Movie Sequels to look forward to

As a man who appreciates the cool, tough alpha male hero, as opposed to the cool, tough alpha female character of whom I blogged recently, there are some good movie sequels coming soon.

Triple X, or XXX is one of the top sequels I'm looking forward to. I was first introduced to Vin Diesel as an actor playing a tough guy in the movie Pitch Black. When I saw that movie I thought that Vin Diesel made a great tough guy, the likes of which I hadn't seen since the golden age of tough guys. I posted about them just recently. And in XXX Diesel played a great tough guy. The first sequel to XXX was without Diesel unfortunately, because Diesel made the mistake to take a role in a Disney movie instead. And with no apologies, Ice Cube didn't cut it as Diesel's replacement in the role. But Diesel is back in the third installment of the XXX franchise, and I'm glad for that. It's a role made for Diesel, just as Riddick is a role made for Diesel.

Then you've got the sequel to John Wick coming soon. I was never convinced that Keanu Reeves made a good tough guy, but he is a good actor, and he was convincing in the role of tough guy John Wick in the first movie. Let's hope he can carry that through the sequel as well.

Then you've got the sequel to Jack Reacher coming soon. Like Keanu Reeves, I've never been convinced that Tom Cruise was a tough guy. He did make a convincing tough guy in the Mission Impossible movies, however, and as Jack Reacher, he was passable. I guess his acting skills were up to the task, so I do look forward to the second Reacher movie soon.

Then, for me, at least, there's the top tough guy in the movies today. It's Jason Statham. He's the real deal when it comes to tough guys, and he brings that authenticity to the screen every time. The first time I saw him was in Transporter. I was convinced from the get go. All three Transporter movies with Statham as the main character Frank Martin, were terrific. Then they replaced Statham with some no name actor, and the franchise bottomed out. But Statham went on to play other tough guys, and he's been great in all of them. Unfortunately, it's not another Transporter movie coming soon, it's another movie featuring a tough guy role he played. It was a remake of a Charles Bronson movie called The Mechanic. Usually remakes are not as good as the originals, but the Statham remake of the Mechanic was by far the superior movie, and that's saying a lot, because Charles Bronson is most definitely on that list of tough guys from the Hollywood golden age of tough guys! So the sequel with Statham reprising his role as the mechanic is called Mechanic Resurrection, and I look forward to seeing that one as much as any of them.

So that's four sequels of tough guy movies. And my character Trent Smith from the Killer of Killers books is right up there with the best of them. Trent Smith, being the world's greatest martial artist could probably beat any of them in a match. Whether on the street or in the ring, Trent Smith is dominant. It's why he's the world's greatest martial artist. Which may bring me to the third and perhaps final story for Trent Smith. The third book will have Trent Smith prove that not only is he the world's greatest fighter, he's the world's greatest killer. But how can that be? First you'll have to read Killer of Killers and then Killer Eyes. And when you're finished with those two books, look for Book Three in the killer series. I've toyed with titles, but I'll not put out tentative titles anymore. I'll wait until it's finished. Then I'll announce it here on the blog. Until then...

Killer Eyes Now Available!

Killer Eyes is published! It was released yesterday on Halloween. The digital and print formats are published, and available for purchase. Only 2.99 for digital, btw, so very affordable if you are so inclined to read on an electronic device. More and more people are turning to that format. It's the future, and the future has arrived.

I am also confident that all typos are eliminated, and it's an error free book. Nothing is wrong with that book, and I even feel that it could well be the best book I've ever written. Killer of Killers is my favorite book, but Killer Eyes, really, is a continuation of that same story. It picks up where Killer of Killers leaves off, so it could be considered an extension of the same book. Well, it's called Book Two, after all, so, yeah, it's the second book of a continuing story.

It's a story that centers around the world's greatest martial artist, a man who detests guns, as does this author, and detests injustice. But what moves the plot is the wonder drug Eternity. Called that because of the drug's ability to cure disease and stop aging. But when you have a drug like that, there are people who want to hoard it and administer it to only those people worthy of living forever. It doesn't mean mistakes can't be made and mistakes are certainly made. And it doesn't mean that there aren't side effects. There certainly are side effects.

All in all, the Killer Series is currently a two book run, and yes, there will be a Book Three. Can't say exactly when Book Three will be ready, it's still a WIP. But don't worry. Each book is a self contained story unto itself. None of the books in the Killer Series end with a cliffhanger. I never liked waiting a year to see how a cliffhanger is resolved in TV shows that end a season that way. Nor would I like it in a book. So no, it's not like that with my books. Each book has all the immediate issues resolved. There may be a continuing story arc, but nothing urgent in terms of immediacy.

