When I was approached to work on New Hero by Robin Laws, I panicked. Not because of “who” Robin was, but because of my admiration for all that he has done and his attitude toward the Work. An impressive author and game designer in his own right, I was certain his tastes would steer more towards perfection. As an author, I pictured a very high bar and expectations to boot. This wasn’t just about writing “a” short story; this was about writing “the” short story to fit a lofty goal — to develop a new iconic hero for an anthology that included stellar writers.
I’ll be honest with you. My first draft reflected my anxiety and Robin caught onto that right away in his comments to me. It wasn’t until I tossed out those sticky emotions that I started having fun. Everything that he said to me I already knew, but I needed those friendly reminders about technique spelled out in a way that made it easier for me to focus.
My second draft was indeterminable from the first because of Robin. He was patient with me and after that initial pat on the head (and a compliment about my vampires) I was merciless with my first draft. He recognized that effort, too, and I found the exchange to be very motivating.
To me, that’s the sign of a good editor. It’s not just about telling a great story — it’s about the care and feeding of the writer behind it, too. I only hope I can do Robin and the folks at Stone Skin Press proud as I move forward with my fiction career.
If you’re remotely interested in my stories or discerning Robin’s editorial touch for yourself, I invite you to back the Stone Skin Press Anthologies of New Fiction Kickstarter.
Greetings and salutations fans of explosions, plagues, floods, fires, and alien invasions!
Yes, that’s right. I am talking to you, oh fans of Michael Bay, who love disaster stories of every shape imaginable. Lean in for a super special announcement!
I am pleased to announce that I’ve committed (or been committed) to penning yet another blowy uppy story for the Our Last Best Hope – An RPG to Save The World Kickstarter. The anthology is titled “We Are Dust.”
To get another blowy uppy story in an anthology with several fine and respectable authors we need to hit the last stretch goal. Now, we have a few days to make this happen and the stretch goal is a little stretch-y. $10,000. So, instead of telling me what to blow up this time? YOU GET TO PICK THE DISASTER.
That’s right, cats and kittens. We make this goal by Sunday, June 17th and you tell me how to destroy the world. Then, I will pen a short story for your reading pleasure. I kind of like this plan!
Time for an update on the Have Blaster, Will Travel Bulldogs! Anthology on Kickstarter. My story is almost done, but I’m working out a few pesky plot kinks. See, Fang decided to um… He plotted to… Um… Well, there’s a lot of bang bang shoot ’em up and I got hung up in the consequences. You know, police and bounty hunters and people weeping and all that business. Oh, and ammo depletion. Did I mention the running out of munitions part? Like… A lot?
I know, I know. You’re thinking: “Plot? Who needs a plot? If Michael Bay can string a bunch of explosions together and call it a movie, certainly you could do that for a story, right?”
To which I respond by saying: “Michael Bay may be in my head, dear Reader, but I’m pretty sure Transformers without the Transformers are just giant robots kicking the crap out of each other.”
And with that, I must away to the Annex (or apex) of my glorious abode to meander through a to-do list and the Day JobTM before I allow Fang to take over.
Who’s Fang you say? Silly Reader. What, you mean you don’t read every story I write?!?!?!?! SHOCKING. :p
Here are some links just for you:
And here’s some links about the story Fang first appeared in.