THE VASE

One More TIme

2012-02-22T00:23:00.003-08:00

Going through the KOK manuscript one more time for good measure before Melange gets to editing it is proving to be a very enjoyable experience. I've said many times that this story is my absolute favorite. Not just of the stories I've written. I mean of all stories ever written.

Now, I'm not denying a little bias here. But I must have read this, well, more times than I can even count at this point. And every time I get a kick out of it. I just love this story. I love the main character. I love the romantic interests, and even the villains. They are all so real to me.

I'm past the halfway point, which is perfect since I told Nancy, the Melange publisher, that I'll send it to her by the end of the week. Looks like I'll reach that goal.

It will be ideal because then I'll go right back to KILLER EYES, which is the sequel. It picks up right where KOK leaves off. And now that KOK is getting published, I might even start planning the third book in the series. We'll see.

John Dunn Total 120,000 words

2012-02-21T13:32:00.003-08:00

After revisions, my WIP, JOHN DUNN reached 120,000 words. And for me, that's a lot of words. Especially since most publishers don't really want manuscripts over 100,000 words. Yeah, many make allowances for up to 120,000 words depending on the genre. Usually it's fantasy. I hope Historical Fiction qualifies, too.

I'm not even sure how I want to proceed. Should I find an agent? Should I just submit to publishers on my own, like I did for KILLER OF KILLERS and THE VASE? Actually, I've stopped submitting THE VASE because I already have it out there with about a half dozen publishers who are considering it. Another two or three have already agreed to publish it. I will see what the best deal is, I suppose. Or maybe I'll bring it to the publisher who is publishing KILLER OF KILLERS.

It's a crossroads for me. Do I want different publishers publishing different books of mine? Or do I want the same publisher publishing all of my books? I'm glad I have this kind of quandary.

But THE VASE is really a special kind of book. Why? Because it's a special kind of story. You already have a feel for it just from my blog's title and the text underneath it. But there really is something special about it. I don't want to put out any spoilers. But the text does hint at it.

It's not a religious book, so let's get that settled once and for all. And it's not about spirituality. But there are elements of that. And as for religion, even though it's not about religion, there are reasons that religious people will like that book. But not just one religion. I think all religions can appreciate the story.

Sure, I know there will be haters. There are always haters. I better be ready for the reviews. All writers have to have a thick skin. How many times have we all heard that? But I don't know just how anyone can hate a book like that one. Still, I know it will happen.

Better get it published first. Then I'll worry about all of that.

Working Toward Publication

2012-02-20T14:46:00.000-08:00

Just got through with some email correspondence with the publisher at Melange Books. It is refreshing to be able to work with the top person there after the frustration that was Cogito. Oh, how I appreciate open lines of communication.

But anyway, I just sent my bio, a photo, and a blurb for the book itself, and for an author's page on the Melange Books website. I went ahead and used the photo that's on my teacher's website. It's a good photo. I look like... well, an author in that photo, so I thought I should use it.

I also sent a dedication and an acknowledgment and a few quotes that I thought were pertinent to the main character, Trent Smith, in KILLER OF KILLERS.

Since I have this whole week off work, I'm going to read through it one more time, which will inevitably result in a few prose improvements here and there. Nancy said to go ahead. So that's what I'll be doing for the rest of this week. I'll get back to KILLER EYES after that.

Second Revision Completed on WIP

2012-02-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

Last night I completed the second read-through of John Dunn, Heart of a Zulu, which is my fourth and latest novel. I liked how it turned out. My only concern when I wrote it was the ending, and I think the ending works well. The Battle of Ulundi is the climax of the story, and the capture of King Cetshwayo and then John Dunn's return to eMangeti, (his home in Zululand,) is the denouement.

So now I think it's ready for the Beta readers. My brother, a lawyer in Hawaii, won't be ready to read it until March, he says. But I would like for Barb to check it out, too. Who's Barb? Well, Barb was the first person to follow this blog. She writes historical fiction, too, and she had made a few comments during the course of my blogging on the progress of this book.

But something happened, and I see that she is no longer on my list of followers. It could be that she took down her own blog, which I read from time to time. But now I can't find it.

So Barb, if you are still there, and if you are reading this, please contact me and I would like to send you the attachment of this manuscript for some feedback. OK? Ok.

Importance of Revising

2012-02-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

I'm near finished with my second read through of my WIP, John Dunn, and I have caught some major inconsistencies. It surprised me really, because I thought I cleared them up with my first revision read through. I found a place where I got the friends of the Shepstone brothers mixed up. There were three Shepstones who served as mounted volunteers in the Zulu War. And one of them, George, was killed at Isandlwana. Theophilus Shepstone, the father, was a high ranking official in the colony of Natal, and he is the main antagonist in the story. It just goes to show how important revisions are. I don't believe anyone who says they can write a novel in one draft.

Publishers

2012-02-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

So what's the single most important role of a publisher? Publishing, after all, can be done by anyone these days. In fact, a lot of people are saying that authors don't even need publishers. Authors, they say, should just self-publish. And why not? You get a better deal with royalties that way.

But I don't want to go that route. Because I think the single most important role of a publisher is selling books. If you self-publish, you have to sell your books. I read Amanda Hawking's article about how she was successful with her self-published books. She stressed the fact that she put a major effort into promoting her books. She said it took a lot of her time and a lot of effort. And now? Well, after making a name for herself, she went ahead and signed on with a publisher. She said she wanted more time to write and didn't want to have to go through that promoting effort again.

Joe Konrath is the opposite story. He was already a name through a publisher. But then he chose to go the self-publishing route. Sure it was because his publisher declined to publish his later books, so he did it himself. And he's said that he is very glad he did. But he wouldn't have if he didn't have to. That's the point.

For me, I know I can't sell anything. Well, I sold my books to publishers, if you want to look at it that way, but when it comes to selling stuff in the conventional way, I'm horrible. So that's what my publisher is for. They will take care of marketing, and they have their website, and of course, Amazon is always there. But being published by a publisher instead of being self-published, I think, is going to be an advantage out of the gate. We'll see.

Valentine's Day Post

2012-02-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

So what about Valentine's Day? Well, flowers for the wife of course. But do I have any couples worth talking about in the four novels I've written? Well, in KILLER OF KILLERS, Trent Smith does fall in love. I don't want to put out any spoilers, but Samantha Jones is quite a lady. No more about that. You'll have to read the book.

And in THE VASE, there is a Muslim couple, Muhsin and Sanya Muhabi. They have been married for fifteen years, have had their ups and downs, but they do make quite a lovely couple.

And in KILLER EYES, does Trent fall in love again? Can't really say without a spoiler. Let's just say he revisits a past love. But no more about that.

And the most interesting Valentines situation of all is John Dunn and his wives. Notice I didn't call it a couple. Sure John Dunn has his wife, Catherine Pierce with whom he has a stellar marriage, but he also has fifty other wives. And he loves them all. He supports them all. And he takes care of all of his one hundred and fifty kids. Which is interesting to me, because I have my hands full taking care of just two. Those were the days, I guess.

Final Cover Design for KILLER OF KILLERS

2012-02-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

So what's different? Well, all the text has been matched in style and color. The title text had a 3-D effect, and I decided I wanted all the text to have it. Because it was really a lot better. I looked at the two different styles next to each other and the 3-D effect really stood out. No comparison. And the webbing shows over that eye socket now. (Improved even more with this updated image on Feb.15.) So it's a home run. I thought that my design was good. But Caroline over at Melange did me better. This is a great cover. And I'm glad to be part of Melange Books, LLC. Can't wait until August. That's when it's supposed to come out. Stay Tuned. KILLER OF KILLERS is coming to a book store near you. Or at least on a website on your computer.

Should I Change Blog Name (Again?)

2012-02-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

Some people may know that THE VASE was not the original name of this blog. I changed it to THE VASE because that was the manuscript I thought was going to get published first. But now it's KILLER OF KILLERS which is the novel that will be published first. So maybe I should change the name of this blog again. But to what? The Killer Blog? Killer of Killers? Maybe just Killer? None of those seem to fit. I think they might send the wrong impression. But maybe not. I'll wait until it's actually published, and then decide.

What About THE VASE?

2012-02-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Now that I have a publisher again, I have stopped submitting THE VASE, because I will probably bring it to the attention of Melange. After all, they know me now. They have a fair contract, which is more than I can say for some contracts that have been offered to me.

But if some of those other publishers happen to get back to me, I will listen. There are at least two or three publishers who have the full right now. But, as usual, they are taking three or four months to get to it. Which is about a normal time period. Melange was the exception. I still can't believe that they offered me a contract for KILLER OF KILLERS just one day after requesting the full. That is just so amazing to me. And I am totally impressed with their art department person, as I've been talking about lately. I love that cover they designed.

It's not the first time I had a book cover presented to me. After I had signed that contract with Cogito for THE VASE, (and before they flaked,) they sent me samples of book covers for that book. Four, actually, but I didn't really like any of them. I told them that of the four, there was only one that might be appropriate, but even that one wasn't really all that good. It was just a photo of a bunch of vases lying on the ground. It would have been OK, but it wasn't the kind of cover, say, like the one Melange came up with for KILLER OF KILLERS yesterday. That one, I must say again, is just an amazing cover.

But for THE VASE, it's nice to know I have options. I have two publishers who are willing to publish it right now. And it's nice to know that. But I have chosen to wait it out, and see what all my options are. The good thing about publishers is that they don't seem to be in a hurry. They can wait. Sometimes that could be a frustrating thing. But other times, like now, it's a good thing.

Tweaking the Design

2012-02-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Caroline at Melange is one outstanding person to work with. I asked for a couple tweaks to the cover design and Bingo, she comes through like a star. You can see that the design includes a bolder text and it's centered. Now it's better than ever! This is great.

