Changes On The Way

Forgive me Blogger, for I have sinned.  It has been twenty days since my last post.

I am going to be making some changes to this blog and other aspects of my writing life.  One of the reasons I've had so much trouble with this blog is that I find it hard to come up with topics to blog about.  I started it as a way to chronicle my writing life in hopes of attracting an agent.  But, I only have so much writing advice to give.

Besides, my goals have changed.

I'm no longer interested in attracting an agent.  It's readers that I'm concerned with.

Your average reader isn't concerned with the Indie v Trad wars, or story structure, or any of the other countless topics that interest writers.  But, I do think readers like to get to know writers on a personal level.

So, my plan is to lay back on posting about writing or my books, and to just blog about my life and the things that interest me.  Hopefully readers of this blog will like me as a person and that will drive them to want to read my books.

Maybe it'll work and maybe it won't.  Either way it should be therapeutic.

I'm also in the process of setting up a static website where I can have links to all of my books, this blog and the mob of social media sites to which I belong.

So keep your eyes peeled.  The winds of change are blowing.

If You Dream It . . .

It's no big secret that I'm a HUGE Jim Carrey fan.  I remember seeing this guy flail around on stage during his stand up, or drive me into fits of hilarity while he was on In Living Color.  Even back then, I knew he was going to be something special (like most everyone else).

Now, don't get me wrong.  I don't stalk the guy, but I do find him very interesting.  Below is an interview with Mr. Carrey.  Pay special attention to his story about the bike.  It is a wonderful testament to the power of positive thinking, and I believe it applies to all of us reaching for a dream.

My dream?  To be the self-published Stephen King.  Lofty goal, I know, but I'm putting it out there.  I'll continue to work my butt off and see what doors open to me.

Don't be afraid to speak your dreams aloud.  You never know who might be listening.

My Twen'y 'Leven

The past year has been a year of changes--some good, some bad--for just about everyone I know.

After deciding on a career path, going back to school (while working full time), my wife was accepted into nursing school and successfully completed her first semester. Yay!  Then her job was outsourced so people with more money than they know what to do with could afford another ivory back-scratcher.  Boo!

My house became officially diaper and pacifier free.  Both children are now in their own rooms and their brains have become Johny Five style super computers, absorbing every bit of input available.  Needless to say, we can no longer watch Family Guy, Futurama, and certain Simpsons episodes while they are awake.

As far as my writing goes, it was the year I said goodbye to traditional publishing and jumped on the indie bandwagon.  I self published Guarding the Healer at the end of May and Contemplations of Dinner just a few days ago.  I upped my virtual presence in the digi-sphere in a valiant attempt to self promote my work.  I'm a blogger, a Facebooker, Goodreader, and even a Tweeter.  If you would have called me that ten years ago I probably would have taken it as an insult. 

I also wrote another novel titled Predatory Animals.  I know several people wrote novels (sometimes two or three) but this means a lot to me because after a long time of seeking an agent, I had lost my love of writing.  Those of you that have traveled the Traditional Path know what I mean.  You pour all you have into a novel, spending several months or even years just to perfect it, then your only hope of landing a publishing contract is to convince an agent to take you on.  But you can't query all of them at once.  At most ten.  Six months go by and half don't even bother to respond.  Three say they like it but don't feel "passionate" about it.  The other two ask for a partial read, hold the manuscript for another four months to six months only to send you a form rejection letter.  Then you have to start all over again with another group of agents.  If you are lucky, you sign with an agent and the same mess starts all over with publishers.

What insane person wants to go through that?

Self publishing changed all of that.  It set me free and the words started flowing again.

It's been one of the strangest years for me in memory.  Not a bad one by any means.  I'm thankful for another year with my family and friends and I'm looking forward to 2012.

Happy New Year!