A Writer's Tale

I also began to write a novel with the working title, Gone. (I don’t think it came to much.) March 23 Melissa Singer called from Tor. She insisted that the problems with the Flesh contract were “clerical errors,” that there had been no intention of deceiving me. She also told me what the contract was supposed to say.

March 27 I signed the revised Tor contract for Flesh. Also, I started working on a new novel with the working title, Zombie. This would later become Resurrection Dreams.

April 12 We went to dinner at the restaurant, Scandia, with Dean and Gerda Koontz and Bob Tanner. At this dinner, Bob informed me that the U.S. agent, Ralph Vicinanza, would be willing to take me on as a client.

April 21 I answered interview questions provided by Charles DeLint.

May 8 I mailed the manuscript of Midnight’s Lair to my new U.S. agent, Ralph Vicinanza.

May 14 I received the on-sign payment for my contract with W.H. Allen for the British hardbound edition of Flesh.

May 18 I started work on the zombie story, “Mess Hall.”

June 2 Scholastic rejected my juvenile suspense novel, Night Skater.

July 28 I heard from Bob Tanner about an offer from Spain to do a film of The Woods are Dark. (Film was never made.)

July 29 At the law office, I received a raise to $11.50 per hour.

Aug. 6 My short story, “Mess Hall,” was bought by Skipp and Spector for their anthology, Book of the Dead.

Sept. 9 I finished writing my novel, Resurrection Dreams.

Sept. 10 On advice of Bob Tanner and my editor, I added a few pages to the ending of Midnight’s Lair to wrap things up.”

Sept. 11 I started a new novel. It had the working title, Troll. It would be published as Funland.

Oct. 1 EARTHQUAKE!!!! A 6.1 magnitude earthquake occurred at 7:45 a.m. while I was alone at the law offices in Glendale, not far from the epicenter. This quake inspired the major plot and certain scenes for my novel, Quake.

Oct. 4 AFTERSHOCK!!! A 5.5 magnitude aftershock hit at four o’clock in the morning.

Dec. 9 The contract arrived for the W.H. Allen edition of Midnight’s Lair, which would be published under the pseudonym, Richard Kelly.

Dec. 21 Ralph Vicinanza called with news that New American Library (Onyx) was interested in publishing Resurrection Dreams.

1988

Jan. 27 Bob Tanner called with news that W.H. Allen had made an offer for Resurrection Dreams.

Jan. 28 There was a brief flare-up of movie interest in The Cellar. (Film never made.) Feb. 4 Bob Tanner called with news that he had received a contract for a film version of Flesh. (Film never made.)

Feb. 8 Ralph Vicinanza called and asked me to send him an outline and sample chapters of Funland.

Feb. 11 I sent Ralph an outline and the first 440 pages of Funland.

March 26 I finished writing Funland.

March 28 I started working on a new novel. The working titles at different times were Finders Keepers and Vamp. This would eventually be published as The Stake, and would feature material inspired by the Bullhead City trip of February, 1987.

March 29 Ralph Vicinanza called with an offer from New American Library for the purchase of Resurrection Dreams ($9,000) and Funland ($11,000).

April 25 I received $1,350 for a film option of Flesh.

May 14-22 I wrote the short story, “The Bleeder,” for Chris Lacher, a friend I’d met through Gary Brandner’s writing group. Chris was the publisher of the magazine, New Blood.

May 20 I met Ralph Vicinanza when he came to town for the Nebula awards. He handed me the New American Library contracts for Resurrection Dreams and Funland.

May 23 Bob Tanner called with news of a film offer from Spain for The Cellar. (Film never made.)

May 27 “We had lunch at the Spaghetti Station in Anaheim with Bob Tanner and Mike Bailey, who were in town for the A.B.A. (The annual convention of the American Booksellers Association.)

June 9-19 I worked on a “stalker” story for Ed Gorman. It would be published as “The Hunt” in Stalkers.

June 24 - July 12 We went to New York City for the Horror Writers of America weekend. After leaving Manhattan, we visited Ann’s hometown, Clayton, on the St. Lawrence River for a couple of weeks.

July 16 I started working on a novel called Thin Air, also known as Madland. This story was based on an idea of mine that had been approved by John Silbersack of New American Library (Onyx) as appropriate for a “break out” book.

July 19 I received $2,700 in option money for The Cellar.

Aug. 4-10 I worked on revisions of Resurrection Dreams for New American Library.

Aug. 15 MY LAST DAY OF WORK AT THE LAW OFFICES!!! I RESUMED MY CAREER AS A FULL-TIME WRITER OF FICTION!!!