Work Hard

2012-02-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

Well I'm still super-charged about the cover to my debut novel, KILLER OF KILLERS being so great. Cut me a break on this one. I mean for your first novel that's getting published and the publisher hits a home run on the cover design is... well, it's a dream come true. I can't say enough about it. But I said that I would talk about how Trent Smith got so good at martial arts. And there's a good reason that he's so good. He worked hard!

No, I don't go for these notions that you are born great. No. You work at it. You work hard. You don't quit. You make sacrifices. You put in the time. And for over twenty years, Trent Smith worked hard and made himself the best martial artist in the world. He lived it. He became a part of the Tokyo Dojo. Or he made the Tokyo Dojo a part of him. Twenty-four seven as they say.

It helped that the Dojo's Shihan had a beautiful granddaughter. And it was also a good thing that she was attracted to Trent. Oh, by the way, the Japanese didn't call him Trent. As I said before, (I think I said this before,) Trent Smith is not his real name. Anyway, Trent has green eyes. And besides that, they compared his fighting style to that of a tiger. So with that, and his green eyes, the Shihan nicknamed him Tora. Which is Japanese for tiger.

So yeah, he lived in the dojo. He loved in the dojo, He life was the dojo. Until the murders started happening in America. Then his life changed. And back to America he went. Stay tuned.

New Cover to KILLER OF KILLERS

2012-02-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

And what a great cover it is! I mean I like this every bit as much as the one I designed, and you know what? I'm thinking I like it even better! What a great job by Caroline from the Melange Books art department. I am totally impressed. This is good. Real good. I'm talking great. My day is made. I couldn't have hoped for a better cover to my debut novel. I sure hope things keep going like this. Wow.

The Art of Budo Ju Jitsu or Bu Jitsu

2012-02-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

So we know that Trent Smith is the world's greatest martial artist who goes on a vendetta against murderers roaming free in society. But just how did he get to be the world's greatest martial artist? And which martial art is he so good at?

Well, I chose the Japanese art of Ju Jitsu for my character of Trent Smith, because that is the art that I took when I was younger. And imo, it's the single best martial art you can learn, because it encompasses just about every type of fighting. From punches to kicks, to holds and throws. You name it, Ju Jitsu has it. And the higher you rank, the more lethal it becomes.

But I didn't restrict his training to just Ju Jitsu, even though it would have been sufficient. No, I combined it with Budo. Budo is also Japanese and it's the art of killing. And it was mostly taught in the Japanese military, but Japanese police also train with Budo. And that sounds pretty cool. The art of killing. So I combined the two to get Budo Ju Jitsu. Sometimes shortened to Bu Jitsu. (Yeah, I actually came up with that. Bu Jitsu. Pretty cool, no?)

And in my story, KILLER OF KILLERS, Bu Jitsu is the deadliest art in the world. Which is why I add the text: "He was the world's greatest martial artist, a master of the world's deadliest art" on the cover. Anyone who likes martial arts stories would pick up a book off a book shelf if they read that on its cover. At least I think they would.

Next week we'll talk more about the training, and how Trent got so good at it.

So Who is Trent Smith?

2012-02-02T07:59:00.001-08:00

As I was writing about a couple days ago, it's time to start promoting KILLER OF KILLERS. That is the book that is getting published. And pretty soon, too.

So the main character is Trent Smith. So who is Trent Smith? Well for starters, Trent Smith is not his real name. Why did he change it? Because he knew he was going to be making some enemies. And he didn't want anyone looking into his background. But that happens anyway, as both his friends and his enemies find out plenty enough about his background.

But what makes Trent Smith special? Well, for one thing, he happens to be the greatest martial artist in the world. I mean the no. 1 greatest. At bare hands fighting, no one can match him. Many have tried, but he's simply the best. And he knows it. But he is no braggart. He lets his actions do the talking.

So what are his actions? To put it simply: Killing. But he is no murderer. As the title of the book indicates, he kills only killers. It's more like he's an executioner. And he targets only those murderers who deserve to be executed. At least, in his eyes.

To be continued...

Talk About Fast Response

2012-02-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

Fast responses to queries are not usual. I was very fortunate to get one from Melange for KILLER OF KILLERS. And the day after they requested the full, they offered a contract. Wow. Now that's fast. I had grown used to the three month minimum time frame. But I am NOT complaining.

And a publisher who I had told THE VASE was no longer available when it was going to be published by Virtual Tales wants to see the full. I asked them if they want the new manuscript since it's been edited twice by two different houses since my original submission over a year ago, and they said yes. But their submission guidelines say to single space the manuscript. So I will have to go home to do that. I don't want to try it here at work while on lunch break because I don't want to rush something like that.

So when I get home I'll do that. Pretty exciting, really to have two publishers publishing two different books of mine. We'll see if that happens.

Time for KILLER OF KILLERS

2012-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

I have written a lot about the John Dunn story lately because it's my WIP, but now it's time to start promoting KILLER OF KILLERS. That's the book getting published after all, and not 18 months from now, like the Cogito contract said for THE VASE. No, KOK is scheduled for release this summer which makes it about six months from the time I signed the contract.

And that is refreshing. Virtual Tales never gave me a release date, but maybe if I go back and read the contract again, I'll find a reference to that, I just don't remember what it was right now. Anyway, six months sounds about right. That provides time for editing, a cover design, and any more editing that needs to be done. Why a publisher needs a year and a half makes no sense to me, unless they have so many books lined up that there really is an 18 month drag.

But now I'm starting to think about promotion. How should I go about it? I had renamed this blog THE VASE because I thought that THE VASE was going to be my debut novel. So, yeah, I'm considering changing the name again. But to what? KILLER OF KILLERS? Maybe just KILLER? Doesn't sound quite right for a blog. Not that THE VASE does either. Something to think about. So I'll start writing more about KOK in blog posts from now on. Got to focus on that. It is my favorite story after all. And it's my favorite book. Not that I've read so many, but it's the story I enjoy the most whenever I read it. Yes, I like it even more than THE VASE. Really.

John Dunn Pretty Much Done

2012-01-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

So I'm pretty much done with the John Dunn story. I've just about completed the second draft, which was very necessary before anyone could read it. That includes beta readers, of course. I had to tie some strings together. One of them was the fleshing out of the sons of Theophilus Shepstone, who is the main antagonist of the story. The Secretary of Native Affairs in Natal, Shepstone gave up that position to become the president or prime minister of the Republic of the Transvaal, also known as the South African Republic. As such, he sided with the Boers in their land disputes with the Zulus, whereas before that he had favored the Zulus. Talk about betrayal of an entire people. Worse, however, he could have prevented the Zulu War, but he didn't. And a lot of people suffered and died for that.

But his sons weren't bad guys, even though they did fight against the Zulus in that war. They weren't British regulars, they joined up with the the cavalry volunteers, and one of them, the youngest, George, was killed at Isandlwana. At the same time, Shepstone's administration in the Transvaal was failing miserably, and the man retired and dropped from public life. That's the way I have it in my book, too. So in his conflict with John Dunn, it wasn't Dunn who did him in, it was his own failed attempt to lead a nation, and the tragic loss of his youngest son.

Most Online Images are 96 ppi

2012-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

As I surfed the internet for images I might want to use for a book cover, I discovered that the images are in the 96 ppi mode. I guess the people who post them do that on purpose. In that mode they are OK for use as computer wallpaper and websites, but to print them out for something like a book cover they are not. For that, I've learned, you need them to be at 300 ppi.

I'm glad that it's not my job to make a book cover. Because my paintings that I've photographed and saved on my computer aren't even 96 ppi. They're 76 ppi. So that means unless there is some way to make them 300 ppi, not even my own artwork would do.

I've got to believe there is a way to make them 300 ppi. I just don't know what it is. Probably some computer geek would know. Yep, I've still a lot to learn.

Cover Won't Work

2012-01-26T07:47:00.000-08:00

Well, it's OK, but the cover won't work because it's 96 PPI. And the high def version is way too small, so it's back to the drawing board. The Art Director at Melange told me that she will make a similar design, and I just can't wait to see what she comes up with. I told her that a full face hooded skull in the style of the Grim Reaper would be even better than the one I made, right there to the right of this post.

So it's probably going to be a better design, and I'll be glad that this one didn't work out. It's great just to be able to talk about all this. KILLER OF KILLERS is getting published! Still charged about that just in itself.

300 PPI

2012-01-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

300 PPI. I'm not even sure what those letters stand for. Something about pixels, I guess. And that's how book covers are supposed to measure up. So the day I put in KOK's cover with a link to the publisher, I find out that it's not 300 PPI. The only thing that might save it is that I did shrink it down. But here's the confusing part. The template that they sent me indicated the cover must be 6.125 inches by 9.25 inches. So I used the virtual ruler on the computer program and made it to that exact measurement. But I shrunk it down to that measurement instead of cropping it. So maybe that is what happened. We'll see how it turns out. But that cover to the right of this post may not be the final one. It's no disaster, because if it doesn't measure up, the art department at Melange said they will come up with something similar. So at least they know what kind of cover design I want and I won't get a topless male model on there.

What is with...?

2012-01-24T07:47:00.000-08:00

...all the shirtless men on so many book covers?

At first it didn't even occur to me that this was some kind of trend. But when I started to design the cover to KILLER OF KILLERS I examined the covers to other books, and I started to notice. Shirtless, near-naked, or even completely naked men, (although covered where it counts,) seem to dominate book covers these days.

Now, I'm no prude, but it seems that this is a double-standard to me. I mean, women's libbers waste no time protesting overexposure of women. It belittles them, they say. I remember not long ago, television cameramen couldn't even show NFL cheerleaders on TV, for fear of feminist complaints. At least that seems to have blown over. But do women readers really want to see naked men on their book covers? Does a picture of a topless man make women buy a book? I can't believe it does.

But it does lead me to believe that these books have nothing of substance to offer readers in regards to a story, a plot, or great characters. I would think that a cover should somehow depict the essence of what a book is all about. Or is it true that these books offer nothing more than a story about a woman who finds a beefcake? I haven't read them, so I don't really know.

