Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire

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Current projects, November 2009.

First off, I apologize profusely for the lateness of this month's current projects post. While my self-imposed schedule may not matter to most, I know it matters to some, and I know that my current projects update is due on the ides of every given month. I plead jetlag and exhaustion, and will attempt to make up for it by...well, largely by demonstrating, once again, that I am not a huge fan of either free time or sleep. This post and its kin are the reason I start to twitch like a tarantula riding a record player every time someone asks me "What are you working on?" The answer takes too long to actually deliver. Anyway, this is the November 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 (formerly Newsflesh), 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!

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.

***

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.

Discount Armageddon.
InCryptid, book one. Urban horror/modern dark fantasy, first-person protagonist, start of a multi-narrator series (generational). First narrator is Verity "Very" Price, first setting is Manhattan. Status: This book is currently over 67,000 words in length, and just shy of two hundred and fifty pages. It's full of ass-kicking ballroom dance and talking mice. I'm essentially ecstatic over here.

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've finished Book Two (the Newsflesh books are novels divided into internal Books), and I am now comfortably into Book Three, psychotic breaks and CDC strongholds and all. I've managed to find excuses to consult with scientists in no less than three different fields other than virology. Life is good.

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.
Tags: ashes of honor, busy busy busy, chasing st. margaret, current projects, deadline, deathless, editing, nativity of chance, one salt sea, pretty poison apples, sit stay i hate you, toby daye, writing
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  • 23 comments
I'm in awe of your skills. I'm lucky if I can manage one project at a time. ;)

I do have a question for you, if you have time to throw a little bit of wisdom my way. I'm going to starting work on my own bit of zombie apocalypse fiction (you can never have too much zombie apocalypse. NEVER.) shortly, and I was wondering if you had any research tips or resources you'd care to share? This is my first foray into this sort of setting, and I'll admit I'm floundering around a bit. XD
Sorry about the delay; I've been crazy busy.

My research tips depend on your type of apocalypse. What's your root cause?