Happenings In The Outhouse 19-Apr-2013 / What do the movies "Pacific Rim", "Real Steel", and "Zero Dark Thirty" have in common?

I have over 33,000 words written so far in my alternative history military thriller--something I am now pitching as Pacific Rim and Real Steel meets Zero Dark Thirty.  Intrigued?  I sure hope so.  Soon I'll even share the title of this tale.

I'm also in the process of formatting Guest of Honor up on Smashwords.  There's just a few more front material items that needs to be added to their edition in order for them to accept it, and I'll announce when it's uploaded.

Speaking of Guest of Honor I also have the first of a number of blog posts up from my Twin Cities Crime Blogger site, this one titled Tragic End at the Walnut Hotel.  This is my fictional blog centered around some of the characters from Beholder's Eye, which are now included in my novelette.  More will be added to this down the road.  Part of this blog post actually appears in the novelette as well.

Beholder's Eye is marching ever-so slowly towards self-publication.  I've received a number of rejections back from literary agents, a few so kind as to say they really enjoyed the piece I sent them but were booked solid and couldn't justify taking me on at this point.  I'm still brainstorming a cover design, and then it's the task of formatting and uploading.

Lastly, I'm . . . casually reading the fourth novel I ever wrote.  This one I felt before may be another close one that I could self-publish.  Now, after reading two-thirds of it, I'm finding I have a lot of work to do on that one.  It could still be done, but I'm finding POV (point of view) problems as one of my biggest hurdles.  Not to mention that when it was originally written, technology as it is today was not as prevelent.  Now it seems to consume everyone's life.  That also needs to be added.  Sorry to sound so cryptic, but that one is not ready to be shared with the world yet--it's a horror/coming of age story set on Lake Of The Woods.

P.S.  Today my grandfather Ray is celebrating his 90th birthday.  I can't help but think of what a milestone this is.  Also, having raised five children to be productive members of society and remaining married to his "ever-precious angel" for several decades before her life was robbed due to Alzheimer's, he probably could write volumes of books on the subject--I think I may need to tap into his mind to see if he could share his secret.  Happy 90th Birthday Grandpa!!!!