Hello, everyone! Yeah, I know, it’s been a while. First I was too busy and then I wanted to wait until I could announce the new gig, but that ended up takin a bit longer than I thought. In any case, we’re here now and that’s all that matters, so let’s get to it.
New gig!
I’m the new Visiting Assistant Professor in the UCR Palm Desert Low-Residency Graduate Program in Creative Writing. I’ll be teaching all that genre fiction stuff I love. I’m looking forward to it. Also, I’ll probably teach some nonfiction in the near future as well, and that’s awesome, especially because some of it might have to do with book reviewing. I’m stepping into some huge shoes because the great Stephen Graham Jones used to teach some of the stuff I’ll be teaching, but I’m ready and eager to get started. I’m also excited about this gig bringing me to California more often. I’ve been to the state a few times—for AWP a few years ago, to San Diego while on tour for The Devil Takes You Home, easier this year for the LA Times Festival of Books—and each trip has been wildly different. I’m really looking forward to spending more time over there. Oh, and the photo above is from that haunted motel I stayed in last time…
New award!
The Devil Takes You Home is now an International Latino Book Award winner! I don’t know if it will take home a bronze, silver, or gold medal, but it’s already a winner and that’s awesome. It’s also up for an Anthony Award this weekend. Sadly, I’m not able to be there, but I will be offering Elegguá some candy and lighting a candle here at home. The last time I was up for an award and couldn’t go, I won a Shirley Jackson Award (which I’m still waiting for and can’t wait to hold!). Apparently the trick is not show up? I don’t know, but I definitely hope so. Oh, and same goes for the Dragon Award. Have you seen that thing? It’s gorgeous and I really want one. Hah.
One more round…
The next novel is back from the editor. He loved it. If you’ve ever done some waiting, you know waiting for your editor to get back to you is like having half a dozen trucks on your shoulders. Once you get that positive editorial letter back, the rest feels like a breeze. That said, the last round is coming up, and I’m excited for it. I know a lot of writers hate editing, but I love it. Writing is where we make magic and create something from nothing, but editing is where we take that something we created and make is faster, meaner, bloodier, better. Also, I have a weird system where I reread a few chapters to get in the mood before every writing session, so I edit and rewrite as a I go. This is definitely not for everyone, but it works for me and has usually kept my editing to the important stuff instead of tackling everything at once. Anyway, edits. That’s what I’'ll be doing next week after I finish working on a secret thing…
Fuck vanity/predatory “services” and “presses”
My friend Patrick Freivald shared the thing below on Facebook the other day. I see them on every platform and always block them. It makes me angry that there are so many assholes out there trying to take advantage of new writers who are desperate to see their name in print. Most of you already know this, but if you’re just starting out, listen up: no real publisher will make you pay to get published. They also won’t make you pay for editing or a cover or layout or anything else. Money should flow to the writer, not the other way around. If you want to self-publish, you should definitely hire a cover artists and a professional editor, but a service like this one? Nah, they’re a fucking joke. I mean, unless you want “profeading?” Or a solid “frong.” Oh, or a “backcover.” Ah, fuck all these predators.
That’s it for now! We’ll probably go back to our regular schedule now. Hah. Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend. I’ll spend it reading and watching more stuff, which I’ll talk about next week. Stay cool and be good to each other.
I did see your book review on NPR of a certain new book by a well-known horror author. Very cool.
Congrats on the new gig! Will you still be teaching at SNHU as well or will you be moving on from there?