Archives January 2018

This is a very exciting post for me.  Book Four is currently in the revision stages with edits and comments flying in from all over the place.  The army of editors and proofreaders that are pouring over the manuscript have been providing some amazing feedback which I can only be thankful for.  I am hoping to have most of the reviews back to me in the next week or so.  In either case, I plan on working on the next revision starting either this weekend or on Monday at the latest.  The goal is to have the book ready for production by the end of February at the latest.

I am also excited about the prospects of some upcoming book signing events that I have been working on.  The next event I will be at is the INDYpendent Creator Show on April 1st.  This event is part of the larger Who’s Yer Con 10 which will be held at the Wyndham West Hotel in Indianapolis on March 30 – April 1.  There will be artist, authors and comic book creators from all over and should be an exciting time.  The overall event is a great family gaming event, and you simply cannot beat the admission price — FREE.

The next event that I am working on, but have not finalized, is  InConJunction, July 6-8 at the Indianapolis Marriott East.  I am awaiting confirmation for the event, but everything is looking promising.  I will share more details about this event as it gets closer.

The last event I will share with you could be a game changer for me.  I have submitted an application for the author’s avenue at this year’s GenCon.  Some of you may not know this, but it is the largest event of its kind and it is held in Indianapolis every year.  Last year’s attendance was over 200K.  My application has been submitted, and I suspect that the review process as well as the competition for spots will be fierce.  The opportunity to showcase The Silverwood Chronicles would be an enormous boost and something I’ve considered for the last two years.  I’ll keep you posted as I know more.

Finally, the remaining chapters of book five now have a rough outline.  I hope to begin work on the draft very soon.  Given GenCon’s August date, it is possible, although unlikely, that I could have it completed by then.  Prayers are appreciated.

Welcome to 2018.  I know, I am a little late to the game.  This should come as little surprise as those of you that know me understand I like to juggle many things at the same time.  Some of you would say, and rightly so, too many things.

While I’m not a big resolutions type of person, I do like to make plans.  So, I’ve been thinking about what some goals would be for 2018.  For purposes of this blog, I will focus on some goals I have for writing in general and The Silverwood Chronicles in particular.

As I’ve tried to be clear whenever I talk about it, The Silverwood Chronicles was planned around five stories and book 5 is a little over half done.  One major goal of mine will be to finish book 5 and get it out before the end of the year.  I would be really happy to have it out by mid-summer, but more on that later.  Book Four, is currently in the revision stages and should be out in the next couple of months. I am hopeful it will be available before spring.

Another goal I have for myself is to move into some new venues for promotion of my books.  Writing, I have discovered is hard, but not as hard as marketing.  I have known for many years that I was lousy at marketing, and I am just now realizing that without lots of spare cash, its up to me to make this thing happen . . . or not.   Therefore, if anything spectacular is going to happen, I need to move things forward.  This means searching out new avenues to make my works available.

One major venue will be the 2018 GenCon Author’s Avenue.  The application process opens up later this month, and I hope to be accepted.  I have no idea what the competition for the few spots that they have available are, but getting into that venue could be a game changer.  Another big opportunity is the annual Indiana Historical Societies Holiday Author Fair.  For the last two years, I have known about this event, but I have been unsuccessful in securing the information necessary to apply for it.  This year, my hope is to at least apply.

I continue to search for other opportunities in and around Central Indiana.  I am also looking for at least one, maybe more, chances to speak at an elementary or middle/high school setting.  This gives me an opportunity not only to expand my exposure but to give back to the community and encourage children to write as well as read.  I could use your help in this regards.  If you are a part of a PTO, or have insight with a school board and can drop my information off, I would be very appreciative of it.

The last goal I will share with you is discovering the “next thing.”  Once The Silverwood Chronicles is done, I will be left with a vacuum of sorts.  I hope to participate, as I have the last two years, in the National Novel Writing competition this coming November, but as of now, I am project-less for that event.  I have a few ideas that I have shelved over the years that I could try to resurrect.  One option is an old fantasy novel that is mostly done but needs serious updating or possibly a mystery that I have in mind.

Thank you all for your continued support.  I am getting very excited about book four’s upcoming release.  I’ll share more with you on that as the time nears.  Until then, happy reading!