Gabriel's Hope has a new title

Back in October 2013, I published Gabriel's Hope.  It's a heart-warming tale of a man named Larry Wahl who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and is left with a reflection on how disappointing his life must've been.

Then he meets an angel named Gabriel who takes him on a journey of his life, where he influenced seven people, and that influence will be felt by generations to come.

Gabriel's Hope has now been retitled as Hope From Heaven.

If you haven't read this, please click on this link to check it out at various e-book retailers.

Happenings In The Outhouse 18-Apr-2014 / Shadowkill, a trilogy?

Over the past weekend, I put Gabriel's Hope on a few more publishing platforms.  I have removed it from the Amazon KDP Select program, and it can now be found on:

Gabriel's Hope on Smashwords (which will eventually filter on out to the Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Nobles, and others)

Gabriel's Hope on Kobo Books

I'm roughly halfway through editing Shadowkill.  It seems slow-going, but it's also been steady.  I also have been doing some brainstorming on this story, and I've come up with two additional stories in the Shadowkill world.

So, where I once thought this was a stand-alone novel . . . is now a potential trilogy.

Please see last week's "Happenings" post where I posted a sample chapter from Shadowkill.  Let me know what you think.

The between projects lull

Over the past two months, I've been on a publishing spree.  First, with the novel Beholder's Eye and then with the novella Gabriel's Hope.

Last week I finished a short story--one to be submitted to the Writers of the Future contest eventually.  Just need to edit it first.

I have two projects sitting in the wings (editing Shadowkill and writing the first draft of the sequel to Beholder's Eye) and . . . oh, let's be honest.  I'm having a difficult time getting started.  There is a lull in my writing.

Not quite sure where it comes from, but at least I recognize it's there.

Ever feel this way?  How do you cope?

I guess I have to follow my own advice: just write.  Do it.  Today.

The world depends on it.

What's the rush?

The mentality of several self-published (indie) authors is that they want to rush their work out into the world.  It seems that we've all become impatient with the waiting process.

This isn't just with indie authors, but that's one argument the "traditionalists" quote as their mantra, that all indie authors publish is crap and the publishing gatekeepers are there for a reason.

I disagree.

However, I do have to ask those indie authors: what's the rush?  My latest project, a novella titled Gabriel's Hope, is finished and now up on the Amazon Kindle site.  One part I was waiting on was the cover.  I will not mention where I got the cover from, but when I placed the order, I was quoted 3 days to completion.  Well, I placed the order on the 5th of October and the 8th came and went, with no cover.  Okay, I looked at their queue and yes, not only is this artist a top seller they also bumped the quoted completion date for new orders at 4 days.

Wednesday came and went.

Thursday came . . . and I got a notification that the cover was complete.  Keep in mind, all this time, I was still editing so the wait didn't bother me.  As of Saturday morning, on the 12th of October, I finished editing and was pleased that I was just barely over the 17,500 novella mark.

But no cover.

Wait!  Didn't I get an e-mail saying it was done.  Yes, I did.  But when I checked the site, the artist forgot to upload it.  So, I sent an e-mail back and was quoted a 48 hour turnaround before I get the cover back.

So I waited.  Then, it was done.

I'd say it was worth the wait.

Gabriel's Hope - available now on the Kindle

My novella Gabriel's Hope is now up on the Amazon Kindle site.

About a year ago, I sat in church and a wave of emotion overcame me.  My wife, Melissa, has been battling the effects of her leukemia treatment for two and a half years, and for whatever reason I imagined (quite morbid, I know) the funeral, if one was to come about soon.

Then, a thought occurred to me: what if someone, on their deathbed, prayed to God?  Not all that unusual, but instead of a prayer, it was an apology.  What if the person apologized to God for leading such an unimportant life.

Gabriel's Hope is the result.  Originally titled, "Sorry, Lord, I didn't do enough" and then to "Obituary of a loser", the story is about such a guy who falls asleep and meets someone like an angel.  Her name is Gabriel.  Gabriel brings Larry Wahl, the main character, on a journey throughout his life, showing him seven people he helped out in a small way.  And those small ways led to big differences in those people's lives.

This is quite an offshoot from what I normally write.  But it's a story that I needed to tell.  It has a dramatic ending I wasn't quite prepared for, but it turned out to be right on.

