A Writer's Tale

Aug. 4 I mailed the short story, “Opening Night,” to Playboy magazine. Also mailed the short story, “Pick Up” to Woman’s World. Both stories were rejected.

Aug. 5 I started work on a novel with the working title, The Dump, which I ‘was trying to write in collaboration ‘with the mystery writer, Robert Colby.

Aug. 10 My young adult horror manuscript, Nightmare Lake, was bought by Dell. It would be published as part of the Twilight series under the pseudonym, Carl Laymon.

Oct. 12 I wrote a letter to Jay Garon informing him that I’d happened upon a paperback version of Modern Masters of Horror. Though it contained my story, “The Champion,” I’d never received payment for any paperback version. Was this a foreshadowing of things to come?

Sept. & October Throughout these months, I divided most of my time between The Dump and Curse. Toward the end of October, however, I got dragged back into Hollywood Goons for some major revisions.

Nov. Mostly, I worked on The Dump and Curse,

Dec. 4 After doing my final work on The Dump, I quit the project.

Dec. I worked the rest of the month on Curse.

Jan. 27 I finished writing the first draft of Curse.

Jan. 29 New English Library bought Beware! and Night Show.

Jan. 31 I started work (again) on my sequel to The Cellar, which I was calling Cellar E.

Feb. 1 I changed the title of Curse to Tread Softly with Care. Feb. 4 I mailed Tread Softly with Care to Jay Garon.

Feb. 9 I had a meeting with Lynn Rudman about William Morris interest in film version of Out Are the Lights. (Nothing ever came of it.)

March 10 I mailed a revision of Tread Softly to Garon.

March 18 Mailed a Hollywood Goons revision to Garon.

March 22 My short story, “A Place Called Joe’s,” was accepted by Mel Cebulash, publisher of the “Fastbacks” at Pitman Learning.

March 29 My short story, “Cardiac Arrest,” was accepted by Mel Cebulash.

April 14 My short story, “Dawson’s City,” was bought by Mel Cebulash.

May Mostly spent working on Cellar II.

May 6 My major revision of Hollywood Goons ‘was rejected by the Hollywood goons.

May 16 My short story, “Intruder,” was bought by Mel Cebulash. June Nearly all month was spent working on Cellar II.

June 28 I mailed short story, “Chopper,” to Mel. It was later rejected.

July 8 My short story, “Night Ride,” was bought by Mel. July 27 My short story, “Live Bait,” was bought by Mel.

Aug. 9 Ann and I started collaborating on a non-fiction satirical book about auto driving Driving Me Nuts.

Aug. 11 I sent letters to Aaron Priest; Paul R. Reynolds Inc.; Knox Berger Associates; Bill Berger Associates; and Michael Larsen/ Elizabeth Pomada. I explained that I was looking for a new literary agent to handle my work, and told them about my background.

For one reason or another, I would end up staying with Jay Garon for another two years.

Aug. 22 Getting a positive response from Aaron Priest, I sent him the manuscript of Tread Softly. I also started hunting for a job.

Aug. 25 We finished Driving Me Nuts.

Sept. 1 I mailed Driving Me Nuts to Martin Asher of Long Shadow Books. It was rejected. (It remains unpublished.)

Sept. 7 I signed up with Thomas Temps to work as an “office temporary” worker.

Sept. 9-16 I worked 4:30 p.m. to midnight at a joint called “Mileage Plus” counting up people’s frequent flier miles.

Sept. 20-23 I did some sort of un-rememberable office work at a place called Ticor.

Oct. 3 Mel Cebulash of Pitman bought three more short stories, “Guts,” “Bait,” and “The Lonely One.”

Oct. 3-7 I worked at UCLA Medical Center Surgical Pathology reporting office where I learned the meaning of “necrotic tissue.”

Oct. 13 I finished the first draft of Cellar II later to be published as Beast House, (For you up-and-coming writers out there… yes, I was working on a novel all along while I worked at the temp jobs and on the short stories for Mel. It’s the only way to go-) Oct. 19 I received contracts from Jay Garon for two contemporary romantic suspense novels to be packaged by James Bryans (same packager as The Lawmen), and to be published by Blue Heron Press. I was to get $500 per novel. I needed the money.

Nov. 9-16 I worked as an office temporary at a place called Technical Books.

Dec. 1 I worked as an office temporary at Budget Furniture.

Dec. 6 - Jan. 27 I worked as an office temporary at General Telephone in Santa Monica, where I would eventually be offered full-time employment. Which I turned down. I aimed to remain a writer, not become an employee of the telephone company.

Dec. 11 I finished the first and only draft of the romantic contemporary suspense novel, A Stranger’s Arms.