I’m researching barbecue for a new novella I’m writing about my stage hypnotist protagonist, the Amazing Conroy.
At this stage we’re looking at barbecue made using bison (yes, that’s buffalo*, but not buffalito!) and quite possibly thoats as well.
If any of you have thoughts and experiences involving barbecue — in any of its many forms — I’d welcome a comment. Thanks.
I’m very pleased to announce that I’ve sold a brand new Amazing Conroy story. “Yesterday’s Taste” occurs before the events in either of the two novels, and involves Conroy (and Reggie) visiting the planet Bwill at the behest of a galactically famous food critic. Once there they encounter incredible meals, smelly aliens, mindwiping, explosions, industrial spying, fish poetry (?!), and much more, all in pursuit of the recipe for the legendary seven cheese cribble puff!
It’s good, clean, hypnotic fun, and if you’re a fan of the Amazing Conroy you will not be disappointed by this new tale. But, you will have a wait a bit. The anthology, Transtories, edited by Colin Harvey, won’t be released from Aeon Press until the Fall.
For the record, this counts as one of the faster acceptances I’ve ever had. I turned the finished story in via email at about 10pm on March 31st, and Colin sent me an email acceptance on the morning of April 3rd. Thanks, Colin!
I’m on my way to Lunacon this morning, and so I don’t have a Q&A style interview for you.
But all is not lost! Instead I have a helpful reminder and a last minute bit of shameless self promotion.
Reminder: The deadline for turning in your nominations for the Hugo Awards (and the Campbell) ends a week from tomorrow. Saturday, March 26, 2011 23:59 PDT, to be exact.
Shameless Self-Promotion: If you have an open spot on your nomination ballot in the Short Story category and if you don’t, cut someone else please give consideration to my Polynesian Fantasy tale, “The Wrestler and the Spear Fisher,” made available here for your downloading delight in wondrous PDF format.
This story originally saw print in The Stories in Between, an anthology published last year in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of an independent bookstore in Delaware that has long been a home for genre fiction. The story was reprinted later in 2010 in my own collection, Sweet Potato Pie and Other Surrealities from Hadley Rille Books.
I’m exhausted, but very very pleased. Valerie and I have just finished hosting the first ever IMP Workshop in our home here in scenic Blue Bell, PA.
Six authors (and one dog) gathered for a longish weekend, Friday evening through Monday morning, and managed a ton of writing work, and many fancy meals (courtesy of Valerie’s culinary skills).
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| Gregory Frost, Barbara Webb, Jason Musgrave, Amy Sundberg, Gej, Lawrence M. Schoen (not pictured: Oz Drummond) |
I won’t be heading up to Boston this weekend. Instead, beginning Friday afternoon, I’ll be hosting a small writers’ retreat in my home. Five other writers are coming in (some are flying in, from as far away as California) and we’ll be doing a series of critiques and novel plotting sessions.
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It’s just after noon and I’m sitting at a Chinese restaurant. I didn’t get to go to my usual place yesterday where I like to sit, sample the buffet, and read. So instead, I’m at a different place today. I’ve sampled the buffet, and now I’m about to settle down and do some work on a synopsis. At some point, there may be additional buffet sampling. Also email reading and other cat-waxing because I really hate hate hate working on this synopsis (as demonstrated by it being days overdue)*.
I’ve been invited to a SuperBowl party, but I’ll probably pass because a) I really don’t give much of a damn about football, b) I can catch the commercials online tomorrow, and c) I need to finish this damn synopsis!
*Also, the restaurant provides complimentary wifi.
I’m still going through edits, and I came across something that sparked a bit of cat waxing. Thus:
I have personal affection and high regard for the writing team of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Also, SRM Publisher very generously lent support and encouragement in the form of publishing my chapbooks when the Amazing Conroy was just starting out. And too, I’m a huge fan of the Liaden Universe books.
That’s why there’s a bottle of “blusharie” in a dream scene in my first novel, Buffalito Destiny.
It’s also why I’m telling you that there’s a reference to “advertency” in my new novel, Buffalito Contingency. Of course, if you haven’t read Lee & Miller’s Fledgling then this doesn’t make much sense. Nevermind.
Excuse me now, I need to get back to the edits before my publisher reads my blog and realizes I’ve been slacking off.
Wednesday is my day off from the Day Job, and today it looks like I’ll be spending it at home because freezing rain has left a very pretty and pretty dangerous layer of ice on everything.
This suits me just fine as last night my editor gifted me with his revision notes for Buffalito Contingency and that should keep me busy throughout the early part of the day. At least until the temperature warms up and some of the ice melts.
The rest of you, play safe!