Buy your copies today. They are both available, and you'll love them if you like Martial Arts thrillers. I can guarantee it.

PDF of final draft to Killer Eyes has Arrived

Got the PDF  of Killer Eyes yesterday, and that's what I'll be sending to a few advance reviewers. That is, if they have time to read it. The three advanced reviewers of Killer of Killers had nice things to say about that one, so I'm hoping they will like Killer Eyes as much.

In fact, two of them said in their reviews that they were hoping or wishing for a book two of the Killer of Killers story because there were some questions left unanswered in Book One. Those questions are answered in Killer Eyes, but I might have a couple more questions at the end of Killer Eyes that are again left unanswered. Can't say for sure. You'll have to read it to find out.

Look for the release of Killer Eyes soon. Maybe as soon as this week!

Sweden Leading Blog Viewers

I happened to check my stats page and it seems that within the last week 76 of the blog's viewers were from Sweden. Sweden? I don't understand that. Germany came in second and the United States came in third. Do people understand English in Sweden? I suppose the Germans are bilingual, but Sweden? That's a mystery to me how they even heard of my blog.

I guess they Google stuff in Sweden and Germany, so that's how they come across the blog. Btw, Russia, too, is often a source of visitors to the blog, which I'll never understand why. Well if they speak English, here's to hoping all these people read English so they buy my books.

Killer Eyes will be released probably by mid September, so sorry for the delay. I expected it to be released by August, but it's no big deal, since September is still in plenty time for the holidays. So three books will be ready by Christmas. Killer of Killers and its sequel, Killer Eyes, and The Vase. Order one or all three of them today!

New Cover Design on Print Version, but...

The new cover design to Killer of Killers is on the print copies, but I'm not sure if it's on the digital copies yet. I don't suppose it matters one way or another which cover design is used. It's the inside that matters, and the writing and the story, characters, plot, etc. is the same no matter which cover is on it.

As for the sequel, Killer Eyes, I'm still waiting for my print copy, so I can't say yet when it will be released. I'm expecting it any day now. As for Killer on the Payroll, I'm still perfecting the plot in that one. Basically, it's about a martial arts tournament held on an unnamed island in the South China Sea. But unlike the underground fighting circuits held in Japan, which named the world's greatest martial artist, the winner of this tournament will be named the world's greatest killer.

Of course there will be a lot of other things going on in the story. Like the ultimate fate of the Eternity drug, and the characters from the first two books in the series. I haven't decided if I will leave the story open for a fourth book, but I don't think I will. That doesn't mean there won't be a fourth book. That's always possible. That's what series are...the continuation of a story.

I mean look at Batman, Superman, and Spider-man. Their stories didn't end after three episodes. Those characters have had literally hundreds of continuing stories or episodes, although they were comic books, not novels. James Bond is going on three dozen, I believe, at this time. But that includes a few rehashed stories with different actors in the role.

Whether or not the Killer Series exceeds three books is up in the air. I will write a third book. That much is certain. A fourth will depend on reader interest. If the readership increases to the level of a print run book, I will. If it remains small, like the POD versions, then I won't. It remains to be seen.

Killer Eyes, the Sequel to Killer of Killers

Yes, Killer Eyes, the sequel to Killer of Killers, will be released this summer. And that's big news for anyone who's read Killer of Killers.

Almost all of the reviewers who've read and reviewed Killer of Killers had mentioned that a sequel or "Book Two" was necessary. They said they hoped a Book Two was in the works. They had said that there were some things that still needed to be resolved and they wanted to see them resolved.

Well, Killer Eyes is it. It's Book Two in what I'm calling the Killer Series. Killer Eyes, a Trent Smith Martial Arts Thriller, Book Two in the Killer Series, to be exact is how I've headed this next book.

So, yeah, I would like this to be a series of books. And these first two books, really is the same continuing story. It's like Killer Eyes picks up where Killer of Killers left off. Even though Killer of Killers is a stand alone story, as is Killer Eyes, they are very much chronologically written. And therefore should be chronologically read.

As for a book three? Yes, I'd like to write book three this summer. My WIPs are finished. Or at least will be by this summer. Those WIPs included Killer Eyes, which has only the publishing edits to go, John Dunn, which also has the publishing edits to go, and the completion of the first draft of Second Chance is imminent. It should be wrapped up by the time my school is out for the summer.

