Kevin Lucia

Anyone who knows me knows I've been keeping odd hours since about August.  Sensing the amount of work before me - new high school teaching gig, Grad School in one of the best Creative Writing programs around, a new column in the city paper, and my own writing endeavors - I realized that I had to start conditioning myself to go to bed early, and get up early to get any work done. Consequently, I'm in bed by nine PM, up by three AM.

It's worked wonderfully. I've got so much more work done that I thought I would, and the quiet (we have a 3 and 1 year old) has been a blessing. Of course, I'm now addicted to writing at our kitchen table, and have a really hard time writing anywhere else. That's okay, Stephen King his first several novels on a small desk, next to his washer and dryer in a cramped laundry room

Hopefully this summer I'll be able to ease off the early morning rising, because I found a job writing web content for my college, and will be able to do all the work at home....which means my schedule will be up to me. So far, it's been nice. The other day, I wrote nearly 10 pages of Hiram Grange longhand at Barnes & Noble, and discovered the wonders of a Mint Mocha Chip chilled Frappuchinno. Splendid.

Yesterday I had a good day of writing, I imagine I will today as well, except I got distracted by Dean Koontz's new novel, Odd Hours. That's okay. As far as distractions go, not bad at all.  I should be unreasonably blessed to write a quarter as good as Dean.

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So, there I was at the gas station the other day, stopping to buy some Monster Lo-Carbs, (they were on sale), when the cashier starts up the following conversation:

Her: "You look like that guy in the newspaper."

Me: "Really? What guy?"

Her: "I don't know; his picture is always in the paper. He's a journalist, or something."

Me: "Oh? Does he write book reviews?" wink, wink

Her: totally not getting the hint. "Yeah, I think so."

Me: Big smile. "I am that guy."

Her: "Oh." looks thoughtful, but slightly unimpressed now that she knows the book guy is just one her regular customers from Castle Creek. "You must read a lot. Ever read Dean Koontz?"

So there you go. That, and the other day Ray Garton emailed me to thank me for a review, said someone from my hometown read my review in the paper, emailed him, and now wants to read his other stuff.

Wow. Just when I think no one actually reads my column....

Anyway, just a little update on Hiram Grange - as some of you know, I had the good fortune recently to be selected to write a novella entitled Hiram Grange & The Chosen One for Shroud Publishing's upcoming dark fantasy novella series, The Hiram Grange Chronicles. I'm very excited about this opporunity, (a bit scared, too, honestly), as it's my biggest opportunity to date.

Anyway, I've focused on the short stories for the last year and a half, and between stories I often take breaks. With Hiram, of course, I haven't - just been writing straight through. Plus, as my craft has improved, (I think it has, at least), I've noticed a little development in my process: to write something really good, I absolutely HAVE to write it long hand first. I simply can't just sit down at the computer and type away, I need to write several pages by hand first, until I feel like I'm wandering a bit, and then I go type it. I'm adding an extra draft in this process, and it's making my work read so much better, but....

MY HAND IS FREAKIN' KILLING ME!

My wrist, in particular, which I broke in several places playing college basketball.  I literally have had to dose up on Advil and ice the dang thing down, morning and night.

Of course, because of this, I should just focus on Hiram, especially now that I've finished "Reparations", my submisison for Triad Publishing's vampire anthology 'V'. But no - crazy writer man that I am, I've already started drafting a submission for Necrotic Tissues' upcoming hospital-horror anthology, "Malpractice", I'm thinking about a story for The Writers Cafe Press's upcoming "Undergound" anthology, AND I know an editor will be soliciting a submission soon for Bethany House's non-fiction anthology, "True Love Stories", which I'll write for as well - another sampling of true Lucia life.

That's led to this decision - I'm taking the summer off, and devoting it to writing.

YAY! I just need to stock up on Advil and those ice-gel packs for my wrist!

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Who is Hiram Grange? Why should you care? Well, if you live in a place where the veil between this world and the next is just a bit thin, and sometimes - though you relegate them to your darkest nightmares, like shadows flitting from the corner of your eye - you see things that don't belong in this world, well...

Hiram is probably your best; maybe even last....hope.

Of course, that doesn't exactly make him the good guy....does it?

Coming Soon, from Shroud Publishing, the Hiram Grange Chronicles:

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