In an effort to keep myself breathing, I am now going to envision my perfect world. A world of sunshine and zombie puppies, where all I have to do is watch horror movies, take long walks, go to conventions, and write. In that world, I don't have to put things aside because there's no time.
I want to live there.
4 Things I'd Love to Write.
4. It's been on my "current projects" post for a while now, because hope springs eternal, but I really, really want to write this crazy math/language/Greek philosophy epic urban fantasy monster called The Nativity of Chance, which should probably have moved into the head of Tim Powers, but wound up with me instead. It's book one of a trilogy, and it's so deliciously messed-up that I just want to spend some serious quality time in its loving arms.
3. Lady of the Underground is the sequel to a romantic comedy I wrote a few years back, called Chasing St. Margaret. (I'm planning to revise Chasing St. Margaret this year, probably on the plane to Australia, and get it into publishable form, because I love it so.) Lady of the Underground would give me an excuse to spend more time with some characters I really adore, and that's just an awesome concept.
2. Spelunking Through Hell: A Visitor's Guide to the Underworld. It's the tenth book in the InCryptid series, and the story of Alice Price-Healy's quest for her wayward husband (who is going to be getting so punched in the face when she finds him). Don't judge my series-oriented ways. My idea of pacing is not like your Earth idea of pacing.
1. The rest of Toby. I want the world to arrange itself so I can write this series until it's finished and over and done. And then I will do a little dance, and it will be glorious.
February 26 2010, 15:55:51 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 19:37:31 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 16:01:55 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 19:37:45 UTC 7 years ago
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February 26 2010, 19:38:13 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 16:41:18 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 19:38:23 UTC 7 years ago
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February 26 2010, 18:01:27 UTC 7 years ago
7 years ago
February 26 2010, 17:03:15 UTC 7 years ago
I would *SO* read all the items you've listed above. Love your voice, love "hearing" your voice thru your characters.
February 26 2010, 19:38:45 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 17:09:13 UTC 7 years ago
Went to amazon to check and make sure there weren't any problems with my order, and realized i'd ordered wayyyyy back in July... pre-kindle. so, since you'd mentioned that physical books count more than kindle books, I left that order standing and ADDED a kindle order, so you can have your cake and we can both eat it (or something like that, anyway).
February 26 2010, 19:38:56 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 18:31:59 UTC 7 years ago
1. The rest of Toby. I want the world to arrange itself so I can write this series until it's finished and over and done. And then I will do a little dance, and it will be glorious.
Do you know how you want the series to end, a la JK Rowling famously writing the last chapter of Deathly Hallows long before she needed it?
February 26 2010, 19:39:55 UTC 7 years ago
That being said, things change. Characters do odd things, or enter, or leave. So it's still fluid, and will be until the last book is printed.
7 years ago
7 years ago
February 26 2010, 18:34:58 UTC 7 years ago
What? Toby over and done? I realize there's a finite number of books that can be written, and that you've got enough integrity to stop when you've gotten as much out of Toby's world that there is to offer...but it seems from this distance that you've created a magnificent world and characters with enough stories to last at least as long as Lew Archer, or Travis McGee, or Kinsey Milhone. No idea what your actual plans are, but I expect there would be very few objections if Toby's adventures went on for a long, long lifetime.
February 27 2010, 20:49:12 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 18:45:41 UTC 7 years ago
February 27 2010, 20:49:21 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 18:56:38 UTC 7 years ago
I understand completely. The first thing I tell people about my writing is, "I think epic." Because without that preface followed by an explanation that I like things mapped out in advance, a reference to something that happens in Season 4 or even Season 2 of a show I've imagined apparently comes off as either hubristic, pipe dreamy, or just plain nuts.
But it's how I roll. I like to plant seeds that don't sprout and blossom for years. It's fun. It's cool. It's the kind of stories I like. Furthermore, even my attempts to go short term are often met with opposition from my own instincts.
I had this idea for a film. A nice, little self-contained film. I had the characters, I had their arcs, I had the seasonal motif down. It was going to be 120-180 pages of perfection. And then I got to page 40, when most of the main events hadn't even started yet, and realized it already felt rushed and stilted, and that I actually had an eight to thirteen hour mini-series on my hands.
Go fig.
February 27 2010, 20:49:42 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 20:16:48 UTC 7 years ago
"Toby" and "finished".
I am finding this a tad hard to believe, given that I've watched the projected book count for this (multi-)series grow over the years.
What is the current count, anyways?
February 27 2010, 20:49:53 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 20:49:46 UTC 7 years ago
*blink*
Wow. I think I want to read that even more than I want to read the InCryptid series. I didn't know that was possible. I know it won't be happening for quite a while yet, but I would happily provide any assistance (proofreading, idea bouncing, whatever) you want to help it gestate.
What's your current estimate on the eventual total number of Toby books?
February 27 2010, 20:50:09 UTC 7 years ago
February 26 2010, 21:50:33 UTC 7 years ago
May you never lose sight of where your series are going. May your publishers always be dismayed enough that you've delivered the last one that they try to chivy you into writing more, and may you never fall into that trap.
Oh, and I'd like to publicly join the ranks of people who drool every time you mention The Nativity of Chance.
February 27 2010, 20:50:33 UTC 7 years ago
February 27 2010, 03:09:43 UTC 7 years ago
I want... to read this. So damned badly. Do you need to collect pre-order vouchers or what? Cause I'm down for two, minimum.
February 27 2010, 20:50:49 UTC 7 years ago
February 27 2010, 06:13:55 UTC 7 years ago
Also, Toby, because Toby is awesome :)
February 27 2010, 20:50:59 UTC 7 years ago
Yeee Gods!
February 27 2010, 18:54:48 UTC 7 years ago
Just goes to show ya that that whole blood lust thing of yours has SERIOUSLY affected my world!
Re: Yeee Gods!
February 27 2010, 20:51:17 UTC 7 years ago
February 27 2010, 20:48:37 UTC 7 years ago
February 27 2010, 20:51:27 UTC 7 years ago