Gene Colan: The One and Only

Last week, before I headed off to NYC to help chaperone my son's 8th grade class trip (and caught a hellish cold), the lovely Liana K forwarded me a link to an online discussion of the deteriorating health of Gene Colan. As Liana knew from our conversation at Ad Astra in Toronto earlier this year, Gene has been a hero of mine since I was nine or ten years old.

We are all the sum of our parts, and it is no exaggeration to say that without TOMB OF DRACULA and the art of Gene Colan, I might well never have become a writer. (So, yes, you have Gene to blame, along with the creators of Kolchak, Stephen King, and Charlie Grant.)

Back up. When I was a kid, whenever I was sick enough to need medicine, my mom would come home from the pharmacy with a small stack of comic books. She knew nothing about them, of course, except that I liked them, so in addition to Justice League and Avengers, I would get Richie Rich and even the occasional Jughead. One summer--when, as I said, I was either nine or ten--my parents rented a house on Cape Cod and my brother and I walked down to the country store with some loose change. It was the first time I had ever picked out a comic book for myself, and it was TOMB OF DRACULA #15, written by Marv Wolfman and drawn by Gene Colan, who had already had legendary runs on a number of series, including Daredevil.

It altered me. The story was always entertaining, of course, with the great Marv Wolfman at the top of his game. But Gene's art drew me into the world of that series in a way that no comic book before or since has ever managed. It was like watching Christopher Lee in Hammer films, only better, a sexy, textured, ominous world in which Dracula was both the ultimate evil and the ultimate tragic hero. He was written that way, of course, but Gene *made it work.*

The only piece of original comic book artwork I've ever bought is a page from TOMB OF DRACULA #15, which I bought from Gene himself at a convention, the very first time I met him. It hangs, signed and framed, in my home.

My good friend Tom Sniegoski can (and apparently could, back then) tell you who wrote and drew every issue of every comic book he read throughout his youth. Not me. Truth is, at that age, I didn't even know who Jack Kirby was. I paid no attention to the names of artists, except for one: Gene Colan. While the rest of the industry was trying to learn to draw like Kirby, Colan was just being Colan.

Fast forward. I don't have the dates in front of me, but let's call it mid-nineties. Marvel had drastically altered the characters of Blade (who first debuted in the pages of TOMB OF DRACULA of course) and Hannibal King (ditto) for a series called Nightstalkers...but the Blade movie was in the offing and Marvel wanted to hit the restart button, to get back to the character's origins. Editor Ralph Macchio asked me to do a one-shot that would be its own story, but that would also retell the origin of Blade and reintroduce some of the characters from his past. I was thrilled, but worried. As a novelist, I was always being told my comics writing was too wordy (it was) and what Ralph wanted--in a 40 page comic--would be pretty text heavy. He assured me he wanted it that way. With meat on its bones.

The pitch was called BLADE: CRESCENT CITY BLUES. I turned in the breakdowns for the plot, and a couple of days later, Ralph called. "It looks like we're going to have Gene Colan draw it."

I thought he was joking. Gene hadn't done anything for Marvel in a while at that point. When I realized he was serious, I was so overwhelmed that I nearly wept. Mock if you will, but *that's* how much it meant to me. Working with Gene was a dream come true. He was a consummate gentleman, a blast to brainstorm with, a pleasure to talk to, and every page came in just as beautiful as any he had done on TOMB.

When we were done...after the comic book had come out...I called Gene one day to thank him again. I asked him if, once he got the artwork back, he'd be willing to sell me a page or two of the comic we'd done together. Gene had gotten 22 of the 40 pages. The inker, Mark Pennington, received 18. Gene refused to let me pay him. He said that he'd had such a good time and liked the one-shot so much that he wanted to send me a couple of pages, and he wouldn't let me talk him out of it.

The next day, a FedEx box arrived containing NINETEEN pages of Crescent City Blues. Gene had kept the three he liked best, and sent me the rest. It was an extraordinary gift, and I'll never forget it.

