My writing has really picked up in the last few weeks. I'm back on track with my Rytis Maxwell novel, and I've even managed to write a couple of short stories.
The first story is my attempt to enter the world of fanfiction. It's a Doctor Who story, set between two recent episodes of the show. Lots of fan fiction focuses on the things you don't see in the episodes (or movies, or books, comics, etc...). Sometimes these stories are written by fans to fix continuity problems, but mostly they are written for the sheer fun of it.
Of course, stories like these can't be published anywhere except on fanfiction sites, because of ownership and copyright issues. Fanfic gives writers and fans like myself the chance to use characters we would otherwise not have access to, and tell our own stories with them. As soon as I post my story, I'll put up a link.
The other short story I've written recently is one I've been asked to write for an "inspirational fiction anthology" called Speaking Out. The anthology will "feature stories involving a queer teens and their heterosexual allies confronting and overcoming homo/bi/transphobia." Personally, I was extremely honoured to be asked to contribute a story to this anthology, and I hope they like what I came up with.
My story is a sequel to Evil?, with reappearances made by Stuart Bradley and Fon Pyre. It was a lot of fun revisiting those characters, and it opened my mind up to all kinds of possibilities. I may have to use them again...
Speaking of Evil?, I've found yet another positive review! This one was written by Lisa Gibson, the winner of one of the contests I've provided signed copies for. Her blog is called YA Literature Lover, and the review can be found here.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Even More Love For Evil? Found!
I've found some more reviews of Evil? out there on them intermawebs. A lot more! There's a whole bunch listed on WorldCat for your reading pleasure.
Then there's this one at Queer YA, also very positive.
The good news keeps rolling in for Evil?! I could not be happier.
Then there's this one at Queer YA, also very positive.
The good news keeps rolling in for Evil?! I could not be happier.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Cupid War Release Date!
Thanks to the computer system at Chapters/Indigo/Coles, I now know the release date for my next novel, The Cupid War. It is already available for pre-order, and the release date is set for August 8, 2011.
It's a little later than I'd expected - I'd been told the book would come out in the Spring. Nevertheless this is good news; the date is set, and I now have even more time to promote it.
Update your calendars, everyone!
It's a little later than I'd expected - I'd been told the book would come out in the Spring. Nevertheless this is good news; the date is set, and I now have even more time to promote it.
Update your calendars, everyone!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Epoch Honoured!
This morning, I had an email from my agent:
We greeted this morning with this great news. Seems congratulations are in order as you are a celebrity.
Great news: Timothy Carters EPOCH/DÄMONENHUNGER got the second place in the category BEST INTERNATIONAL NOVEL of the rather prestigious German Fantasy Award. CONGRATULATIONS to the author … and all of us! ;-) tim
http://www.deutscher-phantastik-preis.de/
Not shabby my friend. Have a great day!!!
Second best international novel... yeah, that's pretty fantastic!
We greeted this morning with this great news. Seems congratulations are in order as you are a celebrity.
Great news: Timothy Carters EPOCH/DÄMONENHUNGER got the second place in the category BEST INTERNATIONAL NOVEL of the rather prestigious German Fantasy Award. CONGRATULATIONS to the author … and all of us! ;-) tim
http://www.deutscher-phantastik-preis.de/
Not shabby my friend. Have a great day!!!
Second best international novel... yeah, that's pretty fantastic!
Cupid War Editing Done
About a month ago I finally finished my new draft of The Cupid War. I've sent it in, and am very relieved to have that part of the process over and done with.
Not that it was a bad experience or anything. Each suggested change was for the benefit of the story, and the newer version is a much better read. Some of the edits were challenging, and a lot of them revealed my weaknesses as a writer. A good edit is something every writer should be so lucky to go through.
Nevertheless, I'm glad to have it done. I'm hopeful that I'll have cover art to post before too long.
Not that it was a bad experience or anything. Each suggested change was for the benefit of the story, and the newer version is a much better read. Some of the edits were challenging, and a lot of them revealed my weaknesses as a writer. A good edit is something every writer should be so lucky to go through.
Nevertheless, I'm glad to have it done. I'm hopeful that I'll have cover art to post before too long.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Cupid War Rewrites Begin
The notes for The Cupid War have arrived. Not as bad as I'd feared, and I'm not surprised by that one bit. To quote Mark Twain, "I've faced many disasters in my life, some of which actually happened!" Or words to that effect.
Nevertheless, I have a lot of work ahead of me. I need to put in more visual details, something I'm not very good at. I admit it - I'm all about the story and the action, with no time for the nitty gritty details. Readers, however, like and need those details. It is definitely something about my style I need to improve.
