What happened to Saturday?

When I was a child, Saturdays were great. At least, as far as I remember. There was no school, plenty of time to play with friends, and a plethora of cartoons on all the network stations, which consisted of about three or four different networks. Good times.

Now, all of that seems to have changed since my adulthood. I'll be forty years old in April and I feel like I'm turning into that old man down the road all of us kids used to fear and make fun of. The old man who would yell at you, "Keep off my grass!" as he shook his fist in the air and threaten to call the police or your parents. Okay, I don't think I'm really that much of a curmudgeon, but I think I know why most old people become crotchety: they're forced out of their comfort zone with unwanted changes.

I know that's not a brilliant observation from an enlightened academic. Hell, I'm not professing to be some great social psychologist or anything of the like. It's just that as I get older, I realize just how different things are today in contrast to when I was younger. But, I'm digressing.

The reason for this post? Let me give you just a bit of back story first. Although I write novels, I still have a day job. I work as a programmer for an eCommerce company. (I know. There was no such position when I was a kid, not even in high school.) This past week was rough. We were trying to release software and the project had been huge! Every time it went before our Quality Assurance team, they would find some bug or other and kick back to us to fix. Well, since this project was so big, we were scrambling to fix all of the glitches in the system. As one of my colleagues so eloquently put it, it was like shoving three tons of shit through a one ton pipe. I couldn't agree more. And shove we did! Suffice it to say, I didn't have much time (or desire) to do any writing. After all, The Old Royal is in the hands of my second beta reader, so why shouldn't I relax and enjoy some down time?

I woke up early this morning, showered, shaved, and relaxed on the sofa with the TV on. We don't get that many channels, only seventeen or so because we refuse to pay the cable company exorbitant sums of money for hundreds of channels of even more shit. Besides, I enjoy sitcoms and have a few I watch frequently on the few channels we have. However, the weekend (during the first part of the day, anyway) appears to be devoid of entertainment. Well, that is to say, unless you enjoy watching political round tables, save-the-planet shows, half-hour (sometimes even whole-hour) infomercials, kids' shows that are absolutely dreadful (what happened to Bugs Bunny?), and, well, that's pretty much it for the channels I get. I'm sure there's something worth watching on one of the cable shows out there.

Instead of sounding more like the curmudgeon I must appear to be, I suppose I'll work on a Halloween mask sculpture and enjoy drinking a curmudgeon. That sounds relaxing to me. Thanks for putting up with my rant.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2012

For those of you who don't know from my name, I'm half Scot and half Irish. So, it should come as no surprise that today means no more to me other than drinking beer with friends and having a good time. Of course, this is typically how I spend time with friends and I drink at least one beer nearly every day. I don't drink because of my ancestry (I don't think), but because I love beer.

I'm not the type of person who believes in superstitions, but I do believe in leprechauns. Don't believe that they exist? Fine. Here's proof...

In all seriousness, I hope you have a relaxing, safe, and happy St. Paddy's day. I will be spending mine with friends and family at a nearby Taco Mac, where I happen to be a Brewniversity member, working toward my Bachelor's. After all, the Beer-of-the-Month is Guinness, Harp, and Smithwick. Mmmm good.

So raise a glass of Guinness (or Harp or Smithwick's--but please, no Budweiser!) Sláinte!

Book Review (Twofer!): The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale and Two-Way Split by Allan Guthrie

I haven't done any book reviews lately and today seemed like a good time to play catch up, so I decided to give you a two-for-one deal. I am feeling especially saucy since I finished my second round revisions of The Old Royal and handed it off to my second beta reader. (BTW, it should be coming to an ebook retailer soon, so keep an eye out! Of course, stay tuned here and you'll know before anyone else.)

First, let me tell you about Joe R. Lansdale's The Bottoms. I got the paperback from Barnes & Noble because I had heard Joe's name mentioned by some authors I follow on social media. I had never read any of his material and this book's synopsis really intrigued me. It's a mystery that takes place in the south during the Depression. This sounded right up my alley. I'm glad I took a chance on it because I wasn't disappointed. Lansdale, I discovered, is a fantastic writer. His descriptions are spot on and his character development is phenomenal.

He paints the story in your mind flawlessly. The story is told by an elderly Harry, recounted from memories of his childhood, about discovering the body of a murdered black woman. Harry's father is the constable in their county and begins an investigation to determine who killed the woman. More bodies are discovered and several people are suspected. In addition to the mystery of who the killer is, there is a local legend Harry is faced with confronting, that of the Goat Man.

