Tag Archives: Writing Journal

Adrift in the Boat of Ra

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Photo copyright 2013 Weston Ochse

Yes. Don’t let the lack of updates fool you. I’m still alive. Just busy working.

Author Weston Ochse is about to be deployed again, so me and fellow authors Drew Williams and M. Stephen Lukac gave him a little send-off this past weekend — which can best be summed up by this quote from Weston himself: “Here we are, four middle-aged white guys, driving through the backwoods of Pennsylvania and complaining about the current state of hip-hop.”

Last Week: Finished the scripts for The Last Zombie: The End #1 through #3, and some of new novel The Lost Level.

This Week: Scripts for The Last Zombie: The End #4 and #5, and some of new novels The Lost Level and Hole In The World.

I’ve also been reading through these manuscripts for review. If you haven’t yet received yours in the mail, you should by the end of the month.

Twas the night after Christmas…

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Copyright 2012 by Tod Clark

Copyright 2012 by Tod Clark

To the left, pre-reader Tod Clark and his lovely wife Suzin, representing during their Christmas trip to Hawaii.

Another holiday has come and gone. I was lucky enough this year to spend it with both of my sons, but now it’s over and I’m back to work.

The holiday ebook sale is over, too. Thanks to everyone who participated. Many of you are wondering where the ebooks Deadite Press promised would be out in time for Christmas are. I don’t know. I have the same information you have. So stop asking me. Continue reading →

Works In Progress

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MUSINGS (short story for Cemetery Dance Four Killers anthology)

THE LOST LEVEL (Lost world-styled novel for Apex Book Company)

HOLE IN THE WORLD (Labyrinth-related novel for Camelot Books)

APOCRYPHA (book for former newsletter subscribers)

WITH TEETH (Vampire novel for Cemetery Dance)

SUBURBAN GOTHIC (Sequel to Urban Gothic, for Deadite Press)

Rockets, Whiskey, and Zombies (Weekend Report)

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(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. Continue reading →

Catching Up

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To the left, a scale model miniature office that Mary made for my birthday. By hand. Including tiny little whiskey bottles, a tiny humidor with miniscule cigars inside, and tiny copies of every book I’ve ever written (including their covers). Again, all by hand. It’s one of the most thoughtful, delightful, moving, and creative birthday presents I’ve ever received.

Speaking of creativity, here’s an update on works in progress, upcoming releases, Lifetime Subscriptions, and the Ghoul screenplay book.

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A Grim, Bleak, and Nihilistic Happy Place

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My contributor copies of The Last Zombie: Before the After #1 arrived yesterday. Mary read it last night and commented on how grim it was. I told her that was merely the set-up, and that things were about to get very bad for our characters.

In truth, this new story-arc, and the story-arc that will follow, contain what I feel is some of the bleakest and most nihilistic stuff I’ve ever written. Ian’s continuing deterioration and the subsequent catalyst it provides for a final showdown between him and Federman, Russo and Ananti’s flashbacks (which involve everything from spousicide to a zombie chewing its way through a maternity ward), the loneliness expressed by Planters and Fulton in response to Johnson’s new relationship, the madman who now runs Chicago — these are characters and situations with decidedly unhappy endings. Continue reading →

How To Write 80,000 Words In A Weekend

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This past weekend was designated as a writing marathon, meaning all I did during my waking hours was write. This is not a normal mode of operation for me, but after a month-long and much-needed vacation, I’m behind on deadlines and had to get caught up on things.

On Friday, I wrote 40,000 words. Unfortunately, I posted about it on Twitter, and in doing so, caused a minor stir. Many people were happy for me (and I thank them). A few were skeptical. And still others were unsure of what that actually meant — “40,000 words in one day”. So, for this week’s writing journal installment, here’s a lengthier explanation (not confined to Twitter’s 140 character limit) of exactly what it means and how I did it and why you may or may not want to try it yourself sometime. Continue reading →

A Report From The Casting Couch

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Director Jeff Heimbuch, Star Matthew Blazi, FX Director Mike Lombardo, and Key Grip J.F. Gonzalez

Director Jeff Heimbuch, Actor Matthew Blazi, Special Effects Designer Mike Lombardo, and Key Grip J.F. Gonzalez

This weekend, I worked a little bit on The Lost Level and the script for The Last Zombie: Before the After #2. But mostly, I worked in my role as executive producer of Fast Zombies Suck – the first film from Drunken Tentacle Productions. An executive producer basically does two things — finance and bankroll the majority of the project, and make sure all the trains are running on time.

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