But on almost every publisher's website, that's what you see. No, it doesn't bother me. I'm just sayin'. That's all.

Back to John Dunn

2012-01-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

OK, Melange's art director's template came in handy, and I finally figured out how to use the needed tools on my computer's Window Live Photo Gallery program to make the design fit all of the guidelines. It was trial and error there for a bit. I have already posted a couple of the designs, but this one is the final product that fits the template to every detail.

So with that out of the way, I'm back to finishing the second draft of the John Dunn story. On page 252, and I hope to finish it by this weekend. Oh, the publisher at Melange also told me just this morning in an email that my editor will be Tom, who was the acquisitions editor who accepted my book. That's perfect as far as I'm concerned, since he's the one who read my story and liked it well enough to offer me a contract. I've gone through this twice before with THE VASE, so I pretty much know what to expect. But it's a new publisher and a different book.

Make Progress

2012-01-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

I've been sidetracked tweaking the design for KILLER OF KILLERS, that I have made no progress the last couple days in revising John Dunn. I might have to lower that top text to the KOK cover design, but that skull face is in the way. I've trimmed it down already, and I might have to do it a little more.

But last weekend I made it halfway through the revisions of John Dunn, so maybe this weekend I can finish it. I don't want to take too long. When an editor is assigned to me for KOK, I want to focus on that. Because that will be the priority, of course, and I look forward to it.

The two editors who handled THE VASE didn't change any of the storyline, so I'm confident it won't happen with KOK, either. I'm curious as to how it will proceed. We'll see. Soon I hope.

Cover Designs

2012-01-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm learning a thing or two about cover designs. For one thing, you can't put text too close to the edge. That should have been a no-brainer, but with my design I had to put the text near the top edge. I also put my name too close to the bottom edge. Here's my tweaked design. I trimmed the top part of the skull face as much as I dared so I could make room to lower that top text. Still, it might not be lowered enough. And I raised the city silhouette so as to make room to put my name higher. I hope it works. We'll see...

Revision Interrupted

2012-01-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

After revising the first two hundred pages of my WIP, John Dunn, I only got through ten pages yesterday. Well, I had to work after all, but something more exciting happened. The Art Director of Melange Books contacted me about my book cover to KILLER OF KILLERS, and said she likes it but my name might be too low. So I tweaked the cover, never really coming up with a solution. She sent me a template, but for some reason it downloaded without the template. Maybe I did something wrong, or I just don't understand how to use it. I'm sure we'll work it out. I really hope we can use that cover design. My students love it. Many said that they would buy the book just for the cover. I told them that they are too young to buy it, that they better be eighteen when they do. It's not X rated, but it's a solid R rated book, I'd say. Now, THE VASE is G or PG. But that's not getting published yet. And it's the one I thought would get published first, too. It's strange how things turn out.

Second Draft Half Done

2012-01-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Since yesterday was a day off, I shot through the first two hundred pages of my WIP, John Dunn, applying revisions where needed. Minor stuff mostly. But necessary stuff. But if the second half goes as easily as the first half did, that means I did a pretty good job of it the first time around. Well, it's my fourth novel, so I think I have the hang of this. And since my first novel, KILLER OF KILLERS is getting published this summer, that bodes well for the other three. Very exciting times for me. It's all coming together now. Perseverance pays off.

JOHN DUNN FINISHED!

2012-01-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

Well, the first draft, anyway. Last night I got back to work on my WIP, John Dunn, Heart of a Zulu, and decided the only thing that needed doing was finishing it. So I did.

Now that doesn't mean in my rewrites I won't change it some. But the manuscript topped out at 118,400 words. And that's plenty long enough. Most every publisher I have researched caps their word count requirement at 120,000. A lot don't want any more than 100,000. Some even top off their word counts at 80,000.

So I really don't want it over 120,000, that's for sure. Now begins the revision stage. That will give me something to do while waiting for Melange to assign me an editor for the editing process of KIILLER OF KILLERS. Can't wait for that. I won't be idle,that's for sure.

Possible Cover to THE VASE

2012-01-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

While I was at it, I decided to go ahead and design a possible cover to THE VASE. I was caught unprepared for a cover to KILLER OF KILLERS. But I like that Melange Books moves fast. Not only did they move fast to offer me a contract, but they moved even faster in asking me if I wanted to provide my own cover. (The same day they offered the contract.) Of course, the author doesn't have to. They have people to do that. But since they do give the author's wishes consideration, I decided to go ahead and see if I might come up with something, and I did. But since everything was moving so fast at this point, I sent a hurried sample to them, which contained a font that I would decide against a day later, and there was a typo, too.

So with the extra day, I improved the design with a better font and all the other things I already talked about.

As for THE VASE, I always liked the photo in my blog header, so I cropped it and put in the text, which I tried to make into an Arabic style. I think it works. As for the image itself, I can't even remember where I got it. So I suppose that whoever publishes it won't use it for that reason unto itself. And if they don't, at least I can show them what I have in mind for a cover. That's all.

Melange - So Far So Good

2012-01-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

They seemed to like that cover. I sent them the improved design just this morning when the publisher replied with a cc to their art cover person. I cc'd the art person, too, with the improved design.

But it is an improved design. I don't know if anyone caught the original design, but it had a typo in the top text, so that was fixed. And as I explained in my update yesterday, I found a better and more appropriate font. I also centered the text which improved the overall design just for that. I also got rid of that high contrast. At first I liked it, but then I changed my mind. Another thing I did to improve the design was I made that top text easier to read by eliminating most of those sparks that were behind the text. You could barely read it, but now it reads easily. And lastly, I had noticed that Melange Books doesn't put "A novel by..." on their books, so I deleted that. Just the author name is all Melange puts on their books, so I did it that way, too.

Yeah, I'm excited. Can you tell? KILLER OF KILLERS IS GETTING PUBLISHED. And of all four of the books that I wrote, that one is still my favorite story. This is big for me. Good luck to everyone who aspires to be published out there.

Potential Cover to KILLER OF KILLERS

2012-01-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

You can also see this on my website when you click on KILLER OF KILLERS. I came up with this last night. It's from an image I found on a free wallpaper site, (but I doctored it to a pretty good degree.) Even so I'm not sure that using it for a book cover is all right or not. If it is, then I wouldn't mind this to be the cover. If it isn't, then the people at Melange will at least get a good idea of what I have in mind for a cover. That's all.

Updated Image: The last one had a typo, and when I went to correct it, I couldn't remember the font, and while searching for it, I found this one. I like it better. I also dimmed the stars on top and centered the text. Thus... a potential cover to KILLER OF KILLERS is reborn.

Melange Books, LLC

2012-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

So this publisher, Melange Books, reminds me of Virtual Tales in some ways. The website has a rolling feature of their latest publications and they have invited me to join an authors forum, just like at VT. So I did, and introduced myself, after which a bevy of welcome aboards resulted.

And one more thing. The top person emailed me directly to welcome me aboard. VTs top person had no qualms with communicating, either. But at Cogito, not once did their top person email me. Not to welcome me aboard, nor ever did he reply to any of my emails when I was inquiring as to the status of THE VASE when I learned his top employees were bailing on him. And that's the main reason I terminated that contract.

A telling thing is what these top people call their position. At VT, the top person was the Chairman, and at Cogito the top guy was the President. At Melange the top person is the Publisher. Kind of interesting, I think. OK.

Contract Offered for KOK

2012-01-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Big day yesterday. That second publisher offered a contract for KILLER OF KILLERS, and it was a good contract. So I signed it, and emailed it back to them. So that's my third publishing contract now that I've signed. Fourth if you count the contract I signed with Literary Agent Anita Kushen.

But there is something I must say. Signing a contract doesn't mean a book will get published. I've chronicled on this blog the bumpy road that's called the path to being published.

My first contract with the agent resulted in nothing. Agent Anita called me, and told me how much she loved KOK. And I think she would have found a publisher for it, too, but she retired. I've already written about it, but the short version is that her subordinates took over KOK, and did nothing with it. At the most they submitted it to the Big Six, and left it at that.

Most disappointing with those agents was that they didn't want to represent THE VASE, even though it was a story with wider appeal. The "terrorist" angle scared them, and shortly thereafter we parted ways.

So I took over submissions for THE VASE on my own, and my first contract with a publisher, (Virtual Tales) might have been nice, but within two months of signing with them, they folded. So now some additional news which I haven't divulged yet. The second publisher I signed with for THE VASE, Cogito, also has failed. They are having problems of their own, but unlike VT, they haven't been forthcoming about it. I was notified by the acquisitions manager that she quit the company, and after my follow up, I found out that the Editor-in-Chief had also quit. Which left me hanging. So I invoked a clause in the contract to terminate that contract.

So THE VASE is once again available. But KOK is now under contract. It seems complicated, but whatever, you just ride with it and keep on plugging away. Let's see how this new contract goes. The publisher is Melange Books, LLC, and they seem to be well established, and so far so good, but it's only been one day. So goes the world of publishing!

Writer's Blogs Slowing Down

2012-01-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

I have noticed that a lot of the blogs that I usually read have been less consistent lately. A lot of bloggers seem to be taking time off of blogging. Maybe it's just a trend. But people who used to blog everyday are down to once a week or even less than that.

I try to have something to say Monday through Friday. Sometimes not a lot, and sometimes not even worth reading. But it will at least reflect my state of mind regarding writing, publishing, and the status of my WIP. I suppose that after a while some people just get tired of doing the same thing everyday. It's normal, I'm sure. I hope to be an every day blogger at least until one of my books is in print. But that's not a sure deal until it actually happens. We'll see.

New Publishers Forming

2012-01-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

When I was submitting THE VASE over a year ago, I found several publishers who seemed to be good fits for a story like that. And they were. Now, as I look around through internet sites, I find more that are cropping up. And some of them are just right for KILLER OF KILLERS. They want Cutting Edge Fiction. Dark Fiction. Subversive Fiction, and Speculative Fiction. Even Men's Fiction. Wow. So where were they a year ago? It seems as though these publishers are start ups, and that's great.

