WHOA! Lots of stuff going on since my last update. I have too many darn blogs.

Anyway, my first graphic novel is coming from Desperado Publishing in July!

All the details on BLUE can be found at the BLUE blog:

http://bluecomics.blogspot.com

BLUE by Elizabeth Genco w/art by Sami Makkonen, coming July 2008 from Desperado Publishing. Available for pre-order in MAY 08 PREVIEWS (MAY083778):

A fresh, fantastic take on the bloodiest of classic fairy tales. When Blue’s ex-boyfriend appears on her doorstep, he says he wants to make things right. His true intentions are far more sinister. Blue’s shape-shifting powers can help her outrun him, but to survive, she must face him as herself.

There will be lots more over at the blog, and that’s where all updates will be, so go have a gander and add it to your blog/RSS reader thingamabobbies.

I’m not all that great at keeping up with announcements, am I? Oh well.

Let’s see… done and up and coming:

Leland handed off 120 pages to Simon & Schuster, the first of his two books for them. I don’t know if I’m allowed to reveal the title yet, so I won’t. But it’s cool!

I finished and handed in a story for the forthcoming Tori Amos anthology from Image. Not only is this a surreal, giddy honor for my inner fangirl (the impact of Tori’s music on my work and psyche can’t be understated, really), the story will be rendered by Carla Speed McNeil.

Oh yeah - and I got to do one of my favorite songs ever. Someone pinch me.

I also handed in a story for an as-yet-unannounced (I think) anthology for SMITH magazine. The artist is a bitchin’ talented newcomer whose work is just perfect for it. The story is a bit of a departure for me in that it’s 100% autobio, something I never would have done without being asked. It required me to dig deep into some very embarrassing writing from 17 some-odd years ago. And yet, I thought it would be a lark! Seriously!

Also, being 100% autobio, it has no shapeshifters in it - which, the way things have been going for yours truly, is a departure.

Also? I now have some serious respect for good autobio.

What else? I haven’t announced every ish of WEIRD TALES that has hit the stands, but the magazine is lookin’ great. Check out the blog and pick up some back issues. Current ish, 347, is out now. Next ish will have a grand 85th anniversary wrap-up, 85 WEIRDEST STORYTELLERS OF THE PAST 85 YEARS, which I’ll be working on. Not to be missed.

Lastly, that’s a new self-portrait from Leland up there, in case it wasn’t bleepin’ obvious. (Which it may not be!)

The Interstitial Arts Foundation’s next online salon will be all about The Chemistry Set, home of many wonderful comics (including mine — ahchachacha…)

First things first: What is the Interstitial Arts Foundation? From their mission statement:

“The IAF was founded by a group of literary, visual, musical, and performance artists for the purpose of creating and promoting Interstitial Art. What is Interstitial Art? It is art made in the interstices between genres and categories. It is art that flourishes in the borderlands between different disciplines, mediums, and cultures. It is art that crosses borders, made by artists who refuse to be constrained by category labels.”

What is an online salon? Just a fun term for an online discussion.

Here are the deets:

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8-Saturday, Dec. 15
WHERE: http://p081.ezboard.com/finterstitialartsfrm2.showMessage?topicID=323.topic
WHAT: Discuss The Chemistry Set – we call ‘em interstitial; do you?

The IAF is loaded with very cool, very talented folks, many of whom I’ve crossed paths with at cons, online or in my work with The Endicott Studio (lots of cross pollination there). If you’re a fan of genre fiction of any sort, there’s a fine chance that your favorite book was written by someone in IAF-land.

Anyway, good times. Personally, I’m tickled pink.

Anyone is welcome to join in the discussion, so drop by after the 8th.

Want to know more about interstitial art? Check out the IAF’s website (and the Wikipedia page is pretty good, too).

“Cooling” is a short story I wrote last year about a girl arsonist gone awry by a hot, strapping water elemental. Illustrations by Leland:

Check out the rest of that masthead! Then read the stuff in the issue because it’s great.

Very, very proud of this one.

