It's a New Year -- What are you working on?

[David DeLee]

I have a completed manuscript I am currently editing for a 2-6-11 deadline. I did 16 pages n Sat., have 304 to go.

 

Also to keep in line with my writing goal of 365,000 new words for this year I will start a new short story today, work on it while I edit the MS.

[I. J. Parker]

Go where the energy is!

[David DeLee]

One piece of advice I've received over the years and believe it is good advice is that writers are the worse judge of their own work. Meaning, don't be so hard on your self or your work. It's probably a lot better than you think.

 

That being said, go where your passion lies. Good luck.

[Jeffrey J. Mariotte]

I'm working on revising a CSI novel for S&S, while also polishing an original crime novel. Then I have a comic script due, and a short Western story for an anthology, and another novel, originally published by S&S in 2005, that's they're reissued this spring and needs some updating. So lots of rewrites/revisions/polishes, and a little bit of new writing.  Also, San Diego Noir was just announced (May release), which includes a story of mine (along with T. Jefferson Parker, Martha Lawrence, Don Winslow, Taffy Cannon, Gar Anthony Haywood, and many others) so I'll be doing some promotional stuff around that.

[Frank Zubek]

I am working on the next novella in my Nick Crowell paranormal mystery series  and this new one is due in march on Kindle

 

I plan a total of 4 this year and then depending on sales, sometime in 2012, I might put the series into an omnibus edition and let it stay on Kindle. (It was planned as a limited series anyhow)

 

Then I have a fantasy novel about the abuse of power as well as a sci-fi thriller that takes place several decades from now-my next 2 years are booked!

[sean]

@thetrustnovel

Two goals

My first novel was just published this month so I'll be working hard to compliment the marketing the publisher is doing.  

Second goal is to finish the follow up - 30,000 words in!

Sean

 

[minervaK]

Still plugging away at Nine Days (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nine-Days-by-Minerva-Koenig/160795407...). Hope to have the 2nd edit finished and in the hands of beta readers by Valentine's day.

 

I don't understand where you guys get the time/ability/intestinal fortitude to do all the OTHER stuff y'all do in addition to writing books. I can only do one thing at a time. What's your secret?

 

M.

[John Dodds]

Wow, that's a big word count for the year, David. Good luck with that.

 

I'm trying to finish writing a short noir novel, and I am writing an anthology of short stories at the invitation of Melange Books (paranormal/historical romance), provisionally called Warriors and Wenches. Also completing the podcast version of my first novel, Bone Machines, through podiobooks.com, who released the first episodes a few weeks ago.

 

I've got a steampunk novel in progress, too, on the back boiler, but at least it's started. 

[Susan]

Speaking of writing and "all that jazz ..." I just completed a profile of two terrific jazz clarinetists on my website.

Dixie Fasnacht toured with an all-girl group during the 1930s, but returned to her native New Orleans to open Dixie's Bar of Music in 1939, one of the first gay-friendly bars in the city. 

 

Israeli-born Anat Cohen, now based in NYC, has been hailed as one of the most exciting and innovative new jazz players around.  

 

Check them out at A Tale of Two Clarinetists

[Mark Porter]

My first novel Dogs Chase Cars is about to come out. I have a second novel, Moscow Drive at the end of the first draft of 90,000 words. I started the first draft 7th December but in reality had been planning, plotting and taking notes for months. Moscow is the first of my Rifkin & Whelan Mersey Mojo series. Ionic Road; the sequel is plotted and planned but no further.

 

I am using two cameo characters from Dogs, Greene & Jarvis, homicide detectives in a series of shorts and the target is one a month. The first, Summer Slammin' was posted to my site today and will appear on www.drugstorebooks.com at the end of the month. 

 

Meanwhile, my flash short Stark will appear shortly with Pulp Metal and I am hoping to add more shorts to various outlets as I go.

 

Finally, I am always interested in the nuts and bolts of writing process, mindset and experiences. With this in mind, I am interviewing an author a month for my site. The questions depend on the writer. Tim Bryant is already posted. Tony Black, Matt Hadder and Andrew Oberg are all in the pipeline and 'signed up.' If you would like to take part please e-mail me. My only stipulation is that I am able to read at least one full example of your work first, in whatever format. 

 

www.markporter.weebly.com

 

[Mary McFarland]

I'm detailing scenes for my subplot for "A Fire in God's Bathtub," book I in a decology. 

 

David, this is my second novel, so this one is coming along a lot more smoothly than last year's first.  I'm just high on the process right now, but I've got my eye on querying soon. 

 

Thanks for this discussion everyone.  It's really helpful.  It relates to my genre - our genre - so I feel like I'm really learning a lot by following your progress here on CS.   

[David DeLee]

Mary,

Good luck with the plot planning. I agree.
I get a kick out of the process of creating story and isn't that what it's all aboutt?

[Frank Zubek]

Update for me...

Doing two Crowell collections

One in April and another in summer

Then a horror novel rated R

Crowell doesn't seem to be doing as well as I thought so I'm switching gears before the year (and time) runs out on me     Need to get cash flow going

 

You should all look into Kindle and compare the waiting/rejection/re-sending of hard copy work VS near instant cash flow of Kindle

 

While paper publishing still needs our works to stay afloat-- I have suggested to authors to release something on Kindle to get some sort of money from it as well as the boost of confidence it brings (Unless your a really bad writer then you'll find that out on Kindle just as quickly!)