While this is mainly a mystery, it is also a coming-of-age story about Harry and his sister. In addition, it tackles race relations in the south during the early thirties. Lansdale seems to have really done his research with this book and nailed the dialect in his dialogue without weighing the reader down with unnecessary punctuation, which is a fine line to balance.

I discovered a zombie anthology at B&N that featured a story by Joe and looked up that story in the book. Since this was the only book of his I'd read, I wanted to see if this was just a fluke or if his other work is just as good. Now, I'm not a zombie fan (aside from The Walking Dead, which I love!) as I feel it's been well mined. However, Lansdale's tale in the anthology seemed to be on par with this book. The dialogue was strong as were the characters. I gave The Bottoms 5 out of 5 stars and plan to read more of his work. If you want a southern crime story that will keep you turning the page, I suggest you get a copy of this book!

---

The second book in this twofer is Allan Guthrie's Two-Way Split. This is a crime drama that takes place in the UK, Ireland to be precise. There are several characters whose paths cross and the plot becomes a tangled web of intrigue. In additions to the superb and engaging plot, there is a central theme on the title throughout the story, which I found to be beautifully executed. Now, I'm not typically a big fan of British authors because I become distracted by the use of their slang.

It differs so much from ours that I find it difficult to follow and lose interest in the story. That was not the case with Guthrie's Two-Way Split. Sure, he uses quite a bit of British slang, but it's easy to pick up on in the context he uses it. Not to mention, his characters are some bad asses. I really enjoyed the action in this book and the conclusion. Although, there was one small section where I became confused by a character. This, however, turned out to be straightened out further on as I read and completely understood.

It's extremely rare for me to say this about British authors, but I intend to check out some more stories by Allan Guthrie. He did such an excellent job with this book that I want to see what else he is capable of. So, if you want to read a kick-ass hard-boiled crime story from the UK, you need to get a copy of Allan Guthrie's Two-Way Split. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I hope you'll pick up one of these (or both) books and enjoy it (them) the way I did. Thanks for stopping by!

One of those days

I've been juggling several projects recently. I'm excited about getting through another round of editing for The Old Royal. That just means it's inching closer to publication. I know there are some guys I work with who will be happy to hear that. But, alas...

On the tail of the good news comes some not-so-good news. Work on Rabbit on the Run has slowed to a stop. It seems my motivation to write dries up when I sit down to work on it. I'm still excited about the story. It just seems like Royal is sapping my motivation. Who knows? Perhaps when I get The Old Royal out the door things will pick up for Rabbit. This doesn't mean I'll let this story slip through the cracks. Hear me now and believe me later: I fully intend to complete this novel and have it published this year.

Of course, there is also Lathem's Lament to look forward to. I've already completed one editorial pass on that story, so I don't have to contend with creating something anew. This is perhaps the only occasion when editing isn't such a drag. After much thought, I've decided to release Lament and Rabbit simultaneously. I came to this conclusion after I realized that I was jumping around genres. Since it is a Southern Gothic and Rabbit also has similar characteristics, I've decided it would be best to release them together. That way, I can give my readers who want crime fiction a book while also reaching out to some new readers. Lament is a book I wrote several years ago and I refuse to see my efforts go to waste. Besides, I really like the story and think others will, too.

However, this post wasn't meant to be a status update. I wanted to express my frustration with the state of my writing. On the surface, it seems like I'm not being very productive. My blog posts are lagging, stories seem to be stalling in progress, I'm becoming distracted by external activities, and I've gained some weight. Yeah, I know, that last one has nothing to do with writing. But, it still sucks, especially since I was so good last year and lost 50 pounds.

Now that I give it more consideration, I think I'm just in a temporary funk. My writing hasn't really hit any brick walls. This is just a temporary mental thing that everyone experiences from time to time. I just need to stop dwelling on it and move on. I'm about to meet with a writer-friend for our weekly lunch where we talk about reading, writing, and practically anything else that interests us. I always enjoy our discussions because we're very like-minded. I'm sure it'll be fun and I'll get motivated again. Thanks for stopping by and listening to me rant. I promise, I'll try not to do this very often.

The magic of writing

To be honest, there is no magic to writing. Disappointed? Well, let me explain what I mean.