And that means my "writing time" during this summer will be used for a brand new start for a brand new book, and that book is going to be Book Three in the Killer Series. Tentatively called The Killers Guild. So yeah, my Killer Series should have the word "killer" in every title. Thus, the "Killer Series" of course. How many books will that include? Well, at least three. After that? We'll see.

Now, The Vase Accepted, too

Well, that was fast. The Vase has just been accepted into the list of books available from The Conservative Bookstore. Here's the link: http://www.conservativebookstore.com/fiction/119/the-vase.

It took several weeks for Killer of Killers to be accepted, but The Vase was accepted just one day after I submitted it. Maybe things are flowing faster over there at this point, or something. Whatever. Here's hoping that browsers discover the books and buy them. That's all.

Like I said yesterday, I'm not a political person. I just want people to buy the books. Pretty soon, Killer Eyes will be published, and I'll want people to buy that one too. But I would think readers should read Killer of Killers first. Then Killer Eyes. And that's because Killer Eyes takes up right where Killer of Killers leaves off.

As for The Vase? It's a stand alone story. It doesn't mean there can't be a sequel. Right now I'm not planning a sequel. But if I did, which character would I follow? From the list of main characters in there, it would be a tough choice. There's the Palestinian potter, Muhsin Muhabi. His son, Naji. There's the university art professor, Hiram Weiss. And there's the Shin Bet operative/IDF captain, Benny Mathias. And don't forget the American ghost hunter, Harvey Holmes.

Maybe I could write another story where they all come together again. Hhmmnn. Right now, it's all about finishing Killer Eyes, John Dunn, and Second Chance. And there's also my MG/YA novel, Inside the Outhouse that's still on the backburner. We'll see.

The Killers Guild

I was talking about my upcoming books yesterday, and I forgot to mention The Killers Guild, which I'm planning to be the third book in the Killers series. What is the Killers Guild? Well, it's a guild of assassins, clearly, and they are introduced in the upcoming sequel to Killer of Killers, which I call Killer Eyes. It's very nearly finished, and should be out by the end of the year. The killers in The Killers Guild are not very nice. Now, the thing about Trent Smith, the main character in both Killer of Killers and Killer Eyes, is that he kills killers. So that makes for a very nice story line in Killer Eyes and The Killers Guild, which I've yet to write.

So if the Killers Guild is introduced in Killer Eyes, why are they back in The Killers Guild? Indeed, even the book is named after them. Well, for one thing, I think that The Killers Guild is a cool title. So much so that I almost renamed Killer Eyes The Killers Guild. I didn't, ultimately, which left me with one option: write another book and call that one The Killers Guild.

Killer Eyes is a continuing story, picking up where Killer of Killers left off. And it was pretty much wrapped up at the end of Killer Eyes. Or was it? Well, it was,  until, that is, I revised it. I have put in a very surprising denouement, or resolution, which can be continued, like before, in another book, and taken in any direction I want. I haven't really decided just what direction the third Killer book will take, but one thing I know: it will involve the return of The Killers Guild--a more powerful and much more ambitious Killers Guild.

And that means more killing for Trent Smith. But it also means more killers trying to kill Trent Smith. One thing about Trent Smith is that he works alone. Or at least he intends to work alone. In Killer Eyes, he does get some unexpected help, but I can't say any more about that. No spoilers allowed here. Can't wait for Killer Eyes to get released. Then I can't wait to write The Killers Guild. Just talking about it here on the blog is getting me pumped to get started. Stay tuned.

Final "Read-Through" Worthwhile for Killer Eyes

I'm reading through Killer Eyes one last time, and even though I'm only on page 27 right now, I've made enough minor changes to make this final read through worthwhile. Just little stuff. Nothing major. But the little things, in just the first 27 pages, do mean a lot to someone who's a perfectionist, like me. The first book, Killer of Killers, is as perfect as can be, and being the sequel to Killer of Killers, Killer Eyes needs to be just as perfect.

And I must admit, that as I read through it, I am very impressed with how great it's turning out to be. The writing, the story, the plot, the subplots, the climax, and the conclusion all work, and they work very, very well. It's an exciting story, a very intriguing one, and one of the reasons for that is how I've incorporated some real history into the story.

What history? Nanking. The rape of Nanking, or the Nanking holocaust. It was committed by the Japanese army in the 1930s, and not many people, at least not many American people are even aware of it. But it happened, and it's a part of the story in Killer Eyes. How can the rape of Nanking be part of a martial arts story? Buy a copy of Killer Eyes when it comes out, probably by the end of this year or early next year. Then you'll see.

