YES!

Happy to report that the first draft of Summon the Thunder has been delivered. Woo-Hoo!

With that in mind...another month, another monthly update:

• The Genesis Protocol - Revised manuscript accepted earlier this month. It's on its way to the printers, and I expect to see galleys shortly. You can be on the lookout for a new cover soon, as well.
  
• Summon the Thunder - Delivered! First-draft manuscript is with the editor. Awaiting feedback/revision notes.
  
• Untitled project - Currently writing this with Kevin. Manuscript due January 9th, 2006. Will offer more details when the editor gives the go-ahead.
  
• S.C.E. #64: Distant Early Warning - Currently writing this with Kevin. Manuscript is due January 15th, 2006.
  
• Corps of Engineers #1: Old Soldiers (working title only) - Kevin and I are developing proposal to send to editor. Anticipate delivering this on November 15th.
  
• Untitled Trek project - Kevin and I are developing proposal with editor, expect to deliver this mid-to-late November.
  
• Original nonSF short story - Sent to market editor on September 17th. Waiting to see if it's accepted or rejected.
  
• Original SF short story - Outlined and getting ready to write this for an open-call anthology. Market doesn't open until January 1st, so I've got a bit of time.
  
• Original short story - Outlined and began writing a bit on this, but there's no market picked out, so no deadline. Other stuff with deadlines are taking priority :)
  
• 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 - Working to complete proposal.
  
• Tie-in project with Kevin - Sample chapter completed; working to complete proposal.
  
• Two articles for Star Trek Communicator magazine with Kevin - Conducting research and performing other prep work. These are on hold pending word on direction of the magazine.
  
• 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.
  
• Short Screenplay - found out earlier this month that it wasn't selected. No idea what to do with this at present :)
  

I also transcribed a "true" story for Penthouse Letters. The stuff they print is all based on actual events, you know.

Read from the wrapper containing my chicken sandwich:

ORIGINAL CHICKEN SANDWICH: You know what they say. Originals order originals. And you're proof. They broke the mold when they made you, didn't they? Oh yeah.


Read from the carton holding my fries:

BAGGLERS: Some fries are mavericks. Free spirits that slip over the cardboard wall and make straight for the bottom of the bag, where they can then plan their next move. We call these spud separatists "Bagglers," and they're especially delicious. Maybe it's because they're a little out of bounds. Life can be weird like that.


Read from the side of my large cup of Dr. Pepper:

HAVE IT YOUR WAY: This cup makes a statement about you. It says "Hey, look at me, I'm an ambitious yet responsible person." You could have gone larger, but you didn't. You could have gone smaller, but again, you deferred. No, you know exactly what you want in life, nothing more, nothing less. It's good when you have things your way.

---

Now, I don't know what's worse: The fact that BK has started with this New Age, Feel-Good, Zen Master-on-Grass sort of warm fuzzy infliction upon the masses, or the fact that I actually felt good after reading it.

I need a lunch partner or, at the very least, an option to drink beer.

Happy to report that the first draft of Summon the Thunder is complete. Kevin and I are reading through it now, fixing and tweaking this or that. As it stands now, here's where we ended up:


Vanguard: Summon the Thunder wordcount

133,820 / 120,000 (111.5%)

While we know the editor will have changes/corrections/etc. and that it still has to go through the approval process, it's a pretty damned decent first draft, if I do say so myself. I also don't mind saying that this book has been one of the most challenging writing projects I've ever tackled.

The manuscript's due to Pocket on November 1st, and unless something freakish happens, we're set to deliver on time. Go, us!



In other news, Bucs 10 - 49ers 15. How pathetic is that?

Nabbed from Keith DeCandido's blog:

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

Ouch. Looks like the wife was right.

Well, I learned today that the KC Screenwriters have announced the winners of their 4th annual Short Screenplay Competition. My pithy entry didn't make the grade -- and I have no doubt it was outshined by the more-qualified screenwriters whose scripts were picked -- so I guess I'll have to kick Kevin's ass for even suggesting I enter in the first place.

Nah, not really. It was fun to enter, and got my creative juices flowing in a slightly different direction for a couple of days. As for what becomes of the script...damn if I know. It's still a skit at heart - maybe we'll do a reading or something at some future con.

Ah, well. Back to work. Still have a bit of thunder to summon, after all.

Today's progress report:


Vanguard: Summon the Thunder word count

65,098 / 60,000 (108.0%)

As you can see, I've exceeded my goal of 60,000 words, and I still have a couple of scenes left to write. Go me!



