So far this year, I’ve had two stories that I considered to be “in the pipeline” fall off the cliff. The first case I’ve already mentioned — and it is by far the weirdest. The story was accepted for a themed anthology last September and then the table of contents was released without any mention of my story. When I queried the editor it was like he’d never heard of me. He rummaged through his office and ultimately relocated my story, but he decided he couldn’t add to the TOC at that point. Weird.
This week, a small press closed up shop, taking with it a planned southern gothic anthology to which I had submitted a story by invitation. That leaves the anthology homeless. Now the editor has to pound the streets and see if he can interest anyone else in the book. Having learned my lesson some years ago, I do not submit to anthologies that don’t have publishers, but there’s no way to guard against publishers fizzling before a book comes out. I have the option of withdrawing the story and subbing it again or giving the editor some time to see what he can work out elsewhere. I’m in no rush to make a decision about it, but I now consider the story available rather than in the pipeline.
A nice comment about The Stephen King Illustrated Companion from Kev Quigley, who runs the Charnel House website. He says that the book “was a first-of-its kind for King fanatics, featuring removable documents that reprinted unpublished King stories and early drafts from his novels. At once, it became one of the best books on King ever published.”
I received a questionnaire from the MWA yesterday, something I need to fill out for the publicist hired for the Edgar Awards. I still haven’t decided whether I’m going to attend the ceremony or not. It might be fun, but NYC is so expensive, even just for one night.
It was only a matter of time before House tackled a psychopath, and of course it would have to be someone where the psychopathy was a curable symptom. Remy Hadley brings a lot to the show, and more than just good looks–she is the perfect foil for House. They seem to have forgotten that she’s sick lately, though. Guess her meds are working well.
Castle was great again this week. A nice, convoluted storyline that the cops and Castle worked through a bit at a time, following the leads where they took them. Essentially good police work with a few flashes of insight. What’s more, despite the fact that the media is portraying them as dating, I think something more fundamental is going on between Castle and Beckett: they’re becoming good friends. Of course “it’s complicated,” but their friendship is a nice thing to see develop.
Going off to see Ridley Pearson this evening. Wonder if he’ll sign my Ellen Rimbauer book?