When I think of the magic of writing, I think of a couple of things. First, I think of the words the author used to tell his/her story. As an author myself, I sit and watch my characters interact in my head, kind of like watching a movie. I transcribe the action and dialogue to the page. I also try to throw in some description to convey to the reader what the place looks like, what smells might be in the air, and anything else that helps draw the reader into the story. I strive to create an experience for the reader.

For me, this is extraordinarily difficult. As I'm writing, the scene is playing out. I like to think of it as typing the closed-caption for a TV show or movie. You've got to be quick, get the words down while the action is happening. At least, this is how I write. I don't find myself sitting at the keyboard lolly-gagging with just the right adjective or verb to make a scene pop. That comes later, during the revision process. That's where the writer is supposed to smooth the edges and polish the story until it shines. When I am writing a first draft, I grab the first words that come to mind as I watch those scenes in my head. But, writing the first draft for a novel is a laborious task. I don't do it in a week, or even two. It usually takes me a month or two. Within that time, I am also reading novels for entertainment. I often find myself reading a book and wondering, Wow, this writer's awesome! The way he/she worded this is spot on!, which inevitably leads me to thoughts like this Damn, why can't I write like this?

This is the first bit of magic that comes to mind when I think of the magic of writing: how the author can create such a beautiful work of art from words when my own stuff feels so stilted and awkward. Let me dispel the myth of this kind of magic. Every writer experiences these feelings at some point during their writing, usually when writing first drafts or in the early stages of revising. That's the point of revising, to polish out those rough spots and find the right words to evoke an emotion. Beta readers are instrumental during this process. And, any author who pens a first draft and thinks he/she is Hemingway or Faulkner, well, you're delusional and your writing is probably shit anyway.

As I was editing The Old Royal today, I realized that, as I was making changes and strengthening the story, it was becoming more and more like I wanted it. I was cutting repetitive crap, fixing stupid typos, and filling in large plot holes. It's becoming sexy to me! Yeah, that might sound weird, but if you've ever written a book, or even a short story, and experienced that sense of jealousy as I mentioned, then you probably get what I'm talking about.

The second bit of magic to writing is how someone can sit down and produce something as long as a book. Before I ever wrote my first book (a novel called The Shadow People, which still hasn't been released...yet), I often thought it ridiculous that anyone could write so much for so long. Then, I did it. It took me three months to finish the first draft. I set out to write a thousand words every day, but didn't always succeed. There were days where I didn't make it to a thousand and others where I didn't even sit down to write. But, I made up for those days that I had slacked off by doubling or tripling the words I wrote subsequently. Since then, I've written numerous short stories, started novels, and completed about three or four.

What I'm getting at here is that there is no magic to writing a book. What it takes is determination. Now, I know that bit of advice gets old. People who say they want to write a book realize the dedication and perseverance it takes and either lose their motivation or put it off because they can't commit the time or they aren't disciplined enough to carry through. There is no magic there. Believe me. I know. I was once like those people who always wanted to write a book, but didn't think I was up to the task. Finally, my desire to do it outweighed my procrastination and lack of motivation. I made myself sit down and do it.

That's how I feel about the magic of writing. I've pulled back the curtain and seen the little man hiding there, trying to keep the process shrouded in a veil of mystery. Now, I'm not saying that there isn't any magic in books. The experience of being transported to another place and time through words is real magic that exists between the writer and reader. So, what are your thoughts and feelings on the subject? Feel free to weigh in with a comment. Thanks for stopping by!

2012: The Lineup

I've been busy as hell trying to get some projects closer to completion. While I've been heads down working, I haven't really given the blog much attention. When I happen to think of it, I flush with embarrassment because it seems like I'm neglecting a loved one. I don't want to neglect any loved ones, especially my readers. So, I thought I'd give you guys (er, and gal(s)) a glimpse into the things I have lined up for this year.

First, I'm trying to right a wrong by publishing The Old Royal. I said in a previous post that I hoped to release this by the end of January. I had to eat crow in the previous post. I'm happy to say that my wife returned the manuscript to me and assured me it didn't require a rewrite as I had initially suspected when I jumped the gun. I am more pleased to say that I managed to edit nearly a third of the manuscript this past weekend, which, for me, is an astonishingly immense amount of editing to accomplish. I think I've said before how much I hate editing. I'd rather have my fingers pounded with a ball peen hammer. So, I hope to have this completed and handed over to my beta readers soon.

