Rockets, Whiskey, and Zombies (Weekend Report)

(Image to the left courtesy of Nick Roberts)

This weekend, I finished up the final draft of a story for Cemetery Dance (called “Musings”) and completed plotting out the last two story-arcs for The Last Zombie.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the comic coming to an end. There is sadness that it’s almost over, but I’m also eager to write these final two installments. Titled The Last Zombie: Eat the Rich and The Last Zombie: The End, they have been a delight to plot. I’m ecstatic about the twists and surprises in store. You’re going to dig them.

Again, I can’t stress enough — issue #5 of The Last Zombie: Before the After has one of the biggest cliffhangers of my career. If the ending to The Rising infuriated you, just wait until you see this.

And when it’s over, that really will be all I have to say about zombies. I can’t see myself ever writing about them again (except for Ob’s appearance in the forthcoming The Labyrinth series).

Photo courtesy of Martina Gona

Also this weekend, I watched Geoff Cooper get his Level II Rocket Certification by launching a 7-foot tall, 30 pound rocket (called The Goblin) from a sod farm near Ocean City, Maryland. Coop built the rocket himself, and it was truly a breathtaking and awesome spectacle. Congrats to him for the achievement.

And if you haven’t yet, check out Coop’s latest collection, Answers of Silence, available along with my own Sundancing and Earthworm Gods II: Deluge as part of the Maelstrom III set. Click here to purchase a set.

Here’s some video of the launch, courtesy of Jeff Heimbuch.

As impressive as that is, it was even more impressive in person.

After Coop’s launch, I headed down to the outskirts of Washington D.C. to meet up with Nick Mamatas, his wife Olivia, his sister Teddie, and John Scalzi. Had a nice dinner, and then we made a brief appearance at a Scotch-tasting party where I sampled a lovely Japanese whiskey. (I’m a bourbon guy, but could certainly learn to appreciate Japanese scotch). Nick and I needed to get a dust-jacket photo for Thunderstorm Books’ forthcoming limited edition hardcover version of The Damned Highway, which will feature bonus material not available in the paperback or digital editions. (Look for that early next year). So Scalzi supervised while Olivia took a photo of us and Teddie took a photo of Olivia taking a photo of us. It was all very meta.

Photo courtesy of Teddie Mamatas

This week, it’s back to being a Dad, being a boyfriend, and buckling down on some comic book pitches that are due, along with a final polish of that final draft for Cemetery Dance, and continuing pressing on with The Lost Level. Next weekend, I’m heading out to Colorado with Coop, Mike Oliveri, John Urbancik, and Michael T. Huyck to visit Tom Piccirilli and Michelle Scalise. I’m guessing updates here will be sporadic as a result. As always, hit me up on Twitter if you have a question.