Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire

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4 things I'd love to write.

I am now four days out from the release of A Local Habitation [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy]. The uncontrollable twitching hasn't started, largely, I'm assuming, because I've been too tense to twitch. I literally coughed myself into a migraine yesterday, which only went away when I went home and went to bed.

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.
Tags: chasing st. margaret, contemplation, incryptid, making lists, nativity of chance, toby daye, writing
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  • 39 comments
Excellent! Those are four things I'd love to read. Yes, even the romantic comedy.
Good man.
The Nativity Of Chance sounds like something I very much want to read.
It's going to be super-fun to write (also super-hard).

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It was MAGIC.
I would definitely read and promote these books.
Excellent!

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There can always be short stories, author willing. (It's one thing I like -- some characters may only have one big arc in their lives, but there's always little things.)

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

WHYYYYYY can't it be Tuesday YET??? I want another visit with Toby!!

I would *SO* read all the items you've listed above. Love your voice, love "hearing" your voice thru your characters.

Thank you! :)
yep, i'd read them too.

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).
Hooray! You are awesome.
I'd definitely read all of those.

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?
I know, roughly, how things would end if I ended them right now. I try to make sure I'm always one book away from "the exit," and that I can get there reasonably quickly.

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.

ravenclawed

7 years ago

seanan_mcguire

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.
The series is currently outlined to twelve books (eleven of current story, plus the ending). I'm hoping it goes a lot further than that...but I really like having an exit plan.
I would totally read those books, and your perfect world is relevant to my interests.
Yay!
Don't judge my series-oriented ways. My idea of pacing is not like your Earth idea of pacing.

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.
Hee. I know the feeling. "This is another series? Well...shit."
I see some words put together.
"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?
Several.
this crazy math/language/Greek philosophy epic urban fantasy monster called The Nativity of Chance

*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?
Several.
It is sad when a good series ends, but it's usually even more sad when the author keeps writing more books in it even though it was done. And it's a crying shame when a series that starts out good jumps the shark because the author failed to realize that it needed to end.

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.
Ah, but what if they jump the SHARKTOPUS?
... this crazy math/language/Greek philosophy epic urban fantasy monster called The Nativity of Chance...

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.
Sadly, no, but I'm glad to know you're excited!
Seconding everyone else on The Nativity of Chance, WANT.

Also, Toby, because Toby is awesome :)
Hee.
*whew* For some reason, when you wrote "The rest of Toby" I saw "The END of Toby!" My head instantly did a flip-flop and there was a LOUD "NOOOOoooooo! You can't kill off TOBY!!!"

Just goes to show ya that that whole blood lust thing of yours has SERIOUSLY affected my world!
Admittedly, the fact that you would be the author would be enough for me to purchase them if they were to be published.
Awww, thanks.