I know not just a few publishers go out of business, so I really hope these new ones can be successful. Especially since I'm thinking one of them will be publishing KOK very soon. We'll see.

Another Publisher for KOK

2012-01-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

In my research of publishers I have found the genre Women's Fiction or Chick Lit to be quite common. It seems that most publishers list that as a genre they are seeking to publish. But last night, and for the first time, I have found a publisher that is seeking Men's Fiction! Which made me very happy because KILLER OF KILLERS is just that. A man's book which men will enjoy reading.

When I wrote it, I had the objective to write a book that I would like to read. And it came out just like I hoped it would. That's not to say that women won't enjoy it too. For instance, my first literary agent was a woman, and she loved that story. Unfortunately, for me, she retired just a few months later. And I've already explained what happened after that. Nothing.

So now I have two publishers that might at least give KOK a chance. Submitted it last night. So fingers crossed.

Gotta Get JOHN DUNN Done

2012-01-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

I finished the Battle of Ulundi last night, which is the climax of my story, and that means I have only one more chapter to write. And that should be finished by the end of the week. And wow, it's at 114,000 words! I had no intention of writing such a long book, but that's historical fiction for you. And I didn't even get all the characters and all the events in there! Really, there was so much more that happened during that period in South Africa. If I had put it all in there it would have been easily twice as long. And it's already long enough. Right now, I'm just hoping I can keep it under 120,000 words. I suppose I will. And then revisions. And that's the part of the writing process that I enjoy most because the story is finished and it's just a matter of polishing it up from that point on. No more racking of the brain putting pieces together. Yay.

So Happy New Year

2012-01-02T00:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone deserves a chance to begin anew. And the new year is the perfect time to do it. I've had some bad luck in the publishing channels. And even now, it continues to plague me.

But that's where starting anew comes in. Yes, I'm starting over with a few things, and I am talking about publishers. As the days go by, I'll be more forthcoming. But changes are in the wind. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, KOK has been fully revised yet again, and submitted to that new publisher. I like what I've learned about them so far. So fingers crossed. And now it's back to my WIP, the JOHN DUNN story. I'm so close to the end. I'm right in the middle of the battle of Ulundi. It's the final battle of the Zulu War. I plan on that being my story's climax. After that, the final chapter will be the denouement. And then ta da... I'll be finished with the first draft finally.

End of Year is Here

2011-12-30T13:25:00.000-08:00

My goal was to finish JOHN DUNN, but I have an excuse. And it's a good one. I've found a publisher interested in KILLER OF KILLERS, my first and still favorite novel. So I took this past week to go over it with a fine tooth comb in order to maximize its chances of being accepted.

And I have made it better, no doubt. Mostly I've improved the prose as I do every time a reread one of my manuscripts. Even after having THE VASE undergo two professional edits, I recently reread that one, too, and improved the prose still again. So as I've said many times, your manuscript, really, is never finished until it's been PUBLISHED and is a PRINTED BOOK.

Anyway, I figure to finish this most recent revision of KOK, and submit it tomorrow. Maybe today.

Looking Forward to KOK Submission

2011-12-29T12:55:00.000-08:00

I'm halfway through the reread of KOK, and I'm confident it will be finished by tomorrow. Then I'll put together the submission package to the new publisher I mentioned.

That means this weekend I'll get back to JOHN DUNN. It hurts to take time away from that one, since it's my WIP. I really don't believe in getting sidetracked. I'm the kind of man who begins something and finishes it.

But OK. It'll get finished. Very soon. And then THAT will be the one I'll be revising over and over. Just like I did with the others. I have found the revision process to be the most fun, anyway. And make no mistake... I'm enjoying this a lot.

John Dunn Story Not On Backburner

2011-12-28T00:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned that KILLER OF KILLERS is no longer on the backburner. I am reading it in preparation to submit it again. And I am very glad for that because it's a story that needs to be published.

But that doesn't mean that the JOHN DUNN story is now on the backburner. No way. I'm so close to finishing that one, and I look forward to finishing it, and getting that one published too.

I am very hopeful that in the coming year, I'll have both KOK and THE VASE published, perhaps by two different publishers. And KOK has a sequel, too.

As for John Dunn? I'll be back to work on that in a heartbeat. I figure to finish the chapter I'm on right now, which is the concluding battle of the Zulu War, and then one more chapter after that. This might be my greatest book yet. Still, KOK remains my favorite. That's all.

Renewed Interest in KOK

2011-12-27T17:22:00.000-08:00

People who have been reading this blog for a while know that my sentimental favorite book is KILLER OF KILLERS. It's a dynamic story about dynamic characters. And with all the fuss over THE VASE of late, and with my current work in progress, JOHN DUNN, taking up most of my time, I seem to have put KOK on the back burner.

Not so anymore. I have found a new publisher who is interested in KOK. And why wouldn't they be? It's about the world's greatest martial artist, after all. The story revolves around a wonder drug that cures all disease! It includes a secret society of immortal supermen! I mean how could a publisher not be interested in that? Don't tell me they just want stories about benevolent teenaged vampires, or training schools for teen witches, I won't believe it.

No, this is no romance publisher, either. They want dark stories with cutting edge fiction. They specify speculative fiction and subversive fiction among other genres. Yes, KILLER OF KILLERS is right up their alley. It's such a great story, I love it more every time I read it. So I'm going to read KOK one more time. Polish it up, still, one more time, and send it... fingers crossed.

If You Have No Kids...

2011-12-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

...then you probably got some writing done this past weekend. If you have no wife or visiting family, you probably got some writing done.

But I didn't get any writing done this past weekend. Because I have a wife, kids, and visiting family. OK, that's all right.

I have always marveled at those women who blog about having a supportive husband who works and supports them, while they have no job other than to write their books.

Well, everyone has their own circumstance and however they get it done is great for them. I'm almost done. Just a little bit more.

Two More Chapters

2011-12-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm on the home stretch but I think two more chapters will do it for my WIP, JOHN DUNN. The final battle of the Zulu War was at Ulundi, the Zulu capital, and this will be the climax of the story. And I have already begun that chapter. Then I will conclude the book with a chapter after that, which will contain the capture of the Zulu king, and Dunn's acceptance of a larger subkingdom from the victorious British, who at that point will be led by Chelmsford's replacement, Sir Garnet Wolseley. Maybe I can get it finished by the end of the year. We'll see.

Christmas Almost Here

2011-12-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanted my WIP, JOHN DUNN, HEART OF A ZULU, to be done by the end of this year, and I am closing in on the conclusion right about now. I finished the Battle at Gingindlovu last night, and there is really only one more battle I might put in there and it's the final battle of the war, the Battle of Ulundi. Ulundi is the royal kraal where the Zulu king resides, and it was the objective of the British invasion from the beginning. Of course it wasn't as easy as they thought it would be, but after John Dunn joins the British, it did get easier. He was instrumental in the British victory at Gingindlovu, and although he didn't fight in the battle at Ulundi, I'll probably put that battle in the book, because, of course, King Cetshwayo was there, and so was Lord Chelmsford, who has become a prominent supporting character. I have to conclude the story in a good way, and that's my focus right now. The end is in sight.

Writing is the Coolest

2011-12-21T00:54:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of things people can do in this world. Especially nowadays. With all the electronics out there now, the list of things to do is endless. iPhones, iPods, iPads, PS1s, PS2s, PS3s, xBox, PSPs, DSs, and on and on and on, let alone all the entertainment of movies, DVDs, BlueRay, and I can't even think of it all. And I do none of it. What do I do? I used to do art, and I used to do music. And both were cool ways to express my creative side. But what I've found to be the coolest is writing. You get to create your own world, your own people, your own circumstances, your own stories. And that is something that can't be beat by any of the other things out there you can do.

Not Tired of Christmas

2011-12-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

So I prefer not the holidays because it slows down the writing process, and more importantly, the publishing process. And it doesn't matter if you have a publisher or not, because if you don't, you're looking for one, and they may or may not be using holiday time to review submissions. And if you do have a publisher, they may or may not use holiday time to further the process of getting your book published. So whatever and whichever you are at out there in the blogoshere, good luck to you. Most importantly, keep writing.

Tired of Research

2011-12-19T01:32:00.000-08:00

It's like I want to scream for all this darn research. But, of course, I don't scream, so I won't. I hate being bogged down. I wrote the first drafts of my first three novels in three months. (Each, that is.) And right now, I'm at seven months for JOHN DUNN, HEART OF A ZULU. And I'm still not done with the first draft.

But you know what? When I reread portions of what I've written so far, I like it. Sometimes I get the notion to post segments on here. Don't know if that's a good idea. Better if I let some of those British dudes on the Zulu War forum check it out. I think that might be a good idea.

Oh well. Keep it going. That's all.

Good Writing Important, but...

2011-12-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

I forget where I read this, but whoever it was was right when he said that good writing, as important as it is, is not what it's all about. It's about the story. Because if you have a book that has excellent writing, it won't matter at all if the story sucks.

For instance, when I was perusing excerpts from books on that publisher's list a few days ago, I came across a few stories that had excellent writing. But as I explained in an earlier post, one of them was downright disgusting and a major turn off.

Another one, despite its good writing, could have put even the most avid reader to sleep. I mean, nothing was happening. It was about a guy on a bus. And for the first two pages, the writer described people on the bus. It's like, OK, the guy is on a bus. Now what? I didn't read any further. The author gave no reason to care about the guy or the people on that bus.

And finally, there is a point of overdoing good writing. I was reading another excerpt and I couldn't even tell you what the story was about, but the writing was so intricately worded, that it reminded me of an over-decorated Christmas tree. It occurred to me while reading that particular sample that this writer was going way overboard to prove that he could really write.

OK, but it was just too much. Tell a good story, dammit. That's the bottom line.

