New Orleans World Horror Convention Wrap Up

I spent last week in New Orleans, attending the World Horror Convention. In addition to making some new friends, I also pitched my book and sat in on several great panel discussions that taught me a lot about the market and about genre publishing.

The Hotel Monteleone

Fantastic Swag from the WHC

 

Video of some of the things I saw/did in New Orleans

The pitch sessions went extremely well. I've sent off my manuscript to three different people, and now the waiting begins. Hopefully, I'll know something in a month or so.

In the meantime, I'm going to be working on Book 2 (still untitled), and trying to get ahead on that while I've got my momentum going. I also want to get as much done as possible before the summer is over. Once the fall semester starts, I'll have to slow down a little on my writing once more in order to keep up with my other obligations.

The next book has already been outlined, and I've written up a plan for the chapters. Of course, as I write, the characters may lead me in ways I haven't anticipated, but that's what I love. I have some new characters added into the mix that I think people will really enjoy, and I'm doing a great deal of research to prep my mind for what lies ahead.

• Of course, I've got a lot of background info for my characters. I never like to be too tied to literal facts when the story can benefit from embellishment, but I do think it's absolutely essential to read as much as I can about the real lives of the people I'm writing about before I just start making stuff up. Then again, they are vampires, so you can't expect everything to be factual in every detail. This is fiction, not biography.
• I'm also going to be taking a course in forensics over the fall semester, which I'm extremely excited about. I've already bought the book and have taken tons of notes, poring through it in detail. I think it will enhance what I've already written and open up new avenues throughout the series.
  

The entire experience left me feeling even more energized to keep working and improving and moving forward with the next part of the story. I hope that in the next few weeks and months to have some exciting news. Whether or not a publishing deal comes out of the convention, I'm more determined than ever that if those three people aren't interested, I will find the folks who are. Patience and hard work will eventually pay off.