• Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Three: Day Three

    A Day Away… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) I planned a day away to get my mind focused in other directions and that is what happened. The Day Went Like This… Kris and I got out of town by about 3 p.m. after I did an hour of e-mails. We headed into the valley for a relaxing day. She did some reading, I did some picking, we had a great dinner, and then off to see Spider-Man. Then pie and home. I…

  • Fiction River,  News,  On Writing,  publishing

    Fantastic New Bundle of Bundles

    SF&F BINGE READERS BUNDLE… Storybundle.com has done something special. It has put together a group of bundles in a bundle. And kept the price at normal levels. Since I am writing a Thunder Mountain novel right now, it is great luck that in this bundle is a bundle of my first three Thunder Mountain novels. You want to know the world I am writing in now, grab this. And you’ll also get some other amazing books. Including a bundle of three different Fiction River fantasy volumes. If you haven’t sampled the amazing work and writers in Fiction River, this would be a good place to do it. That alone is…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Three: Day Two

    A Tough Second Day… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) A really tough second day of writing, which I didn’t think it would be, honestly. Great day otherwise. I’ll explain below. The Day Went Like This… I made it to the WMG offices just at 3:30 p.m. after doing an hour of e-mail and banking. Did thirty minutes there working with Matt and Josh to cut off spines off of four massive bound newspapers from the 1920s. Matt understands band saws and was…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Three: Day One

    Decided On Thunder Mountain Novel for #3… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) Wow, is this place silent. Clearly this challenge is driving people into a stupor, but I’m going on posting here anyway and having fun with the writing. And even more interesting is that the Fantasy Series Branding Workshop with Allyson Longueira didn’t fill up yet. Learn to brand fantasy series and get a template from one of the best designers working and not even 12 people want to sign up?…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Two: Day Nine: Finished

    Second Novel Finished… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) The Day Went Like This… I made it to the WMG offices just at 2 p.m. for the regular Sunday writers meeting. Lots of fun and good discussions. Then at 4 p.m. Kris and I went out for a walk and I got back into my office at WMG around 5:30 p.m. I worked there for two hours before heading home to take a nap and cook dinner. Then into this office to do…

  • Cover Fun,  On Writing,  publishing

    One Time Branding Fantasy Covers Workshop

    BRANDING FANTASY COVERS WORKSHOP… We did a form of this workshop back in May for four weeks that filled almost instantly. It was basically branding any kind of series. So Allyson had fun and I didn’t get killed by the writers, so I talked Allyson into doing the workshop for branding a fantasy series. Any type of fantasy. This one will also fill almost instantly. So here are the details… Allyson Longueira, the publisher of WMG Publishing has offered to design a cover and help brand a fantasy series for a limited number of writers. For those of you who don’t know her, Allyson is an award-winning designer who also happens to…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Two: Day Eight

    Still Not Done Yet… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) The Day Went Like This… I made it to the WMG offices just at 2:30 and worked there on workshop and stuff out in the store. We got stunningly busy right around 5 in the store so I stayed and helped out for 45 minutes, being late for a friend’s birthday party. Then back to WMG to work after a short stay at the party to do workshop stuff. Then home to cook…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Two: Day Seven

    Not Done Yet… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) The Day Went Like This… I made it to the WMG offices just at 3 p.m. after doing an hour of e-mail. I worked there, very quiet for a Friday, until 5 p.m. on workshops. Then headed out with Matt to walk to a restaurant about a mile away to meet some other professional writers coming into town for dinner. Fun dinner and then walked back to WMG. I did not get my 12,000…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Two: Day Six

    Back Writing at Full Steam… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) The Day Went Like This… I made it to the WMG offices just at 4 p.m. after doing an hour of e-mail. I slept in way too late, but seems I needed it. Went out walking and ended up with right at 10,000 steps for the day. Didn’t hit the 12,000 today because I just didn’t give it the last half hour of work. I worked on workshop stuff up at WMG…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Novel Two: Day Five

    Still Another Rest Day… (As a reminder, the overall monthly challenge is to write four novels and gain distance every week on my step count, starting the first week at an average of 11,000 steps per day.) The Day Went Like This… I made it to a WMG meeting a little late after two in the afternoon. Three hours later at 5 p.m. I was headed out of town to Salem. I had to shut the old brain down and just do something different, so I went picking. Found some fun stuff. About 50 salt and pepper shakers of different sorts for the grand total of $5.67. That was for…