First Draft in Facebook

I was looking through my author page on Facebook and realized I had basically created my own timeline covering the development of my first draft of Crimsonstreak 2. How long does it take to outline a book and complete a first draft? According to this timeline, it took me 108 days to finish a first draft of the main story, which weighs in at 87,000 words.

It's an interesting visual and I thought I'd share it. You can always "like" my author page right here.

Big IMPORTANT Blog Announcement

Those of you who've been following me and know something about the Peyton Progress Meter/Peytonometer should get the significance of the following.

I'm applying the Peytonometer to my book I, Crimsonstreak!

Do you know what that means? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!!!??

Here's some help:

I, CRIMSONSTREAK

MAY 2012

CANDLEMARK & GLEAM

KINDLE * NOOK * IBOOKS

and

WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD
You can find a blurb about this in Publishers Weekly (click here!).

A quick Reggie Miller Writing Continuum Update!

Quick Reggie Miller Writing Continuum update!

I'm working on a new book right now and hoped to be well past the 30,000-word mark by now. I'm just barely over that at the moment...and I needed to rally yesterday to make it happen.

During a quiet night of writing, I pounded out more than 3,000 words, putting me on the lower end of "Sold-Out Conseco" on the Reggie Miller Writing Continuum.

New Project, Reggie Meter Update

Over the weekend, I sketched out a few ideas for a new writing first--a sequel. After spending a long time revising I, Crimsonstreak, I decided I wanted to return to that world of superheroes and supervillains.

So let's make it official...I'll let Peyton do the honors, since he's not doing much right now:

I, Crimsonstreak 2: (colon subtitle undetermined but suitably snarky) is now moved into the First Draft Queue! What does that mean? Well...it means I'll be working on it for a few months while maybe squeezing in the occasional short story. It also means, being a first draft, that it will completely suck.

I made good progress today, too. My writing shift was split between a morning session and a late night, post-work session. Combined, I ended the day with 2,400 words, good enough for Average Night on the Reggie Miller Writing Continuum.

Word Count update

I hit "Average Night" on the Reggie Miller Writing Continuum, finishing with more than 2,300 words.

My current work in progress is at 19,000 words. I'm shooting for about 80,000 words for this one, which means I'm about 23% "finished."

I put quotation marks around finished because we all know that percentage is bupkis.

Five Reminders for Submitting Your Shory

I sent out a story tonight to an anthology open for submissions. I had beta readers go through it, read it several times myself, and felt it was ready to go.

And then it came time to send it.

I sat in front of my email program, story attached, submission email address typed in, and short, concise, polite cover letter all ready to go. Yet, my courage wavered. My mouse hovered over the "send" button. Trickles of sweat lined my brow.

And so the mouse hovered...
You'd think this wouldn't be a problem; after all, I've submitted nearly 40 different stories in the last year. I'm an "old pro" at this submission stuff.

But in the back of my mind, I think again: Did I miss something in the submission guidelines? Is "Courier New" okay as a font? Should I make it "Times New Roman?" Did they want it single-spaced or double-spaced? Header or no header?

...and Rorschach said, "What are you waiting for? Do it!"
All of these questions, of course, came despite having READ THE BLASTED SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. This particularly anthology was not rewriting the process of submitting a short story. Double-spaced. Courier, fine. Times New Roman, fine. Use William Shunn's manuscript guidelines. Underline instead of italics (an older practice, but some places still abide by it).

I did all that. I knew I did all that.

Yet, it was still hard to pull the trigger.

I think blowing up Alderaan is easier than sending out a submission.
I'm sending my story off to someone who may or may not like it. They may hit me with an immediate rejection letter that says, "Give up, (insert author name). Your (insert story title) stinks. You, (insert author name), stink. Please stop writing because the only thing that sucks more powerfully than your writing is a Dyson."

Sometimes they just send you a picture of a Dyson and hope you get the message.
They may love the story and send a letter that says, "You are a genius (insert author name). We loved (insert story title). We love you, (insert author name). Here's $500,000."

I will get neither of those letters. The rejection letters I've received are succinct and professional. One or two offered good feedback ("We liked your story...we just liked some of the others more"). The acceptances have held to that same trend with maybe a little more personalization ("Your story had an interesting perspective that helped it stand out among the others").

