So many ideas…

One of the things that I have figured out is that I can sort of multi-task on writing. After Dig Two Graves I started writing several things at a time. Basically, if I hit a wall, I would get around it by getting out of the story. I would work on another idea for a while, then come back to the one with a wall when I had fresh eyes. Read More

In between I try to write a few short stories for Vocal…

I’d LOVE for you to check out any of my writing.

Over the next few weeks I will be posting excerpts from all of my books, in the order in which they were written. Currently, all of them are available on Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, and print-on-demand (except Second Chance which is no yet available for print, but might be before I get to its clips). Feel free to check out my Amazon Author Page for links to each of the books. If you only see the Kindle version on the author page, click it and you should have the option to change to the print version if that is what you are looking to get.

Over on Vocal there was a challenge over the summer called the Summer Fiction Series. I wasn’t required that the entries be written as a series, but rather a series of challenges. There were 8 challenges over the time period. I chose to submit two pieces for each challenge… although I actually did one bonus piece as a set-up for the ones that were part of the Hammond Family Saga. I also wrote a related part for the Winter Fiction Challenge. The other eight entries were not related to each other or the series I wrote.

Here is the start of the Hammond Family Saga. From here, you can navigate all through the ten parts. Each is a stand-alone story, but there are nice little Easter eggs for those that read them all through.

The Magic

You Don’t Know Jack was going to be the fourth book in the Dixon-Prince series. Who, What, When, Why? was to be the third, but the collection of shorter stories was still not ready even after YDNJ was edited and ready for release. That is why they aren’t all chronological. If you enjoyed this excerpt, I’d love for you get a copy of the book and read it all. And, if you have read it, your review on Amazon would mean a LOT to me. You can check out all my books on my Amazon Author Page.

In addition to my novels and story collections on Amazon (Amazon Author Page link), I also have short stories and a few essays collected on Vocal (Vocal profile link). The majority of my work there is short fiction, but there are a couple of non-fiction stories as well.

I am pretty good about promoting my books here, but I don’t mention Vocal nearly as much. I can actually make money from reads on Vocal, too. It isn’t much… 1000 reads will pay me $6, so, six-tenths of a penny for a read. On the plus side, though… they are short. At least short compared to a novel. Most of the stories are 2000 words or so, although a few are shorter or longer.

Some of the stories are linked to other stories… series… so you can always read another story. However, they are also each complete stand-alone stories, so you can stop anytime. I’d love for you to give a few a read. And, as always, I LOVE feedback. And if you like them, tell your friends. You can even subscribe, but you won’t get the FREE ebook like you do here.

I have just finished uploading Second Chance, my newest novel, for Kindle. It should now be available for pre-order at only $2.99. I had been kicking around for a while with the title, and finally settled on Second Chance.Read More

There are excerpts on here under the working title, New Life and Reveal. They will be linked in the tags for New Life… that should bring up any excerpts I have pushed to the blog, but know that there have been changes made since they were published. One of the big changes is that the Cooks, Jim and Dave, are now Jim and Dave Chance. Kind of worked with the title.

This book isn’t part of the main story line of the Dixon-Prince series, but Jack and Amy Dixon are prominent through the story. Warren Chestik, Jack Dixon’s head of security is also more prominent, which has lead me to begin writing his story. That one has the working title Sniper, and is about half done. I think that one might keep the title, though. There are also a few excerpts from that story on the blog.

If you haven’t already, you should subscribe to the blog. Posts are generally Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and subscribers get an email on Saturdays telling them what the posts were for the week. A few times a year I also send out a special notice to subscribers… like the one they got when this book opened for pre-order, or if I have a book on sale or free. Subscribers also get the ebook Escape for free.

I would love for you to join me here, Goodreads, Facebook, MeWe or Gab, too. And I always enjoy getting feedback.

For those that celebrate Christmas, have a very merry one. If you celebrate of of the other holidays this season, please, enjoy the season.

I have a couple of things going on… the deal is still running on my paperback books from Amazon. They are all $8.99 until the end of the year. Normally they are $12.99, but they are marked down for the holidays. Amazon doesn’t let me run a sale the same way I can on Kindle books, but it is still a discount!

Sometime in early January I plan on running a free promotion for Planning Vengeance. It is normally $2.99, but I will have it for free for five days in January. I haven’t secured the dates yet… as soon as I do, I will post it here.

Also in early January I plan on releasing my next book. The only issues left are the title and the cover. The working title has been New Life, but I don’t like it… the book is way more exciting that that. There are kidnappings, car chases and romance… The current leader is Second Chances.

You can always find all of my current titles on my Amazon Author page. You can find my short stories on my Vocal Media profile. And of course, this blog is your best bet to see what I am up to. I have unpublished excerpts, published excerpts and all sorts of other cool content. And, if you subscribe you can get a FREE ebook.

Being an Indie Author takes a lot more than writing. Honestly, writing is the easy part. That isn’t to say it is easy, but at least parts of it are fun. I get to make up a story, and then then adjust it and tweak it until it is something I am proud of (perhaps not perfect, but at least good). I get to see my own creation. Read More

I actually enjoy the act of writing. Even editing. After the book is “written” I know I will have to read it several more times. Countless. The first few editing passes will be to correct major issues. Perhaps the thrust of the story changed as it was being written, or during the first edit I saw a direction the story was already moving that was unrecognized before. The first pair of full reads after the initial draft will be to work on those problems.

Over and over I will go back and reread the story. Checking timelines and making sure actions and characters have workable progressions. Then, I need to clean up the language and read for typos and grammatical errors. (Don’t worry… there will still be some when I’m done)

But, after living with a story for months, it is time to slap it on the but and send it out into the world.

That’s when things get difficult. Until one builds a fair amount of success, their new books are invisible. They are just sitting there in the warehouse of availability… but nobody knows they are even there. Even people that “search out new authors” really don’t. They are people that are willing to read new authors. But they need to be found.

That’s where “the share” comes in… You, enlightened reader, have the ability to be the influencer. Those intrepid souls that seek out new authors are really intrepid souls that read unknown authors their friends have read.

My friends and followers on social media… THEY are the ones that can make or break a book. By sharing their reads with their friends, a market can be found. Instead of languishing in the vastness of the virtual warehouse that is Kindle, a few brave souls may wander by, looking for something unique. If they share, in turn, then a few more may make the discovery.

So, right now… today… you have the opportunity to be the influencer. Give one of my books a read. Give it a share. Start the process. Then you can say that you read my stories back before… I know that I would be grateful.

I wouldn’t be heartbroken if you left a review, either.

And if you spot the typo I left there just for you, left me know.