Still Time to Buy/Read Killer of Killers

Now that I'm reading Killer Eyes for the final time before submission, it occurred to me that readers out there have time to buy and read Killer of Killers before I submit its sequel, Killer Eyes for publication. There's a certain satisfaction working on a book that you already know is going to be published. When I was working on all four of my books, I wasn't so sure at the time they would be published.

But wrapping up Killer Eyes with the knowledge that a publisher is ready and willing to publish it is more than enough motivation to make it perfect. And when I do get busy on the third book in the series, I'll have that same confidence.

No sequel is planned for The Vase, however, and no sequel is planned for John Dunn. John Dunn's story could continue. I end the book pretty much right after the Anglo-Zulu War, but Dunn's story does have a part two. And that's because after the Anglo-Zulu War, the British divided the Zulu nation into thirteen territories, with Dunn getting the largest of them. And then shortly after that, the thirteen territories fell into another Zulu Civil War. Dunn, of course led his territory, and even King Cetshwayo, the former Zulu king was allowed to return from his exile to lead another of the territories in that war.

It's when Cetshwayo was killed. But not in a battle against Dunn. He was killed by his own cousin, Usibebu, who was victorious in a battle against him during that war. So, yeah, there's enough there to make a sequel to the Dunn story, although right now I'm not planning one. Maybe one day, but my queue right now includes Second Chance, then the third Killer book, and then the YA book, Inside the Outhouse. And maybe even my SciFi book, which I began as a kid. We'll see. Stay tuned.

Buy the Books!

Stats page info again. It indicates that yesterday, a lot of people from the U.S., Russia, and Germany were reading this blog. But countries other readers of the blog live in are China, Canada, Ukraine, Netherlands, India, South Korea, and even Indonesia and Malaysia. Counting just yesterday, the numbers totaled over 100 visitors to the blog.

Now if all those people actually READ the blog, who's to say? Because most of those countries don't speak or read English. That doesn't mean the people who come to this blog don't read English, They probably do, otherwise why are they going to blogs that are in English?

So that's great, but I hope they are buying my two available books, too. That's the purpose behind the blog. To promote my books. And that means prompting sales. Killer of Killers and The Vase are very entertaining stories. They are a lot of fun to read. Easy to read. Thrilling, even. Killer of Killers is action packed, but it's not just about action. It has philosophy and intrigue, romance and tragedy. The Vase has suspense and intrigue, romance and tragedy, too, and is set in Israel. It deals with Shin Bet and Hamas, both of whom are conspiring against each other in the story.

There is a religious element in The Vase, but it's not a religious book. Not at all. That religious element I referred to is only there because some of the characters in the story are religious. But the book doesn't promote religion. I wouldn't want to read a book like that, and The Vase is NOT like that. But it does have a great premise, meaning the vase in the story is an ancient one and has ancient images recorded in its grooves that get projected when the potter spins it and puts a metal tool into the grooves, thinking he is cleaning it. But the tool acts like a stylus and the grooves in the vase are like grooves in a vinyl record, thus images and sounds are projected.

Now that's the premise behind The Vase. But it's got a lot more going on than that. In fact all of my books do. And my upcoming ones, Killer Eyes and John Dunn, which I've begun revising last night have a lot going for them.

But I suggest you start with Killer of Killers and The Vase. By the time you've finished reading them, Killer Eyes may be ready. It's a great follow up to KOK. Then John Dunn. And Second Chance, my fifth novel should be completed by next year. And then, The Killers Guild, which will be my sixth book, but it will be the third and possibly the final entry of the Killer series.

But it all starts with Killer of Killers and The Vase. Buy them today!

Ci Ke--Chinese Ninjas--Nanking Holocaust

When I came up with the Killers Guild in my upcoming book Killer Eyes, I decided that it wouldn't be just a group of specialized assassins, but a group of specialized assassins that use ninjas. But they're not ninjas, because ninjas are Japanese. And since the Killers Guild is based in China, I had to use what would essentially be Chinese ninjas. But ninjas are Japanese. From researching this, I found that the Chinese equivalent are Ci Ke. That pretty much just means assassins in Mandarin. So that's what I call them.

And these Ci Ke assassins are trained in China, recruited from the vast population for which China is well known. Which means there is no shortage of them. But it all has a history beginning with Nanking. As I was talking about yesterday, Nanking was the Asian holocaust that took place during World War II. Japanese troops murdered hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians there. And to this day, it stands as one of history's worst massacres of a civilian population.

