A Writer's Tale by Richard Laymon Read Free Book Online Page B

driving trip through Arizona and New Mexico, visited Carlsbad Caverns, drove through west Texas, stayed in Corpus Christi for a few days, spent a while in Houma, Louisiana, then a few days in San Antonio, Texas before heading for home. On the way back, visited the Cadillac Desert to pay homage to Joe Lansdale.
    Feb. 15 I started writing a new novel, working title MOG. It would be published with the title, In the Dark.
    Feb. 16 I made two trips to the Cooper Agency about a possible film version of The Stake.
    Feb. 26 Savage sold to St. Martin’s Press for hardbound publication under the Thomas Dunne imprint. Also, I went to the Cooper Agency for a meeting with screenwriter Richard Adams about a film version of The Stake. (Film never made.) March 5-6 We went to Disneyland, Roy Robbins threw a book-signing party at the Disneyland Hotel, and Roy treated us to a night at the hotel. Tim and Serena Powers dropped by for the signing. We got kicked out of the Disneyland cowboy saloon (because Kelly was under age), so we all went to our room, opened up the mini-bar, and had a great time for a couple of hours.
    March 12-13 We spent the night in Sacramento, then had another signing at Cobblestone Books. Larry Mori and Joan Parsons came over from Berkley and we took them to dinner.
    March 15 I wrote my article, “The Lizzie Borden Syndrome,” attacking certain book reviewers. It would appear in Afraid magazine and cause a bit of a stir.
    March 25 I was informed that paperback rights for The Stake and Midnight’s Lair had been bought by Berkley but the publisher turned out to be Zebra, not Berkley. Also, Tom Dunne of St. Martin’s made an offer for Quake, based on the partial I’d sent to England back on March 30, 1992.
    April 17 Koon and Powell, two of the officers involved in the Rodney King arrest, were found guilty when retried by the Federal government. This was the “proper” verdict, so we didn’t have a riot this time. Except for a small outbreak of violence at Magic Mountain amusement park.
    April 19 The Branch Davidian compound at Waco was burned down with multiple casualties.
    May 20 I got involved in writing a screenplay with the man who installed the new windows in our house.
    July 1-13 To celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents, my brother and I treated them to a week in Hawaii. We all went over and stayed together in a condo on Maui. Then Ann and Kelly and I spent an additional week in Honolulu.
    July 20 I finished writing MOG, which would be published as In the Dark.
    July 31 - Aug. 20 We took an extensive driving trip up the California coast, staying in such places as Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg, then going up the Oregon coast and spending a couple of days in Portland. After going to the disaster site of the Mt. St. Helen’s volcano eruption, we stayed in Seattle, Washington for a while, then drove up to Port Angeles and Aberdeen. On the way back, we spent a couple of days at Gold Beach, California, where we took the mail boat ride up the Rogue River.
    Aug. 20 - Sept .22 I wrote a screenplay based on ideas developed in discussions with the man who installed several windows in our house. I then sent a copy of the finished screenplay to him, and never heard from him again. So much for the fun and games of collaboration.
    Sept. 24 I started working on a new novel called, The Look. (I don’t think it went anywhere.)
    Sept. 30 A letter arrived from Tom Dunne, who had just bought Quake for St. Martin’s Press, in which he made several suggestions for revisions and ways to proceed with the parts I hadn’t yet written.
    Oct. 1 I returned to writing Quake, which I’d stopped writing on April 3, 1992 about a year and half earlier.
    Nov. 29 I started making notes for a new novel, working title Body Hitcher, which would be published as Body Rides.
    Nov. 30 I wrote an introduction for Bentley Little’s first collection of short fiction.
     
    1994
     
    Jan. 17 BIG AWFUL EARTHQUAKE!!! A 6.6 magnitude earthquake