As I've mentioned many, many, many times in previous posts, I currently have two books I hope to complete and publish this year: A short story collection called Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies, and an oral history of my favorite power pop group, Make Something Happen! The DIY Story Of A Power Pop Band Called THE FLASHCUBES. I have a number of other potential book projects assuming spitball formation after that, but those two are the ones I want to prepare for retail before 2026 clocks out for the year.
The short story collection will be out first. Last week, my paid supporters got a sneak peek at the introductory paragraphs of two more stories written for Guitars Vs. Rayguns!!: "Navigating" and "GUITARS VS RAYGUNS!! Live At BudoKHAAAAAAAANNNNN!!" I've since changed both titles--to "Lone Star Falling" and "GUITARS VS. RAYGUNS! Return To Uranus" respectively--and I finished the GvR! short earlier this week. On Thursday, I completed the first draft of "Lone Star Falling," and I have a current gut feeling that it's the best story I've ever written. I pity the story that has to follow "Lone Star Falling" in the book, but I've started work on that story, too. When that story's done, I think the book as a whole will just need final tweaks before I declare it ready for the world. The previously-announced May 30th publication date is a little unlikely, but not out of the question.
The Flashcubes book was originally planned for publication in 2025, but the amount of time and attention needed to get the Flashcubes tribute album to market just made it impossible for part-time writer me to work on the 'Cubes book at the same time. With the tribute album accomplished, my own pressing personal need to concentrate on a fiction project made Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! the immediate priority. I know I'll be lucky to sell a couple dozen copies of it (if that!), but it's the realization of a dream that dates back more than fifty years. I can't overstate how important the short story collection is to me.
Then, Make Something Happen! can finally take center stage in my schedule. I will always regret the fact that I couldn't complete the Flashcubes book before 'Cubes guitarist Paul Armstrong passed away last month. But nor do I see a set of circumstances where I could have finished it sooner. The book is a lot--a lot--of work, work I delight in doing, but still more work than any other project I've ever attempted. Most of that work is still to be done. But by God, I will make this specific something happen, and it will be something that does the Flashcubes' legacy the justice it deserves.
In the mean time, next week I will be offering the first public look at the Flashcubes book's two introductory sections, the parts that will appear in the book right before we get to the interviews. Here's to bright lights that never fade.
In 2027, as I hit my 67th birthday, I will probably reduce my day-job commitment from full-time to part-time. I have at least three novels I want to write. I have an exciting collaborative project that I pray won't be derailed by my extended delay in getting around to it. I have things to do.
Guess I better do them.
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I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here.
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