Gerald Dean Rice's Blog, page 42

Now that I’m Done…

So the principal edits have been completed on Anything but Zombies. Simon & Schuster has their own copy editors and proofreaders so I’m expecting to see some corrections in the near future, but I can comfortably say I’m done. Now I’m in the enviable position of being done with a major project and having any direction to go in and no direction particularly in mind, all those ideas that swam into my head that I had to keep pushing aside can be properly considered. I probably should go back to editing Axe to the Face. I love the story and want to see it out there, but it’s pretty much been on ice for like a year (I remember walking the dog in the summer last year and dictating at the same time). I’d say I have no fewer than five ideas I’d like to write right now.

I’m not considering writing a sequel to Vamp-Hire until I see how the first one performs when it’s published in February. I do have an idea where I’d like that story to go, but I’m loathe to put anything down on paper for fear of feeling like I’m locking anything in.

Do I write the sequel to Fleshbags? Or work on that idea for a follow-up to The Prophet? I love both stories, but I think those need to marinate a while too. I sat down with my notebook and jotted down some ideas for two possible stories that have been stirring through my mind the last few months. There’s every likelihood it’ll be one of those two, but I also have an idea to reboot my Returned series as a three-novel trilogy. I might even revisit my blog series DethM8.

I’m not going to announce what I’m doing until I’m past the point of no-return with it. Again, I don’t want to feel like I’m locked in without truly being locked in. But the up side is I’ll be around to blog more. At least for now.

 

Hey, why not check out a book or two while you are here? If you’re looking for something other than a zombie, might I suggest Where the Monsters Are?

And come back tomorrow for my review of Tony Harrington and Wyatt Adams’ Lamb of God.

How About Bob? #TheWalkingDead

Well, vile doesn’t begin to describe the end of Sunday night’s episode. But before I get to that I’d like to acknowledge the The Wire connection:

Hopefully, after Boardwalk Empire has its series finale we can get  to play a one-man, zombie-killin’ army.

But it goes to show you with The Walking Dead, anytime things seem too happy, too content, something really bad is just around the corner. I don’t think anyone thought Rick and Company had killed all the cannibals, but I honestly thought it would take them a little bit longer to regroup. Like maybe until episode 6 or somewhere around the mid-season finale.

I think it’s obvious where one thing is going. It was set up nicely early on in this episode. Bob, ever the optimist, put a silver lining around every cloud Sasha could throw at him. Then Bob gets bitten by a walker in that basement. Yes, Bob got bitten. After he steps outside the church to have himself a little cry he’s just realized the grand ole time everyone else is having isn’t for him. Cue the cannibals. They eat his leg and give him his silver lining. He was going to die anyway, now at least he’s slowed them down with tainted meat.

I thought Terminus would be a major place throughout this season and it was dashed in the season opener. I think the same is going to happen with these cannibals. The mystery is how Morgan is going to be a big player this season.

Can’t Wait to See This @T_Double #rzp

As you all know by now, I’ve signed a contract with Atria, a division of Simon and Schuster, to edit an anthology for them. Occasionally, I like to do a search on myself to see what’s new or interesting. Apparently, I’ve died again, but then there’s also this:

I clicked on the link, but it doesn’t work yet. Looking forward to seeing what’s in it. And in case you were wondering, yes, you can pre-order Anything but Zombies. Just click this link!

Sorry, what was that? Oh, you need zombies right now? Well, then download a copy of The Zombie Show or Fleshbags. Only $2.99!

And amidst the controversy over at Permuted Press, I’m thinking about unshelving Axe to the Face. Vamp-Hire‘s release date has been pushed back to February, so I think I need something that’ll make a good eStocking stuffer for Christmas.

#TheWalkingDead: Tree Symbols Morgan Saw Will Soon be Explained

Okay, I saw the premier episode of season 5, but I completely missed this in the end credits. So I’m going to have to defer to another site instead of posting my own comments. This is provided, courtesy of Wetpaint.com

Morgan Jones (Lennie James) saw funky marks on a tree in the extra scene after the credits on The Walking DeadSeason 5 premiere. The marks were located just behind the Terminus sign that had been adapted by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) to read “NO Sanctuary.”

