There are a few things to talk about, so consider this kind of a potpourri post (but without the dried flowers and other fragrances). First, I have not been posting here much, in part because social media seems to have largely taken the place of blogs, and in part because there’s been a technical issue with the site that made it hard to access for many. That issue is resolved, I believe, and I apologize for any frustration it’s cause in the interim.
Now for the news:
I’m unemployed, and have been since mid-April. Hundreds of job applications have resulted in exactly one interview, for a job I didn’t get. I’ve been doing freelance work, writing and editing, as well as selling some of my vast collection of books from my decades in the biz. Most of what I have available is here, and I’ll be adding more frequently. If you’re a collector and there’s anything specific in the worlds of horror/mystery/thriller, I might have it. most of my books are first editions and probably 70% of them are signed or inscribed by the author.
In the freelance world, I’m just about wrapped up on a monster-based horror novel for Monster Forge Productions. It’s a good one–quite possibly the best original novel I’ve written in years. I’m also near the end of a short novel for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., where I’m penning an authorized sequel to ERB’s 1916 novel Beyond Thirty. I’ll be the guest of honor at the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship (ECOF) Gathering in Willcox, AZ, Sept. 25–28, celebrating both both ERB’s 150th birthday and his time in the US Cavalry at Fort Grant, AZ. Much more about that here. I’ll be making a speech, signing my Tarzan book, and talking about my upcoming Beyond Thirty: A World Reborn, among other things, and I’ll have books available for sale.
For Monster Forge, I’ve also been working on some comics stuff, as writer and editor. Announcements soonish about those, and possibly another major comics announcement.
Just announced is the fact that I’m writing a short novel for western publisher Dusty Saddle Publishing. It’s part of a 250th birthday celebration for the United States. More than that I cannot say–except that it’s going to be a lot of fun.
In my “spare” time I’m working on projects for Silverado Press, which will be announced soonish–in fact, if you tune into the Dusty Trails and Tall Tales Podcast on September 18, you’ll be there for at least one of the announcements, and maybe a few of ’em! It’s going to be a good time.
One last item. On September 7, I’m hitting a pretty significant birthday. Coincidentally, it starts with a 7. I’ve been writing an autobiography of sorts over on Substack–going through my early life, some of my adventures in bookselling, etc. Pretty soon we’ll be onto my years in the comics biz and the world of writing fiction. Lots of pictures, lots of fun. Come check it out!
