The Waiting is the Hardest Part, Although Not Really...

The latter half of 2013 was consumed by writing and waiting--the first I enjoy, the second I'm learning to tolerate. Still, there's a lot to look forward to if you're Evan Dicken, which I am. Unfortunately, none of it is happening precisely now, which, being an American with a presumably finite lifespan, is when I want it.

First, I'd like to wax prosaic about the impending upgrade to this site. While perusing the web one day, my good friend George Foster--graphic artist, grandmaster cradle-stacker, ever-punctual prince among men--was scandalized to discover my inept attempts at web design, and offered, perhaps out of sympathy, to turn this site into something I wouldn't be embarrassed to have my name attached to. And so it will be, soon.

Second, I have a number of stories burning holes in various 'zines and anthologies--Andromeda Spaceways, Stupefying Stories, Chaosium's: Mark of the Beast anthology, Escape Pod, Alternate Hilarities, Tales of the Unanticipated and Legends of the Buckeye State to name a few…okay, most. The tables of contents for all the aforementioned publications make me feel like a little boy that has somehow wandered onto a featured panel at WorldCon. Pay no attention to that child next to Gary Braunbeck, Ken Liu, W.H. Pugmire, and Lucy Snyder!

Lastly, my novel: Beyond the Deshima Gate, being about as good as I can make it, is making the rounds to publishers and agents--one at a time, of course. It did well in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest, losing out in the semi-finals to the wonderful horror novel Poe by J. Lincoln Fenn, and ultimately to Timebound, a young-adult novel about a teenage girl who discovers she can travel through time, and must, in fact, do so to save the world. I've read excerpts of each, and must say that I'm honored to have been beaten by both.

Hopefully, in the coming months I'll have more to report, but until then. Thank you for reading, it means a lot to me.