I currently have openings in my editing schedule and am available for line editing, revising, tweaking, and otherwise helping you to improve your novels, short stories, nonfiction manuscripts, proposals, and just about any other written work that needs a boost. One of my recent clients said, "I recently employed the editorial services of Billy Martin (AKA Poppy Z. Brite) and found his services to be professional, competent. If you're looking for a final bit of polish at a reasonable price, he's your man." If interested, please e-mail me at [email protected] for more information.

Crossposted at Dreamwidth. Comment here or there, as you will.

It's been a while since I had a chance to catch up here, and unfortunately the news is not good. My mother had a slight stroke several weeks ago, spent four days in the hospital, and has required a great deal of care from me since her return home. Thankfully, she's going to be OK, but losing two weeks of work time brought home to me how unsustainable my hand-to-mouth existence really is. We almost lost our apartment and my mother's house (she owed two years of property taxes I didn't know about), and we might well have all been on the street by August if not for a lifesaving cash infusion from a very generous friend. That infusion was promptly sucked up by the bills that were already (over)due, and now, broke again, I realize I can't keep living like this. I love doing art and plan to continue making and selling it as much as possible, but even supplemented by my eBay signed book sales, it isn't enough to live on. I'm too physically defective to hold a real job, but not defective enough to receive disability.

And if I could still write books, I'd be doing it. That just isn't a possibility anymore. I wish it were.

But I can still write a coherent and effective paragraph, even a series of them, and I know there are people who can't or would prefer not to, and sometimes they pay others to do it for them. So I'm putting myself out there for others' writing needs. I don't think I could ghostwrite a piece of fiction from scratch -- hell, if I could do that, I'd just start writing my own books -- but I'm an excellent editor for manuscripts of any length and subject, and I can produce quick, clean copy for research papers, ads, catalogs, websites, love letters, and many other pieces of writing you may need. My rates are reasonable and negotiable. If interested, please contact me at [email protected] (no LJ messages, please; I never think to check them). And, if you would, spread the word!

I still have a couple of openings for full-length fiction manuscripts (15,000 words or over) that need editing. Rate is $4 per page. Please see my book doctoring page for details.

I just listed two rare horror anthologies on eBay: the trade hardcover of Still Dead: Book of the Dead 2, edited by John Skipp and Craig Spector, which includes the first publication of my story "Calcutta, Lord of Nerves"; and the signed/numbered/slipcased edition of the first Borderlands anthology, edited by Thomas F. Monteleone, which includes the first publication of "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" and is signed by all the contributors, including Harlan Ellison! Other good stuff is still up too.

Also, I am accepting new manuscripts for editing. Please see my book doctoring page for rates and details.

I don't like to admit it, but I have sometimes wished for the option of a cheap, occasional pill that would sate hunger and provide all nutrients. In the future, even cannibals will be able to just take a pill. And the future is now.

Though I haven't been writing here, I've been productive, editing manuscripts and making some of my favorite blank books ever. More about those soon. For now, here's me, age 2.

Pretty sure Myspace isn't much of a thing these days, but since I made a book doctoring page there back in 2007 and was miraculously able to find it again, log in, and update it, I thought I'd post the link to give interested parties more information.

Also, I'd just like to point out that Grey and I look freaking awesome in this photo.

I'm thinking of resuming my editing/book doctoring work on a very limited scale, only one or two manuscripts at first. I don't especially like the work, but I think I'm pretty good at it -- at least two of the novels I worked on back in 2007-2008 have since been professionally published -- and the wolf is at the door. Posting this mostly to gauge interest, so please comment. Questions are welcome. If I worked with you on a manuscript and you feel like commenting, that would also be fabulous. If you don't want to post here, you can e-mail me at bookdocbrite (at) gmail (dot) com with "Dr. Brite" in the subject line.