"the eyes of an aggrieved poet" ... that's how an author I recently read described a dog, and that's how I like my poets - as adjectives. Poetry generally leaves me underwhelmed. Lyrics, however, are a completely different matter.

One of the harder aspects of being a writer is taking a long cautious look at the contracts you have with a publisher... and deciding to cancel all of them. For me that was nine pending including 2 print books (OMG) and at least 20 already out in the world. Why did I do that crazy thing? Because these stories are my babies and I object to having them shaking by proofreaders who questioned a Shakespearean reference, attempted to change "Roald Dahl" to "Ronald Dahl", were too busy attacking my style to bother picking up on actual errors... yeah. A few other things in there, too, but when production quality goes down it's definitely time to rethink.

Might not be so smart to say such in public either. Ha. Onto researching options as I still believe in the stories and want them out there being enjoyed.

Having finished the second Pandora's Edge novel within a five week period and deciding not to do that again for at least three months, I submitted it today. I already have titles booked in on a monthly release schedule up until August so far. With the novel and the Halloween follow-up I want to do, plus a couple of sequels for various series, that's the year laid out.

Hmmm....

Back in July catnip + 6ft felinoid aliens was raised as a writing challenge. It twisted from there into a universe ... check out Katarr Kanticles Press for more details.

But because I love my characters too much to share, I had to write my own space opera with the slinky Winterlark and her Enchante band, the beautiful barista, flaring coats, little cup cakes, caustic jungles, and catmint juleps.

The ebook is out 7 January 2009 via Mystic Moon Press; the cover is great, makes me laugh. It's sexy and funny, a KSeriphyn Design and I don't think she realised she's set herself up for the rest of the series... well, once I've written #3 and #4. Looking forward to them.

Sometimes there's no turning back once you've started down that road so you'd better have a good map, or at least a grounding in finding your way. Growing up in Pandora's Edge under the protective wing of Alec Rivers and Milady Web means Holly H & Zac Kincaid, Javra, Cash, Lee Dervani, Diego Sateeva, Amanda & Tiffany Lawrence have that ability... eventually. Mind you, they had to experience the true nature of socks, Wild West Rules, inflatable mermaids, griffins and an animated skeleton with rock star attitude to get it. Oh, and it cost them a friend.

First cut synopsis of NA

While reviving an old project I fell in love with the following paragraph all over again:
Sabre gave an exaggerated sigh. “No, you idiotic creatures, I didn’t open up her chest and pull her heart out with my bare hands. I was tempted, but no. Can you imagine the mess I’d have to clean up then? It’s tricky getting bloodstains out; you can’t just wish them away. Problem was, she’d already cried herself to a shadow, and once her heart was gone and she’d lost the ability to cry, she stayed a shadow. And stubbornly refuses to fade away. Women,” the fey grumbled. “Never can figure out what they want. Respect, sovereignty, chocolate, Mel Gibson…”
Poor Sabre Pascale. Over seventy year's later he's still annoyed by the ghost haunting his piece of eternity. I can't remember if the local matchmaker meddles with his destiny but it's likely. It's also likely that this is the origin of the Rogue Mapping running joke about bloodstains and dry cleaning.
Intere sting what you realise when you look back at material dating from - gulp - 2003. Tomorrow should see the last of the editing and then I'll have a pair of 53 000 word books chronicling the teenage years of my Rogue Mapping crew, the ones you can read about in Worlds of Wonder, Semaphore and Written Word Magazine.