In the time since then, I've only spoken to Gene once or twice, and not for years. He remains my favorite comic book artist of all time.

Various folks are spreading the word online, suggesting that people send Gene cards and get well wishes. I think that's a fantastic idea. You can send cards and letters to:

Gene Colan
2 Sea Cliff Avenue
Sea Cliff, NY 11579
USA

The Hidden Cities website, trailer, & contest!!

I've been quiet lately, I know. Nose to the grindstone. But here's one of the really cool things that's been percolating.

Tim Lebbon and I have the first of a new interrelated series of books we're doing for Bantam coming up at the end of next month. It's called MIND THE GAP, and the series is THE HIDDEN CITIES. The second, set in New Orleans, is being edited now and will be out early next year. That one's called THE MAP OF MOMENTS.

Thanks to the incredible Deena Warner, we're building a very cool new site at www.thehiddencities.com and we'd love you all to participate. How, you ask?

*First, go watch the damn spiffy book trailer created by filmmaker Martin Roberts, with the vocal talents of actress Jasmine Hyde (Ghosts of Albion) and audio assist from Rob Francis. Let me know what you think.

*Second...spread that trailer all over the net. Youtube, your MySpace pages, Facebook, your blog, your friend's blog. If you want to be all mysterious, post it in places and don't even say what it is. Especially at youtube.

*Third...the MAP. On the Hidden Cities site is a map of the world. We're asking people to submit stories--NOT FICTION, but local legends, ghost stories, folk tales from places you've been or lived or currently live...plus your own personal experiences, brushes with the supernatural or just plain weird, if you've had them. The success of this part of the site depends entirely upon contributions, so spread the word.

*Fourth--WIN! The two best submissions will each win a copy of the signed, hardcover, limited edition of MIND THE GAP from Cemetery Dance!

Check it out! Spread the word! Let me know what you think.

Chris

Only the End of the World Again

Neil Gaiman wrote a short story once upon a time entitled "Only the End of the World Again." [Neil is on my mind a lot these days, since I've been working for months--in 'spare time' stolen mostly from what would otherwise be family time, and often on mornings before I turn to whatever novel I'm writing--on a book that was originally titled The Neil Gaiman Companion. The title of the book, which I've written with my friends Hank Wagner and Steve Bissette, is apparently changing, but I'm waiting for final confirmation of the new title.]

In any case, this post has nothing to do with Neil, really, except that rereading a lot of his work in the past nine months has given me a new appreciation for exactly how remarkable his achievements truly are. I particularly love his short stories and the magnum opus that is The Sandman. I read Sandman in single issues when it was first published, and if you did the same I urge you to start again, reading the series in its current graphic novel format. The whole truly is far greater than the sum of its parts. It's a work unequaled in comics, either before or since.

But I digress. For some reason this post, which is not about Neil Gaiman, continues to insist upon making itself about Neil Gaiman.

So I'll get to the point, and the reference to "Only the End of the World Again." The title is almost a sigh, a sort of surrender to the constant state of impending doom that humanity has existed in since the beginning of time, really. I think, also, of one of my favorite lines from Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "If the apocalypse comes, beep me." [Back when people carried such things as beepers. Weird to think how fast they came and went.]

So, the end of the world. I'm not talking about Global Climate Change, though its threat is imminent. Rather, I'm talking about the general state of human society. Sometimes it depresses the hell out of me to think about the way so many seem to have surrendered to the opinion that the human race is atrophying from lack of conscience, that entropy has truly taken hold, and the world is winding down.

Yet, as disheartening and disconcerting as all of that is...it's nothing new.

Chinua Achebe wrote the great THINGS FALL APART in 1958.

