While taking some time off for the holidays, winter quarters, if you will, I spent some time reading "The Glorious Cause" by Jeff Shaara. Mr. Shaara is my favorite historical fiction writer, my favorite writer period, by the way. In this particular novel, he writes about the Revolutionary War and the idea that was America. It is fascinating, and terrifying, to be taken inside the battles, both on the fields and in the camps of the soldiers. The winter of 1777/1778 was perilous. The Colonials defeated the British in New Jersey at Trenton and Princeton, then somehow survived the brutal elements of a raw winter with scant clothing and rations. But survive they did!

When spring arrived, General George Washington marveled at the morale of the troops, strong men who were now energized by a Prussian and a Frenchman to become more than a mob of fighters. They were molded into an army that knew it could face up to the British on any field, any time. They were now soldiers. It was the struggle and the endurance that gave them confidence. They knew they would defeat their foes.

That same kind of thinking applies to me, too. Dealing with heart disease, setbacks and monumental struggles has tested my endurance. But I have survived, and now as the new year begins, I look forward to the challenges of finding an agent and having my novels traditionally published. I've worked hard, writing short stories and beginning other projects, learning from experienced authors, so that now I am more than just another writer. I am an author, and hopefully many people will soon find that out - and love my work.

Happy New Year.

It has been said (and written) that the art of writing is in the re-writing. Well, that being the case, I'm an established artist. I have written more this past year than I have ever written before. Now that doesn't mean that I have made it in the writing industry; who really does - save for those super successful mega-selling few. But I have certainly grown as an author.

This has been a tough year of rejections. From literary agents to magazines to newspapers. If I concentrate only on the negative, it's been pathetic. BUT...the year has not been a total disaster. I have had some articles published, and I won my first award as a writer. The award certainly helped my confidence level, as it confirmed what I firmly believe: I am a good writer. It was also great to see a copy of my front-page article being held by a fan at a Sweet Tea Trio concert. The girls themselves told me they loved the piece I did on them, calling me very talented.

Just when I think I'll quit writing forever, some nugget of good will surface. So I keep at it, all the while reading and writing - and getting better. My first novel is on hold. It will probably remain on the shelf for a while because that genre (Civil War) is not currently selling. So, my next novel is ready to submit to agents, and that will be a primary focus in the coming weeks. I've also completed several short stories that I'm excited about, and those are being edited and submitted as well.

While researching, I've come across some tips that my writer buddies probably already know, but might find helpful. If you write suspense, here are some things you need to consider: 1) Include hints about worrisome things - for the main character and therefore your readers 2) Incorporate callbacks for these things 3) Have the payoff be unexpected: revenge/action/consequence of abuse.

For novels, ask yourself these questions: 1) What is the story really about? 2) Who does the book help? 3) What lesson do I want readers to take away from the book? 4) What transformation does your information provide for people?

Writing is so much more than simply sitting down and doing it. There are a lot things to consider. But like anything else, the more it's done the easier it gets and the better one becomes at doing it. Here's hoping all of the hard work of 2016 pays off in 2017.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Inspiration can come from lots of different sources. For me, and I would suppose many writers, people watching is one of the best ways to gather information for character descriptions, both external and internal. And this comes from being in any public place.

For instance, I recently needed a line, just one line, for a query letter that best described what my main characters were feeling. It is their "A-ha" moment. I was struggling with it until I saw someone run through a park during a festival. The girl was with one friend, left that friend, ran back to someone who called to her and began to talk to them. She waved the first friend away, but the girl stayed put and waited on the friend who had left her to return. That simple act was what I needed to see. My character had left his wife to fight in a war, came home broken inside and was distant, even abusive. To the wife's credit, she didn't run away, even though her husband was basically waving her away. She waited for him to want to return to her.

Presto! Problem solved.

I also went to a concert to see some friends perform. Since I've seen them several times, I know their set list about as well as they do. I know they saw me in the audience (we made eye contact and smiled), and so they may have noticed that I did not pay strict attention to them during their show. I was looking to the right and left, making mental notes about the physical appearances of men, women and children in the audience. How they walked, talked, and reacted to certain songs and comments. Describing these traits will come in handy later in future stories. In fact, I wore a T-shirt that read: "Be careful or you will end up in my novel". After the concert, while talking to my friends, they laughed at the shirt and said they were going to make up shirts that read: "Be careful or you will end up in my song".

So watch out. You've been warned.

Writing is a solitary job. The writing. But once you're ready to submit your work, it's a very good idea to have others listen to it, read it and critique it. A writers group can be a big help, and here are some of the ways they do it.

