(x-post from xanga)

Jean at Renaissance called today and was thrilled that G. W. had decided to pick up the print rights. She believes very strongly that, with the right kind of momentum and promotion, I will break back into the majors again.

Although I enjoyed the years I spent in journalism and editorial, sometimes I wish I had never left fiction. Returning to it after all these years is difficult. Several years back, after I had left editorial work and gone back to college, I tried to pick up some journalism assignments at a local newspaper and I took my book of clips to a meeting with one of their editors. My clips include Cinefantastique, Movieline, The Washington Post Book World, and Black Belt magazine among a host of others.

She looked at them for a moment and said, "aren't these kind of old," as if there was something wrong with me. It stung. After that I didn't try for more assignments. It seemed like it wasn't worth the effort.

I found an agent very easily, finished a novel that is making the rounds, and sat back and hoped that I would have the same kind of luck I had had twenty years previously. The books are slowly but surely making the rounds with Jack Byrne.

But making a comeback is difficult. I located an old "friend" from the days I had been in fiction the first time around and, not knowing he had become a successful writer in the meantime, I approached him just like I would have in the old days and his reaction was as if a homeless street person had crawled out of the gutter begging for pennies.

Not everyone has been this way. But the few who have been made me very angry and hurt. Greg Benford and Larry Niven are as friendly as ever and as happy to see me.

But everyone craves that special validation that comes with publication and I desperately wanted a fresh set of creds in my new life as a reborn fiction author. For two years, Jean Marie Stine at Renaissance Ebooks had been begging me for a book. She knows my background well. She kept saying "why don't you do this for us or why don't you do that for us or won't you let us publish (insert word here) and I kept putting her off.

I didn't want an ebook. I wanted a major sale just like in the old days. I wanted to stand as tall as I had in the 80s and early 90s. Then I wrote God Box. My agent sent it back to me twice for revisions. By the time I finished it, it was 175k and so much of my heart and soul were in it that I cried when he said it was simply too long to sell in today's market.

After crying, I got angry and anger is one of the great motivators in my life and I called Jean on the phone and said, "You still want a book from me?"

She said yes, and I sent her a sample chapter by email. I had a contract in under half an hour. Jean split the book into three parts and renamed it Dark Brothers of the Light series, titling the three volumes, Blood Rites, Blood Heresy, and Blood Dawn. The books spent eight weeks on the Fictionwise dark fantasy best-seller list.

With that success in my hand, I decided to look for a small press to offer it to and I had become aware of G. W. Thomas because of first the cyber pulp debacle and later the fact that he was working with Jean on several projects. Wondering if my networking skills were still in place, I subbed the books to him and he expressed great excitement at doing them. So now they will have print editions.

One of the things that most affects me now, is that I am having the moderate successes where I was having none when I was demanding to be heard at the top. I'm taking turtle steps. I intend to see that my books get all the attention possible.

Other spots to find me:
http://p079.ezboard.com/bwhistlinginthedarkzone
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cussedness

Some brief creds, a partial list

articles published in:
Movieline *** Cinefantastique *** Washington Post Book World *** Los Angeles Times *** Los Angeles Drive Guide *** Black Belt *** Martial Arts Weapons *** Monsterland *** Thrust: Science Fiction in Review *** Science Fiction Review

Former MPAA Accredited Journalist.
Currently Active member, SFWA