This Sweet Agony

In case you weren't aware - I have an incredibly hard time staying focused. That's why SOUTHERN GOTHIC exists now. I had no intention of writing another novella length freak-fest...I was supposed to be finishing the central section of the sequel to WR1. Rather than doing that - I was usurped back into the 1800's to save a little black child (who really didn't need my help in the first place).

Oddly enough - after two days on Amazon, SOUTHERN GOTHIC is now at #50 on the Bestsellers list, which makes me turn my attention to other projects.

Forget everything I've already told you. For now, this is the current plan of action.

I have opened my trunk. I have pulled out an old friend no one knows about entitled (rough) "130" and let a dear friend riddle me with questions...

Why is it a number?

Because numbers are eye-catching, but besides that - it applies to the material in the story. For those of you who have to sit in a room with me occasionally and listen to me rant - this is the story I've been trying to figure out for a good 15 years now. I got it.
It is being called "130" for now because each of the 26 sections takes up 5 minutes of real-time in this little town. Chapter One starts with Alba at 6:00am in the morning. Chapter Two is Bert, Three is Clarice, Four is Doug...so alphabetical and real-time...a cast of characters no less than 26 all intertwined during a 2hr and 10minute nightmare in this small town. That's why.

What's it about?

Hell on earth. For lack of a better description - let's call it a zombie tale, even though there is absolutely no trace of zombies anywhere in this. Let's just stick with that for now, okay?

What short stories have you selected for the collection?

I've selected 20 because that's a nice, even number. Nine of them have been released before in various magazines and newspapers over the past couple of years. Four of them are currently available as ebooks on Amazon for .99c. The remaining few will be stories I've written that no one has seen before. Most of these are in what I call my "vault" (where I keep 20 finished stories solely meant for magazines - and magazines only). You guys never see these stories so it should be fun.

What will the title be?

More than likely something eyecatching and topical. Fuck: A Collection. Oh Snap: A Collection. Assy-Pie: A Collection...something like that. I hate titles. If any of you have a better idea - please fast forward that suggestion to my personal email (wardwebb2772@gmail.com). I'll give you lots of accolades and credit - I may even use your name as a character in a forthcoming tale - if you don't mind being crippled, deformed or murdered in some weird, exotic way. I can't help myself. Y'all know how I do.

Besides the short stories - what is the status on the release of your novels?

I will tirelessly push myself to get WR1 into your hands before the end of the year. I'm actively trying to finish the center section of the second book in the series. This is a key moment in the overall saga, so I don't wanna screw it up. I've told myself and all my beta readers - as soon as I'm satisfied with this middle portion of the sequel - I'll return to volume 1 and punch up the fine details. From that point - we're good to go! (Cover ideas....see previous email address)

What is WR1?

WR stands for Whirligig Ranch. 1 indicates which volume in the trilogy I'm talking about. What is it? The greatest fucking thing you'll ever read. That's what it is.
If you want a sneak-peek at this delicious, life-changing work - buy MATTROPOLIS and check out the bonus feature at the end of the story. I included the first chapter from Volume 1 at the tail end of this bed bug infested love story. I think it was the most suitable place to introduce the world to Singer Bardin, Lady Buggargon, Max Bidewell and Teddy. Queen Mother does not make an appearance until Chapter 4, so unfortunately she does not appear in this opening chapter. I'm so sorry.

What happened to the Civil War novel you were writing? You released the first chapter about an escaped slave named Bell and then....everything vanished. Is that still in the works?

That is The Binding - and that, my friend - is done. This novel came about because my grandmother asked me to one day pen the story of our family - and since we've been in the same place for 300 years, I had to take it back into olden times to begin this series of adventures. The Binding is the first in a planned 4 volume series centered around the old plantation house we still currently run. It was a very agonizing novel to write, but I wrote it. As far as my plans for this - I think I'm subtly creeping back into that era whether I mean to or not - look at SOUTHERN GOTHIC, where did that even come from?
I'll eventually return to the sequel of The Binding and once I have 50% of that hammered down on paper, we'll talk about releasing that hot mess onto the world.
For the record - The Binding tells two interweaving tales from two families living in Edgeboro around the turn of the century. One is a dynamic land owner - one is a meek family man living in town and trying desperately to solve a murder before the tensions over race relations cause the tiny community to explode into the stratosphere. Both stories bounce back and forth against each other, mirroring socially relevant issues of that time - until you reach my big, explosive finale.
My great-great-great grandmother is a star. You'll see.

So what's coming next - and when?

The next thing I know of - are two short stories coming out sometime in the next month or two. No sorry, make that three. I can't keep up with this stuff...Two will be printed in magazines you can pick up at any B&N and one will be included in a paperback anthology that's due out sometime around Halloweeeeeeeeeeeen. Other than that...who knows?