1) Just when you think you are the greatest author ever, they let you know that you are not.
2) Just when you think you are not a good writer at all, they let you that you are.
3) In other words, they keep you grounded.
4) They are great content editors.
5) They are great line editors.
6) They are great sources of information.
7) They are a pillar of support, and they expect the same from you.
8) They can be your best literary friends.

These are just a few examples. What others can you list? 

I've always enjoyed going to the library. When I was small, my mom enrolled me in the summer reading program at the downtown library. It was fun checking out different books and then telling the librarian about them we I checked them back in. Of course, back then, I'd choose thin books, sports biographies and history stories, things that still interest me today. I've always liked to read, but I had no idea then that I would grow up to be an author. I thought I'd end up in the broadcast booth, a play-by-play man or analyst.

But fast forward a few decades and I'm convinced that being an author is my true calling. It's a play-by-play man of a different sort. And my stories are much longer than those few thousand word books I used to read. But they are on the shelves of libraries, and it's always exciting to hear librarians telling me they are being checked out regularly.

Today, I experienced an even bigger thrill. I went to the library on the campus of Northeast Alabama Community College with my mom to view a collection of Civil War artifacts that were housed in the reference room. I've said many times that history and haunts go hand in hand, and my ghost story collection, Hollers from the Hollows, is not only included in this special collection, it was being used for research by patrons working on a project. Research! My book!

Now that's rewarding.

The other day an acquaintance I had not been in contact with in quite some asked me if I had time to read, or was I just writing all of the time. Well, as any self-respecting author should know, if we have time to write, we have time to read. So, "yes", I responded, and then I went on to list the books I'm currently reading. There are four, to be exact. They are all for pleasure, but two are also for research on one novel, while a third is for research on another novel - yes, I'm writing two at the same time. One is completed enough to garner an additional read by an agent, while the other is in its second edit and is now up over 80,000 words in length. I am convinced that reading helps me improve as much as a writer as writing does. The more of both that I do, the better I become.

My favorite authors right now are Jeff Shaara, Liz Vaccariello and Karen Abbott. They are all great storytellers that hook me right away and keep me engrossed in the plot all the way to the end of the book or article. While I'm not specifically studying their use of plot points, character relationships and development, dialogue and story structure, by reading their multiple works I'm absorbing their work; learning by being entertained. That, to me, is what makes them wonderful teachers. It's easy and fun to learn and grow.

Just as history is better absorbed when told in the form of stories, so, too, is learning how to be a professional writer. Bland lectures and tutorials, while very helpful, can be overwhelming and boring. Dealing with agents and editors can be downright scary. But sitting by myself, engrossed in a story that transports me to a different place while also teaching me something about the craft I've decided to pursue, is magic.

Oh, Happy Independence Day! 

It was a lot of fun seeing old friends, and meeting new ones, when I went back to my old stomping grounds for a festival in Jacksonville, AL. The weather was nice and so was the crowd. That's all you can ask for as a vendor. Those two ingredients, plus quality work offered at a reasonable price, equal good sales. Actually, I sold more books than I had anticipated. Thanks to everyone who came out to see me!

It was extra special to reminisce with people I hadn't seen in a while. A friend I graduated from high school with stopped by and we chatted for two hours. It was the first time we had seen each other since graduation night, and 30 years between hugs is far too long. My gosh! I've been out of high school for 30 years? I must be getting old. But it seems like it was just yesterday. 

I'm excited about the prospects with new business contacts. I was invited to speak to a writers' group and also place my books in an independent bookstore with the promise to be given opportunities to have signings. Those are always fun.

And, I have several more appearances scheduled for May. The next one is in Glencoe, AL (please visit the Events & Appearances page for details). My buddies, Sweet Tea Trio, will be performing from 2:30 - 4:00 in the afternoon. They sing country music, and they are spectacular. If you haven't heard this all-female band yet, you are in for a treat. If you have, then you know what I mean when I say they will certainly be stars in the near future. In fact, we have a little contest going to see who among us will reach #1 first. I'm pulling just as hard for them as I am for myself. Hopefully, we will all meet at the top very soon! Come out and see us if you can.  

Thanks again to everyone who purchased books in Jacksonville. Hope everyone is enjoying them. I'm looking forward to lots more meet and greets this summer.   

The past two days here in DeKalb County, Alabama, have been gorgeous. I was able to sit outside and write for hours each day. The sun was shining brightly, the wind was calm, everything was quiet all around me and the temps were in the mid to upper 60s. Spring is definitely in the air. Amazingly, I wrote an entire chapter in those two days.