Don't Use Roman Numerals

2011-12-15T07:49:00.000-08:00

I used to use Roman numerals to number my chapters. But when THE VASE got edited, my editor didn't approve of that. She used the word, like ONE, TWO, etc. Not 1, 2, or I, II, and that's OK. It's not the right time to get fancy. You impress with your writing, and more importantly, the story, not by how you number your chapters.

Regret the Wasted Day

2011-12-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

I talked about getting sidetracked yesterday, and I regret letting that happen to me. That unnamed publisher I talked about isn't for me. Like a lot of publishers, their website says to check out the books on their lists to get an idea of the kind of books they publish, or the kind of writing they like. So I read an excerpt from one of their books, and I was disgusted. I think it was an attempt at humor. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I am not amused by nasty and disgusting stuff. Nope. Not for me. Well, if that's their idea of good writing, forget it. Man, there's that notion of subjectivity again.

Don't Get Sidetracked

2011-12-13T07:56:00.001-08:00

I did get sidetracked last night. Went back to KILLER OF KILLERS because I found a publisher that might be just right for it. So I wrote up a cover letter aimed at that publisher. On their website, they said they are taking submissions starting this Thursday, so that's why I got busy on targeting them. You never know. I really would like to see that book in print. It's my favorite one, after all.

Those Holidays Again

2011-12-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

The holidays are coming again. And the longest one of them all. It's a time for family and cheer, and good will. And that's a good thing, sure. But the publishing world will go on hiatus. That's not a good thing. The publishing world already moves at a snail's pace. And to take a week or two off, is needed in the publishing world as much as the proverbial hole in the head.

But that doesn't mean it's time off for the writer. I should make double progress on my WIP, and maybe I'll even finish it. That's the goal. Finish by the end of the year. We'll see if it gets done.

Goal vs. Deadline

2011-12-09T07:48:00.001-08:00

I had set a goal to finish my WIP by Thanksgiving. I might have achieved that goal if I hadn't had to do so much research, which means a lot of reading up on the events that took place during that time period in South Africa. Mainly the events leading up to and during the Anglo-Zulu War.

And I'm still not fully researched. I'm doing it as I go along. I've got the Battle at Isandlwana completely researched, and I've got that chapter finished now too. It's been like that the whole way. Now I'm researching the Battle at Gingindlovu, and it's especially pertinent, because Dunn had joined up with Chelmsford by then. He was the one who advised Chelmsford that the Zulus were nearby, after discovering their whereabouts by swimming up a river under a fallen tree. Pretty good stuff. And all historically accurate.

It makes me wonder if I had set a deadline instead of a goal, would I have been finished by now. Maybe a deadline would have made me buckle down more with more determination to finish. Maybe. But it would have gotten me in more trouble with the wife, that's for sure.

Anyway, my goal is the end of the year now. Hope I make that one.

Gotta Keep Writing

2011-12-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

That's my credo, but last night, life got in the way again. My nine year old needed help with his homework, and my wife made it clear that it wasn't a night to be spent in my computer room. So, had to take a night off the WIP. And tonight is my older son's high school football banquet. Hopefully I can get back to work on the WIP after that because I'm really looking forward to getting this thing completed. But you only accomplish that by sitting down and doing it.

Goal: Finish WIP by end of Year

2011-12-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

My WIP is longer than any of my prior books. It's at 102,000 words and on the home stretch. Last night I was writing the scene where Lord Chelmsford seeks out John Dunn and let's him know how he really feels. After all, the general had just lost about a thousand soldiers at the Battle of Isandlwana, and he's not a happy camper. So he tells Dunn to help him, or else.

I've been waiting to get to this point because I have Dunn's memoir, and Dunn writes about that event. It's when he agrees to assist Chelmsford. But Dunn makes it clear in his memoir that Chelmsford is not one of his favorite people. Not by a long shot.

So, the Battle of Gingindlovu is next and then the end of the war, as the British finally overwhelm the Zulus and capture their king who happens to be Dunn's best friend. Dunn is not happy about any of it, and he never sees his friend, the Zulu king again.

Good Writing?

2011-12-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

I read a lot of writer blogs and I read a lot of their material. I've read a lot of books out there on the shelves. Not the entire book, but I get a good sampling whenever I'm in bookstores, the library, and even Walgreens. I think I'm a pretty good judge of what good writing is, by now.

So not only do I use that ability to critique my own writing, I also use it to determine who writes well and who doesn't. And a lot of people out there do indeed write well. But, damn, a lot just don't. What really gets me is that there are agents out there who toot horns for their clients and even contest participants who just plain don't write well.

I have read some very average samples (even horrendous) in both books and contests, and I shake my head. Yet these are published works or contest winners. Just goes to show you that it's all subjective. Bad writing to one person is good writing to another. There you go.

WIP over 100,000 Words

2011-12-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Yikes. Over 100,000 words, and I STILL have a lot left to write. At this point in the John Dunn story, The Battle of Rorke's Drift just ended, and Dabulamanzi has joined up with Godini in the Siege at Eshowe. And that is historically accurate, too, btw. He was at the Battle of Gingindlovo, and so was John Dunn. That's the battle that took place when the British regrouped and relieved the besieged Colonel Pearson and the First Column at Eshowe. That was the first major victory for the British who went on to win every battle from then on. Like I said, Dunn was forced to join with the British. But I'm putting in my own fictional incentives. In real life, he was threatened by the British general to be tried with treason. I'm putting that in, but I'm adding a little something extra. It's historical FICTION. Gotta spice it up some. But don't worry. I'm not going overboard with it. You'll see. I hope. One day.

Big Publishers Want Piece of Self-Pubbed Pie

2011-12-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the news is that Penguin is starting their own self publishing service. I know other big publishers have dabbled in that. And with the success of self publishing, combined with their own dwindling market, I guess it all makes sense.

I won't self-publish because I want to know that I made it in the publishing world. But that might be the wrong attitude. Having a traditional publisher publish your work, really, is only a part of "making it." The real determining factor is sales. If, say, Harper Collins, or any other of the big six publishes your book, but it doesn't sell, then you really didn't "make it" in the publishing world after all.

The bottom line is sales. Did your book sell or not? If it did, then you are successful. Doesn't matter if you self-pubbed. But if it didn't, even if it's Simon and Schuster publishing your book, then you really were not a successful novelist at all.

THE VASE not for Christmas

2011-12-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

Not this year anyway. When I signed that contract last June I hoped THE VASE would be out by Christmas. That won't happen. Right now I am very disillusioned with Cogito. When I signed with Virtual Tales before that, I thought THE VASE would be out in less than a year. Which means it would have been available by this Christmas. It turned out that three months later, the company folded. Now, I'm finding out that Cogito, too, is far from stable. I would like to have a publisher that is well-established. I'd like to win the lottery, too.

Rorke's Drift

2011-11-30T07:38:00.000-08:00

Well, if you've ever seen the movie, "Zulu" starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker, then you have a good idea what Rorke's Drift is all about. It was a mission that the British took over as a base of operations and it's from where they launched their invasion into Zululand. At the time of the battle at Isandlwana, however, it was mostly being used as a hospital, and it's where the wounded British soldiers and those with various fevers were being treated.

About a hundred soldiers were posted there, and no one expected the Zulus to attack. The Zulu king even stressed to his generals not to attack there. But Dabulamanzi had other ideas. He was held out of the fighting at Isandlwana, and therefore had no part in the glory of that Zulu victory.

The closest place where British soldiers could be found was there at Rorke's Drift. So Dabulamanzi led four thousand Zulus across the Buffalo River and attacked it. He thought he'd get his honor from killing them all. But the British there didn't just lay down and die for him. They had other ideas. Poor Dabulamanzi. Instead of getting glory, he got a surprise.

So, yeah, the battle at Rorke's Drift will be in my story. But unlike the movie, "Zulu" which was told from the British perspective, I'm telling it from the perspective of the Zulus, particularly Dabulamanzi's.

Third Person vs. First Person

2011-11-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

I never liked first person narrative. So I only write in third person. Heck, if I was writing my John Dunn book in first person, I don't think I could have put the battle of Isandlwana in the story because Dunn wasn't there.

I like the ability to be omniscient and third person is the only way to write for me. Actually, I detest first person narrative so much that when I pick up a book that might look interesting to me, I put it right back down when I find out it's first person.

I think that first person is disgusting. It forces you to be someone else. I don't want to be someone else. I remember when I was a kid reading Edgar Rice Burroughs. He wrote some of his science fiction stories in first person. I didn't like it then, but I was just a kid, so I read them anyway. If I was to pick up those books now I'd drop them like a hot potato. That's how much I hate first person.

Why do writers choose to write that way? I hope I never see a book written in first person again.

Finally Finished Chapter 15

2011-11-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

Even though I didn't write as much as I wanted to this holiday weekend, I did, at least, finish chapter fifteen. That's the chapter that includes the battle at Isandlwana. It's a pretty long chapter - thirty pages. And even though the main character of the story, John Dunn, is not in that battle, or even in the chapter, a few of the other recurring characters are in there. And more importantly, I know that enthusiasts of the Anglo-Zulu War will want it in there.

So that puts me on the home stretch of this book. I have to include the Battle at Rorke's Drift, too. That was the big movie they made called Zulu. And one of the supporting characters in this story is the guy who led the Zulus in that battle. His name is Dabulamanzi. He was King Cetshwayo's brother, and he had a rocky relationship with John Dunn. I guess you could even call him one of the antagonists in the story. You see, King Cetshwayo had ordered his warriors NOT to cross into Natal. But Dabulamanzi disobeyed him. I have put together a good sequence of events that explains why he did that.

Is it the way it really happened? Not sure, really, as every reference book I read had no interview with Dabulamanzi about why he disobeyed the king. But there were inferences and speculations, and based on that, my explanation works pretty well, I think. It's historical fiction after all. And that's what happens next. On to Rorke's Drift.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T00:53:00.000-08:00

It seems that everyone is thankful for something on Thankgiving, and I can't pretend I have nothing for which to be thankful.