But let's go a little further back than that, to a wonderful quote I found tonight while researching a future project. In the sixth century, the poet Theognis wrote:
"Hope is the only good god remaining among mankind;the others have left and gone to Olympus. Trust, a mighty god has gone, Restraint has gone from men,and the Graces, my friend, have abandoned the earth. Men’s judicial oaths are no longer to be trusted, nor does anyone revere the immortal gods; the race of pious men has perished and men no longer recognize the rules of conduct or acts of piety."

Damn, does that sound on target or what? Trust and restraint are gone. Judicial oaths are no longer to be trusted! For all of the articles and books and pundits pointing out the degradation of literacy and education (which troubles me deeply) and the paucity of moral virtue in society, is it only ironic or actually deeply twisted that I take immense comfort and reassurance from the words of Theognis?

Even then, the only thing that Greek poet felt humanity had left to cling to was hope for the future.

Which, fittingly, brings me back around to Mr. Gaiman. In the first volume of Sandman, Morpheus faces off against the demon Choronzon in a contest of concepts. Smugly, Choronzon believes that when he says "I am entropy," the Dream King will have nothing to parry his attack. But that's when Morpheus (and Gaiman, and humanity) pulls out his trump card. "What will you be?" the demon asks. And the Sandman says, "I am hope."

I'm terrified on a daily basis by the apathy of people who could make a difference, if only they cared to. I do believe that human society is degrading, and as a result, entropy is taking hold both of world culture and of the planet, and that we are all Nero, fiddling while Rome burns.

And yet, like Gaiman and Morpheus, and Chinua Achebe and Theognis, I have hope.

After all, it's only the end of the world again.

2008 and Beyond

Somehow, Neil Gaiman manages to write on his blog almost every day. How in hell he does this is absolutely beyond me. Between writing and my family, I haven't made time to blog since AUGUST of last year. *hangs head in shame* Once again, the writing fiend vows to do better.

How sad is it that it takes a note from my friend Jim Cobb saying "hey, dumbass, what are you working on for '08" for me to actually return to the blog?

All right. I'm back. Keep bugging me, Jim, and hopefully I'll get into the swing of things.

Anyway, 2007 was an incredibly busy year, and 2008 will, I hope, show the fruits of those labors. The year starts off with several reprints. In January, Bantam will publish a mass market edition of THE BORDERKIND, the Second Book of the Veil. In February, they'll bring out mass market editions of THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN and WILDWOOD ROAD, both never before available in that format.

But those three are all reprints, you say, what about new stuff?

In March, the Third Book of the Veil, THE LOST ONES, arrives in trade paperback, completing the trilogy. In May, Tim Lebbon and I have our first collaborative effort, MIND THE GAP: A NOVEL OF THE HIDDEN CITIES. Then, later in the year, I'm returning to young adult fiction for the first time in a while. Delacorte will publish POISON INK in July, and MTV Books will publish SOULLESS in October, just in time for Halloween.

Also in the fall, Roc will be publishing a brand new trade paperback edition bringing back into print THE FERRYMAN, with a brand new introduction by Charles de Lint.

Early 2008 will also see the publication of a new comic book series with my friend Tom Sniegoski called THE SISTERHOOD. It's a three issue miniseries from Archaia Studios Press, and the film version is in development now, with Sniegoski and me producing.

Once the WGA strike is over, Mike Mignola and I will be completing work on our screenplay for BALTIMORE, OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE for New Regency Pictures.

In limited editions, 2008 will see a number of them, though several I can't talk about just yet. They include my first short story collection and the Earthling Modern Classics edition of STRANGEWOOD, with an introduction by Graham Joyce and a Foreword by Bentley Little. James A. Moore and I have made a new deal for the two novella sequels to BLOODSTAINED OZ, though when we'll get started on those is still up in the air.

All of those things are already complete, of course. As to what the future holds beyond those things...I'm working with Tim Lebbon on THE MAP OF MOMENTS, the second HIDDEN CITIES novel, and starting my next solo novel for Bantam, THE OCEAN DARK. There are already plans in place for other things to keep my busy all through 2008, and into 2009, including a second collaboration with Mike Mignola, and some things that might surprise longtime readers.

