You heard it here, first!
That's right, I've got NEW projects to tell you about!
My tendency has always been for strict project monogamy. I start one writing project, and continue till that’s finished before starting on the next one. That is not what’s happening this month though, oh no. Not only am I up to my eyeballs in edits for the 2nd Second Sentinels book, Names in Their Blood, and I’m starting to brainstorm and outline for the as-yet-untitled book 3 in the series, so I have some idea if there’s anything I need to set up for it in book 2. But on top of those, I’ve resurrected a project I haven’t touched since the pre-Trump-times.
A good 10 years ago, I assembled a co-writing dream-team. Together, we combine our powers to create a Voltron of authorial magic. Firstly, and closest to home, is my own beloved wife. She is a master of theme and a dab hand with deep research dives. Joining us is a writing power-couple from literally down the road. Theo Lorenz, of coloring book fame, has a real gift for making you fall in love with characters. Their partner, Pip, who I know from my webcomic days, brings the steamiest steam and the sharpest humor.
It’s like a heist team. (Yes, I’m watching Leverage: Redemption and yes, it’s put heists on my brain.)
I personally get to be the mastermind. Mostly, as the rest of them like to keep reminding me, because I’m the only one without ADHD and am pretty used to cat herding, which is handy when trying to wrangle a bunch of distractable writers.
Instead of a stealing something, we’re writing a somewhat pulpy, queer, character-driven vampire romance. I’m looking forward to you all meeting David, a gen X punk who tends bar in a gay bar, and Harvey, the WWII veteran who David accidentally turned into a vampire via a series of hijinx. It’s a story about love, grief, bravery, and identity, but my favorite part is that it’s also a story of multigenerational, local, queer community. Because our vampires aren’t lone wolves. Navigating vampire life in the 21st century requires backup, and savvy, and coordination. Because why would vampires want to be lone wolves in cities of a modern size?
Imagine being a vampire in this day and age. The sun can murder you and goes down at 9pm in the summer! You need to get a drivers license but you’re officially dead and look 70 years younger than your ID claims you are! Should you let go of that pension if you’re magically 22 again but struggling to find work as a nocturnal creature of legend? Is Tinder an acceptable place to find blood donors? What’s it like to cope with being one of the last members of your generation? Who should handle the privacy protections for the secret vampire forum’s server? Being a vampire is HARD.
You can tell I’m excited about this story. It’s fun and domestic and heart-wrenching and romantic. Writing it with some of my favorite people is the cherry on top. I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about this project in months to come as we finally kick it back into gear.
Now, I am gonna admit I checked out of most vampire related content right around the dawn of the era of Twilight, which is somehow a million years ago, now. Do you have favorite vampire content I should check out? Or aybe you just want to share a daily living hassle you think would make modern vampirism difficult- I am all ears!
Finally, before I go, I want to 1) tell you that I will be on multiple panels at this year's CONvergence AND I'll be doing a signing on Friday, August 6th at 3:30 PM.
And 2) I want to show you a little in-progress bit of animation for the Second Sentinel's fully animated trailer I began around the start of Covid restrictions, because I am nothing if not consistantly extra. I'm really proud of this. Pretty good for not having really animated before, right? It's rotoscoped, but that still turns out to be damn complicated.
Best wishes for you and yours,
Lee Brontide