It’s been a couple of weeks since my big announcement, and while the glow of excitement still hasn’t worn off, people have been asking me what happens next.

I may have sold my first book, but what about that science-fiction comedy novel I wrote (and Tweeted about) last year? What about this Weird Western novelette people have been talking about on Facebook? And, most importantly, what about Felix freaking Renn?

The Short Story Collection

First, because it’s the question I’m asked most of all, the collection is still untitled. Even though the book won’t be out until late 2012 at the earliest, the publishers and I are already discussing what we should call the thing. Mostly because I don’t want to spend the next year-plus referring to the book as “the untitled short story collection.”

Honestly, I thought this would be the easy past. But I think the surprise of ChiZine accepting the book, and the manner in which they told me, have resulted in my being at a bit of a loss as to what to call the damn thing. Do I take the easy way out and go with the title of one of the stories in the book? The Dark and the Young? Deleted Scenes? The Rifts Between Us? They’re not bad, but I also like the idea of coming up with a completely original title.

So at this point, I’m not sure when the book will have a title, but I promise, once I know, you’ll know.

The Weird Western

It’s called “Deadstock” and it’s coming out from a new Canadian publisher called Stonebunny Press. The people behind Stonebunny are Melanie and Todd Fischer, who, through their earlier company Imelod Publications, published authors like Jeffrey Thomas and Wilum H. Pugmire. So I’m in very good hands there.

I don’t want to say much more since I’m planning a big announcement once “Deadstock” hits stores in the next few weeks. Suffice to say, I’m very excited about this one.

The Felix

Those who follow my Twitter feed and Facebook page already know that I recently finished writing the third Felix Renn chapbook. I’m currently in the rewrite phase, but I expect to fire off the final draft to my publisher within the next couple of weeks.

Once that’s done, all of my time will be devoted to the first Felix Renn novel. Finally!

And, while all of this has been going on, I’ve been querying agents. I’ve had a couple of bites, but nothing definite yet. On the plus side, the few rejections I’ve received have said basically the same thing: you’re a talented writer, I’m just not the right agent for you.

This is the problem when you write across so many different genres: finding an agent who will represent everything. But I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. Either I’ll find someone and we click, or I’ll just going ahead on m own. I’ve already achieved one of my major career goals, that of selling my first book, and I figure if I can do it once, then I can do it again. And again. And again.

The first reviews of Chilling Tales are in!

Rue Morgue magazine liked the book a great deal, and while only a few stories were singled out, “My Body” was one of them. (The review isn’t online. You’ll have to pick up the mag to read it.) The second review appeared on the SFRevu website, and even though the reviewer didn’t like the book as much as Rue Morgue, he seems to have enjoyed my story:

Among the good stories I will mention Barbara Roden’s “404”, a Kafkaesque tale of office horror where employees mysteriously disappear one at the time, and Ian Rogers’ “My Body”, a modern ghost story with an undercurrent of sadness.

Read the full review.

It’s also worth noting that Chilling Tales is now for sale in the U.S., with copies available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc., etc.

In other Black Lands-related news, I have a new Felix Renn short story making the rounds, and I just hit the 12,000-word mark on the new novelette. If I can maintain my current pace, I should have it finished within the next couple of weeks. And once it’s done, I start work on the first Felix Renn novel.