14 April '08
Gothic Tweed, more Jack ramblings, and Tim Schafer

My next book may be a return to the world of prep schools and precocious teens. It won’t be another “Gothic Tweed” tale as The Buffalo News labeled my first book. But I’ll stick with that label for now because it was so spot-on for Gods, and it suggests my first novel was the harbinger of a new genre. Flattering, of course. Accurate for my next book? Not so much.

Provided I can make it past the first few chapters—the equivalent of leaving a Spartan child on the mountainside and letting it fend for itself—I’d like to finish this as-yet untitled Gothic Tweed novel quickly. Figure six months, give or take a year. I’m in a rush because I’ll need a clear desk to start work on the sequels and prequels to Jack the Bastard.

Sequels? Prequels? That’s right—I’ve stolen a page (or several) from Zatoichi and Lone Wolf and Cub. Most stories are fit for one book, some require two or three sequels, and a rare few demand a world made flesh. JTB falls into the latter category. I’ve already added a novella to the JTB canon, an urban chambara titled Harlem Shogun. We’ll see where that tale of bloody satisfaction ends up.

My essay "Weird Science" will be in the May 11th issue of Boston Globe magazine. I’ll link the text on the Essay page.

One other thing. Game designer Tim Schafer is one of my gaming industry heroes, and his upcoming title Brütal Legend looks incredible. Heavy metal roadie vs. demons. What more do you need?