For the past month, we've had numerous vehicle problems.
Coincide this with the chilly weather--northern Minnesota had temps in the severe negative degrees for a few weeks, no kidding--the time to write (and even the desire) has been whittled down to nil.
But why should it?
Even if I sit for fifteen, twenty minutes of uninterrupted time, I can crank out a few hundred words. Adding to that over time, I'll have my current writing project done in no time.
The other day, I met a local writer (a newbie to our local writers' group) in the grocery store. He had just gotten through a long bout of sickness in his household, and he apologized for not getting any writing done for the last meeting. I told him that there was no apologies needed, and even added my own woes with vehicle troubles.
Then we discussed how much writing can be done in baby steps. Not necessarily in large three-hour blocks, but in fifteen to thirty minute bursts daily.
That gave us both the motivation to keep going.
If something has you down, be it an illness or other troubles nagging at your mind, clear away fifteen minutes--baby steps, remember?--and have fun on your project.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
A troublesome story / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-Jan-2018
Ever since I started the immediate sequel to Beholder's Eye, titled Training Grounds, I have been having troubles with it.
Most stories seem to fly from my brain to my fingers, but this one has been giving me some serious troubles. I have struggled to write even a few hundred words a day--and in some cases, none at all.
Then I came to the conclusion as to why it was causing these troubles.
The Central Division Series is a thriller series.
Training Grounds is not a thriller. The serial killer is already dead. Now comes the aftermath, the hands-on crime scene investigation, the deep dive into the why.
Training Grounds is more a police procedural with a dash of mystery.
Now that I have realized that, words are flowing faster. I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of the month, with a potential March 1st release date.
Also, once Training Grounds is complete, I will also be putting together a box-set of the first four novels, while including Training Grounds in it. I will either shoot for a March or April release date on those.
Speaking of release date on new novels, Strange Birth: Book one of the Repel Trilogy - An Order of Freaks Superhero novel is up for a February 1st release date. It is available through all e-retailers. Click on the link and choose the retailer of your choice.
Most stories seem to fly from my brain to my fingers, but this one has been giving me some serious troubles. I have struggled to write even a few hundred words a day--and in some cases, none at all.
Then I came to the conclusion as to why it was causing these troubles.
The Central Division Series is a thriller series.
Training Grounds is not a thriller. The serial killer is already dead. Now comes the aftermath, the hands-on crime scene investigation, the deep dive into the why.
Training Grounds is more a police procedural with a dash of mystery.
Now that I have realized that, words are flowing faster. I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of the month, with a potential March 1st release date.
Also, once Training Grounds is complete, I will also be putting together a box-set of the first four novels, while including Training Grounds in it. I will either shoot for a March or April release date on those.
Speaking of release date on new novels, Strange Birth: Book one of the Repel Trilogy - An Order of Freaks Superhero novel is up for a February 1st release date. It is available through all e-retailers. Click on the link and choose the retailer of your choice.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Sequel to Beholder's Eye / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-Jan-2018
I am busy working on the immediate sequel to Beholder's Eye.
Now, before you tell me there already is a second book (and as many as four in the Central Division Series so far), let me stress the word "immediate."
When I was working on the edits to Beholder's Eye, digging deep into the mind of a serial killer and mental illness, I questioned how it all came to be. I ended the novel on a happy note (happy is relative, depending on your point of view) but where I left off was the aftermath of the destruction the serial killer caused.
How did the killer do it?
How much planning was involved?
I am a sucker for true crime stuff. Especially about serial killers, but true crime in general. Sometimes the true crimes are more fascinating (again, fascinating is relative, because at the heart of it is the cruelty towards another person, albeit an innocent one) than fiction.
This immediate sequel, tentatively titled Training Grounds, answers the questions revolving around the killer's planning. I will share a link when it becomes available for pre-order.
Speaking of pre-orders (see what I did there?), Strange Birth: Book One of the Repel Trilogy is up for pre-sale. Please click on this link. The book is set for a February 1st, 2018, release date.
Now, before you tell me there already is a second book (and as many as four in the Central Division Series so far), let me stress the word "immediate."
When I was working on the edits to Beholder's Eye, digging deep into the mind of a serial killer and mental illness, I questioned how it all came to be. I ended the novel on a happy note (happy is relative, depending on your point of view) but where I left off was the aftermath of the destruction the serial killer caused.
How did the killer do it?
How much planning was involved?
I am a sucker for true crime stuff. Especially about serial killers, but true crime in general. Sometimes the true crimes are more fascinating (again, fascinating is relative, because at the heart of it is the cruelty towards another person, albeit an innocent one) than fiction.
This immediate sequel, tentatively titled Training Grounds, answers the questions revolving around the killer's planning. I will share a link when it becomes available for pre-order.
Speaking of pre-orders (see what I did there?), Strange Birth: Book One of the Repel Trilogy is up for pre-sale. Please click on this link. The book is set for a February 1st, 2018, release date.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Many of my stories are set in Minnesota / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-Jan-2018
Stephen King is synonymous (or at least in much of his early works) with Maine.
John Grisham, by and large, is synonymous with the Deep South.
Think of your favorite author for a moment. Chances are, there's a familiar setting that goes along with it.
Me?
I have lived in Northern Minnesota all my life. Despite the cold winters, I do love it here. In looking at my life-long writing goal, I wish to do to Minnesota with what Stephen King has done to Maine.
If you dig deep enough into my various stories, you'll notice threads of real places throughout Minnesota and even North Dakota.
On another front, Strange Birth: Book One of the Repel Trilogy - An Order of Freaks Superhero Novel is up for pre-sale. Publication date is February 1st, 2018. Please click on the link for your favorite e-retailer.
Here's the cover:
John Grisham, by and large, is synonymous with the Deep South.
Think of your favorite author for a moment. Chances are, there's a familiar setting that goes along with it.
Me?
I have lived in Northern Minnesota all my life. Despite the cold winters, I do love it here. In looking at my life-long writing goal, I wish to do to Minnesota with what Stephen King has done to Maine.
If you dig deep enough into my various stories, you'll notice threads of real places throughout Minnesota and even North Dakota.
On another front, Strange Birth: Book One of the Repel Trilogy - An Order of Freaks Superhero Novel is up for pre-sale. Publication date is February 1st, 2018. Please click on the link for your favorite e-retailer.
Here's the cover:
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