Hi Penny,

 Because it is a new client you could ask for a credit card payment upfront.  If he blows you off then either he is one of those clients who only pay when they get paid, which is not cool.  Or he wasn't going to pay you in the first place.  Or other things too.  But that would be my advice.  Send a non-accusative reply that because he is new it is your policy for the first order to ask for payment upfront because you have been burned before. 

Tom