Okay, quick check-in:

- My short story FIGHT is out now in 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOODSUCKER TALES #2. Issues #1 and #2 are available at your local comic shop or online through the publisher. There are discussion threads on Niles' board and the IDW forum.

- SLAYERS 3 ran a *month* over-deadline, which mortified me. Clearly, I could not handle that book with my current schedule. On the bright side, I realized that after SLAYERS 2 and had already resigned before I began the 3rd book. So at least my guilt was partly assuaged by what I figured to be the Responsible Action. Had it been my only assignment during the same time frame, it would've been no problem - but there was just too much to juggle. I'm still on good terms with Nicole and have recommended a couple possible replacements -- oh and the Amazon reviews on the first book are pretty good, so I guess all is well. I'll miss Lina and Nicole -- and it was a great gig for me, uh, developmentally (meaning that I learned more about my process and what I'm capable of), but I'm glad to be done with it.

- Regular books are up-to-date (SENSUAL PHRASE, GIRL GOT GAME and KARE FIRST LOVE) and my newest property, DOUBT!!, is running close, but it's on-time so far, too. Sadly, the super-special-bells-and-whistles Viz book that I can't yet name is running behind because of the SLAYERS delay, so my stomach is still in knots. The holiday didn't help get me caught up either. Oy.

- SENSUAL PHRASE VOLS 1 and 2 are going into their second printings. Woo!

- I've gotten some really nice mail on DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS and a few letters about Tatsumi's name change. If you found this site googling for info on that, take heart: a) it wasn't me! I didn't do it! and b) it's being corrected for subsequent volumes. Presumably if Volume 1 goes to a 2nd printing (and I'm sure it will) corrections will be made there. If you don't know what I'm talking about, consider yourself blessed. (As a reminder, I left that book after Volume 3, so any mail on subsequent volumes needs to go to the new staff.)

- Got a lead on a big new project for next year, but don't want to end up back in this position so I need to wait until GIRL GOT GAME is done (one volume left to adapt) before I pursue that too enthusiastically.

- ELEANOR is still on the back-burner until I have more time, as are the books with Nikol. When next I have a few minutes I want to see if I can get a short story down on paper that's been swimming around in my head for a while. It's about a womanizing arachnologist and I need to talk to Chris Ryall and find out if he's got a spot for it.

- I just turned down an invite to submit to NERVE's Christmas issue and I'm bummed. But there was not way I was going to have the time. C'est la vie, I suppose. On the upside, I referred them to Gina Kaufmann for one of their special issues and I'll let you know as soon as her piece gets posted.

Okay, that's all, I guess. Sounds dour, doesn't it? I promise to be in better spirits next week.

On the upside, I had a wonderful visit with my family and My First Traditional Thanksgiving At Our House went off without a glitch.