Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Few Quick Updates

Well, I, Crimsonstreak launched! I did a few guest blogs, and you can expect a few more of those in the coming weeks as we try to keep the momentum going for the book. I'm expecting some reviews soon, so let's hope they're good. Big thanks to everyone who has purchased the book so far. I would love to hear your feedback.

Crimsonstreak 2 is out with my primary beta reader. When he's finished giving it a look, I'll work tirelessly on revisions and see what Candlemark & Gleam thinks about doing a sequel. I may end up doing a Crimsonstreak trilogy, but I'm not 100% sure yet. The second book ends with a cliffhanger, but I don't know if I'll end up keeping that or not. I'll just have to see what works best from a narrative perspective. The first draft clocked in at 90,000 words--and that's without any extra stuff. I've written about 6,000 words worth of extra content for the appendices in Crimsonstreak 2, and am targeting something in the 15,000 word range. It's unlikely that there will be as many appendices for the second book, but I have been known to get carried away.

I've been working on a completely separate project with the working title 17th Parallel. A quick summary:
A burnout. That’s what they called Marshall Drew. Once a promising young quarterback, he let the temptations of the good life destroy his hall of fame prospects. When a talent scout comes to his hometown offering one last shot at gridiron glory, Marshall agrees, triggering events that offer football immortality at an unimaginable price.
It's a sports book with a spec fic bent, and I'm about 80% done with the first draft. I would call this more of a sports book than a science fiction/fantasy book; it's more in the vein of Heaven Can Wait or Mr. Destiny.

Over the last few days, I've decided to work on polishing another draft that's been neglected. I'm reading through Sheridan's Hammer, a sci-fi adventure featuring a roguish hero named Sheridan.
Stranded on a planet decimated by a war between two bitter religious factions, former intergalactic gladiator Sheridan hasn't seen his home or family for ten years. As he searches for a way out, he brushes aside his vow of neutrality and chooses a side--a decision guaranteed to end his exile one way or another.
I'm just about finished reading through the draft. I'm going to compile some notes, eradicate the weak spots, and see what happens.

I finished a fairly extensive polish of another superhero novel called The Franchise. I think this book has a ton of potential, and while I'm working on other projects, this is the one I plan to concentrate most on. I have an extensive set of notes and corrections, and will make those changes before sending this one out to some readers.