What distracts you? What causes your attention to be rammed away from what you're working on?
Today's political race is definitely one of those that distracts many. No matter what side you're rooting for, the media is great at distracting your attention.
Knowing what draws your attention from your art/project is half the battle. You acknowledge it. Now it's to do something about it.
For me, I have a small list of things I want to focus on. And politics is not one of them. I have no control over how one feels for one candidate or political party, and I'm not going to waste my time doing so. One focus for me is my writing. My books. That may be obvious, for those who read this blog.
Given that, I'm roughly a fourth of the way through editing Shades of Darkness. I'm still shooting for a release date near the end of August.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
Cover for Shades Of Darkness / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-July-2016
Keeping it short today. Still editing Shades of Darkness, and I'm roughly 9-10 chapters into it. Still aiming for a mid-August release, but it may change depending on how long the editing takes me.
In the meantime, here is the cover for Shades of Darkness. Please let me know what you think:
In the meantime, here is the cover for Shades of Darkness. Please let me know what you think:
Friday, July 15, 2016
Shades Of Darkness, Book 4 / Happenings In The Outhouse 15-July-2016
The first draft of Book 4 in the Central Division Series is complete. I wrote the last words at exactly noon on Saturday, July 9th, 2016--to celebrate I took my youngest daughter to see The BFG. We both thought it was funny and highly underrated. If you get a chance to see it, do so.
Anyway, back to Book 4. It is called Shades of Darkness.
I'm having the cover being worked on, and will share once it's complete. Right now, I'm looking for a mid-August release.
As of now, I'm currently working on the edits.
Stay tuned . . .
Anyway, back to Book 4. It is called Shades of Darkness.
I'm having the cover being worked on, and will share once it's complete. Right now, I'm looking for a mid-August release.
As of now, I'm currently working on the edits.
Stay tuned . . .
Friday, July 8, 2016
Don't Get Sucked Into The Drama / Happenings In The Outhouse 08-July-2016
Facebook does it.
The 24-hour news stations do it.
Hell, any form of social media does it.
What is this, you may ask?
It's drama.
No, I'm not talking about a drama story or the three-act drama play your child may be in. I'm talking about the day-to-day events that sucks your life down into rabbit holes. And, of course, it's even more so whenever there is a major crisis or a US Presidential election. Which, according to Facebook, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. there is a BREAKING NEWS crisis every five seconds.
Drama are the stories that gets people's blood boiling, where they rant and rave on Facebook comments, despite the hypocrisy of their stance on many issues. No one seems to be completely immune to it.
It doesn't even need to be national news. It can be within your geographic area (i.e. the so-called controversial new logo for the University of North Dakota) or within your own family and friends.
However, you can control it. Control how much you take in and how it affects you.
Focus on what you need to do. For me, it's writing. I have the fourth novel in the Central Division Series that is nearing the end of the first draft. As of this writing, I am at 53,000 words and will guess I will be adding another 10,000+ before it ends. I am focusing on a mid-August release, which means editing and cover art creation.
What projects are you working on? Or would like to work on?
Stay away from the drama.
And get to work.
The universe needs you. And the universe will thank you for it.
The 24-hour news stations do it.
Hell, any form of social media does it.
What is this, you may ask?
It's drama.
No, I'm not talking about a drama story or the three-act drama play your child may be in. I'm talking about the day-to-day events that sucks your life down into rabbit holes. And, of course, it's even more so whenever there is a major crisis or a US Presidential election. Which, according to Facebook, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. there is a BREAKING NEWS crisis every five seconds.
Drama are the stories that gets people's blood boiling, where they rant and rave on Facebook comments, despite the hypocrisy of their stance on many issues. No one seems to be completely immune to it.
It doesn't even need to be national news. It can be within your geographic area (i.e. the so-called controversial new logo for the University of North Dakota) or within your own family and friends.
However, you can control it. Control how much you take in and how it affects you.
Focus on what you need to do. For me, it's writing. I have the fourth novel in the Central Division Series that is nearing the end of the first draft. As of this writing, I am at 53,000 words and will guess I will be adding another 10,000+ before it ends. I am focusing on a mid-August release, which means editing and cover art creation.
What projects are you working on? Or would like to work on?
Stay away from the drama.
And get to work.
The universe needs you. And the universe will thank you for it.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Create a checklist of tasks / Happenings In The Outhouse 01-July-2016
I am roughly 40,000 words into the fourth thriller novel in the Central Division Series.
This week, I published Discarded (the third thriller novel in the Central Division Series) in other online retailers besides the Amazon Kindle store. Here's a link for your favorite e-retailer.
Which brings me to my latest dilemma. On the Amazon Kindle store alone, I currently have 17 various stories, all in ebook format (no print or audio at this time). They are:
4 Fiction Novels
1 Fiction Novella
1 Fiction Novelette
1 Collection of fiction short stories
9 Fiction short stories
1 Non-fiction
With each publication, I find myself going, "Oh, I forgot to do this." Or "Oh, I forgot all about that." So I have decided to put together a checklist.
I love lists. And lists help me keep track of what I should be doing. Like remembering that GooglePlay's ebook pricing is a little wonky or remembering the right front and back matter in each book.
In the future, I may share this list. But keep in mind, this list is for my books. This is what works for me. It's not necessarily for you.
It's still a work in progress, and one that I will continually add to from time to time. When I get it finished--as much as it can be--I will share it with you.
In the meantime, today is the beginning of the third quarter. Have you been keeping up with your goals? I find it refreshing to review them at least once a quarter. Again, that's my method. You may do it monthly or even weekly.
This week, I published Discarded (the third thriller novel in the Central Division Series) in other online retailers besides the Amazon Kindle store. Here's a link for your favorite e-retailer.
Which brings me to my latest dilemma. On the Amazon Kindle store alone, I currently have 17 various stories, all in ebook format (no print or audio at this time). They are:
4 Fiction Novels
1 Fiction Novella
1 Fiction Novelette
1 Collection of fiction short stories
9 Fiction short stories
1 Non-fiction
With each publication, I find myself going, "Oh, I forgot to do this." Or "Oh, I forgot all about that." So I have decided to put together a checklist.
I love lists. And lists help me keep track of what I should be doing. Like remembering that GooglePlay's ebook pricing is a little wonky or remembering the right front and back matter in each book.
In the future, I may share this list. But keep in mind, this list is for my books. This is what works for me. It's not necessarily for you.
It's still a work in progress, and one that I will continually add to from time to time. When I get it finished--as much as it can be--I will share it with you.
In the meantime, today is the beginning of the third quarter. Have you been keeping up with your goals? I find it refreshing to review them at least once a quarter. Again, that's my method. You may do it monthly or even weekly.
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