May 2017: FIve Year Goal Review

Today is the last Friday of the month, making it time to review some goals. A little over a year and a half ago, I joined this wonderful online community (waves hi to Misha and others) which not only allows me to visit this goal monthly, but also provides such wonderful encouragement. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, or if you’d like to join in, you can find out more/sign up here.

My goal, initially, was to write the next great American novel. About six months into this five your project, I changed that goal: to running a world-class publishing company. I’m not arrogant, I promise; not delusional. I know the impossibility of what I just wrote, both things, actually. But I also know I serve a God who somehow makes the impossible happen. And that’s what I’m counting on.

With that in mind…

Today, just now, I found out that both of my goals have been blessed. The Newstead Project, my first novel, just won the Author’s Circle Novel of Excellence for paranormal novels. I’m blown away! When I submitted it for consideration, I did so out of personal love for this story. I am beyond thrilled that others have some book-love for it, too. With that in mind, I’m pleased to announce here, for the first time, that I’ve been working a little over a year on making The Newstead Project the first full length Ubook novel. It will be released this September. This will bring the story to a much deeper level, with a streamline voice and mood-stirring music. I can’t wait for you to experience it.

I said doubly blessed, didn’t I? Jellyfish Jones, Black and White Publishing Co.’s first ever Ubook won as well. I am pleased to announce that Jellyfish Jones just won the Author’s Circle Children’s Book of the Year. This one wasn’t such a surprise. The story is superb, the illustrations charming, and the original musical score by Nathan Moran was perfectly done. Not to mention the narration (nudges daughter Hannah, who did a wonderful job). It has always been my goal to publish only that which is excellent, and I am thrilled to see that that excellence was awarded today.

So, how is it going? Well, we’re not World-class yet, but I’d say we’re on our way.

 

 

 

 

IWSG: May 2017

Today is the first Wednesday of May, which makes it IWSG time. Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh and co-hosts for putting this on each month. If you’d like to join us, you can sign up here.

May and September have always been full of meaning for me as a writer. I began this whole writing adventure on a warm September day, and saw that adventure reach it’s fulfillment a year and a half later in May, when my first novel was published. For that reason, I try to publish my very best, my very favorite pieces in the months of May and September. And this May is no different. Two days ago my email subscriber list received Haunted, first published as part of the anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here, in Ubook form. It will be released to the general public on Monday, May fifteenth. This story is very personal to me, and is probably the most important piece I’ve written, or will ever write. I finished it in less than a day, which is nothing short of miraculous. So why bring it up here, when we’re supposed to be discussing our insecurities? Because along with Haunted being my most important story, it was also the most difficult to let be published. It may be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. It’s a laying of myself out there in a way I cannot take back. Frankly, it’s going to piss a lot people off. But that’s okay. I’ve made peace with that. It’s a story that needed to be written, and no matter how deep my own insecurities may be concerning that, it wasn’t a story about me. It was about him. It always has been. If you’re interested in reading it for yourself, check back here on the fifteenth, or go to setbooksfree.org on or after that day. But be warned, it will haunt you.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank Dancing Lemur Press/Freedom Fox Press for including Haunted in the anthology. It was a brave thing to have done.