Not that productive a day.


Vanguard: Summon the Thunder Word Count

15,537 / 50,000 (31.0%)

I suppose I can take heart in the fact that I'm on pace for monthly word count with respect to the project as a whole, but I hoped to have done better today.

Bleh.

Inspired by the one-man writing machine that is Keith R.A. DeCandido, and shamelessly pilfering an idea seen on his blog, I figured I'd provide a general update on various writing irons I have in various fires as of the end of July.

Be warned: my list ain't nearly as impressive as Keith's. :)

• Rocket League short story "Enemy Unknown!" - Story posted to game owner's website on July 13th. What, you haven't read it yet?
  
• The Genesis Protocol - Making editorial revisions. Revised manuscript due September 1st.
  
• Summon the Thunder - Currently writing this with Kevin. Manuscript due November 1st.
  
• S.C.E. #64: Distant Early Warning - Awaiting licensor's approval of proposal.
  
• Original short story - Sent to anthology editor on July 21st. Waiting to see if it's accepted or rejected.
  
• Counterstrike: The Last World War, Book II - Proposal still being shopped to publishers.
  
• Trek novel solo project - Awaiting editor feedback on proposal.
  
• Trek novel project with Kevin - Awaiting editor feedback on proposal.
  
• Tie-in project with Kevin - Sample chapter completed; working to complete proposal.
  
• Tie-in project with Kevin - Working to complete proposal.
  
• Two articles for Star Trek Communicator magazine with Kevin - Conducting research and performing other prep work.
  
• Non-fiction/non-genre article (or series of articles) for local/regional magazine or newspaper - Researching material for the article(s), researching best markets to place it.
  
• Original short story - Don't really have a market in mind for this, but I want to write it anyway...so there :)
  

I also wrote a grocery list earlier today, if anyone cares. It's a real barn-burner.

Maybe you've read the drivel with which I pollute this site and -- by extension -- the web. Maybe you're intrigued by the book Kevin and I are writing, and you want to learn more about the series?

Well, you could do worse than to check out an interview with David Mack, author of the first book in the Star Trek: Vanguard series, Harbinger. During the sitdown he had with Trek Today's Jackie Bundy, he had much to say about the series and his book in particular.

Give it a once-over, why don't ya?

The good folks at Star Trek: Diversity Fleet have invited Kevin and I to come chat with them next month.

The chat is scheduled for 3pm Central Time on Saturday, August 27th, in the Fleet's Chat Room. We'll be talking about our writing and whatever else comes up.

Maybe we'll see you there!

Today's Summon the Thunder word count:

12,476 / 50,000 (24.0%)

Today's Vanguard progress report:

7,948 / 50,000 (15.0%)

Slow but steady, I suppose. More tomorrow (or, is that "later today?").

Put the finishing touches on a short story that's been languishing on my hard drive for a week or so. Got it, a cover letter and SASE into an envelope and got it prepped to fire off in tomorrow's mail. It's on its way to an open-call anthology that I thought would be fun to try, so we'll just have to see what happens.

Okay, so much for that stalling. Now it's back to Summon the Thunder. Oh, and editorial fixes for The Genesis Protocol still have to get done one of these days.

Hey, this writing shit is fun.

James Doohan
March 3, 1920 - July 20, 2005

Various news outlets are reporting that James Doohan passed away this morning at his home in Redmond, Washington due to complications from pneumonia and Alzheimer's Disease.

CNN's report can be found here.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Okay, that's more like it.

5,698 / 50,000 (11.0%)

Well, after a couple of weeks spent getting other projects out of the way, dividing up the projected work between myself and Kevin, and finally having a Saturday where I could devote at least part of the day to writing, I finished a short story I'd been working on for a week or so. THEN...I actually got to spend some of this evening getting down to the nitty-gritty of writing my portion of Summon the Thunder, the second novel in the new Star Trek: Vanguard series.

So, how'd I do today? Bleh. Of the 50,000 or so words that I'm expected to write for this book by November 1st, here's where I currently stand:

1,479 / 50,000 (2.0%)

First chapters have always been a pain in the ass for me. Once I get past that, I can usually ramp up the speed somewhat.

Sounds good in theory, anyway. Let's wait and see what Sunday's tally is before I get too cocky, eh?

The good folks at Playus Maximus have unveiled "Enemy Unknown!," a short story set in the world of their new role-playing game, Rocket League. To simply say we had fun writing this story would be akin to saying that the passengers on the Titanic were a tad inconvenienced, okay? Check it out, Space Cadet!

Another Shore Leave has come and gone. What an utter, total, all-encompassing blast that was. Got to meet up with the growing group of fast friends and make a whole boatload of new ones along the way, most notably several members from the latest group of Strange New Worlds winners.

At Friday night's annual "Pocket Books Coming Attractions" show, hosted by editor Marco Palmieri, it was finally revealed that Kevin and I are writing the second book for the Star Trek: Vanguard series, currently titled Summon the Thunder. More info on this as it's appropriate, but know now that the book is currently slated for a July 2006 release...just in time for next year's Shore Leave!

Kevin and I were also pleased to announce that we've written a new short story for a forthcoming role-playing game, Rocket League. "Enemy Unknown!" will be published on the website of the game's creators, Playus Maximus, as well as being included in the game's core rule book. How's that for sweet, eh?