Well, I do, but I don't suppose everyone out there is keen on hearing about it. I mean it's great to be thankful and to have a lot to be thankful for, but I find myself not really interested in all the things strangers have to be thankful for. And I don't want to bore anyone who happens to be reading this in that manner.

So, yeah, I'm thankful. Now back to work and get this WIP done. It's over 93,000 words right now, and I still have at least three more chapters to write. Shoot, this book is turning out to be a monster. Tell you what... I'll be thankful for when it's done!

Work Through Distractions

2011-11-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life seems to just get in the way of finishing that WIP. Just when I thought I'd be sitting down and getting major work done, the water heater goes out. Then the son wants a ride to his girlfriend's house, and the wife wants to go Christmas shopping.

After taking care of all of that, I'm determined to sit down and finish chapter fifteen, which is titled, "Isandlwana." I've talked enough about it by now. I just got to finish it. It's already at 20 pages. I hope it doesn't go more than about ten pages more, or else I might have to divide it into two chapters.

We'll see.

Holiday Week and Time to Write

2011-11-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

I am looking forward to this Thanksgiving week. Sure the Turkey will be good and seeing relatives again. But I'm getting tomorrow off and don't go back to work until Monday. I'm planning on getting a lot done.

I've already reread THE VASE completely through, since it was edited by Cogito, and yes, I've made it even better. Boy that manuscript is the definition of the word polished. Now back to the JOHN DUNN story. I wanted to get it done by Thanksgiving, but now I'm hoping to get it done by Christmas. Hey, it's longer than I thought it was going to be.

If it was the same length as my other books it would be done by now. It's over 91,000 words right now. So there you go.

Mondays

2011-11-21T16:29:00.000-08:00

Late posting today. You can blame Monday and the new Trimester. It began today. Now that the school day is over, I have some time to write this.

It's not like I have the same students all year. As an art teacher, I get a new bunch every trimester. That's three times a year. It's great really. I get to reach three times as many kids as otherwise.

But it's hard to remember all those names. I remember faces pretty well. The only problem with that is that sometimes two kids look very much alike. And I'm not even talking about identical twins, although I've had a lot of those, too.

Yeah, it'a an interesting job. But so is writing. Gotta get back to that.

Foreign Publishers

2011-11-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

I wonder what the consensus is about non-American publishers. I mean would you mind being published by a publisher in a different country? I don't suppose it makes a difference, as long as the country is an English speaking one.

Canadian or UK publishers shouldn't be much different than American publishers. But what would the difference be if, say, you were offered a contract by a Chinese or Indian publisher. No, I haven't been offered a contract from there. Cogito is Canadian, but they speak English. French, too, by the way. That might be a good thing. It should increase the market. And increase sales. Yeah, that would be a good thing.

Don't Royalties Make a Difference?

2011-11-17T07:42:00.000-08:00

When I've talked with other writers who are published, it seems that they don't mind having such a low percentage of royalties. Almost always, it's ten percent. But when you think about it, a ten percent royalty is laughable.

But that's what most of the publishers give their authors. One of the reasons I signed with Virtual Tales is they gave a whopping 50% royalty to their authors. Maybe that's why they went out of business. But two of the original owners have started up their own publishing companies, and they are offering whopping percentages, too.

Makes me think. Cogito, (which is the company that currently holds my contract,) is of the ten percent variety. But I signed with them because they were well established and successful. And they get their books into book stores. That's how the people at Absolute Write Water Cooler respond when asked about a publisher. They ask, "Are their books in bookstores?"

Well, one of the first things I did was I went to Barnes and Nobles, and sure enough, I found a half dozen of their books on the shelves. That was a major factor for signing with them. But royalties and bookstores are not the whole of it. There are other factors that make a good publisher, too. Let's see how that works out.

Publishing Journey Not Easy

2011-11-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

So there are quite a few problems in the publishing world these days. And those problems affect the writers who are trying to get published. For the unknown writer, it could be good or bad.

Good, because the mainstream publishing world doesn't have the last word anymore. They are now competing with self-publishing and independent publishers. I've always said that self-publishing is not an option for me. And it still isn't. But I would be very happy with an independent publisher like Virtual Tales or Cogito, or any of the many that have cropped up over the years. But that's where the potential bad comes in. Because these non mainstream publishers are less stable.

Well, things are happening with me and THE VASE, and I'll be more forthcoming about it in the couple weeks ahead.

Genre Preference

2011-11-15T07:49:00.000-08:00

I guess a lot of people have a genre preference. I don't really. When I was a kid I liked science fiction, but I also liked historicals. I was into the American Civil War for a long while. Didn't read a lot of books about it though. I never even read Red Badge of Courage. But I did read a few Ray Bradbury books, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H.G. Wells. It was when I discovered Conan and Robert E. Howard did my genre preference for Sword and Sorcery develop. But only in reading. I wouldn't try writing a story like that.

My first attempt at writing was science fiction. I didn't get too far, but I was only ten. My next effort was actually an attempt at creating a science fiction graphic novel. Got two of them completed in what was supposed to be a four part series. I hope to post them on the blog one day. But I don't suppose I'll ever get the other two done. It's not where my head is at. I'm only into the writing now. And what I like writing is contemporary thrillers, and of course my WIP which is historical fiction. But I do believe, at this point anyway, that this is an exception. Too much research involved to do this again. I should have been done a month ago.

As for art, I'm just a teacher now. I'm not even sure I want to illustrate my own covers, although a few people have suggested I do. You know, they say, "Hey, you're an artist. You should do your own cover." Maybe I will. I'm thinking about it.

Historical Novels are Longer

2011-11-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

My WIP, the John Dunn Story, is already as long as my three prior novels. I'm at 90,000 words and on page 315. And I have three more chapters to write. Yeah, I've slowed lately, because I have been spending time researching the Battle at Isandlwana. Gotta get that right. Most enthusiasts of the period will be keen on that one. It will be a focal point of the book. And John Dunn didn't even fight in that battle.

But Dunn did fight in the Battle at Gingindlavo. That was when the British regrouped and returned for payback. And the British general, Lord Chelmsford forced Dunn to contribute to the effort or face charges of treason. You know what that means... a noose around your neck. But in my story, I'm giving Dunn a little more motivation than just the preservation of his life. It'll make it more interesting.

Anyway, I hope to keep this under 100,000 words. It's a good thing historical novels are expected to be longer than your thrillers or suspense novels. But publishers aren't too happy if your manuscript is too long. I think I can do it. We'll see very soon. The end is in sight.

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

Another holiday here in the U.S. and Veteran's Day really should be honored. I mean what greater sacrifice or contribution can someone make than to dedicate their life to their country?

My father and his two brothers fought in WWII, and even though I never served in any armed forces, I have a great deal of respect for anyone who has.

Interestingly, I am writing about the Anglo-Zulu War in my WIP, right now, and I found out that a lot of people in England still have a lot of interest in that war, even though it occurred over a hundred and thirty years ago.

I wonder if England has a similar holiday. I suppose I can google that and find out. But I'd rather work on my book. With no school today, I'll have some time to do that.

What About the Middle?

2011-11-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Talking about beginnings and endings, don't forget about the middle of a novel. Sure the beginning has to hook a reader and get him or her interested in reading onward, and the ending should be one that wraps up the story in a satisfactory way, be it sad or happy. But the middle has to get a reader from one to the other. And it does that by keeping the reader interested.

I've read a lot of blogs that complain about the middle. Writers sometimes say they get bogged down in the middle, almost as if they run out of things to happen. I don't think they should really worry about that. Not if they have a good plot, anyway. Because if you establish a good plot, you've got a journey going right there. Take your journey home, that's all. Once you know how it will end, you just write it through.

The key is complication and conflict. Every story must have complications develop and conflicts to be resolved. And that should take care of any problems concerning the middle. That's the body of the work, after all, and without it, your story will be just a head and tail!

Beginning a Novel

2011-11-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

Since I expressed my feelings about endings yesterday, I thought I'd mention a thing or two about beginnings. Because, as all editors and literary agents know, it's the beginning that can make or break a book.

Even I will put a book down and forget about it if it doesn't hook me almost right away. Perhaps not if I have a particular interest in the subject matter, but if I pick up a novel off a bookrack, and start reading it, that first page is super important if I'm going to buy it or even keep on reading it.

And you know what? Most of the time I won't keep on reading. I'll put it right back and move on to the next one. It's weird, really, You'd think that most books would have that hook. But no. I rarely get hooked. Maybe I'm just hard to hook. That must be it, even though I never saw myself as being particularly picky about anything.

But it's true I'm not an avid reader. I don't read a new book every month. Heck, I've been reading Washing of the Spears for the last six months. But to be fair, I'm not just reading it. I'm actually studying it, not unlike a text book. It's the perfect reference book of anything Zulu. Heck, by the time I'm done with it, and finished with my WIP, I'll be close to an expert on the Zulus and the Zulu War.

Good Endings

2011-11-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

I think the ending to a story, whether it's a book or a movie, is every bit as important as the beginning. Maybe even more important. And there are many different ways to end a story. Personally, I like happy endings. Well, they don't have to be giddy-type happy, but what I don't like is the kind of endings that make you feel like crap.

Stephen King did that in his story, THE MIST. I mean it made you feel like crap. Spoiler alert here if you haven't seen it. Monsters were killing people in this seemingly endless mist and a group of five people were trying to escape by driving through the mist in a car, but it ran out of gas. They had one gun with four bullets. So the guy takes the gun and shoots the other four people, to save them the misery of being killed by the monsters. But just after the deed was done, the U.S. army arrives to save the day.

I haven't read the book, but if it has the same ending as that movie, what's the point of that? Why did King feel the need to make his readers feel like crap? I would rather the movie ended by making me feel good. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like feeling like crap.

