The early hours of morning in November are glorious. Light beams early and the chance to surf before work is present once again. I posted a new examiner article today. You can read it by clicking on the following title Surfing: taking a fresh breath. I felt in the mood to talk about taking a look at things from a different angle, a new approach. With the small surf that has fallen upon our coast for the last week or so I have been riding a longboard and a few different boards just so I can go out and get wet. Often in the past when I performed this act of leaving my shortboard at home, I did so in somewhat of mocking manners. I never really gave the boards a full chance to ride them as they were, as the waves allowed, and often goofed around on the larger vessels. Lately though, especially in the last two weeks, I have paid attention to the boards, tried to ride them for what they are instead of doing headstands and just wishing I was on my shortboard. And, to no surprise I have had a blast trying to ride the nose, feeling the rails, and being content on whatever craft is underneath my feet instead of longing for another.
Hope all is well.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Journey Continues
My blog to this point has not really been much of a blog at all. It has acted more as an update board than anything else, which is okay, because that is what I originally started it for. To keep everyone informed about the progress, or lack there of, on getting my novel published. I wish I had good news to report, but at this point I do not. Just going about the process of sending portions of the manuscript to various literary agents and waiting for their feedback. As I have been told it just takes the right person on the right day to pick it up in a certain mood for a manuscript to even be read. I am staying positive that this will happen and diligently going about my research for which agencies I think will most represent, and appreciate my style of writing, and then sending samples to them.
As for the blog, I am going to be more active with it from now on. I will post the examiner articles I have been writing and possibly expand upon the topics I write for the examiner in my blog entries. The articles are fun, but I am limited in elaboration because they want the articles somewhere in the 200-300 word range, which does not allow for much. If you have the time and you feel like it please become a follower of the blog. That way you can be informed directly from the blog about new articles and any information on the book.
I am a fan of short first chapters in a novel as anyone who read my first chapter of Stumbling upon Mowgli found out. Because this is my liking, and perhaps not the liking of everyone, I am going to post chapter two below. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.
Click here to read chapter 2
As for the blog, I am going to be more active with it from now on. I will post the examiner articles I have been writing and possibly expand upon the topics I write for the examiner in my blog entries. The articles are fun, but I am limited in elaboration because they want the articles somewhere in the 200-300 word range, which does not allow for much. If you have the time and you feel like it please become a follower of the blog. That way you can be informed directly from the blog about new articles and any information on the book.
I am a fan of short first chapters in a novel as anyone who read my first chapter of Stumbling upon Mowgli found out. Because this is my liking, and perhaps not the liking of everyone, I am going to post chapter two below. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.
Click here to read chapter 2
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Waiting Game
Well, a copy of the finished product is now in the hands of our roommate Kelly's mother, if that makes sense. Her mom is an editor and she is going through it for me. I am so appreciative to have a professional editor take the time out of her own kindness to look over my novel. I am so indebted to her. Thanks Jeri. Once she is finished I will probably have to fix a few more things and then on to shopping it around. I have found some promising avenues for publishing it independently if it becomes too taxing trying to get someone to pick it up. The independent route might be the best alternative anyways and if starts to pick up steam on its own I will have something positive to show the publishing companies.
A few requests have poured in concerning when everyone can read the book. Obviously the business side of things must commence before a finished copy can land in anyone's hands, which realistically could take a while, so I would like to post a link to the first chapter for those of you who would like to read it. Please send along your comments, negative, positive, you liked it, you hated it, suggestions, whatever, I would love to hear what you think. I hope everyone is doing well and soaking up the day before them.
Click here to read the first chapter
A few requests have poured in concerning when everyone can read the book. Obviously the business side of things must commence before a finished copy can land in anyone's hands, which realistically could take a while, so I would like to post a link to the first chapter for those of you who would like to read it. Please send along your comments, negative, positive, you liked it, you hated it, suggestions, whatever, I would love to hear what you think. I hope everyone is doing well and soaking up the day before them.
Click here to read the first chapter
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Done, Finally
Hello Everyone. A long hiatus from this page, but the last few months of writing have been arduous to say the least. As I predicted, being close was only an illusion and the mythical goal line taunted my wits, my sanity at times, but enough whining, hard work is good for the soul. I made it. Last Monday I completed the final chapter and have since gone through a complete edit of the book. Editing tests patience and worth. I began questioning every word, every sentence, and almost convinced myself on several occasion to trash the whole thing, because I could no longer stand my own writing, but I got through it. It was only a self edit, but a clean version of what I wanted to put out there.
The book ended with 29 chapters and took a few twists and turns that I never mapped out beforehand, but turned out to be quite a pleasure to navigate through. My working title has also changed from Ashes on the Pacific to Stumbling Upon Mogli. The new title derived from a line in the story that summed up the book for me. The old title was more of a generic line with pleasing aesthetics, but I feel the new title does a better job of describing the main characters journey while leaving more intrigue to the imagination.
Now the next hill to climb, publication. Where to go? I know in this day and age most publishing companies will not even talk to you unless you have a literary agent. The independent route sounds enticing, but I would like to test the waters first and see how many doors get slammed in my face. If anyone has any ideas or contacts I would appreciate your thoughts and assistance more than you know. I am new to this and feel lost in uncharted territory.
The journey was long, but worth every second. I did not follow a particular pattern or strict regimen and let words flow as they came. A chapter in the beginning here, a piece of a chapter near the end there, a random thought in the middle at any time. It was fun to write that way, but also took a bit of time to put all of the scattered pieces together. I did however write the final chapter last. I finished the last word, saved it, printed it out, read it again, saved it on a flash drive, read it again, and almost broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Such a rush of pure elation and accomplishment ran through my veins that it made every moment of staring at a computer screen or leaning over pen and paper worth while. No matter if two people read it, or two million, I finished a large task that I set out to do and no one can ever take that away from me. I have already won, what happens from here on out is all gravy. I dreamed to know this feeling, this completion of what at times felt impossible, and for that I give thanks. The journey has meant everything, I cannot wait to see where it leads next.
The book ended with 29 chapters and took a few twists and turns that I never mapped out beforehand, but turned out to be quite a pleasure to navigate through. My working title has also changed from Ashes on the Pacific to Stumbling Upon Mogli. The new title derived from a line in the story that summed up the book for me. The old title was more of a generic line with pleasing aesthetics, but I feel the new title does a better job of describing the main characters journey while leaving more intrigue to the imagination.
Now the next hill to climb, publication. Where to go? I know in this day and age most publishing companies will not even talk to you unless you have a literary agent. The independent route sounds enticing, but I would like to test the waters first and see how many doors get slammed in my face. If anyone has any ideas or contacts I would appreciate your thoughts and assistance more than you know. I am new to this and feel lost in uncharted territory.
The journey was long, but worth every second. I did not follow a particular pattern or strict regimen and let words flow as they came. A chapter in the beginning here, a piece of a chapter near the end there, a random thought in the middle at any time. It was fun to write that way, but also took a bit of time to put all of the scattered pieces together. I did however write the final chapter last. I finished the last word, saved it, printed it out, read it again, saved it on a flash drive, read it again, and almost broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Such a rush of pure elation and accomplishment ran through my veins that it made every moment of staring at a computer screen or leaning over pen and paper worth while. No matter if two people read it, or two million, I finished a large task that I set out to do and no one can ever take that away from me. I have already won, what happens from here on out is all gravy. I dreamed to know this feeling, this completion of what at times felt impossible, and for that I give thanks. The journey has meant everything, I cannot wait to see where it leads next.
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