I know this is a bit late, but it's Halloween once again, the time for ghosts, ghouls and other nasties, but more specifically it's a time of vampires. And this year, let's celebrate the vampire hunters, the slayers of the undead Children of the Night in film and television and literature. And considering I've recently attened the Theater of the Vampires Ball in New Orleans with special guest Laurell K Hamilton, let's celebrate her very own slayer: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. I've just finished reading the fifth book in her very long running series, Bloody Bones, and honestly I was hooked again. Serephina, the town's master vampire, is described so beautifully and wonderfully spooky that the book's weaknesses disappeared for me completely. Reading a captivating chapter like that is the kind of stuff that inspires me most to continue to write, even when I'm in hopeless despair. But Anita Blake is a richly deep and complex character, and after hearing...

The Theatre of the Vampires Ball . We had originally planned to attend the ball as the hooded-cloaked vampires of the theatre as seen in Interview with the Vampire , but the trip was nearly in jeapordy, so costumes were out of the question until last night. I need help finding a costume, quickly. Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the guests this year, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a suitable Anita Blake-inspired costume. I'm not exactly Jean-Claude material. I just don't have the hair for it...

I lost my job as I was hospitalized with atrial fibrillation. Interesting, huh? I was in shock for quite a while, and then I realized I hated the job anyway. So I'm a statistic again and proud of it. Power to the People! We're headed to New Orleans in a few days, and I swear I need this. Granted, while the heart issues were giving me non-stop grief the past month, my doc gave me a clean bill of health, so I eliminated quite a bit of depression. So I plan on just living life. Me and my dog chillen at home and I'll continue to write. God, I thank you for the faith and the good heart, but I wish I could consistently write and finish this book and get it published. My attention span has to focus... There's so much more I should add, considering the length of time that I've been away from this diary, but I want to chill. I want to think about another ARVLFC vampire ball again and beignets and cafe au lait and Bourbon St music. Tomorrow: MNF and Baltimore Ravens.

What do you do when you realize that everything that you've written is a mish-mash of everything that you've read? I went to bed the other night, after several plot-altering editions to the first book, and blushed, turned red all over, and realized that the changes were way too similar to my favorite vampire series! Seriously, I'm shell-shocked and completely feeling helplessness right now...

I have no idea why I keep avoiding this blog. I haven't written in months, but yesterday, or the day before that, I opened book two up and jumped right into a new chapter. After an incredibly painful Orioles loss last night, it's easy to avoiding watching them the next day, and I find myself needing to write only when this happens. I'll be back later to summarize the new chapter, which I'm finding very fun to write. Birdland, baby. It's a bitch...

My girlfriend spent most of Tuesday reading UNIQUE . She helped me to find about five holes in the plot, so I'm glad for her time. This has coerced me into hiring a book doctor, if anything. Plus, she kinda got off on it...

Perhaps my anticipation got the better of me, but after submitting my email to Angry Robot Books this morning, I reread the synopsis I provided, and blushed. It was just not a very good indicator of my writing, I fear. It told the story in a very abridged and rigid way. I'm not proud. Excitement turned to defeat. I'd better get started on another two-page synopsis and hit the agents again...