(12/17/22)

Unfortunately, my second novel has required a re-proof, and the additional work on quality will delay its release date. I had originally hoped to have the book out this year, but now it’s looking more like March or so…

I do have a little bit of good news to report—about another library that has adopted A Witch’s Burden. If you live down in Dundee, Florida, please be sure and check me out!

I hope to have more concrete information about my second project soon. It’s so close to finished, but it has to be just right.

(9/19/22)

And it’s not even over!

Internet service problems, mold in our crawlspace, and then lightning striking our TV.

The latter if only for the news of the world wouldn’t have been so bad, but what about my K-Dramas and anime—the only things nowadays left worth watching?

We’re slowly getting things resolved, but it has been anything but “fun.”

In other news, I decided to end my ongoing Beta early. A story like the one I just wrote (perhaps related to the above image?) really requires critical mass; I simply don’t know enough avid readers in the genre. Coupling that with the fact that I’m also a terrible salesman meant I had myself a recipe inconducive for getting strangers to write book reports.

Don’t get me wrong, I did get some encouraging feedback—just not nearly enough to clue me in on what the reading public is going to do with it.

And so, I am left as usual with finding out the old-fashioned way. To that end, I went ahead and took another couple of passes at the manuscript. Now in “Gamma” it’s even out on limited query.

Furthermore, on Friday, I involved a professional (editor)—my first step towards more indie publishing should no agent ride in to the rescue.

I even mocked up a cute cover idea…

Oh, I do have one more piece of good news to report. My first novel is in another library—Haines City Public Library down in Polk County. Please check me out if you live down there! (Man, it’s getting built up!)  

P.S. There’s a lesson in Genesis chapter 11 (verses 1-9) that’s become lost on some people. They better study up or else they’ll fail the coming test!

As a reminder, I’ll be doing a program for the Friends of the Taylor County Public Library on Monday, April 25, 2022 from 5:30 until 6:30pm. The event is free and open to the public. Please make plans to attend. The address of the library is 403 N. Washington Street, Perry, Florida 32347.

I’ll be doing a little reading from A Witch’s Burden, talk about my background and influences and (here’s the exciting part) will be sharing some information about my upcoming project! In particular, I should have a first draft of the synopsis for my next book ready to share. I hope to use it to recruit a beta reader or two from the crowd.

You won’t want to miss it if you like light character-driven fantasy adventure stories!

I have some other news to share. My hardcover is now in two more libraries here in Florida. I’m over in Panama City at their main Bay County branch and down in Port St. Joe in Gulf County as well. Both libraries are members of the Northwest Regional Library System found HERE. Please check me out if you live in either of these wonderful places.  

I’m still in edits and only today discovered that my second book will probably come to a total of thirty-one chapters. I’m working on chapter twenty-four right now… so maybe the end of next month, if I’m really lucky. Recall, one of these is going to require a significant re-write that could, if it goes wrong, put me danger of hitting the summer.

We’ll see*.

*YOU in Perry on the 25^th! =)

I am proud to report my book has been adopted by the Calhoun County Public Library in Blountstown, Florida. If you live in the area, please be sure to check me out.

If you can believe it, we only just recently got over that way since the big hurricane. It was terrible to see all the scars that remain even to this day and especially among the trees.

I’m still pluggin’ along on my adventure manuscript and wouldn’t have any more news to report if it wasn’t for a funny story I encountered this weekend.

Heard of the Matinicus Island Library up in Maine? Me neither, until now.

Do a web search. It’s kinda funny. Apparently a local story about it calling for donations got picked up nationwide and blown completely out of proportion. By who? Guess: the Associated Press (go figure).

I just went to their library association’s page where Eva, their treasurer, provides the real scoop. Apparently they don’t want every banned book in the universe, nor giant boxes of unwanted random dusty tomes. But since they are still interested in individual volumes, treasured reads, I’m sending them mine, courtesy of a most unlikely source.

(2/27/22)

I am delighted to report that my hardcover has been adopted by the Anna Porter Public Library in Gatlinburg, TN. If you live in that wonderful town, please be sure to check me out!

My wife and I still try to visit the Tennessee Mountains once every year. This past November, we arrived just in time to enjoy the beautiful leaf change. There’s no place in the whole wide world quite like the Smoky Mountains in the fall. Even that fire they had a few years back failed utterly to dampen the area’s ancient majesty.

Beta News!

I have some other good news as well, and Lord knows we need it. My second book is coming along nicely. My wife and I are now 2/3rds done with our pre-beta edit pass, and I’ve even come up with a cover idea, though the title is still up in the air. Maybe by the time we are done that will have come to me as well.

