Friday, February 6, 2015

Thunder Prime, Fog Island

Getting ready to publish Book 2

The following is a poem, a ballad about an absent character in Thunder Prime, Fog Island. This e-book version is an update to the first edition, The Ballad of Bawdy McClure, a sci fi about a future time when cloning has been used to populate the universe. One man and one woman search for the answers to what happened to Bawdy, a man in search of justice who lived a secret life. The e-book version, with typos corrected and a few minor changes to the original, is available at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/291359 for $2.99.

The next e-book in this duo is slated for publication in mid-March. If you haven't read Fog Island don't worry. The second book stands on its own, but some references to characters from Book 1 pop up from time to time. Subscribe to "Write On" by entering your e-mail address in the box at the top of the right hand column and receive blog updates and news about the publication of Thunder Prime, Pella's Revenge.

Ballad of Bawdy McClure 

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit and didn’t deserve to die.
There are those who go a wanderin’, their stories to unfold
This is the tale of such a man, a sad story I am told.
He stood for forgotten values and held loyal to each friend,
All who knew him mourned when he came to a tragic end.

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit and didn’t deserve to die.
“Bawdy” people called him, a man with a ready grin,
Fellows trusted him fiercely, and many fair maidens he did win.
His questing ways and steady charm brought people to his side,
He had an inner fire that proved his constant guide.

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit and didn’t deserve to die.
He believed in ultimate good and that Spirit held the lead,
If only each and all mankind would trust the Holy Seed.
Right would always out, he said, but knew the human mind
That leads some to evil ways their destiny to find.

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit and didn’t deserve to die.
He seemed so very open, a man easy to read,
But even such a heart can be made to bleed, and bleed and bleed.
The man beneath the surface was a mystery in many ways,
One none could unravel ‘til he reached the end of his days.

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit and didn’t deserve to die.
His twin in all but outward looks could not begin to understand,
And laid hope on a most intractable and stubborn man.
The two were on parallel paths, with vengeance in aevery pore,
But neither trusted the other, that’s the stuff of legend and lore.

Brian Michael McClure, a man of an age gone by,
Remained true to the Spirit, and for friendship he did die.
This story of a steady man with courage at the core
Takes him from this uncertain life to God’s eternal shore.
There is an inner fire that burns, an ever-flickering flame,
We enter life’s moments one way, but don’t come out the same.

________________

Your likes and shares will be greatly appreciated. As an Indie author I am grateful for your support. 



Sunday, February 1, 2015

Writers write, right?

Retired... mostly, kind of
So… as of December 31, 2014 I have what many folks would refer to as “retired,” meaning I no longer receive compensation for, nor am I accepting jobs as, a copywriter as such. I am focusing on my writing – fiction and nonfiction. Some will be essays, book or movie reviews, opinion pieces, articles about this and that, travel articles... you get the gist. A little of this and a little of that. These will be posted on my Write On blog and will appear as the mood strikes me, which could be 10 times a month, or one time in 10 months. Who knows? Not me. I’m also continuing to write in my Joy in the Morning blog, with about the same dedication… or lack thereof. The point is I’m focusing on writing.

Emphasis will be on finishing one novel that’s been hanging fire for about two years, give or take a year, collecting Joy in the Morning posts into a book of inspiration, and getting around to writing a book about what there is to do NOW in Las Vegas and San Miguel County. There have been a number of history books written about the area, and since I’m no historian, it makes more sense to skim the cream off the top of this lovely area and put it into a handy guide. Not a visitors’ guide; there will be no advertising, just a collection of interesting activities, events and sites. Is there enough to put into a book? Good question. I’ll keep you posted.

It has become clear to me that the older I get the more I want to write and the less I want to put it off until later. I’ve been listening to webinars and reading books about writing and publishing.. Every single one of them point out the following:

  • Serious writers write
  • Traditionally published authors work as hard at getting an agent as they do at writing books
  • Serious writers write
  •  Indie and traditionally published authors learn how to promote their own books with confidence
  •   Serious writers write
  • Author platforms are crucial
  • Serious writers write 
  • Authors read nearly as much as the write 
  •  Serious writers write

I’m sure you get the overarching theme here. Write and write some more.

I will very much appreciate you following my journey, as bumpy as it may be, by subscribing to this blog. That way when I post something new, you will be notified by e-mail. Just type your e-mail address in the Follow by E-mail box at the top in the right hand column.

I will continue my volunteer work as a Deacon in my church, as a member of the Alta Vista Regional Hospital Advisory Board, and as chair of the Las Vegas-San Miguel Economic Development Corp.

And then of course there is that business of being part of a family. My ever-patient husband has been my biggest supporter and kindest critic (as in being no critic at all). He is not my editor. According to him everything I write is “fine.” Yikes. The worst word on the planet for a writer. “Fine.” A writer wants to be “thought provoking,” “hilarious,” “a thorn in someone’s side,” “extraordinary,” any and all of the superlatives you can imagine. “Fine,” I didn’t think, quite cut it. And then I looked at synonyms for fine:

  • excellent
  • first-class
  • great
  • outstanding
  • quality
  • superior
  • prime
  • supreme
  • wonderful
 
So I guess I’ll take “fine” from my husband, who really, when I think about it, is a discerning and highly intelligent man.

Thanks for reading this, and don’t forget to sign up to follow Write On. And if you haven’t read “Finding Family,” you can get it in e-book and paperback from online retailers and locally in Las Vegas at Tome on the Range or WarDancer Designs and Gallery.

If you find Write On interesting, please like, comment, tweet and share. I will very much appreciate it.