Yes, that picture is me, in my undergrad days. I was probably somewhere between 20 and 21 years old when it was taken. And that ancient device in front of me? An electric typewriter.
In April 2010 I handed in Blackheart Man, the second novel in a three-book contract for Grand Central Publishing. It's a fantastical alternate history set in someplace similar to the Caribbean in the 18th century or so. Next stage of the process is for my editor to read it, decide whether she'll accept it (it was four years late, after all), and if so, to give me an editorial letter with her suggestions for rewrites. Once that's done, the novel will go into production. If not, my agent will be looking for a new publisher for it.
I have two more novels under contract. One is a young adult fantasy novel for the Margaret K. McElderry imprint of Simon & Schuster. Its working title is T'aint, and it's set in modern day Toronto. As part of my research for that one, I may need to take classes in clown dance, krumping and poppin. Anyone know of any good workshops in Toronto or elsewhere, I'd love to know. You can only learn so much from watching Rize and Stomp the Yard over and over. They'll probably laugh their faces off at a 48 year-old with fibroymalgia and bum knees even walking in the door, but I read of one krump workshop where the oldest person there was a 63 year-old grandma, so I take courage from that.
The final novel is an adult novel that will wrap up my three-book contract with Grand Central. I have two to choose from here. It'll either be Donkey, a fantasy novel set in contemporary Toronto, or Once (working title), an historical fantasy set in 19th century Toronto, Niagara Falls, and South Africa. It's got a circus, it's got cross-dressing, it's got daredevil stunts, Zulu warriors, princes, kings, and monsters. Much more than that, I do not know.
I'm also collaborating, very slowly, on a comic with David Findlay. Its working title is "Mr. Fox." I've never done a comic before, but neither has David, so maybe we can learn together.