No, I'd rather come out of a book or a movie feeling great for the time I invested in it. I mean, is there anyone out there who likes to feel like crap? I suppose there might be stories that demand a sad ending, like LOVE STORY with Ryan O'Neil and Ali McGraw. But even though that had a sad ending, you still felt good about the story overall. It's OK if a story is like that. But THE MIST wasn't like that. It's like King just decided, "You know, I'll make everyone feel like crap at the end of this story."

On the other hand, King's Shawshank Redemption was a great ending. It made me feel good. I think it's better if endings make you feel good, even if they're sad.

Need to Read

2011-11-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'd rather write than read. But sometimes you just gotta read. I have not had a story grab my interest in a long time that can rival the interest I have in my own writings. The book I'm reading now, The Washing of the Spears, by Donald Morris is interesting to me because it chronicles the rise and fall of the Zulu nation. And the Zulus are a focal point in the John Dunn story, which is my WIP.

Fortunately, Donald Morris has a lot to say about John Dunn and chronicles his association with the Zulus, especially since he was there in a big way when they were invaded and destroyed by the British. But there was another factor in the downfall of the Zulus, according to John Dunn who knew them better than any other white man. More on that tomorrow.

When Time is Short

2011-11-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Since I have a full time teaching job, and a full time family of five, (including the mother-in-law,) time becomes sparse, and that means time to sit in front of a computer and produce is limited. Extremely limited. It's over the summer vacation I get the most work done, and that's when I was able to write my first three books. (The first drafts, I mean.)

But the John Dunn story took a lot longer and even though summer vacation ended two months ago, I'm still not finished. It's because I had to read and research about the time period and about the events that took place in the story I'm writing. Yeah, it's historical fiction, but I am fully aware that the Zulu War enthusiasts out there will expect a semblance of historical accuracy.

So I'm chugging along, inch by inch, and getting closer to the end every day. I used to pump out as much as five thousand words in a day over the summer. Now I'm lucky to get five hundred down.
Still, it's five hundred more than the day before. Just keep it going, and the time will pass, and the book will get done, but only if you stick to it.

Editing and Writing

2011-11-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

I reread the last two chapters of my WIP and edited them as I read them. I usually do that, and I was very satisfied with the polished result. I found myself thinking that those two chapters might make a good sample when the time comes to submit.

But no, agents and most publishers are pretty firm in seeing the first chapter(s) of a manuscript. I'm sure it's because they want to get a feel for how your story starts and if it will hook a reader. But that's OK, at least for my WIP. The John Dunn story begins with the Zulu Civil War. Near 40,000 Zulus were massacred by Prince Cetshwayo, including several of his own brothers.

What makes this story even more interesting is that my main character, John Dunn, fought on the side that lost. He fought against Cetshwayo, killed a lot of his warriors, barely escaped with his life, and then he goes and visits him afterward. He might have been executed on the spot. But instead, Cetshwayo becomes best friends with him and rewards him with a kingdom of his own. Who'd have thunk it? You could write that story and people would say, Come on, that's ridiculous. But hey... that's what really happened. Yep, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!

How Much Action?

2011-11-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to determine how many of the Anglo-Zulu War battles I should include in my story. The most famous ones are the Battle at Isandlwana and the Battle at Rorke's Drift. They're famous because both have been made into movies. One was ZULU DAWN, starring Burt Lancaster and Peter O'toole, and the other was ZULU, starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker. They were both good movies, and I liked them when I saw them so many years ago.

But I realize now that neither one was completely true to history. I suppose had they been books, they would have been designated historical fiction. So that's all right. So is my WIP, John Dunn, Heart of a Zulu. You don't refer to them for historical facts. They were interesting because they were based on true history, but that's it.

It kind of reminds me of that HBO miniseries a while back called ROME. I really liked it. It was based on the real historical events surrounding Julius Caesar and others during that time period, but it contained an awful lot of things that just didn't happen. Thus, historical FICTION, to be sure. But entertaining, yes.

New Research = New Subplots

2011-11-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

When I continued my research on the Anglo-Zulu War, I learned about the three sons of Shepstone who had joined the armed forces that were gathering to fight the Zulus. And because Theophilus Shepstone is a major player in my storyline, I figured to use this in the story.

You see, for many years, Theophilus Shepstone had played the part of an advocate for the Zulus, since he was the Natal Secretary of Native Affairs. Like John Dunn, he spoke fluent Zulu, and other native African languages, too. The Zulus came to trust him, and looked up to him. But he had always wanted a land of his own to rule. It's one of the reasons he didn't like Dunn, who was given a land of his own to rule in Zululand by the Zulu king.

There was a border dispute between the Zulus and the Boers, which had been going on for a long time. And for a long time, Shepstone sided with the Zulus on that issue. But an opportunity arose for Shepstone to become the ruler of the Transvaal Republic, which was a Boer colony. He grabbed it, and now that he was the president of the Transvaal, he reversed himself and backed the Boers on the border issue, forsaking all the years of support he had given the Zulus.

What a guy. So yeah, since the war is starting, and three of his sons participate, I have an opportunity to make this storyline even more interesting than it already is. Cool.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know what they do in other countries, but here Halloween is kind of a big thing. Mostly for kids, but adults get in the spirit of Halloween, too. Many grownups dress up in costumes to go to work and that's true even at schools. I don't. Once, I taught at a school that required the teachers to dress up in a costume, and even though I went ahead and did it, I wish I didn't.

Why? Because, imo, it's a kid thing. I think teachers should teach and dressing up for halloween detracts from that in a classroom. But that's me. I go to the bank and to the grocery store and the employees are dressed in costumes. Whatever. I think going to a costume party is more the appropriate time and place to do that. I might be a prude, but the work place is a different element. Hey, don't get me wrong, I still take my kids out to trick or treat. Well, my nine year old anyway. My fifteen year old hasn't dressed up the last couple years. He's too old for that now. Sigh. How the years fly by.

Back to research

2011-10-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Pausing once again to firm up the research on these battles. Because the Battle of Isandlwana was not the only one happening. There were three of them happening almost simultaneously. As I've said, there were three British columns invading Zululand all at once. The Zulus stopped all three of them. The Central Column was destroyed, the Left Column was stopped at Hlobane and pushed back to Kambula, and the Right Column was stopped and besieged at Eshowe.

So I am researching the details of all three battles, just to make sure I get them right, and to figure out how much of them I want to actually put in the story. I have a lot of subplots that take place in these battles. For instance, not only does John Dunn fight in the battle to relieve the besieged Brits at Eshowe, two of Shepstone's sons fight at Isandlwana and one of them gets killed. It's some very interesting reading.

WIP at 82,000 words

2011-10-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

82,000 words for my WIP right now and I'm not even close to done yet. THE VASE is 88,000 words, and KILLER OF KILLERS is 89,000. It''s looking like JOHN DUNN will exceed 90,000 and might even reach 100,000 by the time it's finished. That's OK for historical fiction, I think. Right now in the story the Dunn clan has just crossed over into Natal to sit out the war.

After that, Lord Chelmsford's third column will cross into Zululand. Colonel Wood has already invaded, and Colonel Pearson goes the next day. Then I'll put in the scene where the Zulu king Cetshwayo is planning his counterattack. The Battle of Isandlwana will come after that. It's a fast ride and it's picking up speed right about now.

Battle of Isandlwana

2011-10-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

The first major battle of the Anglo-Zulu War was the British disaster at Isandlwana, which ranks as the worst-ever defeat of a modern army by a primitive one in the history of warfare. It’s the British version of “Custer’s Last Stand” but much worse.

After the British invaded Zululand, the top guy, Lord Chelmsford, AKA General Thesiger, decided to camp his center column at the base of a mountain called Isandlwana. Of course he wanted to make sure no Zulu army was around that might attack him, so he ordered Major Dartnell to scout ahead. Dartnell encountered Zulus and sent word back for permission to attack them. Thinking it was a big Zulu army, and not wanting to be left out of the fight, Chelmsford rode out with half of his force to reinforce him. This left the camp at half-strength and under the command of the inexperienced Major Pulliene.

But the main Zulu army was hiding out of sight in a low ravine, and they attacked, catching the camp unprepared. When Chelmsford returned, the camp had been wiped out. Over a thousand British and their native allies were massacred. News spread fast, and the world was shocked. They didn’t think that was possible.

The thing is that the Dutch-descended Boers who had been living in South Africa for hundreds of years and fighting the Zulus for just as long, had warned the British not to underestimate the Zulus. But the British didn’t listen. And that's what happened.

Chapter Outlining

2011-10-25T07:42:00.001-07:00

So I’m nearing the conclusion of my WIP, John Dunn, which includes the Anglo-Zulu war and its aftermath. But there are so many subplots and characters involved I’ve decided to outline each remaining chapter.

First, there’s the chapter when the war begins. It begins, of course with the British invasion into Zululand. John Dunn, trying to remain neutral, undertakes an exodus of thousands of the people who live under his autonomous rule in the part of Zululand called Dunnsland.

This exodus also included upward of 3,000 head of cattle. The British, fearful that the thousands of Zulus who live under him might join the Zulu side, promise to provide food and shelter. But once Dunn brings them into Natal, not only do the British break their promise and provide nothing, they take all of their guns away, to boot.

But the invasion does not go as planned for the British. No spoiler alert needed because it is a historical fact that the first invasion ended in disaster for the British. They invaded with three separate columns which were supposed to converge on the Zulu capital, but all three columns were defeated, one being destroyed, and the other two stopped.

So Lord Chelmsford, who is in overall command of the British forces, comes to Dunn and this time forces him to join the British side instead of just being a bystander. It’s also true history that after he left his Zulu homestead, rogue Zulus burned down his house and the surrounding villages where his people lived.

And there is quite a bit more going on in the story, some of it fiction that I’ve added to spice it up, but all the characters are real and these main events are all true to history. It’s a great deal of fun, just too much research involved for me to ever want to do it again.

