People sometimes want to know where I got my idea for the Elbie. It’s simple really. I wanted a totally non-carbon based life form. Pure energy. And I mean pure. When I tell people this they say, “What about the Drej from Titan A.E.?” While the Drej display a level of fluidity they still have bodies and need machines. While the movie never goes into it, they definitely have a sense of government and culture, otherwise they couldn’t be as organized as they are. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Drej, but pure energy they are not. 

Seeing in how these aliens (soon to be Elbie) are made of pure energy, energy has rules. The most famous of all is: Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. I think this familiar mantra is what gave me the idea of Elbie transferability. First thing I did; took out a piece of paper and wrote down what those rules were.

With about ten of these rules, I took my first run at this world in 2001. After thirty or so versions I have got it pretty refined now how the Elbie work and what they are like. Then again, with the second draft of book two about to be wrapped up, I am discovering new ways to experience Elbie. 

A lot of the Elbie attributes and how they operate in our world are written out on the DPA website and Twitter feed. I had one friend ask if we could send people into space to harvest more Elbie for commercial purposes. I told him I didn't see why not, but since we can barely break orbit, that story will have to wait. If you have questions about Elbie and how they work send me an e-mail or Tweet me.

People who know I’m a writer always ask me how is the writing going? How’s the book coming along?

I wrote Trespassing over the course of several years. Because of that it needed a lot of help by the time I was ready for an editor. So I decided to write the first draft of Linchpin as fast as possible. Taking advantage of the delirious thrill that is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) I knocked it out in 30 days.

Then I walked away for a few months.

Through an outline and plotting class with Savvy Authors I was able to cut out some unneeded events and really streamline the plot.

Then I walked away. Again.

In January I joined a workshop group. Over the last nine months I have run the gauntlet of their feedback to hone and refine my prose and plot. They have been invaluable to me. Sometimes truth hurts but if you can work your way through the pain it’s totally worth it.

More recently, I have been working with a mentor. Once I am done with going through the 300+ comments I will hand my story over to a group of beta readers and then I wait. If all goes well and once I address any issues brought up by the beta readers THEN I will be ready for an editor.

While the beta readers read, that will be another kind of walking away. Not as long as the previous breaks but I will not work on the story in anyway until I get the feedback. That will give me a month to dive into something total new. Never stop creating.

The plan is to get the editing and proofreading completed by January so that I can get the text ready for the ebook version and print layout in time to debut book two for the Emerald City ComicCon in Seattle at the end of March. (I already have my team assembled.) I am also contemplating New York ComicCon in October. 

I will also need to get a cover design for Linchpin as well as make some new bookmarks and postcards to promote it. Lot’s to do and March will be here a lot sooner than I think. So there you go, that’s how it’s going. Thanks for asking. If you are interested in being a beta reader let me know. You do not have to have read the first book to considered. Cheers.