Please check out my novella Gabriel's Hope.

Happenings In The Outhouse 11-Oct-2013 / Hope is nearly complete

I was hoping by now to be able to share the cover for my upcoming novella, Gabriel's Hope.  But alas, it is not quite complete.  Within a day though, it should be.

At the time of this posting, I should be nearly finished with editing.  There are only a few minor additions I want to make to it, then I can upload it onto Amazon KDP.

I can't wait, because I have a lot of projects waiting in the wings.  It will include editing my alternative military history novel Shadowkill and starting the first draft of the Beholder's Eye sequel.

Oh, and I have a few shorter works I plan on writing as well.

No grass growing under these feet.

Planning Q4

As we all roll out of Q3 and into Q4, let's take a look at those 2013 goals.  How are we doing?

It's funny how, in the span of this year, I've revised a few of my goals based on what story ideas struck me and what I want to accomplish.

I've placed a bit of importance on the creation on new stories vs. revising some of my "really old" stories.  Because of it, I hope to have two full-length novels out for indie publication by Q1 2014.  I still have one more story to publish this year--Gabriel's Hope, an inspirational novella--and then it's to work on some larger projects.

Also, I have a few short stories I'm going to submit to traditional markets, for I want to be a more hybrid author.

(A hybrid author, if you don't know, is one who self-publishes as well as publishes through traditional means)

How are your goals for this year coming along?

Happenings In The Outhouse 04-Oct-2013 / Hope

I started writing this blog post late Wednesday night, for my wife and I had just returned from a recent trip to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  With the raging debate over debt ceilings and affordable healthcare and government shutdowns, I just shook my head and concentrated on our own little world.

To make a long story short, my wife has been having eye problems and in the middle of this summer she had a cornea transplant.  Her eyes started healing until close to a month ago when the doctor discovered some residual problems.  She was scheduled for an appointment Tuesday morning.  After the initial exam, my wife Melissa asked if her eyes were getting better.

"No," the doctor said.

Not what we wanted to hear.  However, we already knew it to be true.

That night, she had an emergency cornea transplant--her second one in a little over 2 months.  Because of it, we had to spend an extra day at the Mayo.  I didn't mind.  I'll do anything for the love of my life, the reason I write.

Gabriel's Hope is getting closer to publication.  I'm in the middle of the final edits, then I have to finalize the cover art.

Happenings In The Outhouse 27-Sept-2013 / 691 words

691 words.  That's all the separates my latest story from novelette to novella.  According to SFWA, a novella is at least 17,500 words (up to the proverbial 40K which is the low end for novels).

Gabriel's Hope.

That's the title for this inspirational little piece.  The plan is within the next 1-2 weeks it will be uploaded onto the Kindle along with Beholder's Eye and Guest of Honor.  That brings the number of self-published works this year to three.

Goal achieved.

I also received my rejection letter from Writers Of The Future on last quarters submission--an expected rejection, of course, as the contest is highly competitive.  Now, I will glance at it and send it out to some of the other SF markets.

Keeping it short today.  Got a lot of irons in the fire, and another trip to Rochester/Mayo for my wife is coming up.

Happy writing!

Happenings In The Outhouse 20-Sept-2013 / Some projects coming to a close, others starting

Yesterday I submitted another short story to the Writers Of The Future contest.  I think it's pretty good, but I have some very stiff competition.  No matter the outcome, I am at least doing something and submitting instead of not doing anything.

Because that is what one needs to do in order to become successful.  Do.  Do something.  Do something to further your work--your art--into the world.

It makes no sense for all of your stories to sit in a drawer with no one to enjoy them--I truly wish J. D. Salinger would've published more stories than the few he did; the rumors of all the stories regarding the Glass family have been rampant.

Your work needs to be out for others to enjoy.

I am also putting the finishing touches on an inspirational novella titled Gabriel's Hope.  My goal is to get it done by the end of the month.

I am also editing a previously submitted short story from Writers Of The Future--that didn't win, of course--to be sent out to the traditional SF market.  If I get no luck there, I'll end up adding it to a collection to be self-published later.

I am starting to work on the sequel to Beholder's Eye, in the Central Division Series thriller novels.