One More Opinion

Book Progress Update - July 2007:

(Cross-posted to my book web site and my "public" blog.)

I apologize for not keeping up with this (book web site) journal. I have three at the moment.

I've also been busy writing articles, which you can find posted on my "public" blog.

But back to book news:

Charlie has finished the cover for book one, but we're saving the final image for unveiling when the novel is released.

The current hold-up is my final copy editor. He's been going through some personal stuff, and his father is getting on in years and experiencing all that comes with old age, so we just have to be a little patient. I'm spending this weekend with him in the wine country so I'm sure we'll talk about getting back on track.

I do plan to release this novel this year.

In other news:

Book Two is pretty much written, except for tying up the end of the narrative, and deciding upon a final title. I decided months ago that the current title is a "working title," and I'm going to let the narrative determine the final title.

And I finally conceived of the end of Book Three! It came to me at a birthday party for a friend held at a local Cajun restaurant. I was sitting alone and nursing my Hurricane, (a marvelous alcoholic concoction,) and I was doing what most writers do in idle moments, thinking about writing. There are some people who think that, a person sitting alone must need company, and that's a very wonderful and human thing. But writers often love sitting by themselves, even at a party or similar event. Just observing others interact allows us to think about writing.

But I digress. I'm not going to tell you what Book Three is about for obvious reasons, but when it came to me it was like a bolt out of the blue. I had been contemplating the end of the trilogy for months and it just struck me that night.

So after we get Book One released and I'm selling like mad, I'll edit and change the rough draft of Book Two into final manuscript form. I'll probably start writing Book Three at the same time. More on that as things progress.

To be honest, I've enjoyed this little break from the art. I need to do some research on publication and marketing for Book One, (all options are up in the air at the moment.) I've also been writing my weekly public health column, though that takes very little time really, and dealing with some family issues of my own.

I hope all my friends out there, (including the ones I've yet to meet,) are having a good summer, and I promise to be better about updating this (book site) blog more often. By next week we'll probably be finishing up the final sections of Book One and getting it ready for release.

I'll try to talk about people like Robert Jordan and J.K. Rowling and Philip K. Dick, authors who inspire and influence my work.

Currently Reading: "The Red Badge Of Courage" by Stephen Crane.