Panels were fun throughout the weekend, particularly the "SNW Extravaganza!" hosted by fellow SNW alumn Kevin Lauderdale. Kevin invited me to help him read his SNW8 story, "Assignment: One" for the audience, which was both flattering and frightening, as I've never considered myself a performer or a great presenter. No one burned the room down, so I guess we did okay.

And as Jim Johnson observed on the Trek BBS, the following new terms have been added to the Shore Leave Trek Writers' Lexicon:

• Monkeys
  
• Headboard
  
• Girlie Puke
  

I'll just let those fester for a while....

Okay, now for the really exciting part: The Voyage Home.

1. Our flight out of Baltimore -- scheduled for a 9:55am departure -- was delayed, due to weather fallout from Hurricane Dennis. The plane for our flight was coming from Atlanta and was running behind, and we were in danger of missing our connection in Cinncinnati -- scheduled to leave at 12:45pm. I should have known that things were going to go bad early on when the Delta ticketing agent suggested that sending us to Atlanta was the most desirable alternative.
   
   
2. Our flight left at 11:30, at which time Delta folks informed us that, yes indeed, we would miss our connection. To soothe the pain, however, she happily told us that she had already booked us for the next available flight from Cinncinnati to Kansas City -- leaving at 5:35pm.
   
   
3. Upon our arrival in Cinncinnati, we proceed to the gate for our connecting flight to check in, only to discover that not only are we booked on the 5:35 flight, but also a 4:15pm flight that the lady in Baltimore didn't bother to clue us in about. Sensing a smidgen of mercy being thrown our way, we cancelled the 5:35 booking and went with the 4:15 flight. When I asked the ticketing agent about our luggage, I was informed that "we put bags on the first flight heading to a particular airport. You'll be fine."
   
   Remember this last point. You will see it again.
   
   
4. It's finally time to board our 4:15 flight to Kansas City. Upon climbing aboard, we're delighted to discover that one of the plane's two air conditioning units is not operating. The cockpit is nice and cozy, whereas eggs are frying on various metallic surfaces throughout the passenger cabin. In order to beat off the heat while we sit on the sun-baked tarmac, our flight attendant offers us an attempted distraction about how she overslept and was late for the first two flights she was scheduled to work that day.
   
   Apparently, that was easier than handing out bottled water.
   
   
5. We're home!
   
   Do I even need to explain here that our bags didn't make the flight? I mean, I realize that four hours between flights is cutting it close when shifting luggage from one plane to another, but I figured that -- with all the inconvenience we've already suffered, somebody might offer up a tiny bit more initiative to perhaps cover this minor detail.
   
   While checking in with the "Baggage Black Hole Office," we're told that our stuff is probably on the 5:35 flight (didn't see that one coming, did ya?). We're also given a brief overview of how the process will work: the bag will arrive; they'll determine that nobody owns it; it will be sent to a central processing center, where it will be sorted into a group of other bags that need to be delivered to waiting owners.
   
   At this point, I should point out that I'm worried that enough bags get lost during any one day that they require sorting by zip code. But, I digress...
   
   
6. All that's left is to hop the shuttle to long-term parking. So we stand outside and wait for a shuttle.
   
   And wait.
   
   And wait some more.
   
   Hey! Here comes one! It's got plenty of room, too! I can see the driver's face! She's looking right at me!
   
   She drives on past without stopping.
   
   
7. Finally get to Kevin's van, it's hot enough to dry meat inside. I push the button to lower the window while the AC cuts in. When it's blowing cool enough, I hit the button to raise the window.
   
   Nothing happens.
   

Next year, I think I'm going to do the con via teleconferencing.

Awesome news last night. The folks who are creating the new role-playing game love our story, and in addition to posting it on the website as part of the game's promotion, they're also considering including it in the core game book. Very sweet indeed!

We hope to be able to spill more beans about this in the next few days, to include sample artwork and links to the game creator's site. Stay tuned!

Next up on the calendar is our now-annual pilgrimage to Shore Leave, being held as it is every year at the Marriott in Hunt Valley, Maryland. In addition to the Friday night "Meet the Pros" party -- where all us writer types will sign books until we drop -- and various panels in which we'll be participating, Pocket Books Trek editor Marco Palmieri will announce a whole bunch of juicy projects coming down the pike over the next year or so -- including the official announcement about the book Kevin and I are writing for him. FINALLY.

So, hey, if you're attending the con -- hope to see you there!

Giving myself a well-earned break, as I finally got off my butt and finished my half of a short story I'm writing with Kevin. It's science fiction, but not Trek, and that's pretty much all I can say about it at the moment, other than it's based on a new role-playing game coming down the pike in a few months. If and when the creators of the game sign off on it, the story will be published on their website as part of their promotion for the game.

I guess I can say one more thing...it was kickass fun to write.

Now all I have to do is get going on writing for the new Trek novel project, and along the way I'll hopefully write this other short story I've been planning to do for several weeks for a fun-sounding open-call anthology.

Oh, and I guess I should get hot on the revisions for The Genesis Protocol.

Whoops.

Guess the break's over.