Second, I am still in the early editing phases of a Southern Gothic called Lathem's Lament. I mentioned a little bit of what it's about in this post. This is a story set in the 50s in rural Georgia. It's mainly about a family dealing with life at home while their son is fighting over in Korea. The story follows the family as well as some of the neighbors and each chapter is told from a different character's point of view. I know it's a deviation from my usual crime and horror fiction, but it's a story that I had in me and begged to be written. I obliged and hope I do it justice and that my readers will enjoy it. There is a crime that takes place in it as well as a supernatural event. Anyway, I'm working on getting it ready to hand off to the wife, too. When I release it, I hope to hear some positive reviews for it. After all, the readers are the final judges.

In addition to this vintage story, I have a Southern Gothic/crime caper in mind that I've been itching to write. I've already started it, but haven't gotten very far with everything else in line ahead of it. This is a story set in the early 30s (also in Georgia—can you see the theme here?) about a black man on the run from a lynch mob for murdering a white girl. I'm still a little sketchy on the ending because I haven't nailed it down, but I've got some ideas about how it might end. You'll have to stay tuned to find out more about it. The tentative title is Rabbit on the Run. If I can execute it the way I see it in my head, I think it'll be a fantastic read.

I mentioned a ball peen hammer earlier, which brings me to this last project. Another book set in rural Georgia, this time in the 70s. The protagonist is a Vietnam vet who witnesses a meeting between some members of the Dixie Mafia and a politician. He's running for his life as the Dixie Mafia pursues him (mainly a thug who enjoys using a ball peen hammer on his victims) and, at the same time, trying to expose the corruption he has recently discovered. I'm excited about this one, but I'll be lucky if I can release it this year. The title I have in mind is Greasing the Squeaky Wheel.

There you have it! Four big projects, all in various stages of the writing/editing process. I hope some of these sound as exciting to you as they do to me. Check back to learn how I'm progressing and watch for the stories that interest you most. They're coming. I don't know when, but I can assure you, they ARE coming. As I get closer to the publishing date for each, I'll provide some sneak peeks at the covers. Thanks for reading!

The Old Royal release date pushed back

*SIGH* Okay. So I said earlier that I wanted to release The Old Royal near the end of January. Well, here we are, the end of January and sadly I have to announce that I am not even close to releasing the book. (I guess my audience of one will be disappointed. Sorry about that.)

I've handed the manuscript over to my primary beta reader (my lovely and beautiful wife) who is still working on going through it. I don't envy her the job of proofing my work because...well, editing is a shitfest. There, I said it. Reading is one thing. But, reading something that you know may contain flaws, plot or otherwise, puts you on your guard. Not to mention, cross-referencing some fact(s) that may crop up hundreds of pages apart for accuracy. No, I don't envy her task, although that is what I do several times before ever handing it off to one of my beta readers. And, believe me, it sucks to read a book over and over and over. Even if you wrote it, I guarantee you will eventually come to hate reading it.

I think I painted a bleak-enough picture of the process so you will understand how badly it sucks. Just the other day, when I asked her how it was coming, she said I could read the notes she's already made. I told her I didn't want to do that, that I would prefer to wait and just hear the whole impression at once. She said, "Well, you could get a head-start on fixing the problems." That's never good to hear. I asked her if they were big problems. Basically, from what she alluded to, it's close to a rewrite, I think. I might be over-estimating the magnitude of said "problems", but nevertheless, it looks like the book will not be out for a little while.

Whenever she finishes, I will correct whatever is wrong with it, shaping it into the story I thought it already was and hand it off to the next beta reader. I usually get the opinions of at least three different people. So, now that I've made my announcement and eaten crow, I'll continue editing and writing the next couple of books in the queue. I've decided to quit trying to predict releases for this very reason. It sucks to be ambitious and announce a tentative release date only to miss the mark by so much. Until I get better at judging my progress, I'll just keep quiet about future releases until they are much closer to actually being finished.

In the meantime, I urge you to get a copy of one of my other books if you haven't already done so. Hopefully, you've read one...and enjoyed it. So, why not help a struggling author out and get another? I'd certainly appreciate it. You can find links to the various formats in the right margin. Thanks for reading and stayed tuned for updates as I get closer to the release.

P.S. This picture pretty much sums up how I feel...