Yet, as the mouse arrow hovers near the "send" button, I'm opening a new Firefox tab to check the submission guidelines again. It's torture...I imagine it's like sending your kid to his or her first day of kindergarten. I can see the doe eyes and the lovingly-packed G.I. Joe backpack slung over their shoulder as I back away. You see, my kids will have Flint G.I. Joe backpacks, even if I have to make them myself.

Duke got captured by Cobra in like every episode. But Flint = WIN.
It's the big sendoff.

I've done it almost 40 times now with short stories. More than a dozen with book queries. Each time, I still feel a little bit of stress.

This is the part where I offer advice to keep you from becoming an absolute lunatic like me when submitting your work. God willing, I'll use it myself.

Know the guidelines. Please don't be like me. Don't read the guidelines 85 times. Read them two or three times and make sure your submission meets those standards. Unfortunately, there's no uniform format for submitting your work (that would be easy, you see). Therefore, pay attention to those guidelines. If you can follow the rules, you'll show you're a professional who pays attention. It won't guarantee an acceptance, but it will avoid an instant rejection (unless your submission is sooooooooo amazing that it jumps off the page and smacks the editor in the face).

Read the Market. Don't submit a superhero story to a romance market. Don't send normal crime fiction to a sci-fi publisher. If you're going to submit a short story or novel query, spend some time reading up on the market you're sending it to. Maybe the publication has a knack for quirky material that fits your style OR maybe the publication HATES quirky stuff. The only way to know is to take some time to read work that's already been accepted.

Manage Your Expectations. I haven't had anything published in a well-known market that would qualify me for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. I would love to do that, yes, but those markets are highly competitive. Those publications receive top-tier stories...and even one of my best, most-immaculately polished pieces will garner the utmost scrutiny. A smaller publication, on the other hand, may receive fewer submissions. There's less "noise" to work around. That doesn't make getting published any easier--the standards are still high--but with less competition, your story stands a slightly better chance of rising to the top. Just have a good head on your shoulders regarding the place you're submitting to.

Put It to Bed. "Our average response time is 90 days." That means, in all likelihood, it will take at least three months for you to get a response. That email alert that just came across your phone two days after you sent your submission? It's not your acceptance note; it's a freaking offer from O'Charley's for their Bottomless Bowl Lunch. I'm an obsessive email checker, but if they tell me I won't hear from them until after their submission deadline, it does no good to stare at my email inbox.

This is neither an acceptance nor a rejection.
Get Over Yourself. If you're submitting to a larger publication, you're one of hundreds or thousands of submissions. To place your story, it's going to have to be terrific...and it's going to have to beat authors who may have more name recognition. The playing field is only level to a point. You're not that important; they'll get around to you when they get around to you. If you're submitting to a smaller publication, the editor is likely doing it on his or her spare time, writes, has a family, and holds a regular job. They'll get around to it, but they have other things to take care of. Let me put it this way: you sent ONE story. They have 500 to read and evaluate. Think about that.

One more thing: Keep writing! Keep sending! (Or is that two things?)

What about you? How do you keep from going spastic when releasing your work out "into the wild?"

Mission Accomplished!

This is in sort of a George W. Bush, aircraft carrier way, but my mission for I, Crimsonstreak is accomplished!

Today, I organized all the meta-fiction into appendices. I revised some of the text, but today was mostly about placement and putting all the parts together.

Here's a look at the different sections:

Appendix I: Chaos Family History. These are articles about the hero Crimsonstreak and his family. The material includes articles about the exploits of the hero's father, who was an infamous supervillain before reforming and marrying our hero's mother. This section includes newspaper articles, a birth announcement, and a lengthy article from Dawn Magazine, which is sort of the People or Us Weekly of my created world.

Appendix II: The New World Common Wealth Era. In the novel, Crimsonstreak's father takes control of the entire world and establishes a unified, global government called the New World Common Wealth. The articles in this section detail some of the events leading up to the creation of the NWCW.

Appendix III: History of the Crusading Comet. In the book, our hero Crimsonstreak teams up with a teenager and the boy's proper butler. This section details the history of the boy's family's legacy as the Crusading Comet, complete with newspaper articles, journal entries from the family butler Mortimer, and a Dawn Magazine profile about Mortimer's long-time service for one of the country's wealthiest families.

