Been a long while since I made any updates here. Believe me, it wasn’t for lack of trying. In addition to the day job, the freelance work, and the writing in 2016, I’ve been going through a bitter and contested divorce and custody battle. Not the sort of divorce where I need anyone’s sympathy, but the kind where congratulations are in order. It’s been a long time coming. Needless to say, it’s been complicated and has eaten up a ton of my time. I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, though.

I’m now firmly entrenched in the brand new Central Vermont Chateau Gilmour, free of the offending former spouse. It’s an eighty-six year old Victorian duplex (I’ve got one side of the building), and the location is surprisingly quiet for being right in a city of close to sixty thousand people. But I’m at the end of a dead-end street, with a steep tree-covered hill at the dead end, and a babbling brook behind my back yard. Walking distance from the public library, but far enough from Main Street that I don’t hear any of the noise from the occasional New England summer festival or the thumping bassline from some wannabe gangbanger with the lowrider pickup truck with undercarriage neon lights and no muffler.

My personal library, which was previously split between the wall of a rented office space and a tiny room in the former abode is now reunited and happily organized (40% of which is shown here). I’ve got the space and quiet and serenity at last, to be able to spend the rest of the year getting back on track.

Lots of great things coming this year. Short stories, a professional comic book series from American Gothic Press, more webcomics, some novel announcements, and with a whole lot of luck, the release of the long delayed Frozen—although I’m seriously considering changing the title on that one now. When I planned it sixteen years ago, the title would have been great. Now it’s got some issues, as you might imagine.

For the moment, the shiny thing I’m excited about is issue #35 of Dark Discoveries magazine, seen here with its spiffy cover art featuring my fellow New Englander, Joe Hill. I was surprised and honored when the editors got in touch and asked me for an original short story (“One Hundred Chances for Glory”) for their Military Horror themed “War and Apocalypse” issue. In addition, the issue also has a lengthy interview with me and Jeremy Robinson, talking all things Chess Team and collaboration. Plus, there’s some cool kid named Joe Hill featured inside, with an excerpt from his new novel, The Fireman. You’ll also find fiction from Nick Mamatas, Ann Christy, A. Scott Glancy, Angela Slater, and Gary Raisor, plus lots of other features and interviews, including some wise words from my friend: editor and author Geoff Brown, from Cohesion Press (who put out the excellent SNAFU: Survival of the Fittest, with my short story “Show of Force”). So pick it up at your favorite chain bookstore on their shelves, order it from your favorite independent bookstore, or stay online and order it direct from the publisher, Journalstone, right here. The issue should be available now.

In ten days, issue #1 of the ISLAND 731 comic book adaptation should be hitting your local comic book stores. They’ll be taking orders for Issue #2 (released in October) right now. But I’ll remind everyone when it’s out.