SJ Rozan

Yes, folks, the index card for SKIN OF THE WOLF have started to get hung on the index card line. SOTL, of course, is the second Sam Cabot book. BLOOD OF THE LAMB, out Aug. 6 (and you’ve all preordered at your local indie or on line, right?) is the first. The index cards happen about half way through a multi-narrator book, so I can see who’s got how many chapters and can balance things out. Also so I can keep track of the action and of who knows about what. The vertical cards are marked with each character’s name, with the white card being for minor characters who only come in once or twice each. The horizontal cards are chapter by chapter. They tell day, time, characters in the chapter, and essential action and info imparted. The card’s color tells me whose pov the chapter’s from.

The stuff on the mantelpiece is the stuff on the mantelpiece.

Now THIS is a review!

…for the colored index cards. These are the ones for BLOOD OF THE LAMB. (On sale Aug. 6!) I’ll photograph the SKIN OF THE WOLF ones when I have them up.

Fred Flintstone on his way to the Convention Center:

People never, never refused a request for photos. They loved it and they wanted to know where and how the guy(s) with the camera(s) wanted them to pose.

Hummingbird flies high

Feeding from unlikely source:

Towering date palm.

Pelican flock swoops,

Settles near huge navy ship,

Bobbles in its wake.

In morning shadows

On floating boom beneath pier

Great blue heron waits.

When I checked into my hotel they asked if I was here for Comic Con. I said I was and the desk guy called, “Hey, Wonder Woman, can you come here a minute?” An employee in a WW outfit dashed over to take a photo with me. During Comic Con, that’s her job. The hotel also has special towels they’ll send to your room to take your costume makeup off with.

San Diego’s a big Navy base, of course. This morning on my early walk I went down to the water. A flock of pelicans swooped by — so prehistoric, so graceful. Took my breath away. They settled on the water and were floating peacefully when a giant gray aircraft carrier slipped into view. It looked like it was going to plow right into the pelican flock. I was worried but they weren’t. I wondered if maybe it was so big they didn’t perceive it as moving, because they didn’t fly away. As it turned out they were right: the ship passed about twenty feet from them and they just went on floating.

Later, a similar ship passed behind a waterfront full-costume rapier demo being presented by the Society for Creative Anachronism.

All the public buses and a lot of the public buildings are wearing ads for paranormal, steampunk, or superhero movies and tv shows. I mean, giant, building-covering ads.

The bags they give out when you get your badge have shoulder straps so you can wear them as backpacks. They all come with built-in capes, so you can wear the bag and have your flowing cape covering it. The capes all advertise different tv shows or movies. It’s the luck of the draw, which one you get. Mine’s “300: the Rise of an Empire.” No, I didn’t wear it.

Went Thursday night with Les Klinger to the Scholastic party, where they unveiled new Happy Potter covers for the 15th anniversary of the series. Nice people, great food. Then to the Baker Street Babes party, where I met Tony Lee and Steven Moffat. More nice people, less good food but by then who cared?

Back with you soon — meanwhile, if you’re on Facebook, check Sam Cabot’s page for Comic Con updates.

I feel like I’ve been neglecting you guys for days, for which I apologize. It’s been a circus around here.

First I spent two days at Thrillerfest, which was a blast. Did a panel with Carlos Dews, the other half of Sam Cabot (this was his first crime-world conference, nothing at all like the academic ones he’s used to!) and Douglas Preston, Catherine Coulter, JT Ellison, and Blake Crouch. The subject was collaborative writing and I was fascinated at how other collaborations work, Sam Cabot being my first. Had a good talk with Stanley Trollip, the Stanley half of Michael Stanley, on that subject, also. Saw some other good panels, enjoyed the banquet, all in all had an intense but fun time.

Then, because Carlos is, in fact in town, worked worked worked. We don’t get this chance very often, to sit in the same room hammering out plot issues and story and character ramifications. We’re about halfway through the second Sam Cabot book, so we’re at that point where we need to know how to get from the mess we just made to the resolution we’re planning for.

And now, I’m headed to San Diego, for Comic Con. I expect to report from there, but let me start by reporting that lots of people on this plane are going to the same convention. I’m sitting on the flight out of Newark next to the art director for MAD Magazine.

Man in scarlet coat

Sweeps green dots of spilled olives

From black asphalt street.

Segmented steel rats

Racing along steel cables

Stopped by steel pest shields.*

Pigeon pecks bagel.

Pug peers at bird, who backs off,

Bobs head, perseveres.

*a detail at Grand Central Terminal

Me, Carlos Dews, and Linda Fairstein at Thrillerfest

Great day at Thrillerfest — saw some old friends and favorite people, heard some good panels, was interviewed with and hung around with Sam Cabot’s other half. Tomorrow is our panel. Boy am I tired!