored.
Ashes of Honor.
October Daye, book six. Urban fantasy/fairy tale noir, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Status: outlines done, summary done, prepping the last of my foundation work before starting. Toby is not gonna be happy with me.
Sit, Stay, I Hate You.
Coyote Girls, book two. Young adult horror/paranormal romance, modern setting, first-person protagonist. Having survived the events of Lycanthropy and Other Personal Issues, Clady would really like it if her life would settle down and get, y'know, easy for a little while. Clady is not going to be terribly happy with me, either. Status: about halfway through chapter one, semi-stalled while I work on other things.
Deathless.
Dead Girl Diaries, book one. Modern urban fantasy/supernatural romance, first-person protagonist, two books per narrator. (First two are currently Deathless and Breathless, for Patience; they're almost certainly going to get renamed soon, just to avoid market confusion.) Status: poking in that vague and chipper "I'll be writing you soon" fashion.
The Nativity of Chance.
High modern fantasy ranging across the country, through the wonderful lands of Oz, and through a lot of explosions. Pythagorean philosophy meets the works of L. Frank Baum, alchemy meets modern technology, and a pair of cuckoos meet their destiny. Status: researching.
Chasing St. Margaret.
Chick-lit romance/travelogue, modern setting, first-person protagonist, diary-style. Think Bridget Jones' Diary meets Lost In Translation meets A Twelfth Night. Actually, quite literally, on the last. My dear, sweet, utterly bewildered Margery. Status: finished, pending revisions and rewrites. I think this may be my airplane book for the next few months.
Pretty Poison Apples.
The sequel to Nativity of Chance, and that seasonal monarchs book I've been threatening to write forever. Stop looking at me like that. Status: researching.
There are lots of other books floating around here—some finished and slated to be worked on further, others pending getting started—but these are the ones you're likely to hear the most about, at least currently. I'll update this list from time to time, as things move from "project" to "print" and new things take their places on the workshop floor.
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Date: 2010-02-15 07:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 01:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-15 07:51 pm (UTC)When kender, scientists, inventors or writers say this, be VERY afraid.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 01:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 04:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 01:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 11:11 am (UTC)I'm sure I'm not the only person asking, perhaps something for the FAQ?
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Date: 2010-02-16 01:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 05:12 pm (UTC)