THE SEVEN Updates

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but to be frank: There hasn't been any new developments. The hardest part about book publishing is the waiting game. The book is off to Dog Ear, it's in production, Jamesy is working on the cover, and I'm just sitting here in limbo waiting for something to happen.

I should see the proofs of the book soon. Once that happens, the roller-coaster will be topping the first hill.

James McGee, my favorite little art monkey, has done up some roughs of the cover. It's fantastic. He has rendered the seven heroes in a sort of American-manga style that's uniquely James, and will be doing the final art soon. It was absolutely fantastic to see the rough. If the work was a bit closer to a finished product, I'd post a sample, but I don't want to give out a taste of an unfinished product.

I'm lining up reviews for THE SEVEN for when it does come out. Here's to hoping that someone likes it, sees it, and offers me money for it.

Work continues on the sequel to THE SEVEN. Unlike previous books I've worked on, the sequel is coming together piecemeal. I write a section of one character, then bounce to another. It's going to be a jigsaw of a book to put together for a final product, but I'm hoping the sequel is unique from its predecessor as well as an epic the likes of which I have not written yet. Since I'll most likely end up self-publishing the sequel as well, I'm trying to not worry about word count. Maybe this bad boy will get up to JK Rowling length or something.

In other worlds, Craig Johnson's new book, THE DARK HORSE, is out. I highly recommend picking up a copy. Johnson knows how to turn a phrase like few writers do and he has a taste for the western epic. It's one of the best mystery franchises ever, in my opinion. Walt Longmire deserves a place in the annals of detectives right up alongside Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, Spenser, and Fletch. Plus, Craig is just a good dude. You don't meet that many good dudes anymore, but Craig is definitely among them.

Back to work on the sequel, I guess. I have to go the real, paying job soon, too.

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