Alas

Sorry, nothing scandalous or bile-provoking to offer you today. If you're stopping in only for that, check out the archives; I'm sure you'll find something appropriately aggravating.

Hang on, this might encourage some acid reflux: A major buyer read IAB, loved it, and is now getting behind the book. Upped the chain's order and plans to promote the novel, front of the store, that kind of thing. I'd give you more details but this is new territory for me, so I don't know all that will happen. My editor seemed pretty happy about it. I'm happy I got there on the strength of the work.

On the juggling front, I'm midway through writing the third novel of the year, about finished a copy-edit, and looking at revisions that just arrived. I have to outline a fourth, which I'll start in a week, and put together a proposal on a fifth, sixth and seventh. The desk is getting stacked.

Editor also wants my ideas for cover art, always a fun e-mail to write. You can't say things like "Keep the skimpy spandex off my protagonist" or "Please note: there are no transvestite cetaceans in this novel." I'll probably say what I always say -- I'd like something simple and dignified -- and I won't get it. I don't ask them to keep my bad luck color, yellow, off my covers anymore. Last time I did, I got a yellow cover.