Endicott Studio’s Journal of Mythic Arts Summer 2007

All my stuff, this time. Lots to announce; I hate stuffing it all into one post like this but I’ve been somewhat lazy about updates. I’ll post reminders as things hit.

SCHEHERAZADE continues, with a new story and new art by my good pal Valerie Reupert. These pages look really good, so check ‘em out (each of these thumbnails links to the appropriate page):

….

Finnish artist Sami Makkonen recently finished up “Yes, Mother,” one of my standalone short stories. It was subsequently picked up by Joe Pruett at Desperado and will be in Negative Burn #13. Huzzah! It’ll also be serialized on Chemset shortly. Here’s a bit:

Do check it out, either in print or on the web. Sami’s art is simply amazing and nothing short of perfect for this. And I’m pretty happy with the writing, too.

Earlier in the year I wrote a short adaptation of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN for editor Chazz DeMoss (Cryptic magazine, a bunch of other stuff) and artist Jason Ho (AGNES QUILL). Here’s a sample page from Jason (check out his Comicspace page for more):

Two more of my stories will be dropping soon, too. Jeff Zornow (you’ll remember him from WEIRD SISTER) and I do a bloody send-up of an obscure Detroit urban legend in Cryptic #5. “The Dog Lady” is one of what I hope will be my many homages to old skool short horror stories and combines my sensibilities with Jeff’s special blend of XXX-TREME splatter/gore. And Leland’s lettering!

I don’t think I mentioned the WEIRD TALES thing, either. I’ll be taking the From the Library interviews to WEIRD TALES, starting with their next issue (June/July, I believe). Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of interviews on Chemset (though there will be different subjects in each venue). First interview in WT will be with Jacqueline Carey. I’m working on a Mike Carey interview now.

Last, and probably the most exciting for me, my prose short piece, “Cooling,” will be in the next issue of the Endicott Studio’s Journal of Mythic Arts. This would be more than enough reason to flap my arms around and scream like Kermit, but even better, it’ll have watercolor illos by Leland and will share space with over-the-top-amazing YA authors like Will Shetterly and Holly Black.

Elton over on MySpace dropped me a note to let me know that RED and WEIRD SISTER got some props over on Ain’t It Cool News today:

“These tales are breezy and short, but carry a heft and heart that makes each panel count. Genco enlists some talented B&W artists to illustrate her words. Both WEIRD SISTER and RED show the emergence of a talented new voice in indie comics.“

Lovely!

Scroll down a little on this page to the indie stuff to see it live.

We’ve got nine pages of story up now, right here. From here on out, we’ll be running about 5 pages bi-weekly. On the off-weeks, you’ll find interviews with my favorite storytellers in FROM THE LIBRARY. There are two interviews up so far, with Brian Wood and Cherie Priest. Ed Brubaker will most likely be next. Huzzah!

So please have a look if you haven’t already. And spread the word!

… of SCHEHERAZADE, my new webcomic with the Chemistry Set, is up. Right here. Huzzah.

Our regular day is Thursday, starting this Thursday. We’ll be posting a chunk of pages (3-4) bi-weekly, and on the off-weeks, I’ll have mini-interviews with some of my favorite storytellers and kindred spirits. Mr. Wood and Cherie Priest are up first. I’m going for a nice mix of comics peeps and fantasy peeps, both big peeps and up-and-coming peeps. Hopefully it’ll be good fun and cross-promotion for everybody.

The site looks great so far and I’m so proud of everyone involved. Do check it out, and if you like what you see, please spread the word.

(click here to see the promo larger)

The Chemistry Set will feature original works by up and coming writer/artist teams:

Vito Delsante and(SCOOBY DOO, THE MERCURY CHRONICLES) Tom Williams (LOLA)
Chris Arrant (NEWSARAMA, Publisher’s Weekly, Tokyopop.com, FOUR STORIES) and Daniel Warner (COCOPIAZO)
Jim Dougan (CRAZY PAPERS) and friends
Neil Kleid (BROWNSVILLE, NINTY CANDLES, URSA MINORS) and Kevin Colden (HOUSE OF TWELVE, RED)

And, of course, Boorman and I.

We go live on August 7th.