Appendix IV: Selected Writings of Christopher Fairborne, aka Crimsonstreak. These are newspaper articles the main character wrote while in high school and college. I cribbed them from some columns I wrote...modifying them slightly to make them more in tune with the character's personality. It's just a fun little background section to give insight into Crimsonstreak.

Appendix V: Dawn Magazine Profiles in Heroism. Dawn Magazine loves its superheroes! This section includes profiles of several heroes encountered throughout the book, including Crimsonstreak, his dad Colonel Chaos, his mother Miss Lightspeed, and the mysterious Crusading Comet.

Appendix VI: Secret Villain Dossiers from the Files of the Heroic Legion. The Heroic Legion was kind enough to provide a series of its non-classified villain dossiers. Some information is redacted, but the summaries provide a unique glimpse into the Legion's villain evaluation process and the villains themselves.

Writing Goals for the Week

This wasn't exactly a banner weekend for writing. I spent most of Saturday involved in a bathroom remodel. Today, I went out with my wife and we're preparing to watch the Oscars.

I did put together a fairly lengthy blog post last night about the importance of self-editing. However, as far as "new" fiction words are concerned, Friday night was it. On the plus side, I did write two short stories this week. I won't post the Peytonometer, but both are now in the "Audibles" stage, which means I need to work on revisions. I think one of these stories will actually fit quite well with an open anthology, but it needs a little spit-shine before I send it in.

I abhor the office work side of writing (the proof is here), but I'd better do some of it this week. I'm going to release a couple of short stories "out into the wild." A story idea may strike at any moment, but for now, I'm devoting the bulk of this week to revising one of my novels. This is the time for I, Crimsonstreak to get a long-awaited, much-needed fourth revision.

I originally wrote the comic superhero story (and by comic, I mean humorous and not comic as in comic book...I know, my head is about to 'splode, too) back in 2008. It features a super-speedster who must save the world after his father decides to play...and win...his own personal game of Risk. Over the years, some of the pop culture references have lost their meaning and I've also grown quite a bit as a writer. What seemed "good" two years ago seems "amateurish" in 2011.

Several months ago...last summer I think...I began reworking I, Crimsonstreak. The revision only covered about three chapters, so I have a lot of work to do. The novel is on the short side, a hair over 60,000 words. I would like to tell 2008 Matt Adams that he should probably try to bump up the word count a bit. The novel also includes an additional 25,000 words of meta-fiction (character bios, journals, newspaper articles, etc.) that need to be re-arranged and put in some kind of appendix format. Right now, the different texts are not in any chronological or thematic order.

The primary goal, however, is to dig into the text and eliminate clunkiness, instances of "telling" instead of "showing," and other deficiencies. The good news: I like revisions. The bad news: I hate revisions.

Such is the life of a writer.

So, what are you working on?

What do you write?

It's a question I often get after telling someone I want to be a writer. Actually, I might be able to actually claim now that I'm a writer, now that I've had four stories published. However, I still have a day job that requires most of my time, so for now, I'll stick with "I want to be a writer" or "writing is my hobby" or "I write on the side."

Still, when people ask me what I write, my default answer is usually "I write science fiction and fantasy." It's a broad category, but it gives people a decent idea of what I'm doing. I write genre fiction, geek stuff. I'm a geek...and my writing reflects that. You won't see flowery prose that spans nine pages about the awe-inspiring beauty of a sunset in my work. It's not that I'm not capable of it...it's just that if I open a book and suffer through nine pages of that, well...I won't make it through four of them.

I want humor, I want excitement, I want escapism. It's very difficult for me to work on something I wouldn't actually read myself. If that means people look down on my work because I don't write nine pages of thesaurus-fueled hokum about the creepy wrought-iron fence outside the creepy, Victorian home, then so be it. I can still do description, I can still do symbolism with the best of them.

I know my writing isn't perfect. In April, I became obsessed with short stories. I don't know when that happened, but I kept churning them out and churning them out. Since then, I've written approximately 25 pieces of short fiction. I look back on some of my early ones, and I see things I can improve upon. Characterization, setting, description, plotting, pacing, wordiness, flow, and dialogue are just a few facets of my writing that need improvement.

