Looking at "At This Point..."

A while back, I was working on a non-River City novel that is tentatively titled At This Point in My Life.  By "a while back," I mean late last year.  I worked on it up until I left for business to Louisville, Kentucky.  On the way to Louisville, I dictated the story while driving the 2000 mile trek.  I got to the 50K word mark, which is about 75% complete or so. 

While I am editing the galleys for Beneath a Weeping Sky, I've started walking through the first draft of At This Point...  When I've finished touching up the dictated text, I'm going to forge ahead and finish the first draft of this book.  That oughta be done just in time to head back to The Last Horseman for a second draft/revision of that.

That oughta be finished just in time for a revision on book four of the River City series, And Every Man Has to Die.

Somewhere in the middle of that, I will start work on the fifth River City novel, Place of Wrath and Tears.  This one will feature a co-author -- to be named later.  Stay tuned!

Some writers would not write about these types of plans.  I understand and agree with their reasons, actually.  But the flip side is this -- now that I've written this in a public forum, how much more motivated will I be to follow through in a timely fashion?

Yeah, like I ever needed motivation to write.

Still, thought I'd share the short term Grand Writing Plan in the Frank Zafiro world.  None of the books I mentioned have been sold yet, though there is a verbal agreement in place with Gray Dog Press to continue publishing the River City series after Beneath a Weeping Sky.  The other two, At This Point... and The Last Horseman, will go out for consideration after they're finished. 

Flashback Interview

Here's a link to an interview I did when Heroes Often Fail came out.  Reading back over it, I found that everything is still true.  There were some great follow-up questions, too.  If you're interested, here's the link:

http://booksbypickles.blogspot.com/2008/11/interview-with-frank-zafiro.html

This blog is a good review blog, so if you're a big time reader and want to get a take on books before reading them, this is a good place.

First Draft of RC4 Complete!

Not that it has a lot of impact on the readers, but for a writer, finishing that first draft is a big milestone.

Last night, I typed the final, two-word sentence of And Every Man Has to Die, the fourth novel in the River City series. This novel is tentatively scheduled for a March 2011 release. 

The third novel, Beneath a Weeping Sky, will be published in March 2010 by Gray Dog Press. 

Finished "The Last Horseman," Working on RC4

I finished the first draft of a non-River City novel called The Last Horseman.  No, despite the title, it is not a Western.  It is more of a crime/suspense novel -- not a mystery, and not a procedural.

More on that if it finds a publishing home in the future (after all the revisions).

I'm currently at work on the fourth River City novel, tentatively titled And Every Man Has to Die.  It was about 70% finished before I veered off into other work and other things in life (personal and primary job responsibilities), so I may finish in short order...perhaps in November!  That's my goal, anyway, since November is officially Novel Writing Month.

The third River City novel, Beneath a Weeping Sky, is scheduled for a March release from Gray Dog Press.

Another Short Story Sold!

My short story "What Comes Around" has been sold to Crime and Suspense magazine.  It will appear in their November issue.

"What Comes Around" explores karma a little bit and how you never quite know what part of your life might be the axis upon which your destiny turns.

Crime and Suspense is an old standby when it comes to online mystery magazines.  I have had a couple of stories there, back in early 2006.  The original editor also ran Wolfmont publishing, which published my first novel.  The eZine is getting a makeover and has a new owner/editor.  It has become a paying market, as well as a place for book reviews and information on doings in the mystery field.  If you like mysteries of all types, set your browser to  http://crimeandsuspense.com/.

Check it out in November, and after!

Short Story "Prank Call" Sold!

My short story, "Prank Call," will appear in the LL Dreamspell anthology DreamSpell Revenge.  The book will be released in 2010.

"Prank Call" is, as you might guess, a story of revenge.  It is based on an old idea that I had years and years ago.  I even started the draft, though nothing of that draft (or much of the original story idea other than the most basic elements of the premise) made it into the final story.

In "Prank Call," I wanted to explore the idea of revenge, both from a mystery/suspense practical standpoint and also from a more philosophical view.  Is revenge viable?  Only sometimes?  Never?

Thanks to Editor Lisa Smith at LL Dreamspell for picking up the story!  More on the anthology and the publisher is here:  http://www.lldreamspell.com/DreamspellRevenge.htm

Beneath a Weeping Sky PREVIEW

If you'd like to read the opening chapter of my forthcoming novel, Beneath a Weeping Sky, you can do so on my website.

If you have any trouble finding it, the link is here:  http://frankzafiro.com/res/BAWS.pdf

Beneath a Weeping Sky will be published in March 2010.