Times Marches On...

Hi. Thought I'd take a breather to update you on the latest goings-on here at the keyboard.

First off, "Dashing" -- the much-talked-up (by me) three-part Times story -- is done and on the launchpad, waiting for Steve Wilson and the Prometheus cabal to find time to do it. But it's summer. We're all on various stages of vacation. But if anyone reading this is a writer of any kind, you know that just doesn't happen with our ilk. You can't switch off your imagination. at least, I can't.

Which is why I've just cranked out the first draft revision of the next Times, a one-shot tentatively titled "Man of My Dreams." It's a fun little story about a romance novelist who thinks she's found the perfect man, until two problems rock her world: he's not who he appears to be... and neither is she. If you dig the old Alfred Hitchcock Presents series, I hope you'll check this out whenever it goes up. It's got a "twist" at the end that even I didn't see coming until I wrote the script.

And working on that got me so revved up that I almost instantly started writing the next script, another one-shot tentatively titled "Penance." It's in the early stages, but here's my pitch: a desperate researcher seeking a way to test a new cancer drug on a human subject discovers that a patient dying in his hospital is a former supervillainess known for conducting sadistic genetic experiments. In exchange for not revealing her identity to authorities who have been seeking her for years, the researcher coerces her into being his guinea pig and consulting on his work -- but she makes him promise to help her die if the drug fails to restore her health. Needless to say, the stakes turn out to be much, much higher -- but I haven't even outlined this one yet, so there's also a chance they'll just shake hands and go their separate ways, the end.

If that happens, I'll jump in front of a bus, 'cause living will be pointless. Wish me luck.

-- L.

P.S.: While you're waiting for these new Times, be sure to visit Prometheus' libsyn page and check out their latest three-parter from their flagship show, The Arbiter Chronicles. It's called "Divergence," and has one of the most original and entertaining premises I've ever encountered. Plus, The Mrs. edited all of it and has a featured role, so I love it.

That is, I love it; you should, too!