WATCHING: PRIME SUSPECT (series one), LIFE ON MARS (series two), and not much else at the moment. It's January, in the middle of a strike, what do you expect? :)

READING: A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES by John Kennedy Toole (thanks Poppy).

RECOMMENDING: Poppy Z. Brite's LIQUOR and its sequels. Fantastic books. If you'd suggested to me that a book about two guys opening a restaurant would have me flipping pages in suspense, I'd have certainly arched an eyebrow. What a testament to Poppy's talent.

LISTENING: Sara Bareilles was the standout from '07 for me, along with the Bonnie Prince Billy disc a friend gave me.

Go. Read. Ask questions.

Welcome to 2008.

The Writing Fiend Comes Up For Air

I've done enough talking about trying to blog more. Four months in between posts is pitiful, isn't it? Let's see if I can do better...

There's so much to talk about. Leave a comment or a question. I read 'em all.

Well, here we go. :) Lots of news, release dates, projects, other things creeping closer to reality. It's been a very busy time.


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BOOKS:

**On August 28th, Bantam Spectra will release the hardcover novel BALTIMORE, OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE, a collaboration between myself and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. In addition to co-writing the novel, Mignola has done the cover and 150 (yes, 150) interior illustrations for the book. I've said elsewhere that this is probably the coolest project I've ever been involved with. (see the end of this e-mail for reviews and blurbs, including a couple of new ones.) BALTIMORE has already sold to Germany and Italy and is a featured alternate selection of the Science Fiction Book Club.

**Diamond Distributors, the company that supplies comic book stores across the U.S. with their product, has offered a special edition of BALTIMORE with a different cover, a Mignola sketchbook section, and the original Hans Christian Andersen story that helped inspire the novel, complete with four or five additional illustrations by Mignola. This edition can only be ordered from comic book shops (including those who sell online).

**The fourth book of THE MENAGERIE will also be out at the end of August. Tom Sniegoski and I have been living with these characters in our heads for at least a decade now, probably more, and CRASHING PARADISE is both my favorite thus far in the series and an opportunity to share ideas and character stories we've been yearning to reveal for all of that time. This one includes the secret history of Creation itself, as well as revelations about Eve and Clay, a legion of ancient enemies of the Menagerie, a new member (who spends much of her time naked), and the battle for Eden. Look for an update soon at www.the-menagerie.net

**Pocket Books is, apparently, ending their Buffy the Vampire Slayer publishing program. At least that's the rumor. As such, I couldn't resist the temptation to share one final adventure with the old gang. DARK CONGRESS is set post season seven and features more than one story that I've had in my head for a while. In addition to the characters you'd expect to see--Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles--there are also appearances by several others I wanted to say goodbye to, Oz and Faith, for instance. The return that's had the most buzz, some of it very happy and some of it not so much, has been the resurrection of Tara. I guess I wasn't the only one who needed to say goodbye. Dark Congress hits in the next few weeks. Watch for it!

**"The Mournful Crow of Owls" is the title of a new short story I wrote for MANY BLOODY RETURNS, an anthology edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner. Other contributors include both Harris and Kelner, as well as Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, Tanya Huff, and PN Elrod. I'm proud to be among them. The book is a blast, and hits stores September 4th.

**Haunted Pelican Press has been more than patient with me regarding the new anthology FIVE STROKES TO MIDNIGHT. The book was supposed to be out in July and I'm at least half the reason it's a little late. For me, the wait was worth it, as the three stories I wrote for the collection are, I believe, some of the best short work I've ever done. I hope you agree. The book includes thirteen stories by five authors--Gary A. Braunbeck, Deborah LeBlanc, Tom Piccirilli, Hank Schwaeble, and myself--an introduction by Tim Lebbon, and cover and interior illustrations by Hellraiser star Ashley Laurence. http://www.hauntedpelicanpress.com/catalog.html

**The first week in October brings the trade hardcover edition of Joe Hill's extraordinary short story collection 20th CENTURY GHOSTS. I wrote the introduction to the limited edition a couple of years back, before most people had heard of Joe, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to get their hands on this collection, which shows so many facets of a brilliantly talented writer. I'm pleased that Morrow has kept my introduction for the trade edition. If you weren't already planning to do so, you must check it out.

