I'm always loathe to post anything just for the sake of posting, so have been waiting to get a few ducks in a row before I bother your inboxes again. In short, hello! My name is Craig and I'm trying to write stuff. In long? Well, here we go...
As I said last time around, I have been struggling with motivation for new books - I was a bit bruised with trying to push the books out to people, and despite best efforts, none of the marketing actually sticking, and just seeing cash go up in smoke, all just so Mr Bezos can buy a new rivet for his rocket ship. Having said that, writing is its own reward, I guess, so I decided to take a step back, regroup, and try and refresh things before an idea for another novel presents itself.
So, after seeing some open calls for submissions, I've written a handful of short stories for some anthologies, though I am still at the stage where I'm waiting to hear back if they are accepted. Here's hoping. If not, (or perhaps, even if so) I'll write some more and put them all together in my own collection. I've enjoyed writing them, and I hope that are enjoyable to read, and most importantly of all, I hope they teach me some new skills about putting the right words in the right order. Either way, I'll send an update once I have something definite to report.
The other thing I have been doing is keeping on with the comic scripting. It's another discipline, taking me away from the usual crutch of my words, and instead, focusing on writing for an audience of one - the artist. It's the artist who then has the task of turning those panel descriptions into the art, and then, if I've done my job right, we get a story out of it.
I should have two stories out in print in the very near future - the first I'll post about when it is formally announced, but it's going to be in a horror anthology comic from one of the biggest small press (oxymoron?) publishers in the country, who have had huge success since they started publishing a few years ago. I've seen the finished strip, and I have to say, I am absolutely delighted with how it has turned out.
Cover to ZARJAZ: THE SCI-FI SPECIAL 2024 (art by Brett Burbridge)
The other story is one I can definitely announce - as anyone who knows me will have heard ad nauseum, the British comic 2000AD is a huge influence on me. As you would imagine, the publishers of 2000AD are very wary about people misusing their characters, but with their blessing, the fanzine ZARJAZ was allowed to feature those characters, becoming a popular complentary publication in its own right. I was fortunate enough to have a story published in ZARJAZ a few years ago, but when it was forced to close after the tragic death of Dave Evans, ZARJAZ's editor, that seemed to be that.
Well, until now - Andrew Lewis, the creator of ZARJAZ, felt the time was right for him to return to the title, and set about relaunching it for the fan community, and grasping the nettle, I submitted a script, which I'm delighted to say has been accepted. It's a story featuring characters from the 2000AD strip, THE VC'S, and is featured in the new, relaunched ZARJAZ which is open for pre-sales now. I really hope you consider picking up a copy - over a hundred pages of original material, in a great collection. I've seen a few of these stories already, and I can honestly say, I'd absolutely pick up a copy myself, even if I didn't have a story in there!
Head on over here to pre-order.
So, still writing, trying to keep things fresh, and then, hopefully, I'll sit down and get back to the novels. If you've read one, firstly, thank you. It really is appreciated. NO SAFE PLACE remains free to download via Amazon, so please do share with friends if you've enjoyed it (even a little).
I'm not hard to find if anyone wants to ask any questions or chat about my writing, and until next time, take it easy.
Craig
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