Some of you know that over Summer I was struggling with an on-spec space opera tentatively called The Brave And The Free.
It’s almost done, truly, but I couldn’t finish it. The reason I couldn’t finish it, is that I’d got myself in one of my amnesiac centipede modes. No, don’t gawp at me. You know what I mean – I exactly resembled a centipede who, all of a sudden, couldn’t figure out which leg it should move first.
This is a mode I get into – yes, after twenty finished novels – and I can’t even explain how or what triggers it. I just know it happens. In fact, my first attempts at sequels for Darkship Thieves came out like that too. All of a sudden I get tied up in “how do I Heinlein the world right up front?” “Am I queuing in enough information?” And then I get in a mess and I can’t write.
This time around I slid effortlessly into Darkship Renegades, and the voice is there. Yesterday I spent the morning doing my site, though, and I brought out The Brave and The Free to put a sample in the corner booth section. This is when I realized that I could see all the mistakes, and all the bits of misaligned/doesn’t belong here info on the first three pages.
What does this mean? Well, it probably means that once Darkship Renegades and A Few Good Men unclench enough to let me go – probably after third or fourth pass and their arrival at Toni Weisskopf’s desk – I can finish The Brave and The Free in about a week or two.
After which I need to finish Noah’s boy, the third book in the Shifter’s series, and a book in a newly sold heteronymous series (details on this tomorrow) which is due before next year.
What else am I working on? Well, I’d like to, at long last, do the novel I’ve owed Eric Flint for… five years? The Shakespeare Gambit for which Jim paid me before he died, would be the first of a new reimagining of the concept of time wars – time wars as a tool of asymmetrical warfare/terrorism, as opposed to conventional war, as most people (though not all) have done them. In this book both sides, etc. would be shadowy, as we follow a group of people kidnaped from many dimensions/times. If it “takes” then it will become a series.
Then there is this idea I’ve had for very long for a series of Orphan Kittens mysteries. Probably written under Elise Hyatt, as it’s one of my lighter mysteries. Someone rescues cats and kittens and gets involved in murders along the way. The first book is sitting incomplete on my desk under the name “A Deadly Paws.” Thank you, thank you. You may throw rotten tomatoes at your convenience.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t checked out Naked Reader Press, please do. It carries a story I did for fun with my friend Sofie Skapski. It’s A Touch Of Night, Pride and Prejudice set in the world of the Magical British Empire. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a lot of fun to write and I’m sure it’s at least somewhat fun to read. They’re also publishing Death Of A Musketeer, my first Musketeer mystery under my historical mystery pen name, (aka my maiden name) Sarah D’Almeida. Again, look up at my schedule. The sixth mystery The Musketeer’s Confessor, is half written, but I need to find time to finish it, and that implies having at least reasonable income out of the one out with NRP. If you’ve already bought it, thank you. I hope you enjoyed it. Would you consider leaving a review on Amazon, or perhaps posting a review on your blog? All help much appreciated.
And now I’m going to stop gabbing at you and go work. Look for an announcement of sale and a sample tomorrow.
According To Hoyt 