**At the end of January, Bantam will publish the mass market edition of THE BORDERKIND, the second volume in THE VEIL TRILOGY. A month later, they'll follow up with the first ever mass market editions of my first two novels for them, THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN and WILDWOOD ROAD. Apparently BOYS will sport a new cover, which I'm dying to see.

**THE VEIL concludes at the end of March with THE LOST ONES. After the first two ended on cliffhangers, the third act of Oliver Bascombe's story finally plays out. The Two Kingdoms are at war. Wait until you see the cover for this one. It's beautiful. Keep an eye on my site this fall for much more information, the cover, and more regarding THE LOST ONES.

**My first novel with Tim Lebbon, MIND THE GAP, will arrive from Bantam in May, 2008. Tim is one of the finest writers to appear in the fantasy and horror world in the past decade and I can't tell you how pleased I am with the result of our first collaboration. MIND THE GAP is an urban dark fantasy, a little bit of magic, a little bit a ghost story, and is the first book in a series of books we call THE HIDDEN CITIES, which are only thematically connected. We'll get under way with the second book, THE MAP OF MOMENTS, shortly, and already have several ideas for future volumes. MIND THE GAP is set in London and THE MAP OF MOMENTS in New Orleans.

**Earlier this year, I wrote a teen supernatural thriller called POISON INK. At the time of the writing, I hadn't seen or read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but recently saw the film with my kids. I've now taken to saying that POISON INK is sort of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with EVIL. Actually, the only similarity is that both involve a group of five girls of very different backgrounds and the way that a brush with magic changes their relationships with one another. In POISON INK, that brush is decidedly darker and more permanent than a funky pair of jeans. POISON INK hits in July, 2008 from Delacorte.

**And that brings us to now...At the moment, I'm writing another book aimed at teens--a darkly unpleasant story about spirits, life after death, priorities, and zombies called SOULLESS. MTV Books is the publisher, and my guess is that it'll hit around October, 2008. It's an insidious, gruesome bit of work that differs in several vital ways from most zombie stories. It's also an ensemble piece. But I'll save that conversation for another time, as this one's still brewing.

**Other things brewing include my short story collection and an anthology I've co-edited, but I'm not allowed to speak of such things yet, according to the publisher. One thing I can speak about is the incredibly beautiful limited edition hardcover edition of STRANGEWOOD, my favorite of all my novels. Earthing Publications will be putting it out at the very end of this year or the beginning of next as part of their Earthling Modern Classics series. Graham Joyce has done an introduction and Bentley Little and afteword, and the many illustrations by Richard Kirk are literally breathtaking. http://www.earthlingpub.com/cg_strangewood.htm



FILM & TELEVISION:

**Universal Pictures recently renewed their option on, and continue to develop, the feature film version of OUTCAST, based on the young adult series of the same name I wrote with Tom Sniegoski. At the moment, there isn't anything else I can reveal.

**Universal also continues to develop TALENT, based on the comic book miniseries I wrote with Sniegoski. A writer has been tapped for the project and he's got some pretty amazing credentials, but since Universal hasn't announced his name, I can't either.

**A third project co-written with Sniegoski is in development at another studio. Though it's the one that seems closest to coming to fruition (we have a director and a script), once again I'm forbidden to discuss it until someone else does so first. (All the secrecy stuff is frustrating, isn't it? More so for me than for you, I guarantee.)

