Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty....

The Project That Dare Not Speak Its Name has its name spoken at last, and by Entertainment Weekly, no less:

Drumroll, please!

More details soon....

Steve Hockensmith
October 30, 2009

Comments

[Evan Lewis]

OK, this is ominous. I'll be checking back in 2 days, 54 minutes, and 20, 19, 18, 17...

[Julie C]

Anyone have a guess? I'm hoping its a screenplay for Holmes on the Range. Our favorite cowboys would make a great movie or, perhaps even better, weekly T.V. show. They'd fit right in at the USA network.

[Marge]

Screenplay would be excellent! Next book title would be great too.

[Julie C]

Congrats! I can't wait to read it. I have to admit I'm amazed that somewhere a publisher had the vision to think: "hmmm.... I need someone to write a novel in the style of Jane Austen...I know! I'll get Steve Hockensmith." You don't have a secret catalog of historical romance novels you're not telling us about??? In all seriousness, if anyone can add some pathos to a comedy of manners/zombie novel, you're the guy.

P.S. I still think you should market a screenplay, too. The adventures of Old Red and Big Red would make an amazing TV show.

[John Frantzen]

Speaking of secret catalogs....I just got a copy of The Leading Edge with your two page ditty Double Jeopardy. On the Author page in the back: "His stories have appeared in Analog, White Knuckles, Fortress, and Story Rules." Have Analog and I'm chasing John Platt of White Knuckles. Wait, what's this.... Fortress and Story Rules. Two more publications never disclosed before. Okay, I need details please, story titles, full publication titles, etc.

Completist in Castle Rock, Colorado

[Steve]

Thanks for the congrats, Julie! I'm a little amazed I landed the gig myself. But hey -- I know a thing or two about mixing very different genres, not to mention (though you do!) finding a balance between humor and darkness. So in a weird way, I feel more qualified for the job than just about anyone else out there.

It would've been cool, of course, if I could've announced the zombie project *and* a movie deal, but alas it was not to be. Keep hope alive, gang!

As for those magazines you're after, John, all I can say is, "Good luck!" I don't even think *I* have copies of them anymore. Both were 'zines one step up -- and it was a baby step -- from a high school poetry journal. I mean, we're talking Xeroxed pages and by-hand stapling. I think I got $25 for the Fortress story...and I don't even remember what it was! As for Story Rules, I got a contributor's copy (a.k.a. bupkis) and I can't remember that story, either. My best guess: They were science fiction or fantasy stories. A certainty: They were terrible.

-Steve

[Lee]

ARE YOU INSANE!

You wrote a prequel to Pride & Prejudice?!?

All of my Austin friends will be wanting to meet you and invite you to tea and oogle and awegle over your awesomeness! They'll ooh and awwwh initially and then bare their claws over your daring to mess with their beloved Austin. Have you never met an Austin fan? They're 100% worse than fans of The Man.

Don't worry...I'll protect you. I'll sharpen my stakes and whip up some garlic and anything else.

With that said...I'm very proud of you! I'm so excited that you were tapped to write this book and I know it'll be as wonderful as Big Red's stories (what does he think of this, BTW?). I'm crossing my fingers and toes that this title will lure readers to your works.

[Steve]

Hey, Lee! Thanks for offering to protect me from rampaging Janeites. I'm hoping I can win them over the same way I won over Sherlockians. (Well, most of 'em, anyway.) We'll see....

As for Big Red, he's O.K. with taking a short break while I work on the other book. He's having a hard time wrapping his head around the concept, though. Crime-solving, Sherlock Holmes-worshiping cowboys -- that makes total sense to him. Zom-rom-coms, on the other hand...?

-Steve

P.S.: A "zom-rom-com" is a zombie romantic comedy. I think I just made that up. I'm afraid to Google it and find out someone else came up with it first, though. So let's just pretend it's mine all mine, shall we? Sometimes, ignorance *is* bliss.