I'm working on the rough draft of Novel #2, while I am pitching agents for my first novel. That first book was not written nearly as quickly. I'm more than halfway through with the rough draft of #2 after about 5 weeks, whereas the first novel took me three years to complete.

Well, it was begun right after I was released from the hospital following a very close brush with death. It took me 18 months to fully recover. While I was recuperating, I began my rough draft. Since it is historical fiction, it took some time to gather the facts necessary for the story. Then I had to interpret personalities for the lesser known characters in the narrative. Being new to novel writing, I had to learn the craft. What better way than actually writing - and reading similar works. Since I am not under contract, I had time to work through about 7 revisions, top to bottom. Then I had to learn how to write a killer query. No matter how great the story, if a query does not grab the attention of an agent, it will not be published by a major house.

Now I am in the process of pitching literary agents. This, of course, takes time. Agents are very busy people who receive hundreds of queries a week. They have to weed through a ton of junk, and they can become quite jaded. But, they are actively seeking quality work. So the process of acquiring one takes some patience and perseverance. Many top writers have amazing stories about rejections. But the one thing that separates them from lesser known writers, and especially those who give up, is the fact that they stuck with it. So that is what I'm doing: patiently persevering.

And while I'm waiting on that phone call requesting more material from me, I have begun what will be the first book in a series. I know enough about the publishing business to know that once a contract is signed, publishers expect authors to produce a project in a year. I'm perfecting that technique ahead of time. I know the subject of my next book well, but that doesn't mean I can't skip research. I've just learned how to do it quicker. I'm ahead of the game, working while I'm waiting. I'm confident I'll sign with the right agent soon, and when I do, I will already have a plan in place. All of the hard work will pay off. It's just a matter of time.

In closing, I want to thank all of you who have sent prayers up for me. They are a blessing, and they are working. Keep 'em coming! I'll let you know when I sign that wonderful contract. 

Last week I was anxiously anticipating the college football National Championship game. A graduate from the University of Alabama, I had no doubt we would win. History is something I'm very interested in, and traditionally, when we go into a championship game ranked #2 we win. It happened again, though Clemson played tough until the final second ticked off the clock.

It was Alabama's 16th national championship - in the year 2016. Or, for those insisting on counting only the poll era championships, the 11th on January 11th. Coincidence? Hardly. The numbers thing is fascinating, but winning is expected. The #1 ingredient for all of our success is work. Hard work. Dedication to doing things the right way. All of the time. A lot of people are jealous of our accomplishments, but they either cannot, or do not put that kind of effort out, themselves. When I was a broadcast student, I had the privilege of meeting Keith Jackson. In the interview my roommate and I conducted with him, he repeatedly told us the way to the top of anything is W O R K.  

Having played team sports, I now apply the same work ethic to my writing. There is no doubt in my mind this is an advantage for me. Everything is not going to work all of the time. There are going to be days when I feel like quitting. There is frustration. They happen to everyone. But, having an athlete's mentality helps me work through obstacles, keeping the goal sharply in focus. Repetitions. Editing. Doing things until they are correct. Yes, it takes time to produce great literature. But I don't want to write good books. I want to produce amazing stories.         

Whether a writer begins work on his or her manuscript at the beginning, middle or ending is of little consequence. The reader, obviously, begins at the beginning (after skimming the synopsis on the back cover and reading the last page first). So, the ending must be just as strong as the beginning. I've heard it said that a great beginning gets you readers, but a great ending gets you fans. The middle has to be strong as well, for the reader to easily navigate from point A to point B. With millions of books available these days, writing something that will stand out from the crowd takes a lot of hard work, and a lot of time.  

With the new year dawning, I am anxious to see just where my forthcoming novel will take me. It has been three years in the making. Three years! I kept going back and revising, adding and deleting, until finally I learned how to write. I knew a little bit about writing, had two books and several non-fiction articles published, but finally found the groove I have been seeking. Now I'm ready to pitch agents again, this time well beyond hoping I have something to offer. Now I'm confident that the book will be published by a traditional publishing house. My dream is to reach the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List. For that you need an agent and big time publisher.  

The new year is starting off well. I have a television appearance scheduled and three speaking engagements already set for January. 2016 is beginning on a high note. The goal now is to keep the momentum going. Keep dreaming. Keep working. Keep writing. Strive to reach the summit. The journey begins with a single step. Then don't stop until you're at the top.