In other news: Bucs 27 - Dolphins 13.

The Great Hope that is Ricky Williams finally decided to grace the NFL with his presence, and the Bucs helped him celebrate that momentous occasion by limiting him to eight yards rushing on five attempts.

Welcome back, Mr. Williams.

So, the Bucs are 5-1 going into their bye week. I'll take it!

Today's progress report:


Vanguard: Summon the Thunder word count

56,384 / 60,000 (93.0%)

I'm gonna leave the meter set at 60,000, just to see how far I blow past it in this first draft. On the other hand, it doesn't appear that Kevin's portion will quite make 60,000, so we'll probably still hit in or around our projected word count of 120,000.

The contract stipulates 100,000 words or more, so...you're welcome.



In other news: Bucs 12 - Jets 14.

Twelve lousy points. Crappy offense, poor clock and time-out management. They could have won it if they'd had a time out at the end, but instead could only stand by helpless, well within field goal range, and watch the final seconds of the game tick away.

But it shouldn't have been that close to begin with.

So, we lost to Vinny Frappin' Testaverde. And the Jets.

Dumbasses.

Found out today from Pocket Books Star Trek editor Marco Palmieri that A Time to Sow is going back for a fourth printing. Sweet!

Along for the ride are:

• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume One by Una McCormack and Heather Jarman - 3rd printing
  

  
  

• Star Trek: Voyager - Spirit Walk Book Two: Enemy of My Enemy by Christie Golden - 2nd printing
  

  
  

• The anthology Star Trek: Tales from the Captain's Table edited by Keith R.A. DeCandido and featuring stories by some of Pocket's top Trek talent - 3rd printing
  

Yay everybody!

In other Trek book news, the contest to submit a design for the ship depicted in the new Star Trek: Titan series of books was won by Sean Tourangeau of Colorado Springs, Colorado. According to the announcement, "Sean's combined score was highest in the categories of originality, execution, consistency with the U.S.S. Titan Concept Notes, and consistency with Star Trek's established Starfleet style."

You can check out Sean's design at the Pocket Books website.

Congrats to Sean!

Call me the newest podcast geek.

While watching the new Battlestar Galactica Season 1 DVD set, I've taken to downloading and listening to the podcasts recorded by executive producer Ron Moore (he of Trek TNG and DS9 fame). Having had fun with those, I went ahead and downloaded the podcasts for Season 2. Listening to the comments of the man behind BSG's rebirth and the guiding hand of the series is quite illuminating, and fun to boot.

I've also listened to podcasts created for certain episodes of Enterprise, namely both parts of "In A Mirror, Darkly." As with the BSG recordigs, hearing writer Mike Sussman talk about the genesis of the episodes is both entertaining and enlightening.

The damn things are addictive. I hope Moore continues with the BSG podcasts, and that Tim Gaskill and the gang over at startrek.com might consider expanding their commentary offerings.

I'm up for yakking about the Original Series, Tim, if you need a talking head with a tendency toward scatological humor. Call me, bro!

Wow, two consecutive days of progress. I think I might have been replaced by a pod.

51,433 / 60,000 (85.0%)

Oh, and by the way: That "60,000" mark? Yeah, well, it's gonna be more. Trust me.


In other yet equally important news, Bucs 17 - Lions 13. I don't understand the current fetish with my boyz being able to score only 17 points a game, but so long as it's more than the other team, I really don't care. 4-0! Woo-HOO!

Ahem.

First, today's progress update:


Vanguard: Summon the Thunder word count

47,307 / 60,000 (78.0%)

In other news, check this out: If I'd stayed in the Marine Corps, today would have marked by 20th anniversary. Twenty years ago tonight, I stepped off the bus and onto the infamous yellow footprints of Parris Island, South Carolina. Barring various factors, I would have been eligible for retirement from military service beginning today.

Man, do I feel old.

The TiVo comes with the abilty to record up to 140 hours of crap, be it stuff from TV or stuff I transfer from my cache of prized LaserDisc material that'll probably never be released on DVD (original Star Wars movies, both previous versions of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, etc.), and it's got a built-in DVD burner.

I may never leave the house or see daylight again.

Elswehere, it's October 1st again, which means that this year's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds writing contest has come to a close. Editor Dean Wesley Smith will shortly begin sifting through the thousands of entries he's received in search of the twenty or so stories which will comprise next summer's Strange New Worlds 9 anthology.

Maybe of those stories will be yours? Here's hoping!