Chapter Length

2011-10-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

Since I started writing novels, I have been interested in chapter length. More so than before, because when I read a novel, I never even thought about it. In KILLER OF KILLERS, I have short chapters, as few as four pages, and long chapters, as many as thirty-some pages. I know that other novels by other authors also vary in chapter length. I've read novels where chapters are as long as forty or more pages. And I've picked up books where every scene change is a new chapter, and very short ones at that.

In THE VASE, I've averaged my chapters to be about twelve pages or so, with some that do exceed twenty, and I think that's about right. But in JOHN DUNN, HEART OF A ZULU, the chapters tend to be long. The opening chapter is twenty-six pages, and some are well over thirty and even forty pages long. It makes for a book with not so many chapters.

I pick up books in the store and see books that have over FIFTY chapters! Forget that. It's like an endless chapter-filled story. My books have more like twenty chapters, or even fewer. And that's the way I think it should be. I mean if you have a new chapter after every scene break, and each chapter only three or four pages long, that makes for a lot of white space. I know white space is necessary, but I think a chapter break should be worked into the story. When you have a good place to end a chapter, then do it, but I don't think a mere scene break necessarily qualifies as a chapter break. But maybe some people disagree. That's OK.

New Writing Contest

2011-10-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

My favorite writing contests are held by Literary Agent Janet Reid because they are short, (100 words or fewer,) and must contain preselected words. This time the words were unforsaken, witch, ghost, deadly, slay, and decay, with an optional word which was "insalubrious." I don't believe I ever heard of that word, but I managed to use it. Hope I used it correctly.

So no, I don't expect to win, and I didn't enter the contest to win anything, but you know what? It was fun. It didn't take a lot of my time, and figuring a short little segment with those words was a minor challenge. OK. Now back to the WIP.

Middle East Turmoil

2011-10-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Since my book, THE VASE, takes place in the Middle East, I have been keeping an eye on the happenings over there. I see that Gadhaffi has been killed now. This follows the killing last May of Osama Bin Laden, and before that, Saddam Hussein, and a few other high profile Middle East leaders. It is an example, among other things, of the turmoil that embroils the region.

THE VASE takes place in a calmer Israel, but even Israel has known its share of turmoil, and the story revolves around that turmoil. The advice given by experts for a novel to be interesting is to have tension and conflict on every page. Well, the Middle East is a setting that provides it. In abundance.

Platforms Effective?

2011-10-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

I use this blog as a "platform" and I have Facebook, but only as a "platform" but I'm not sure just how effective they are or will be as "platforms." Sure more people know about me and my books now than before I did them. But how will that translate into sales?

Since my books are not even available right now, that's impossible to gauge. I suppose I will have more sales than I would otherwise. I'm just not sure if I started this blog and FB too soon. I mean I started this blog a year and a half ago. It was when I was writing KILLER EYES. Then I went back and did some more revisions on THE VASE. Then THE VASE sold. Then it sold again. And that's a good thing, but it wasn't because of the blog or FB.

But when you are submitting, the publishers are typically glad that you have some kind of "platform" and blogs are at least a beginning. So, again, we'll see how it all pans out.

Climax for WIP

2011-10-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

So you build your story and it's all supposed to come to a climax. That's the normal way a story ends, and of course with a wrap up after that called a denouement. And in my WIP, the climax will be an all out war between two completely different peoples. I mean, how much different can you get? You have the white people, the English, who have colonized that part of Africa, and then you have the black people, the Zulus, who are native to the area.

To say the least, it makes for a great climax. And I'm just now beginning it.

Family Matters

2011-10-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Didn't get but a paragraph done this weekend on my WIP, because I spent both days with the family. I figure it this way: the manuscript will always be there, but the kids will grow up and move out, and then what? So even though I feel guilty for not getting a lot done, I really don't. There's always tomorrow. Just make sure you don't say that every day!

THE VASE - to be released...soon

2011-10-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

So my debut novel, THE VASE, is supposed to be published sometime within an 18 month period from the day I signed the contract with Cogito. Since I signed the contract on June 1st of 2011, that means it could be released as late as December of 2012.

Yikes. That's still another 14 months from now. But I've read some blogs where they are promoting their books that won't come out until the summer of 2013. Sheesh, that's even longer. So putting all this in perspective, I guess I'm right in the middle of the norm.

Cogito hasn't given me a release date yet but I wish they would. Maybe they will soon and I can relay that information onto this blog. I'll keep you posted.

Beta Readers

2011-10-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

I have written three books at this point, with my WIP, the John Dunn story being my fourth. One of them, THE VASE, is under contract to be published by Cogito, and has already undergone two complete edits, albeit by two different publishers as chronicled on this blog.

And I am content that THE VASE is ready to be read. My first novel, KILLER OF KILLERS, yet to be sold, is ready, I think, because I've revised it so many times. Sure it will have to be edited by a publisher too, but I really like the way it reads by now.

KILLER EYES has only gone through two drafts, and I know it still needs a lot of work. That's why I would say it's not ready to read. And of course John Dunn, Heart of a Zulu is not even through the first draft yet.

But my brother, a writer, too, wants to read it when he visits at Christmas time. The question is, will it be ready? I let him read my first two books, but both weren't in their present form. I have come to wish I had waited. But maybe for a beta reader it doesn't have to be finished. Still, I hope it can be a more polished draft than those first two were when he read them. That's all.

Enthusiasts

2011-10-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have come to learn that, just as many Americans are Civil War buffs, there are many Anglo-Zulu War enthusiasts, as well. I know because of that forum I joined. It's a forum, mostly of Englishmen, who like to talk about that war, share what they know about it, and even make efforts to divulge new information about it.

They also advertise, or promote books about it. John Dunn is a topic that is often brought up. Mostly they find him an interesting part of that era, and he certainly played a role in the happenings before, during and after the war.

Im my story, Dunn is the central figure, or main character, with King Cetshwayo another main character. Catherine Pierce would probably be labeled a supporting character, although I did try to make her story equally compelling. But there just wasn't enough information about her in my research. I made up a subplot for her, which may or may not be an accurate description of her situation. I think what I've written about her is realistic, at least.

So I'm at 78,000 words now, and back in the swing of writing. I feel good about my progress to this point. Can't wait to finish.

The Ultimatum

2011-10-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

When the authorities of Natal gave the Zulus their "ultimatum" in which they said peace could be maintained, it was a big time meeting between the two peoples. But neither the governor of Natal nor the king of the Zulus were present. Instead, the Secretary of Native Affairs represented Natal, along with a group of other high ranking whites, and for the Zulus, three of the king's principal inDunas (Zulu officials) and eleven chiefs were present.

Each group had a bevy of attendants present, too. Interesting to me and pertinent to my story was the fact that both sides asked John Dunn to be there. And he was there, but he chose to represent the Zulus, and stood with them during the proceedings. He was the only literate person who reported to the Zulu king, and he received the official letter that the whites read to the Zulu officials.

And unlike the Zulus, he saw the ultimatum for what it was. A deliberate act on the part of the whites to make war with the Zulus. He knew that the British were not expecting the terms to be followed, and he knew they would invade with their army of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and their new Gatling Guns. But he also knew it would be no breeze for the Brits. He knew the fighting might of the Zulus, and he was right. It would be no easy war.

Revision Revisited

2011-10-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

Am I glad I reread my WIP, the John Dunn story, because I finally got where I left off, and it is all good right now. I think I subconsciously felt that it needed fixing, and so from the beginning I read it through. And it was near where I left off it got choppy. I smoothed it out last night, and it's good to go. Can't wait to get home from work to continue. I'm at the point where the white people deliver an ultimatum to the Zulu King Cetshwayo. What they were really doing is starting a war with the Zulus. They wanted no more independent black state smack dab in the middle of their confederation of African colonies. And the only way to fix that was by starting a war. So that's what they did.

Setting a Goal

2011-10-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

I am setting Thanksgiving holiday as my deadline to complete the first draft of my WIP. That doesn't mean that if I'm not done by then something bad is going to happen. I'll just keep plugging away until I am done. But with this research nearly completed and the rereading done, I should get back to work full swing very soon.

The Anglo Zulu War has so many different aspects to it, that I really can't include them all. I'm hoping, however, that the enthusiasts of that period will be satisfied in the way that I do portray it.

For instance, there were many factors that contributed to the outbreak of the war. And many different personalities were involved. I have trimmed it considerably, and limited the cause to the two major factors. I think it's enough. Maybe some purists will disagree. So I better get used to the idea that you can't please everyone.

That's all for now. I'll know more when I'm actually done.

Revising While Writing

2011-10-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

I've been revising as I reread my WIP, and now that I'm at the point where I left off, I find myself making some major revisions there, too. I'm not sure that's a good idea. It has delayed my progress. But overall, it probably is a good idea. It will ensure the flow is smooth, and the events are properly placed.

Because it will have to be done anyway. So getting these particular revisions done now means I won't have to do them later. But then again, I might have been finished with the first draft by now if I didn't go back to reread and revise.

Nevertheless, time will go by and the work will get done. But only if you keep on writing. My advice is don't stay away from a WIP. If you do, you may lose touch and it will be harder to get back into the feel of the story. And you don't want that to happen. So if you do take a break from writing it, go ahead and reread it. You'll be glad you did.

No Surprise Ending

2011-10-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I've just about caught up in my rereading of my WIP, John Dunn, and I am relieved to find it flowed smoothly enough. It didn't get bogged down, and the conflict is building up well. I should get to page 265 tonight, which is where I left off and the war is about to start.

But I don't think there will be a surprise ending. Everyone in Natal, well, the white people, anyway, knew there could only be one ending to that war. They would win it. It's why they went to war with the Zulus in the first place. I don't suppose anyone would go to war if they thought they would lose it. But history is full of examples of losers starting wars.

But not this time. Of course, the British did get a shock at the start of the war. Known as the Battle at Isandlwana, it was the first major battle of the war and a resounding defeat for the British. But they doubled their efforts, and won the war in the end. As they expected.