This time, I’m going to try to source beta readers from participating libraries (i.e. libraries that stocked the hardcover of my first novel, AWB). Here are some of the details I’ve come up with, which are all subject to change:

WHO

Any avid reader interested in the following bargain: In exchange for reading and providing detailed timely feedback on an 115,000 word novel manuscript, participants will receive a written acknowledgement in the finished product, as well as a signed hardcover copy of same.

WHAT

The synopsis and logline will come later; but this is my beta pitch: TITLE PENDING is a brand new stand-alone character-based low fantasy adventure story written for all ages. Featuring drama and comedy, the tale is supposed to be just as serious as it isn’t. This is not A Witch’s Burden—a book written with a message—but a genre piece intended for escapist retro readers of the mass market.

The work does have sequel potential but is entirely self-contained. I have nothing against short series authors, but that’s not me. I think if you put a book—a story—together, it should come complete with a beginning and an end.

This effort is my attempt to write the sort of story that I enjoy; and, for this reason, before you agree you probably need to know more about me.

I grew up in what I consider the golden age of fantasy gaming. Heard of Gary Gygax? I met him at the first DragonCon in Atlanta. He signed my D&D Players Handbook. And I met Michael Moorcock there as well—even before I’d read the first book of his Elric saga. The reason I mention gaming first is that the era brought about a fantasy literature renaissance. And that’s not all; gaming became highly influential in manga and anime as well. I want to say Hajime Kanzaka, the creator of Slayers, is about my age, and, like me, was inspired by his gaming back in the day. 

This new book I’ve written is my Slayers, though it isn’t really anything like Kanzaka’s work. Well, it is, in one critical respect having to do with adventure vs. plot. My story has a plot, but the plot—I hope—doesn’t swallow the characters. My story has a plot, but also not at the expense of all the little adventures along the way.

Do you remember what was good about the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer? (Another slayer… though this focus is not intentional.) It was the strong characters, their wonderful interactions during those fabulous first two seasons of adventure and discovery. Before Joss destroyed the show later with too much plot and too much misery… I wanted my new book to be a little like that, if any of what I am saying here makes any sense at all.

In any event, you now know I like old-school gaming, fantasy novels, manga, and anime. I like the strong characters of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And add to all this, my deep love of the South, where I was raised, and you’ll perhaps get the flavor—a vague idea of the kind of story I have written.

WHEN

Hopefully, I’ll have the beta manuscript ready for readers by the end of spring. I know I’ve been pokey, but it’s a lot of work, and the distractions this stupid world has thrown my way have slowed me down. 

WHERE

Check my page HERE for libraries that stock the hardcover of my first novel. I’m hoping librarians at these institutions can put me on the path to three to five readers. In any event, no more than ten, with their only qualification being an interest in the genre.

Speaking of good news, I’ve spotted my eBook in two new states to add to my campaign (#AWitchInEveryState). My Hoopla E Book is now available in Alaska and North Carolinian in the following digital libraries:

Fairbanks North Star Borough Public Libraries, and

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

If you live in either of these places, please check me out. It’s free! (to those with a library card)

P.S. Still pluggin’ along on my adventure story manuscript. It’s about half done now, still so much work to do…

Thank you very much to all the staff of the Warren P. Sewell Memorial Library!

I’m now in Texas too thanks to the library there at LeTourneau University (Longview). But AWB was in Texas even before it was a book. A nice Texan was one of my original beta readers. Can you guess which one from those listed in the acknowledgements? [EDIT (11/9/21): As of today, my eBook is no longer showing at LeTourneau. This happens sometimes, and is always a surprise. In this case, I’m leaving the link. If you attend the university there, feel free to ask them why. I try to keep my front page links up to date, but don’t have time to constantly review every single link in every single back post. Did you know I was once available on Google Play, and that my Amazon Kindle version just yesterday disappeared? I’m looking into the latter now, but in any event intend to keep a tighter grip on things distribution-wise with my upcoming book!]

In other news, preliminary edits proceed apace. I’m talking now about my next book, the adventure story—still so far it is from being ready. My wife and I have done over fifty double spaced pages so far; however, regrettably, that’s still less than 13% of the manuscript (14,409/113,563 words). And I haven’t even gotten to the rewrite chapters yet… Yeah, there are going to be a few sections that need more of that developmental touch. When we get a little closer I promise I’ll provide some concrete teasers. Maybe even some pages depending on how things go…

That’s all for now.

Let me sign off in witch’s fashion with a ‘back to school’ curse:

May the students you abuse today imprison you tomorrow.

[INSERT CACKLING]