What I did on My Summer Vacation

The sun is setting a little earlier and the mornings have that first hint of fall coolness. During lunch, a school bus rumbled down the street, a practice run before classes begin next week. Suddenly the summer season has begun drawing to a close and honestly, it caught me off-guard. I knew it was August and the clues were piling up, but still the week dawned and I was beginning my final full week at home.It’s been a relaxed and busy summer. There was the travel, three conventions including the unexpected trip to San Diego. This past weekend was the Connecticut show which went exceedingly well. Professionally, these were good events.Much of July was spent on my two online courses plus work on After Earth. I have written my two Ghost Stories which will be published electronically by Random House in the coming months, dates to be announced. Over the last few weeks I have been at work on my third of the After Earth prequel novel. It’s been ages since I have collaborated in this way with Mike Friedman and Peter David What is different this time around is that we have more integrated chapters as opposed to distinct characters and story arcs. And we’re still figuring out the world we’re setting the story in. It’s been an organic process which will be interesting to see when the three parts are sewn together and we read the book for the first time before polishing begins.You did notice the After Earth prequel comic is available for order in the current Diamond Preview catalogue, right? Check out the Dynamite Comics section and know that this is a slightly different edition from the one distributed at Comic-Con International.Then there was ReDeus: Divine Tales, the near-instant anthology that also preoccupied a lot of July. It’s out and the feedback to date has been nice although it’s too early to tell what sort of sales we can expect (hint, hint). There was also myriad Crazy 8 Press stuff like scheduling the rest of this year and projecting the first half of 2013.Honestly, I had hoped for a little more time for my own writing, such as the collaboration with Aaron Rosenberg or my original Young Adult work, but gosh, summer flies by when you’re having fun.Then there’s the impending return to teaching. I have been placed in a nearby middle school, working with an 8^th Grade teacher, who I met a few weeks back. I have the obligatory orientation back at Univ. of Bridgeport on Friday and then report on Monday for professional development. The kids themselves turn up next Thursday and I find myself looking forward to getting back into the classroom and getting to see what middle school is like.I’ve been practicing smoking meat, which is both exhilarating and exasperating. Deb and i have also been cleaning out the basement which has proven interesting and productive. There’s some household maintenance that completed round one a while back with round two due in September so we’ll be ready for winter, which as you know, is coming.Yep, summer is winding down and it’s time for back to school. Wonder what supplies I’ll need.

#Tags: After Earth, Conventions, writing