Newsletter June 2008

Hello everyone,

Well, I'm a dad! Abby was born in the middle of the month, and our lives have drastically changed (for the better). As I write this, I'm stopping to check the video baby monitor every few minutes. You may be asking has that affected my writing? Yes. Between short notice diaper duty, lack of sleep, and an oddly compelling desire to sit and stare at Abby, it has been very challenging to get my writing done. Fortunately I'm on a short story kick, and I can do those in short sittings.

In fact, I sent out another horror/supernatural short the other day, and today I sent in my revisions for Paris (my Voices story). Hmmm, horror and babies. The natural inclination is to write about mutant black poo that is, in fact, an alien that clings to everything and can't be removed, but I promised myself that I wouldn't become one of those parents that goes on and on about poo. So instead I'll share my self-creep-out moment. It was late one evening while my wife was asleep. I'd been working on horror stories, and then I glanced over at the baby monitor. If you haven't seen one, it is basically like watching the Blair Witch Project in terms of camera angles and night vision coloring. So then I had the thought about "how gut-wrenching horrible and scary would it be to be turn on the monitor and see that Abby was gone, or worse, to be watching when a cadaverous hand reaches on screen and grabs the baby?" After that I had to sit in her room with her. See what I get for dabbling in horror?

Some good news and links: The lineup and cover art for the Voices anthology are out at Morrigan Press. Links below. Many of you have asked, so I'll just say that the book is slated to go on sale in September 2008, and I don't know where you'll be able to get it. But rest assured, I will send out an announcement when I get the details. I'll be happy to sign copies to you and/or "Ebay Purchaser".

And finally I want to give a big welcome to the four new folks on the Newsletter list. Check the site to see the old archives, and if you find it remotely entertaining, then please tell your friends to sign up, or at least to go to my website and enjoy the free short stories and novel. At this point in my career, it is all about word of mouth, so spread the word!

Have a great summer! I'll be in the other room changing a diaper.

--Todd