That’s me several years ago in my favorite dress. But counting back from 2021 twenty years or so, I looked a little different (which has no bearing on my essay here). This is about the novel I’m writing. It has taken me more than twenty years. I started writing the novel that I am now close to finishing in 2001. Its working title was Warm Heart, you know–Cold hands, warm heart–which had nothing to do with the story. Its inception (the novel’s) is interesting, however.
My sister and I attended the 2001 World Horror Convention in Denver, Colorado. By far that event has been the best writers experience I have ever had. (Bouchercon a couple of years back was also great). We were probably the only two fans in attendance, everyone else was a published novelist or short story writer. We met just about everyone. Everyone was nice to us. And best of all, right from the beginning we made a couple of temporary friends in a Canadian horror writer and a gay anthologist who we kept going from session to session with. They hosted us at their table during the awards ceremony. That’s how nice they were. I’ve still got a picture.
We talked with Harlan Ellison. We surprised Peter Straub with the admission that The Hellfire Club was one of our favorite books–“But you look so nice!”–he said, a shocked expression on his face. We saw Neil Gaiman walk though the halls. We met David Morrell, Ellen Datlow, Edward Bryant, Steve and Melanie Tem, and many, many more of the best writers on earth. And we sat at a table with artist Rick Lieder. This artist is why I’ve got the book I’m writing on this year.
I bought two paintings from Rick Lieder at this convention. And I came home from Denver so stoked with writing enthusiasm that I used one of these paintings as a writing prompt. It’s a steam train. By looking at that steam train, I got my setting, I got my time period, and I got my main character and opening scene. Plus a lousy title I don’t plan to keep.
Back in 2001 I wrote about 30,000 words of a horror novel I was proud of, and then I just stopped. The story had got away from me and I couldn’t figure out how to fix it. So, in a drawer it sat. I knew better than to throw it away.
About four or five years ago I passed it around to my writing critique group. And then I put it back in a drawer. Where it stayed until 2021. Now I’m actively writing it, and almost done.
This is a warning along the lines of do what I say, not what I do. Don’t leave projects unfinished. If I’d continued writing it back in 2001 who knows what might have happened. It was quite good, as much as I finished.
What’s really interesting now is how the book is playing out. This is a totally different book than the one I started writing. Is is better? Probably. I will never know. Am I going to go back and dig up the one other project I started and abandoned decades before 2001? Maybe. It’s not something I recommend. It’s better to go forward than to go back.
Okay. End of my short cautionary piece. I wish I’d have finished my book long ago. And you will too if you make a habit of abandoning stories.
What to take from this: science fiction conventions, fantasy conventions, horror conventions, and mystery conventions are great ways to learn your craft, to meet the best of the best, and to make friends
So, next year, or the next, when the covid virus has been tamed, get out and go to the local science fiction conventions and the comic cons. Lots to learn there and plenty of people to meet.
In the mean time, get vaccinated, wear masks, and be cautious.
And finish those projects.