The New Year, New Goals / Happenings In The Outhouse 03-Jan-2025

With the new year comes new goals.

2025 is now upon us, and with that, for myself, I will be taking a different direction for my writing than what I have been doing these past few years.

As you may recall, I have been focusing on short stories--writing them, submitting them.  I have quite the backlog of stories now to choose from and, honestly, I miss writing novels.

With the new year comes the new goal of getting back to writing novels.  I will still write short stories, especially for anthology calls, writing workshops, Kickstarter campaigns, and of course Writers of The Future.

But my main focus for 2025 will be writing novels.

First up is a new series.  It is a cozy mystery series that has been brewing--pun intended--for several years and now I'm ready to start writing it.

Winding Down / Happenings In The Outhouse 27-Dec-2024

It's the last few days before the New Year.  Christmas has come and gone, and everything else is winding down.

I had two short stories that needed to be written and completed before the end of the month.  The first one was completed last weekend, and sent off for consideration.  The other one I hope to have completed by the time the New Year's ball drops.

We've had some home renovations going on to this fall, and that too is winding down.

Hitting The Stress Wall / Happenings In The Outhouse 20-Dec-2024

It's that time of the year again.

And I've been hearing the word stress a lot lately--especially at work.

Please take time for yourself.  Your health (and spirit) comes first.

Because if it wasn't for your health/spirit, everything else is moot.

Turn On The Lights / Happenings In The Outhouse 13-Dec-2024

I recently read a mystery novel where two detectives go into a dark basement, shining their flashlights all around.

Now, Mark, what's wrong with this?  Isn't that the way it's always done in the movies and books?

Yes, but that's not realistic.  Cops turn on lights.  As a former cop, one of the first rules we were taught about room sweeps was this: turn on the lights.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I screamed at the detectives in the novel and they didn't listen to me.  Go figure . . . 

Another Great Moment / Happenings In The Outhouse 06-Dec-2024

As if 2024 couldn't be more awesome and incredible!

The year started with my wife and I getting married in January.  Then, the long process of me adopting her youngest daughter Madison was finalized on Monday.

What a great year 2024 has turned out to be!

Be Thankful, Always / Happenings In The Outhouse 29-Nov-2024

With yesterday being Thanksgiving here in the United States, it's always a time to reflect on what we're thankful for.

But let's take it one step further.  Let's always be thankful.  Be thankful for what we have, what we have been given, for the opportunities.  Even the steps backward we can be thankful for, if something doesn't go right.

What are you thankful for today, tomorrow, yesterday . . . ?

Honorable Mention / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-Nov-2024

I have done it!

Although the journey is long from over when it comes to this contest, I received an honorable mention from the Writers of the Future, for the 4th quarter 2024 submissions.

This is a huge accomplishment as there are THOUSANDS of writers who submit to this contest each and every quarter.

Now, for the story I submitted, I will submit these to other markets for publication.  Then, I'll write another story to be submitted to this contest, in the hopes that I move further up the chain and even win one of the slots where my story will appear in print.