Like any other writer, I've faced rejection. The other day, I received a quick, terse reply about a story I submitted. The story, "Swatch, Guardian of Time," is a farce about a goofy Time Ranger tasked with stopping an important event in the past. The Time Ranger, Swatch, has a short attention span, is obsessed with 80s pop culture, and fails utterly in his given task. The story is supposed to be absurd, yet I got a rejection note saying the reader couldn't make it past the first page because "it's clear the author doesn't take this story seriously, and if the author doesn't take his work seriously, how can he ask the reader to?"

A quick note to the reader: I'm not asking you to take it seriously. That's the point of the story...it's supposed to be goofy. It's supposed to make you smile. What it means is that the story failed to connect with that particular reader. I sent "Swatch" to another editor who raved about the story...calling it "humorous, well written, and completely unique." The editor ended up passing on it...but said to keep sending it out, because he had no doubt someone would publish it.

I'm not really sure what I'm writing about here...but the point is that I'm still feeling my way around. I've tasted some success and I expect to find more; in addition, I also expect to taste plenty of rejection and disappointment. Not everyone will like every word I write; it is the nature of the beast.

Now, I have digressed greatly from the original question posed at the beginning of this little diatribe.

"What do you write?"

Here's the ultimate answer to that question:

NOVELS

I, Crimsonstreak: After busting out of an institution for the “criminally insane,” superhero Crimsonstreak emerges to find his power-drunk father in charge of the entire world. Forced to team up with a wet-behind-the-ears, teenage superhero-to-be and the boy’s proper butler, Crimsonstreak must rely on his super-speed and wits to confront his father and set the world right again. Published by Candlemark & Gleam, May 2012.

GET I, CRIMSONSTREAK

II Crimsonstreak: Crimsonstreak and company return three years after the events of I, Crimsonstreak. World governments are still getting back on their feet and the superhero community remains fragmented. Sounds like the perfect time for an alien invasion, the arrival of a speedster who can outrun our hero, and the machinations of a band of snobbish space cops.

GET II CRIMSONSTREAK

III Crimsonstreak: The third and final (?) book in the Crimsonstreak trilogy, our hero races against time to repair fractured timelines and put the pieces of the shattered multiverses back together. (first draft in progress)

Mortimer: International Man of Taste and Intrigue: The memoir of the estimable Mortimer P. Willoughby. Intrigue, sarcasm, etiquette, fine dining, and adventure collide in this epic tale of how a humble Brit from Leeds became the hidden force behind the Crusading Comet, one of the world's preeminent superheroes.

The Franchise: Emma Davis knew the company mantra: “Stop criminals. Fight crime. Save the world.”

The new employee is having a much different experience at OMNI Corporation, the world’s first and only fully-licensed superhero-for-hire franchise. Instead of taking on the bad guys, she’s vanquishing paperwork, crusading against office boredom, and trying to brush aside the advances of her womanizing boss.

When business finally heats up, Emma uses her mastery over fire to extinguish a blazing inferno and snuff out an escaped supervillain. That’s the frying pan. The fire? OMNI's founders start to disappear--and it's clear someone has a murderous ax to grind.

While her co-workers think it's business as usual, Emma teams up with an outlaw, old-school masked avenger with questionable motives and methods. Together, the unlikely allies follow a smoking trail of evidence that billows toward the highest levels of OMNI Corporation, unleashing a fire not even Emma can put out.

Sheridan's Hammer: Stranded for ten years on a war-torn planet controlled by oppressive religious zealots, former intergalactic gladiator Sheridan has one goal: to get home. Now a low-paid media systems installer, Sheridan visits a customer with ties to a growing insurgency. Plunged into the middle of a vicious fight between the warring religious factions, he brushes aside his lifelong vow of neutrality, agreeing to lead a daring rescue mission guaranteed to end of his ten-year exile, one way or another. (second revision)

Seven: Mired in baseball obscurity for two decades, a small-market pro baseball team welcomes a new addition known only as "Seven." The new player is a media sensation; a hit with fans and teammates alike. But mystery shrouds the player with no name and no hometown, threatening to derail a championship season and bring the sports world to its knees. (fourth revision)

Red Plague: A man materializes at a county fair in the Midwest before collapsing, spreading a deadly new strain of bubonic plague that begins sweeping across the world. As millions die, CDC specialist Anna Manning stumbles across a startling discovery: the disease appears to have been genetically altered in the past. The revelation dredges up painful memories of the Cold War and forces Anna to travel back in time, the fate of humanity resting on her shoulders. (incomplete)

17th Parallel: 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. (first draft complete--revisions underway)

SCREENPLAY

College Radio: The beleaguered general manager of a small college radio station battles a power-hungry school board chairman who wants to wrest control away from students to promote his political agenda.

