A section of Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map

Publishing is a funny business. For a variety of reasons, publishing a book takes time, and publishers have to keep up with various schedules and budget their money and time just right to get a book out on time. As a result, a lot of time can pass between the day the author types "The End" on his or her manuscript and the day the book is actually available for purchase by readers.

Which is why I haven't been thinking so much about my upcoming novel A Gathering of Doorways as I am about my Next Book. For most authors, there is always a Next Book -- that's the one we are most excited about, because that's the book we're currently sweating away on.

For me, my next book is called Maps and Legends, and it also comes out from the same publisher as Gathering, Prime Books. I sold Maps on the strength of a 3-page synopsis, so I'm in the process of writing that sucker now.

I thought I'd share a snippet of the opening chapter here:

Kaitlin squinted in the dusty yellow light of the lamp on the floor next to her and pressed the knife exactly three-eighths of an inch into the wall of her spare room. Her shadow moved with her on the top half of the wall and stretched onto the ceiling — a silent, distorted companion. Whenever she felt that tiny popping sensation of blade breaking through thick drywall paper, then slicing into cool, smooth gypsum inside, she felt a fleeting instant of guilt. Security deposit, her mind reminded her, then she pushed the X-Acto a bit deeper and began to cut and pull something new into existence.

Fun stuff! Read more at my Maps and Legends page on my Web site. Enjoy -- I've got some writing to do now...