There are times when I completely understand why some writers quit after their first book. They sweat and fret and stress over the book until it is perfect. They are excited about sharing their book or short story or whatever and wait anxiously for the publishing date to arrive. They talk it up and on that glorious day…nothing happens. Maybe their mom and a few others who know the writer pick up a copy (pity purchase?) but beyond that the book sits unwanted. Dreams of glory and riches are crushed and the writer throws down (writing instrument of choice) and proclaims they will never write again. Dreams can build you up and they can tear you down. The thing is, […]
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Update
I haven’t done a proper update in a while so I thought today might be a good opportunity to do so. Here goes: Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty – due to some life issues, the book will now be released in June of this year. JR Murdock and I are currently going through the ARC for final proofing. Once this one is available, JR and I will be working on the sequel to it. Most likely writing of sequel will begin in June. Mik Murdoch 3 – now titled Mik Murdoch: Crisis of Conscience, the first draft is complete. I am doing a thorough edit of the book (which is under contract to Five Rivers Publishing, btw) and […]
Read moreLove the Story You’re In
I was thinking about my writing and I realized the stories that turned out best (at least, in my opinion) are the ones where I had something personally invested. That investment didn’t always happen at the outset of writing. In fact, a few short stories I wrote were grueling projects that I couldn’t wait to finish. That is, until I found that spark that pulled me in. One such set of stories is my Mik Murdoch series. Mik Murdoch was a story I had wanted to write since I was about 16. I remember trying to start something only to let it go after realizing I didn’t quite have the idea as solid as I wanted (that and I really […]
Read moreKeeping it Real
I was reminded (several times) over the weekend that humanity is an imperfect species. People I know and respect made some very poor choices right in front of me. Things I could only shake my head about and wonder what they were thinking. It served to remind me to think about what I’m doing before I act or say something that could be hurtful or downright stupid. The thing is, it is our imperfections that make us interesting and beautiful. I may have shaken my head at the actions, but when I looked below the surface to see why they might have occurred, I’m reminded that ego can be delicate and perception is completely personal. I can understand the hurt […]
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