An interesting article about why we love horror.

People use Trekkie or Trekker to refer to Star Trek fans. Is there a nickname for true crime fans? #truecrime

This is a total scream.

Currently fiercely revising Intrusion Zone, a YA Chicano dark fantasy. I intend to send it to my beta readers by the first week of May. Lockdown knocked me down, but now, every second of the day, I am back.

My cosmic-horror-kissed, YA dark fantasy, Intrusion Zone is out with beta readers. They’re mostly writers from my critique group. I look forward to their feedback!

Corwin was the sweetest cat I ever knew. He was much loved, and returned this love with a faithful, humbling intensity. He reached the age of 16 years and 9 months. His end was about as good as one could expect.

I’ve received feedback for Intrusion Zone from two beta readers. Both are members of Westside Weird, my critique group, and I’m excited to study their suggestions. I expect to receive responses from two to four more beta readers. Finding a good critique group is invaluable.

On the right, Brandie June, author of Magic at the Grand Dragonfly Theater, at The Ripped Bodice, in Culver City. It was a great event. Book signing is still going on!

I just sent 100 pages of my cosmic-horror-kissed YA dark fantasy novel, Intrusion Zone, along with a synopsis, to an agent whom I successfully pitched last summer. Getting it out the door before Halloween and El Día de los Muertos felt great. Fingers crossed.

Día de Los Muertos altar at a local school here in L.A.

Last 10/31 and 11/1, I sent a synopsis and varying numbers of pages of my YA dark fantasy novel, Intrusion Zone, to agents whom I’d previously pitched. The first response just arrived. It’s a rejection that reads like a form letter, but which is better than no response at all.

I’m at Loscon, at the LAX Hilton, enjoying the Realism Versus Literary License panel.

Telling Your Story, the second panel I’m attending at Loscon 51 at the LAX Hilton. This one’s about how much your writing should draw from real life experience. Check out the name tags for author names.

My brother, Stefan, teaching our niece, Rose, how to make tamales as my dad (and his) supervises.

Cats and dogs even drink water differently.

Immense bravery and compassion.

I just cancelled pitch sessions with several agents. I learned about publishing before Lockdown, but have only truly realized that the ecosystem has changed. I’ll be self publishing Intrusion Zone this summer. That’s my goal. No messages, please. I won’t respond to pitches.

What are the characteristics of a winning book cover? What would make you pick up the book just by seeing the cover art?

What constitutes a clear difference between dark fantasy and horror? I’m getting ready to find ARC readers and my novel, Intrusion Zone, and am not sure how to categorise it. No DMs, please. I’m not in the market for pitches.