SHORT STORIES - PUBLISHED OR ACCEPTED

Absolution: Paralyzed after saving a woman under attack by two thugs, a man gets a second chance from on high. Armed with a divine mandate, he takes the name "Absolution" and embarks on a single-minded quest to rid the world of the wicked and corrupt. (published by Wily Writers Podcast; also appears in Future Imperfect: Best of Wily Writers)

In Memoriam: The loss of a firefighter stings a community; more so, after the man's double-life as the mysterious "Wraith" is revealed. Those who know the man mourn his passing during a memorial service and all witness a chilling sight that defies explanation. (published in A Thousand Faces)

The Stuntman: Thrilled that Hollywood plans to make a movie about his life as the Amazing Marvel, Stan presses his agent to land him the starring role. The producers have a different idea, hiring a rising, hot-shot star, and relegating Stan to the role of indestructible stuntman. (published in the Powers anthology)

Old-Fashioned Police Work: After the police department hires a contingent of super-powered rookies, a veteran officer learns he'll soon be forced into early retirement. As he contemplates his career options, he and the rooks confront a string of robberies that only a little old-fashioned police work can solve. (published by Strange, Weird, and Wonderful)

The Bank Loan: Frustrated at his inability to get a bank loan, Baron Gallant confronts the loan officer who refused to sign off on his request. The loan officer soon learns why the superhero needs the money after Gallant's rival begins ransacking the city. (published by This Mutant Life)

Sparky Save the World: Harris and his bomb-sniffing partner Sparky work to stop biological weapons and other dangers from going through the nation's ports. Trained to detect hazardous materials, Sparky--an UNDEAD (UNnaturally DE-evolved Anthropological Degenerate) who used to be human--proves his ultimate worth when confronted with a massive, potentially catastrophic weapons shipment. (published in Library of the Living Dead Press' Live and Let Undead anthology)

No Errors in Programming: Robot bounty hunter Molitor (Mobile Operation Licensed for Infiltration, Termination, Observation, and Reconnaissance) never compromises in tracking down its quarry. But when the machine accepts a contract to terminate a member of a well-known royal family, certain parameters don't compute, forcing Molitor to recalculate the best course of action. (published in Static Movement's Bounty Hunters anthology)

Vengeance: Calvin Collins is a nobody, a low-level hood with friends in low places--the perfect police informant. Double-crossed by two detectives he foolishly trusted, Calvin gets three bullets in the chest and an all-expenses-paid trip to Hell. There, he faces a choice: a painful, fiery afterlife or the chance to get even. But in order to avenge his death, he must first become Vengeance, a being of pure, dark energy who serves an even darker master. (published in Static Movement's Serve in Heaven, Reign in Hell anthology)

Dawn of the Super-hero: Over the course of an extraordinary week in the 1930s, a Midwesterner learns about the rise of super-powered beings around the country through newspaper accounts and radio reports. But when the world's first "super-villain" threatens to destroy New York, the man's thirst for knowledge is overtaken by his will to act. (published in This Mutant Life)

Harrigan the Magnificent: Strange psychic messages draw Harrigan to a sinister circus where children disappear in the wake of the grand finale. Determined to save the victims, the luckless antihero confronts the dark mistress behind the behind the plot and stumbles across an unexpected, bittersweet destiny. (published in Timid Pirate Press' Cobalt City: Dark Carnival anthology)

And the World Stopped: When the world's super-powered heroes and villains suddenly lose their awe-inspiring abilities, Night Wasp gets an unexpected call from the Heroic Legion to investigate. The vigilante's uncompromising effort uncovers a deep, wide-ranging conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels and pits him against his own government. (published in Pill Hill Press' Told You So anthology)

SHORT STORIES - VAGABONDS LOOKING FOR A GOOD HOME

Gus and Mariel: Gus, a puffin who spent his whole life in captivity, falls in love with a bird named Mariel who arrives from the outside world. When she is suddenly taken away, Gus escapes and stumbles into radioactive goo that makes him the size of building. He goes on a single-minded quest to reunite with his lost love while unwittingly leaving behind a trail of destruction.

