Various Updates

For those interested in the ups and downs of a writing career, here are various updates:

The YA editor turned down my proposal-plus-sample-chapters. This worked out that in one week, I got both a rejection and a Nebula. That's publishing.

The "dog story" -- the latest in a series of dog stories -- about which I was dithering, was bought by ASIMOV'S. I couldn't find a good way to change the skirting-with-cliche abused wife and controlling husband, so the story stayed with those characters.

Beggars In Spain will be the lead book for a new Romanian SF line, edited by British critic extraordinaire John Clute, if he and I can untangle various questions regarding the book's Romanian rights. This is proving very complicated -- as so much in that part of the world usually is.

The galleys have arrived from ASIMOV'S for "The Erdmann Nexus," which I regard as the best story I've written in a long time. This does not, of course, mean that anyone will agree with me. Since the story weighs in at a 28,000 words, proofing the galleys will occupy the next few days.

I turned in my last writing column for the Chinese magazine SCIENCE FICTION WORLD. They have six of them, which editor Xaio Bai says is "just enough." Since this gracious wording was in response to my offer to do more, it's open to interpretation.

I am still lacking a novel idea that I feel excited enough about to actually write. I know writers who say they have dozens of ideas they like, but I'm not one of them. This will need to change soon, since (among other things) today brought $600 worth of car repairs. Full-time writers are driven to novels by economic necessity, no matter what their preferences. Stay tuned.