Next Time On...

You may distantly remember the "next writing project" I mentioned quite some time ago now, promising a running commentary on this page as I wrote it.

Well, the project I was talking about is now definite -- still confidential, unfortunately, so I can't go into much by way of actual detail, but contracts are being bandied about and will in all probability be signed very shortly. It's to be one of a series of science-fantasy-cum-detective novellas published by a British small-press publisher respected in the sf and horror field, which provides enough clues that anyone who cares enough can make a guess.

In order to persuade the publishers to publish me I had, of course, to write them a plot outline and a sample, so you won't be getting a blow-by-blow account of the story's genesis right from the beginning. Nor, for the aforementioned reasons of confidentiality, will I be going into detail as to the actual plot. And then I do have other stuff I need to be working on -- other proposals, a short story, some pre-writing ideas -- so I won't be working on it uninterrupted, either.

Even so, I'll be keeping the readers of this blog apprised of my progress, once I start making some. At present I'm awaiting a) the signing of the contract, and b) some word back from the editor on how my outline may need altering to fit into the general plan for the novella range. Once that's happened, though -- and when I get a moment free from everything else -- I'll be getting down to work. Watch this space.