The Villain: The Blue Avenger and his arch-nemesis Heckler engage in their final showdown, and it looks like the villain has the upper hand. Memories of their past encounters assault the Avenger, who retraces the bitter steps leading up to their final fight, culminating in a desperate act that will forever redefine the hero's crusade against crime.

Cabin Boy's New Gig: A distraught sidekick strikes it out on his own, adopting a new name and finding his own city to protect. Broke and disillusioned, he brushes aside an offer for help from his mentor. He soon realizes the long, inescapable shadow the man cast in his life.

Swatch: Guardian of Time: With most members of the Time Rangers on vacation, Madame Timeweaver begrudgingly enlists Swatch to preside over a vital mission. Determined to prove his worth, the easily-distracted Swatch screws up the mission and scrambles to find a solution in the Temporal Mists.

Shatterforce's New Chapter: A retired, burned-out superhero named Shatterforce roams the convention circuit and struggles to make a buck while grappling with her growing obsolescence. Fate gives her one last adventure after she witnesses the abduction of a child at a convention.

I Took Over the World for This? Dementius has finally beaten the good guys and taken over the world. Instead of groveling at his feet, his subjects seem more concerned with border disputes, petitions for universal health care, and other petty concerns, leaving the ruler to wonder what compelled him to take over the world in the first place.

The Journalist: It started as a joke...that beautiful socialite Meg Maguire shared the same identity as the mysterious White Knight. Now, reporter Freddy Rodriguez is convinced he's stumbled across the story of the century...and six months of research appear to prove him right. His dogged pursuit leads him to confront the socialite in hopes of confirming the story once and for all.

The Washout: The Supervillain Relocation Program depowers Darren and assigns him to wash recreational vehicles at a second-rate RV Dealership where he bows to the will of his bossy supervisor. When one of the heroes who put him away walks into the dealership, Darren relishes his good fortune and formulates a plan to exact a small measure of revenge.

Elf Hunt: Two accountants join an exclusive hunting expedition where elves are the main target. When their hard-nosed tour leader is killed, the accountants find they're the ones being hunted.

Baz Ramen and His Great Intergalactic Band: A news magazine reporter traces the rise of the galaxy's most famous band and unravels the shocking series of events leading to the popular group's fall from grace.

The Garbage Collectors: A father and daughter run a garbage scow, accepting a mysterious contract for a pickup that puts them at the center of a fearsome mercenary's plot for revenge.

Should've Stuck with the Chicken Story: A TV news reporter and his trusty photographer scoff at the chicken wing shortage story they're forced to cover...until a strange outbreak of mindless, hulking creatures leads them to reconsider their opinion of the story.

The Artifact: Two rival galactic barons fight for a legendary artifact rumored to have resurfaced on a distant planet.

The Commentator: A holo-network commentator stirs up controversy concerning a peace deal between his planet's government and a neighboring planetary system. His pointed comments create a cult of personality, leading to a violent uprising with unintended political consequences.

Observer of History: A college student is given the chance to change one world-altering historical event for the betterment of mankind. He decides to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and returns to a future much different from the one he imagined.

A Wing and a Plan: A superintelligent penguin declares war on humanity, citing the human race's mistreatment of penguin kind. He works to raise an army of penguin super soldiers, until the foibles of his own kind unwittingly befall him.

Last Stand on Cyclonus Seven: Cyclonus Seven was just an orange blot on the star chart; an easily-skipped stopover on the way to Earth. But when an overwhelming army storms the planet, a single guardian knows the truth: if Cyclonus Seven falls, Earth follows suit. Fifty-two heroes arrive to answer the distress call. They are greatly outnumbered, hopelessly fractured, and desperately low on time. Wave after wave, fallen comrade after fallen comrade, they fight knowing that victory means sacrifice and death. Everyone would remember Cyclonus Seven. And no one would forget the last stand.

The Courtship of LavaFrost: Two supervillain rivals, one who controls ice and the other who controls fire, vie for the services of a super-powered woman capable of commanding both elements. Their efforts to secure her services run lukewarm until she makes a final decision that both chills and inflames.

