Dreary Daze

Winter, as rare as it is, has settled upon us here on the Central Coast. Normally this only lasts for a few days but it has stayed with us for more than a week and it is having a a bad effect on my creative juices. Shake it off boy!

"Ice" the novel I am joint writing with Barbara M. Hodges is now in revise status after a run thru by the publisher. Rewrite is a gang of fun. Ha! Well I must admit that the Editors suggestions were valid and the changes will make a better novel.

Speaking

I met a really nice group of people last Wednesday. They were interested in the written word, and they were a joy to spend time with. Thanks folks for giving us the time.

Selling the Word

In most cases writing the words down is far easier than selling the finished product. Part of the problem comes from the type of personality involved. A writer is by necessity a loner. A salesperson is outgoing and open. For most of most writers putting these two things together is the challenge.

Do I have a simple answer. No. The days when and agent did this for you are gone. So the only solution I have is keep on trying.

Moods

Having reached the age where I have to pay attention to what I do and what I eat I have recently modified my diet. The results of this modification seems to be an increase in creativity. Now that is not a bad thing. In fact it is good but troublesome. I have numerous story ideas running through my head when I need to be concentrating on the novel "Meltdown" which I am co-authoring with Barbara M. Hodges.

I have never suffered from a lack of story ideas; they seem to come easy to me. Some are based on past experiences, and some come from observed situations. Having a heavy background in action related events certainly helps.

Writting Drivel

Drivel in writing is the stringing of an endless chain of meaningless words in a manner that appears to have significance, when in fact no real pertinence exists.

Taking one, two, or three pages to describe a cactus in the morning sunrise is an example. Always remember your reader is not stupid. If they were would they be reading your book?

The Last Dawn of Reckoning

Jake is a man living on the edge. Every thing hinges on how he survives this rainy day trapped on a small rubber life raft in the Caribean. When this day is over Jake McCauly's life will be determined.

Partners

Writing with a partner is an experience. Barbara M. Hodges and I enjoyed it so much we have started the sequel to "ICE" even though we have not found a home for it yet. Our sequel "Meltdown" is going well and we are very sure it will be as good a read as "ICE"

Don't forget "The Last Dawn of Reckoning" my novel with Jake McCauly is available on Amazon.

writing vs. selling

Writing the novel is the easy part. Selling it to a publisher or agent is the hard part. To sell or market your novel you have to take off the jeans and sweat shirt and don the used car salesman garb. Not easy, because not only the cloths change but the mental attitude changes.

Writing is a lonely thing. Selling is the opposite. Some of us are better at this than others.

Ice

Morgan Garret is a former CIA agent and was involved along with Darcie Carmichael in the "Ice" caper.

Me: "Good Morning Morgan."
Morgan: "Yea, good morning."
Me: "How are you doing? I understand you had a pretty rough time."
Morgan: "Not so bad. Darcie and I are moving on. We are now involved with 'Meltdown' which is going to be a real challenge."
Me: "Can you tell us more?"
Morgan: "Well actually no, not 'till you and your writing partner write it down."

Morgan is a tough nut to crack but he is right. Barbara M. Hodges and I are well on our way with our sequel to "Ice", "Meltdown."

You will want to read both when we get the published.

Interview with Jake McCauly

In The Last Dawn of Reckoning Jake McCauly is released from prison where he was wrongfully imprisoned. I spent a few minutes talking to him about his ordeal.

"What was it like trying to hunt down a man intent on doing great harm to America?"

"The whole experience was intense, of course, but when we got to Texas we went on the offensive. Knowing he was crazy enough to start an oil fire was rough but the really bad time was in the raft in the Caribean."

As I begin another question Ellen came by and took him away.

Maybe we can get him back sometime.

Getting Published

Publishing in this changing world is getting more complicated every day. The e-book market has changed things and based on an article in today's Wall Street Journal, it may be the wave of the future. An author has the choice in how he goes, but remember that all exposure is good. You want to get your work in front of the publisher.

First Draft

Completing a first draft always give me a boost. Today my partner Barbara M. Hodges completed the first draft on our new novel "ICE". It is not finished. A first draft is far from finished. Now the work begins. Well not work really; if it was work you try to get someone else to do it.

As a writer should, I like every one of my books. This one though is a real winner.

The siren song is calling

Writer's block? Robert B. Parker once said that writer's block is just a lazy excuse to not write. He also said he writes five pages every day. I think that both of these are good advice.

That does not mean that they are easy. They aren't. It is hard to keep at it when the sun is shinning, the golf course beckons. The ocean is out there and the sun is shinning down.

Today is my writer's group weekly meeting so I don't get to goof off. They keep me honest.