**GHOSTS OF ALBION has been optioned for film and television by Celtic Rose Entertainment, an L.A. production company.

**More news, and details, forthcoming....



COMICS:

**Seriously, does it SOUND like I've had any time to devote to comics lately? As much as I love the medium and want to do more, other things have taken up my time. However, there are a couple of small news items...

**Boom! Studios has released the trade paperback of TALENT, the aforementioned miniseries written by Sniegoski and me and illustrated by Paul Azaceta.

**Archaia Studios has just announced that they'll be publishing THE SISTERHOOD, another collaboration with Sniegoski. More on release dates for THE SISTERHOOD soon, along with covers and preview art.



SIGNINGS:

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007--7pm....I'll be signing at the Barnes & Noble in Framingham, MA with writer Toni L.P. Kelner. This event serves a dual purpose, promoting both BALTIMORE, OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE (in stores 8/28) and the short story anthology MANY BLOODY RETURNS. Toni and I both wrote stories for MBR, but she also co-edited the book with Charlaine Harris.

Wednesday, September 19th, 7pm--Barnes & Noble in Kenmore Square, Boston (the Boston University Bookstore). Come spend some time in Beantown. Kenmore Square is easily accessible by T.

I'll have one or two others in October, and will send those on as soon as dates are confirmed. Also...

World Fantasy Convention--WFC is November 1-4 and this year is located in Saratoga Springs, NY. I'll be there all weekend. If you're in attendance, come up and say hello.



BALTIMORE REVIEWS:

"Starred Review. Prolific dark fantasist Golden’s popular style is impeccable, and horror comics creator Mignola’s copious illustrations confirm the tale’s dark atmosphere throughout. A new classic of vampire literature." -- Booklist

"Mignola and Golden create a haunting allegory on the nature of war, fusing the poignancy of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," the supernatural chills of Dracula and the horrors of WWI and the subsequent influenza epidemic . . .Stark monochrome illustrations from Mignola enhance this dramatic tale of war and fear." -- Publishers Weekly

"The lush, labyrinthine BALTIMORE evokes the best from two of our most gifted artists. Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola have created a book that will be enjoyed and admired for decades to come." -- Peter Straub

"I have admired Mike Mignola both as an artist and as a tremendous story teller pretty much since his career began. In this collaboration with Christopher Golden it's fair to say he surpasses himself. He and Golden have produced a witty classic of supernatural fiction." -- Michael Moorcock

"Baltimore is an old time rootin' tootin' sense of wonder story dragged through a modern blender, then slow baked in hell. I loved it. It was velvet bullet -- speedy and rich in sensation. Go boys, go." -- Joe R. Lansdale

"With Baltimore, Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden lay siege to the reader's imagination with a grim battalion of gothic images and a thunderous barrage of narrative artillery. This is not a novel: it's a war machine. Surrender immediately." -- Joe Hill, author of Heart-Shaped Box

"(Golden's) collaboration with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has apparently brought out the darkest sides of both men as Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire is one of the most haunting, exciting, and bleakest tomes either creator has done to date. And I loved every minute of it. An alternate reality the likes of which I've never seen before."--Dread Central

Patrice Duvic

I wish I were posting about anything else today. I wish some foolish bit of whimsy had brought me back here. Instead, it's grief once more, our intimate friend and nemesis.

I first began corresponding with Patrice Duvic some years ago when he bought several books of mine to be translated for publication in France. He was an editor who acquired for several publishers, and an author in his own right, though he hadn't done much writing of his own in a while. Patrice brought many horror writers to French audiences for the first time, including Graham Joyce, Bentley Little, and me. He had an unrivaled passion for the genre, and was surrounded with books at all times.

When, during our correspondence, Patrice learned I would be attending a convention in England, he suggested that I visit him in Paris and that he would arrange for a book signing for me there. I had agents there, and thought it a perfect opportunity to meet them as well as Patrice. He traveled to London to meet me, and we rode the Chunnel train back to Paris together, where he set me up in a small flat near the river that he used as an office and occasional sleeping quarters.