SimCo Makes Life Better: A boy's parents head off for an important diplomatic mission, leaving him home alone with a new robot servant. When the 'bot starts to show signs of emotion, the boy thinks his new friend is becoming self-aware until the machine's true intentions come to light.

Hero in Flux: D-list superhero Flux gets the chance of a lifetime when a voting mistake gives him a spot in the 40th Annual Charity Showdown, an event pitting the world's preeminent heroes against one another. When the competition takes an unexpected and dangerous turn, Flux discovers he's not only the cause of the problem...he's also the only hero capable of fixing it.

Grisham's Council: Ticked off at the inability of earth's heroes to repel an alien invasion, Grisham ditches the resistance effort and strikes out on his own. As the days grow darker, the hero realizes he's never alone: a dark force hunts him and the others, forcing Grisham to make amends before it's too late.

And a God Could Finally Cry: Goldwing, earth's greatest hero, abandons the planet and its people after his lady love dies at the hands of his arch-nemesis. Grief-stricken, he travels farther than he ever thought possible, ending up on a planetary paradise where he starts anew. He soon learns no one, not even a god, can escape a tormented past forever.

Capes: Skyfire finally achieves a lifelong dream by earning an invitation into the prestigious ranks of the Heroic Guild. But the Guild's unwavering rule--all heroes must wear capes--remains a persistent sore spot, especially given her family's problematic history with the classic superhero accessory.

SimCo Tech Support: A bored, beleaguered tech support worker named Carl discovers a dangerous flaw in his company's new flagship series of robotic servants. As customers flood the call center with problems, Carl tries to get the attention of corporate leaders. But no one is willing to listen to his concerns until an apparent robot revolt begins to take hold.

Family Tradition: A young man recounts his family's futile superhero legacy during a battle with the villain responsible for his father's death. Dressed as the armored hero "CLANK," he tries to save the city of Cincinnati while coming to terms with his embarrassing family history.

To the Infinity Room! Obsessed collector Mervin Garth gathers items from alternate universes using a device called The Infinity Room, often neglecting his young, dim-witted assistant Nathaniel in the process. When the boy disappears during an unauthorized trip using the Infinity Room, Mervin realizes the priceless items in his collection have little true value.

The Memory Pools: On Garland IV, every native must travel to the Memory Pools; it is a planetary birthright. But when Garland leaders discover the pools have unique regenerative powers other cultures will pay any amount to possess, the world's most precious resource goes up for sale. And the cost of greed couldn't rise any higher.

His Time: Name a war, Magnus has seen it. A warrior blessed--and cursed--with immortality, he's cheated Death countless times, only to watch the ghostly specter guide beloved friends to the afterlife. After insurgents ambush his tight-knit unit in Afghanistan, Magnus recounts previous battles across a lifetime of war, wondering if this time will finally be his time.

The Starting Five: A high school senior and the girl he's always liked encounter a ghostly basketball game among the cornfields of a crisp Indiana night. Think "Field of Dreams," except with a fieldhouse. Make that "Fieldhouse of Dreams." Or something. (not one of my favorites)

Bleak Red Sky: A misunderstanding sparks an intergalactic war between humans and a mysterious alien species. With humanity losing badly, earth's greatest commander leads a daring mission into the heart of the alien homeworld, but something about the planet's blood-red sky continually unnerves him.

FOR THE KIDS

Mervin the Baseball King: Hard-working Mervin Moose desperately wants to play baseball, but spends all of his time on the bench instead. When the team's star player gets injured in the biggest game of the year, Coach Llama has no choice but to put Mervin in the lineup, giving the ballplayer the opportunity to shine.

The Adventures of the Taxis: A screwball crew of misfits becomes embroiled in an intergalactic war after Lt. Leslie Ceeney, the ship's inept navigator, mixes up his directions (again). It's like Star Wars, only shorter. And without Wookies. Or lightsabers. But it has ships. (this book is in no way near a finished form, even though there's a sequel)

The Adventures of the Taxis: The Sequel Another wrong turn, another intergalactic kerfuffle. At least the crew of the Taxis is used to cleaning up after Lieutenant Leslie Ceeney. (completely incomplete)