Flying the P-51

Easing the throttle forward and applying rudder pressure to compensate for the torque the I 1710 engine develops, is just the beginning of the thrill ride. The tail comes up and the airspeed builds and then lift-off. Air born in the hottest fighter from WW II. North American Aviation in Los Angeles built a great airplane. I was lucky enough to have a friend who owned the airplane and I was blessed to get to fly her. She zooms.

After the flight my friends had to hold onto my leg to keep me from floating away. Great experience.

Standing on the rocks watching the Pacific ocean smashing in at Montana Del Oro I was struck with the need to use such a scene in some of my writing. 'Course right now I don't have a suitable place for such a dramatic display. Still it may have a place sometime in the future; so I wrote it, and that is the nature of writing.

I am often told by various folks. "I could write a book if I could get started."

My answer is, "Write. Sit down and write." That's how it's done. I leave out the rest, which is, "Then write it again. Read it, and write it again." I don't want to discouragee them too much.

I might have added that they should find a good writing group. I am fortunate to have the Santa Maria Word wizards. A great group of people.

Man what a day

After some on again off again rain today opens with clear skies and sunshine. That's why I live here on the Central Coast of California. So to enjoy this beauty I have moved from my desk to the patio. Barbara M Hodges (A Spiral of Echoes co-authored with Maggie Pucillo) and I are working on a novel and I have to keep up with her.

This and That

I was chastised the other day by a friend who said I need to update my blog more ofter: and she was right. The problem is that I just don't seem to have 'enuff time. I am into a writ ting that she surely understands is fascinating to the nth degree.

Co-authoring is a new experience for me but is working far better than I ever expected.

I had occasion to go to the airport to receive and dispatch a visiting friend and it made me think of the "Good ole days" when air travel still had it's magic and mystic. I think I like the old way better.

The Last Dawn of Reckoning is available on Amazon

My novel "Dawn" is now available on Amazon for download to your Kindle or other device:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Last+Dawn+of+Reckoning&x=11&y=18

I am very excited about this novel. Jake McCauley and I became very good friends during the development of this adventure.

Good news for my readers. My publisher has just informed me that "The Last Dawn of Reckoning" will be available for down load to Kindle in a few days. Keep your eye on Amazon.

"Dawn" is a great read and I enjoyed my time with Jake McCauley. He is a man with a past that knows how to live.

Kindle

I have recently acquired a Kindle and overall find it easy to use. It is a super to download. My small complaint woud be that the Library can be tough to navigate. It has given me access to some books by my favorite writer. Books not available in the book store.

This brought me to one of my idols in aviation writing, Ernest Gann. Making exciting movies from aviation novels is a difficult thing. He had some great books but mediocre movies. At least three of them starred John Wayne.

The problem stems from trying to convert a writen discription of of a tense moment in an airplane where the pilot does nothing but sit there moving the controls and staring out the windscreen. Making this into a motion picture requires a lot of shouting and jerky movement. This ends up as a lousy movie.

But...I am a sucker for the old movies.

From beyond the rim

Since everything is relative, each and everyone of us sees all we view in the light of our own perceptions, experiences and even environment. Based on these experiences we make value judgements.

I made a decision that the Olympics were important so as a results my writing production has slowed lately, but with the end in sight I can get back on the ball and make my writing partner happy.

The Daily Chore

You have no doubt heard that writing is a lonely task. Lonely is a state I find elusive since I work at home and never have complete "Alone". On those rare days when the house is empty I find my writing slows and my mind soars thinking up new story lines. Today is one of those days.

In "The Last Dawn of Reckoning" Jake McCauley is called on to stop a terrorist who threatens to do great harm to a major American city. Jake knows this man and in fact is one of the few living individuals who can identify him...if his appearance hasn't been altered. Look for Jake on Amazon (By Oaktree Press) this summer.

Scattered Hearts

Scattered Hearts, an anthology written by the Santa Maria Word Wizards is a collection of short stories and poetry centered on the theme of Valentine's day, but be warned it is not the usual hearts and flowers. It was a fun project. My novella Baby Bottles is included and can be previewed and purchased at http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/

Scattered Hearts is now available on Amazon for download to your Kindle.

It's always about writing

I am often asked to hear a great story idea, but I always say no and refuse to even listen . It's not that I am just rude but I will never know if that idea was mine or something Someone gave me. I would rather keep my mind clear. So if you have a great idea, write it yourself, don't give it away.

Recently I have been involved with getting "The Last Dawn of Reckoning" ready for publication. It has been a pleasant experience. Look for it on Amazon soon by Oaktree Press.

Someone once told Orville Wright his creation woud never fly. Some of those same folks are now saying e-books will never last. The are wrong; e-books are here to stay!