Then there are the things that seem obvious to me but are not so obvious to others. It can be interesting, learning of other people's ideas about what they think I've written. For example, I once wrote a short story about a naughty boy who discovers Santa Claus is a monster who steals youth from children in exchange for presents. The Santa creature captures the boy and takes him to the North Pole, where naughty kids are forced to work like slaves. A popular Canadian speculative fiction magazine rejected the story because they didn't think the Devil would want to punish naughty boys. Wouldn't he want to encourage them? I don't know where they got the idea that my Santa beast was Satan, but that was how they chose to interpret the story.
That was a case of an editor jumping to the wrong conclusion. Based on the notes I've looked at for The Cupid War, however, it's clear that I'm the one at fault. There were a few instances where I was sure the reader would get what I was going for, but my editor didn't. Those items will have to be fixed.
I have about a month to patch up the book. Wish me luck and success, readers!
Nevertheless, I have a lot of work ahead of me. I need to put in more visual details, something I'm not very good at. I admit it - I'm all about the story and the action, with no time for the nitty gritty details. Readers, however, like and need those details. It is definitely something about my style I need to improve.
Then there are the things that seem obvious to me but are not so obvious to others. It can be interesting, learning of other people's ideas about what they think I've written. For example, I once wrote a short story about a naughty boy who discovers Santa Claus is a monster who steals youth from children in exchange for presents. The Santa creature captures the boy and takes him to the North Pole, where naughty kids are forced to work like slaves. A popular Canadian speculative fiction magazine rejected the story because they didn't think the Devil would want to punish naughty boys. Wouldn't he want to encourage them? I don't know where they got the idea that my Santa beast was Satan, but that was how they chose to interpret the story.
That was a case of an editor jumping to the wrong conclusion. Based on the notes I've looked at for The Cupid War, however, it's clear that I'm the one at fault. There were a few instances where I was sure the reader would get what I was going for, but my editor didn't. Those items will have to be fixed.
I have about a month to patch up the book. Wish me luck and success, readers!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Rewrite Blues
It's rewrite time again. At least, it will be when the guys at Flux send me their notes. Seems they had a computer crash and lost those notes, and they have to re-type them. Happens to the best of us.
But when I do get those notes, it will be time to do a new draft of The Cupid War, my next novel. I'm always a little anxious about this process, but I understand it is a chance for me to get valuable feedback. I do goof up sometimes (no really, I do), and I welcome the chance to make the book better.
There are times, however, when rewrites can be a daunting process. I still have yet to type up the last chapter of A Walk-In To Remember, the last manuscript I finished. I can't bear to think of revising that one. I've also been putting off a revision of Kids Who Know, one of my recently-finished manuscripts, for half a year now. I'm sure it will be my best novel, and that scares me; what if I re-read it and find out it's crap?
That's not the only reason, of course, or even the main one. It's my mood disorder, an affliction that has put a real dent into my productivity this year. My motivation gets sucked out of me, and I find it very hard to get things done. I suffer from depression and anxiety, and have had less success this past year managing them than I have in previous years. I'll do a blog post all about that sometime soon.
None of this bodes well for my upcoming rewrite of The Cupid War. What if they want a really big change? Both Evil? and Epoch required a couple of chapters to be completely rewritten. What if I'm not up for a major plot overhaul?
Still, anxious though I may sound, I know I'll end up doing a good job. This is my fourth novel with Flux, so it's not like I haven't managed it before. Come spring, the best possible version of The Cupid War will hit the stands. I just have to get there.
And I will.
But when I do get those notes, it will be time to do a new draft of The Cupid War, my next novel. I'm always a little anxious about this process, but I understand it is a chance for me to get valuable feedback. I do goof up sometimes (no really, I do), and I welcome the chance to make the book better.
There are times, however, when rewrites can be a daunting process. I still have yet to type up the last chapter of A Walk-In To Remember, the last manuscript I finished. I can't bear to think of revising that one. I've also been putting off a revision of Kids Who Know, one of my recently-finished manuscripts, for half a year now. I'm sure it will be my best novel, and that scares me; what if I re-read it and find out it's crap?
That's not the only reason, of course, or even the main one. It's my mood disorder, an affliction that has put a real dent into my productivity this year. My motivation gets sucked out of me, and I find it very hard to get things done. I suffer from depression and anxiety, and have had less success this past year managing them than I have in previous years. I'll do a blog post all about that sometime soon.
None of this bodes well for my upcoming rewrite of The Cupid War. What if they want a really big change? Both Evil? and Epoch required a couple of chapters to be completely rewritten. What if I'm not up for a major plot overhaul?
Still, anxious though I may sound, I know I'll end up doing a good job. This is my fourth novel with Flux, so it's not like I haven't managed it before. Come spring, the best possible version of The Cupid War will hit the stands. I just have to get there.
And I will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)