Here’s something you may not have known, though: AMC posted a rundown of the first episode, and they noted a big time jump for this particular scene:

“Months after Rick’s escape from Terminus, a masked stranger marches down the railroad tracks. He stops to see the Terminus sign Rick modified, and hangs his head. He removes his mask. It’s Morgan.”

To see the end credits clip, click here.

Looking for a great read this Halloween? Download The Best Night of the Year; 3 scary tales for only $0.99!

Read the rest here.

Did You Stay ’til the End? #TheWalkingDead

I didn’t. And I missed this:

@PurveyorOfProse on Indie Publishing & Crowdfunding for “The Onestop Apocalypse Shop”

“Publishing isn’t in the dire straits that some would have you believe, but just like the music business we are all trying to figure it out. Consumers are still buying books. The big five are scrambling to figure out how to do more because their overhead is so massive, and if I can be totally honest, you’ve got a lot of people in big publishing who have become complacent. They’re missing opportunity because they aren’t nimble enough.”

Read the full article on Scifipulse.net.

Tom Hanks launches a writing app for iPad that mimics the typewriter

Well, the app itself obviously isn’t from the 19th century, but it’s meant to mimic a technology that first came to use in the late 1800′s: the typewriter, and it even has the look and sound (if not the feel) of those charming old devices.

It was created by Tom Hanks (yes, THAT Tom Hanks) and it’s called… read more here.

Big Announcement! & Win the ‘Sickest. Zombies. Ever’. #rzp #bookboost #iart

Want a free Kindle copy of the novella Zombiephiles.com calls the ‘Sickest. Zombies. Ever.’? Like my most recent post on my fan page and you could be 1 of 3 winners. I will be doing the Rafflecopter giveaway this Friday. Read for yourself what other people are saying about Fleshbags.

I’m doing this because I have a HUGE announcement to make. It’s been some time in the works (actually going back to January), but I’ve signed a deal with the Simon and Schuster imprint Atria to edit my very first anthology titled Anything but Zombies! due summer 2015. I’ve assembled an awesome group of writers–as a matter of fact, I’m surprised I got them all. Armand Rosamilia, Jeff Strand, and Tonia Brown just to name a few. This comes in addition to my first YA novel coming in November from Permuted Press.

What’s that you say? You’d prefer a printed copy? That actually has two stories. Fleshbags and The Zombie Show. One lucky winner will receive a signed copy.

This year is going to round out quite nicely with more stuff lining up for next year and beyond. I have other things in the works, but my two new babies come first. So get on board now, maybe win yourself a free book. Hurry, before I become a complete snob and completely ignore you.

My Next Novel #rzp @PermutedPress

Okay, so you haven’t heard anything from me in a while. That’s because over the last couple weeks I’ve been hard at work on two major projects, one of which I can talk about now. Late last year, I signed a deal with Permuted Press to pen my first YA novel, titled Vamp-Hire. It’s about a half human, half vampire who has to do odd jobs to make ends meet.

I’ll talk more about it in the coming months, but it’s due out 11/11/14 and I’ve just finished the last round of edits. Those were tough, but that’s a good thing because Felicia Sullivan is a really great editor. I wouldn’t mind her editing all my stuff.

I’ll talk about the other project soon enough. In the meantime, checkout Where the Monsters Are. It’s only $0.99.

@actuallyNPH May Join #AmericanHorrorStory

Neil Patrick Harris’ wish to appear in “American Horror Story: Freak Show” is co-creator Ryan Murphy’s command.

Harris told EW Radio that he penned a letter to Murphy asking to be on the new season of the FX series.

Read the rest here.

Have you read Where the Monsters Are? Download a copy for 99¢ on Amazon. Just click the link: http://bit.ly/monstersarehere