Gentle readers, I want to thank you for bearing with me these few years at the Fistful. This week marks the beginning of a new era… The Curse Merchant is back! Its re-release under the aegis of Curiosity Quills Publishing is in full swing. The Kindle and Nook eBook editions are live, and now for the very first time we have paperback editions available at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you haven’t already, trot on over and check them out… and if you grab a copy, consider leaving a review at your purchase site.

Last night was my very first book signing! We held the book launch event at Barley & Hops Grill and Microbrewery in Frederick, MD. The staff there were helpful and immensely patient. I think we might have spiced up their Monday night a tidge.

The author, seen here in his natural habitat, displays his eye spots to appear larger to the predator…

I have a blog tour running right now, and will have a special giveaway event here on the Fistful later this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Now, to take a break from the release week whirlwind and do a little questionnairing. (is that a word?)

I was tagged in a Blog Hop by YA Fantasy author Jori Mierek, and… someone else… I honestly lost track and I apologize. Nevertheless, the anonymous tagger tapped my shoulder last Tuesday to participate in a little blog hop, wherein I answer a few questions. So away we go!

For the blog-hop, each person is asked a series of questions. Below are the questions and my answers.
Q: What am I working on?

A: I’m about 78K words into a western/horror novel with the working title “Yea Though I Walk.” It’s basically Cowboys vs Vampires vs Wendigo, with quite a bit of existential torsion thrown into the mix. Once that’s wrapped up, I’ll be starting in on the third book of the Dark Choir series, “The Curse Mandate.”

Q: Why do I write what I do?

A: I try my best to write the stories I’d want to read, which is important because it helps keep the self-doubt at bay. Sometimes. On occasion. I’m a big fan of spec fic, and really enjoy a story that either wiggles my brain a new way, or drops me into a new universe and bowls me over with its vastness.

Q:How does my writing process work?

A: This is a question I’ve answered in stages on The Fistful… but the short version is:

– head incubation (getting the idea, hashing it out, having mock dialogue in the car when I’m alone)

– pre-writing (drawing up an outline, making my scene and character worksheets)

– first draft

– first pass for major plot elements and the truly rough patches

– second draft to alpha-reader

– second pass from her notes

– third draft to beta-readers

– third pass from their notes

– put a bow on it and submit to acquisitions

There you go! The whole process takes about a year, plus or minus.

I’m tasked to tag other writers in order to keep the “hop” going. So, eenie meenie miney…

Katie Young, author of the newly released The Other Lamb.

and

Michael Shean, because he wants people to goad him into making more frequent blog posts in between writing the final book in his cyberpunk Wonderland Cycle.