Well, another month has come and gone, and here's where I stand on various writing-related endeavors:

• The Genesis Protocol - Final galley changes made earlier in the month. I imagine I'll see a copy some time closer to Christmas. A new cover is supposedly on the way, as well. So far as I know, this is still on track for January publication.
  
• Summon the Thunder - First-draft manuscript delivered November 1st. Awaiting editor 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: Turn the Page - Proposal accepted by the editor November 20th (or so). Kevin and I are awaiting licensor approval.
  
• Untitled Trek project - Proposal accepted by the editor November 22nd. Kevin and I awaiting licensor approval. Manuscript currently has a due date of April 1st, 2006 (no foolin'!).
  
• Original nonSF short story - Sent to market editor on September 17th. Waiting to see if it's accepted or rejected.
  
• Original SF short story - Writing this for an open-call anthology. Market doesn't open until January 1st, so I've got a bit of time (shuffling it with the other projects which carry due dates).
  
• 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. Expect to have this ready for delivery to editor sometime during the first week in December.
  
• 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.
  

Seems like a lot, but if you want to see a writing machine, check out the list o' stuff Keith DeCandido is working on. It'll make your head swim.

In other cool news, I've learned this morning that Summon the Thunder is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com. Sweet!

Spent the Thanksgiving holiday down in Tampa. The days seemed to buzz by. Thanksgiving was at my mother's house with the whole family stuffing our faces. Friday was out and about, tracking down some of Michi's college friends and trying to get into the Museum of Science and Industry in order to check out the much-talked about "Bodies" exhibition (didn't make it) before having dinner with family out on the town. Saturday was spent at Busch Gardens, riding the rides and essentially screwing around. Sunday was spent in and around the stadium for the Bucs game.




The less said about that, the better. The high points: Bucs lost. Panthers won. Falcons won. Pretty much the worst possible scenario that could come from this weekend's activities, NFC South-wise, that is. 7-4 and holding onto an NFC wildcard slot by the skin of their teeth with five games to go...four of them against division opponents and the fifth up in New England. The Bucs' record in cold weather is rather noteworthy in NFL circles, you know, but not for the good reasons.

All in all, a fun, restful vacation. Didn't get as much writing done as I'd have liked, but I'm recharged and ready to get after it again.

Poor Kevin. He's gonna hate me in December.

Among the several Star Trek: S.C.E. updates offered up today by editor Keith DeCandido, were these:

• Cover copy is now available for Distant Early Warning.
  

  
  

• The first entry in the "new" Star Trek: Corps of Engineers series -- written by Kevin and me -- will be titled Turn the Page.
  

Michi and I will be heading out on vacation starting tomorrow. We're heading to Tampa for Thanksgiving with our relatives, and among the activities in which we'll be partaking is the Bucs-Bears game on Sunday. Look for us...we'll be the ones in red.

Finally!

Editor Marco Palmieri asked me to keep this under wraps until it was debuted on PsiPhi.org, but now that webmaster David Henderson has unveiled it over there, I can finally share the cover art for Summon the Thunder! The artwork is courtesy of none other than Trek artist/guru Doug Drexler!

A larger version of the cover can be seen by visiting Psi Phi.

Sweet!

Not a whole lot accomplished today, writing-wise. Worked on a short story and started getting serious with Distant Early Warning, but nothing worth reporting. Certainly not enough to justify throwing a word meter up here just yet.

I know. Bad writer. Very bad.




Bucs 30 - Falcons 27 - YES! The win, plus Carolina's loss, puts my boyz back into a tie for first place in the NFC South. Got us a race for the finish line with six games to go!

More importantly, the home crowd is going to be suitably fired up for next week's game when the Bears go to Tampa to play. Since I only get to go to one game a year if I'm lucky and have expended much cash to secure tickets - to say nothing of having had my #63-LeRoy Selmon jersey ready to go for a year now - you can guess that I'm thrilled to be going to a game that matters.

Got word from Star Trek: S.C.E. editor Keith DeCandido that he's sending on to Paramount our proposal for what will (hopefully) be Corps of Engineers #1, with a final title yet to be approved. I don't expect that we'll hear back from the licensing folks for a while yet, particularly with the holidays bearing down on us. That's okay, as Kevin and I have plenty to keep us busy in the interim, with two manuscripts (one short story as well as Distant Early Warning) due during the first couple of weeks in January. Additionally, I have three other short stories I want to write before year's end, each for different markets.

Somewhere along with all of that, I'll have to work, shop for Christmas, rake leaves, and fly to Florida for Thanksgiving.

Sleeping's overrated, anyway.

Kevin and I spent part of yesterday and today finishing up two proposals for Trek tie-in projects we're planning to send to editor Keith DeCandido.

The first is for the what will be the first installment of the "relaunched" Corps of Engineers e-Book series. It still holds the working title Old Soldiers (because our new title is still secret), but stay tuned for more info as we get the green light to divulge details.

The second Trek project is something that's not yet been announced. Can't cough up any details just yet, so my apologies to the two or three of you who visit this site with any regularity (Hi Mom!).

Also, my spies tell me that cover art for Summon the Thunder is forthcoming. Watch this space!




Down 35-28 with 1:05 left to go in the game, the Bucs score on a sweet touchdown pass from beleaguered quarterback Chris Simms. After a penalty on the Redskins during the point after attempt (which would have tied the game) and the ball moved to the 1 yard line, Coach Gruden decides to go for the two-point conversion and the win.

Simms hands the ball off to Mike Alstott, who barrels and bruises his way into the endzone.

Sort of.

Replays were inconclusive; not enough to overturn what I think was a generous awarding of the two points, as it looked like Alstott was stopped just short of the goal line. I guess I can say it makes up for an earlier call the officials blew, when they didn't catch the Redskins kick returner stepping out of bounds during a 94-yard jaunt to the endzone.

Bottom line? Bucs 36 - Redskins 35. 6-3, going into a game with division rival Atlanta next week. Simms looks like he's on fire, though, so I have hopes for another great game, during which the Bucs defense will reintroduce Falcons quarterback Michael Vick to the concept of astroturf as a diet staple.

Nootch.

Happy Birthday to all Marines everywhere.



Semper Fi!

Finished my final read-through of the galleys for The Genesis Protocol and offering up my last-minute corrections. I think I can safely say that this one is put to bed.

Kevin and I met yesterday to work out details of our next projects. Among those items discussed/worked on were a short story that's due January 9th, the proposal for what will be the first installment in the revamped Star Trek: Corps of Engineers e-Book series, a proposal for another Trek project for which I can't yet divulge details, and a proposal for a non-Trek tie-in project on which we've been dragging our feet. Now that Summon the Thunder is in our editor's hands, we have time to address some of this other stuff on our plate.

There's also Distant Early Warning, the manuscript for which is due January 15th. I'll probably throw up a word-count meter here in the next week or so, just because I think having one for STT actually was motivational.




Elsewhere, Bucs 14 - Panthers 34. My boyz needed to win this one, just to stay in a tie with Atlanta for first place of the division. Washington is next week's opponent, followed by those same Atlanta Falcons. I've got tickets for the game after that, against the Bears, and I want the game to mean something, dammit!

Yes, football is my obsession this time of year.

Phobos Books editor John Ordover sent me page proofs for The Genesis Protocol this morning. In short, proofs (or "galleys") are the pages formatted as they'll appear when printed. It's as close to the "real deal" as I'll see before the book goes to the printer.

And yes, it looks pretty damned sweet.