I have been plunging back into new layouts after a little on-purpose lag (I was running behind on getting out some of the late summer books that were finished in the galley stages and now I'm working on getting author copies out and orders shipped (plus a couple large batches for poets and dealing with the usual backlog of orders that I can never seem to get ahead of). Things are buzzing, and very messy in the studio, but it means things are happening.
I am putting some finishing touches on a couple new titles that have been almost ready to go Becca Hawk's GO HOME YOU'RE DRUNK and Uma Dwivedi's THEY CALLED HER GODDESS (WE NAMED HER GIRL)--which features a snazzy little postcard collage I did a while back. Tonight I started brainstorming some covers for some upcoming books that I will be working on in the next week or so. I've been hoping things would ease up a little in other areas and give me some more dedicated time to press things like an upcoming wicked alice issue and the mermaid anthology, so here's looking at November.
I am also about midway through submissions and still on track to have responses out and the schedule firmed up by around Thanksgiving. We're getting to the hard part where I am feeling the tension of spots available vs. manuscripts that I think are promising. I have no idea how presses with less publication slots narrow the tide...even with 50 or so I'm in the process of scheduling, I feel like I turn away so many things I shouldn't have to (oh, to given unlimited time and funds to bring these things into the world.)
This weekend, I am home and not in the studio, but I plan on drinking a whole bunch of coffee & making my way through some more manuscripts & proofing some upcoming things, so wish me luck...