Patrice was a gracious host, but he was more than that. He was an instant friend. A kinder, gentler man I have never met. He had the casual irony and world weary wisdom of a man who has truly lived, and a kind of good-humored surrender to the ebb and flow of the world that I normally associate with clergy--though Patrice was hardly that. With his white hair, beard, and glasses, he looked more than a little like a professor, and I looked to him with the same respect I would any teacher with such experience.

My first night in Paris, alone in that flat after Patrice had gone, I suffered from terrible homesickness. But by day Patrice's company made me feel at home. We ate at outdoor cafes and he mocked my American culinary tastes, we sat together and talked as he smoked cigarette after cigarette.

The last time I saw him, at World Fantasy Convention in the fall of 2005, he looked unwell. We had dinner together, and I was so very happy to see him. He was simply one of those people you wished you could see all the time, whose company made you think and become inspired. He had just recovered from surgery related to cancer, which he reported as in remission. He had given up smoking. Too late, alas.

I've only just learned that Patrice died of cancer in February of this year. I wish I'd had more conversations with him. Many more. I'm so glad to have known him, and if you didn't, I'm sorry you will never have the chance.

"It is a one way ticket, my friend," he told me once, speaking of life, punctuating the words with the burning tip of his cigarette.

Patrice Duvic was 61 years old.
He is missed.

Bursts of Inspiration

Recently I traveled to Toronto for the World Horror Convention, making the road trip from Boston with my friends John McIlveen and Nate & Nicole Kenyon. You'd think after nine hours in the car, we'd want to kill each other. Chances are they were on the verge of beating me to death with my I-Pod or empty can's of John's MONSTER drink, but for my part, I had a wonderful time.

I spent much of the convention with friends I don't get to see often enough, because they don't live on the same continent (thoughtless and selfish, aren't they?). They know who they are, and how much I miss them, so I won't recap the whole weekend.

The point is this: whenever I attend such a gathering of writers, I come away inspired. I spend so much of my time at the computer, writing, and during those times it's just me and the keyboard. I've talked before about how solitary writing is. So when I get the chance to spend time with other writers, whether we're talking about our own books or someone else's, or about the business, or just about our lives, I always come back with a renewed energy and enthusiasm, ready to work.

To all of you who shared a moment or a drink or a rambling conversation in Toronto, I want to say thank you for the inspiration.

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I returned from Toronto and immediately put that enthusiasm to work on a couple of different projects. Tim Lebbon and I had already been working on MIND THE GAP, the first of our HIDDEN CITIES novels for Bantam Spectra. Now we're chugging along, tearing through it, and having a fantastic time. The story has a momentum we're both enjoying, so that it feels like the story really belongs to Jazz, the main character, and we're just along for the ride.

I'm also writing my stories for the five-author anthology FIVE STROKES TO MIDNIGHT. (Hank, I swear, I'll be done soon.) Two quiet, sorrowful tales of ghosts and legends, and one nasty, ugly monster story, right in the middle.

There's a great deal of news on the way, but not a lot I can say at the moment. I'm going to do my best to start blogging more, and more briefly, with short updates. It's going to be an incredibly busy year with the release of my novel with Mike Mignola--BALTIMORE--and a variety of other projects, including a short story collection.

I'll be back soon to talk about a new teen horror project, SOULLESS, and the next book I'll be doing for Bantam.

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READING: Joe Lansdale's LOST ECHOES (he's an American treasure..no one writes like Joe)
RECOMMENDING: Sarah Pinborough's THE TAKEN
LISTENING: Jonathan Coulton and Amy Winehouse (not together; that would just be weird)
WATCHING: The Shield, Entourage, Heroes, and all kinds of other stuff...and wishing Friday Night Lights would come back for a second season. Have I mentioned I watch too much TV?