Fits and Starts

I was a little bit excited to start my new short story, had it all mapped out with character sketches and a plot outline. I started it three days ago. And now it is flotsam, awash in the milieu that is my life, forgotten and forlorn as I attend to more pressing needs.

This is just one example of how writing takes a back seat to life, often by necessity. I really don’t have a choice. I cannot tell my employer to hold a deadline while I take a few days off to finish a story. Nor can I tell my kids to go chillax while daddy writes. Some things are more pressing than others and writing gets kicked to the back burner, to simmer, to burn or to turn to mush while life’s demands occupy your attention.

The key for me is to have that story calling to me every day...Spike, come bring us to life, make us dance, give us something to do. Of course, I have several projects talking to me and the squeakiest wheel will get my attention. Whether it is the novel, the memoir, the journal, the Blog or the short story that gets my attention depends entirely on which story is calling the loudest and most stridently. More often than not, the most strident voice is that of life’s responsibilities and the stories will have to wait.

As long as they keep calling me, insistently and with commitment, they will get attention from me, they will get written, they will get brought to life.

Spike

Post Release Stress Syndrome

So the chat last night was fun. We had about 15-20 people total, not all at the same time. Now the hard part starts – promoting. I don’t think EBooks sell a lot, maybe 100 is a big number, but it seems like free advertising to me, an opportunity to promote myself and develop some sort of presence. We’ll see what happens.

It’s Friday and I am looking forward to the weekend! I have a few things to do around the house, but I want to get started on my next project. I am going to write another romance. I have characters in mind and a semblance of plot, but I need to flesh it out and get writing. I am anxious to apply all the things I have learned from going through this process.

I also need to get with Rene on cover art for “A Slice of Life.” We finished the editing – just need final line edits, then cover art and then it is ready. It may go November 15th, but more likely December 1st.

Keep writing.

Spike

The Big Release

The day is finally here. “Pickup Lines from a Pickup Truck” is on the front page of www.RedRosePublishing.com and available for purchase at $1.99. How cool is that? The whole process of writing to release has spanned about nine months, which is probably a pretty short cycle in the publishing industry, but seemed like forever to me.

I have finished the second round of edits on “A Slice of Life.” I have to do the dedication and then work with Rene on the cover art. I have no excuse now and need to get started on the next project, which I think will be another short story.

Spike

Two Days to Release

The cover for the book that Cara Preston and I wrote is on the coming soon page for Red Rose Publishing – that is pretty exciting. It is mislabeled as Erotic Romance, but, small issues for small minds.

I spoke with Cara tonight – we are both excited about the release, and proud of the book. It was a great experience writing the book together and a lot of fun having it edited by Rene Lyons. She did a great job, and did the cover art too.

I bought the SpikeFremont.com domain recently and am working on the website. It should be up in a rudimentary fashion by Sunday. Things are fun right now.

The book by Cara and me is pretty fun. I hope you buy it.

Spike

Release Date

The latest on the release date for “Pickup Lines from a Pickup Truck” is this Thursday, November 1st at www.RedRosePublishing.com. I finished the final edits recently and have seen a copy of the eBook in Adobe format – it was pretty exciting for me. It had Copyrights and ISBN numbers, which for a bibliophile like me, is pretty big. The book is only $1.99 and downloading it is hassle free – I have done it myself. I think it is sort of cute and funny and I hope you like it.

I am thinking about having a contest. My thought is to give away a copy of my next book; “A Slice of Life” which I think will be out in December. I was thinking of maybe having readers tell me their favorite part of “Pickup Lines from a Pickup Truck” and then choosing a winner from the responses. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to contact me either by responding here or by sending me an email.

I hope you check out RedRosePublishing.com and consider buying “Pickup Lines From a Pickup Truck.” Let me know.

Spike

Launch Party Redux

We had the launch party at Ecata Romance last night. It was pretty fun. I met a lot of people and got some great advice on promoting my books. Now I just need to keep writing and keep promoting and who knows, I might get my picture up in the Post Office when I grow up.

I signed up for National Novel Writing Month last year and they automatically signed me up this year. It’s a contest where anyone that writes 50,000 words in the month of November wins. Winners get a certificate. In the past, several winners also got print publishing contracts. I am considering trying it again this year but I am not sure if it is the best use of my time right now.

I need to find out from RedRose when my release is for “Pickup Lines from a Pickup Truck” so I can let everyone know. Several people at the launch party told me that they heard it was funny and cute, so hopefully I will sell a few copies.

Spike

Launch Party

I have been through the editing process for my first book. It was enlightening. I confirmed my suspicions that I am not a good writer. It’s a bit of a conundrum – I am good enough to get published, twice, but I still need a ton of work. It confirms all the things I have learned, mainly that good writing is rewriting

RedRosePublishing.com is having a launch party on October 25th at 9:00 PM. It’s a chat format and you can go there: http://www.catanetw ork.com/chat. html. I will be there chatting up “Pickup Lines From a Pickup Truck” and “A Slice of Life.” Neither book is available yet, but I want to try to create a little buzz. “Pickup Lines From a Pickup Truck” will be available next month and “A Slice of Life” will probably be out in December.

Finding time to write is difficult. I have two young children and a full time job. I have written these two shorts, a 15,000 word memoir and 20,000 words of a young adult novel in the last three years. I wish I had more time, I feel I could write more.

My next short is conceived – character sketches and a plot summary developed. I am excited about applying the things I have learned from the publishing process and hope to write a tighter story with more developed characters this time. Writing truly is a muscle – the more you use it the more efficient it gets.

I hope to see you, both of you, at the launch party on Thursday.

Spike