I wrote a subplot in Killer Eyes that directly relates to that. This Killers Guild, for example. They started out as Ci Ke, who were used during WWII to fight Japanese occupation in the Chinese mainland. They evolved to The Killers Guild after the war. They hunted down the Japanese soldiers who took part in that holocaust. But many of them fled to other countries, so the Killers Guild evolved into a group of international assassins who hunted them down. Sounds like Jewish Nazi hunters, right? Well, yeah. But my argument is if Jews can do it, why can't the Chinese? Answer: They can, and they do.

But what happens when they've killed them all? Then what? They are professional killers. So they keep on killing. They become killers for hire. And in Killer Eyes, the person they are hired to kill just happens to be Trent Smith, perhaps the most skilled killer in existence. Do they find themselves outmatched? I'd say so. Except one of them. Their leader, Ming Sang. Oh, but I can't give away too much. Maybe I have already. Look for Killer Eyes soon. But you'll have to read Killer of Killers first. It's Part One of the story after all. Get your copy today.

Killer Eyes-Chinese Female Villain from Nanking

Since when has a villain in a story ever been a Chinese woman? Mostly they are men. Mostly white men. (But that's okay, since mostly the heroes are white men, too.) Increasingly white women are becoming the heroes, (or at least the protagonists) in stories. That's probably because women are doing a lot of writing lately. But even though these women writers often make their protagonists women, I ask how often do they make the antagonist a woman? My guess is not as often.

It's becoming more common of late that non-white men are being written as villains. And I've even seen a few white women represented as villains. Or at least as antagonists. But off the top of my head I can't think of a single non-white woman who's ever been a villain. I do remember the Vin Diesel movie called The Pacifier, where a middle aged Chinese couple were the antagonists. But that was a light movie, a Disney movie, at that, and not serious. And it wasn't just a single Chinese woman, it was a married couple from China who were on a mission as spies.

But I can say that Ming Sang, a young Chinese woman makes a very good villain. In Killer Eyes, the sequel to Killer of Killers, Ming Sang is the leader of the Killers Guild. And she is a killer. She has beautiful eyes. They are mysterious, but they exude an evil, too. How? Well, you'd have to see them. It could be the way she carries herself, her demeanor, and it gets expressed in her eyes. It's the complete package. An evil package. And she is also a martial arts expert.

But so is Trent Smith. Trent Smith is regarded by his peers as the greatest martial artist in the world. And Ming Sang's ego wants that person as her own. She wants Trent Smith by her side or failing that objective, she wants him dead. Which will it be? Oh, to be sure there is a whole lot more going on with Ming Sang than just her infatuation with Trent Smith.

For one thing, there's NANKING. It's where she was born, and it's where her parents were born. You see, Nanking, China is her home town, and if you don't know what happened there during World War II, I would suggest you Google it. Most people are familiar with the Holocaust that took place in Europe during WWII, but they don't know about the Holocaust that took place in Nanking. It could be what influenced Ming Sang and her evil ways.

Look for Killer Eyes soon. You just might learn a lot about real history. Like Nanking.

Why Russia? Why China?

I've talked about my blog audience before, mostly because my stats page indicates that I get a lot of readers from Europe and Asia. Of those two continents, it's usually Russia leading the way, by the numbers, that is, and then there's China.

Now that is to assume that readers in those two countries do indeed read English. And if they do, and if they are indeed reading this blog, I'm wondering just what it is that is drawing them to this blog. I mean, really...Russia and China? I don't suppose those visitors are all avid readers. Nor do I suppose they are all buying my books.

I say that because if they were, by the numbers indicated on my blog, then I'd have a couple of best sellers here. And since I don't, then I can only assume they come here to read what I write, and not to buy my books. Of course, I would prefer it to be the other way around. But since it's apparently not, then what do they want to read that I write if not my books? Just the posts on the blog? It seems so. And the posts that seem to attract the most hits, are the posts I've made about Amber Heard.

Sure Amber Heard is a beautiful woman, and that's why I wrote about her. I focused on my opinion that Amber Heard would be the best choice for the part of Samantha Jones in the book Killer of Killers, if that book would ever be made into a movie.

So I'm guessing that Russians, and even some Chinese might like Amber Heard, and perhaps they Google her name on their computers, and my blog posts about her come up. That's all fine and good, because then they learn about the books, too. Maybe they'll buy a copy. But like I said, the numbers don't indicate that they are.

Still, you never know. One hundred people may pass on the book, but that 101st, might just be the person who doesn't. Maybe you, oh reader, are the 101st person to hit on this blog post, and maybe that means you are the one who will buy a book. Either Killer of Killers or The Vase, or both. I believe you will enjoy them. That is if you read English.

You still have time to buy and read Killer of Killers before the sequel comes out. Killer Eyes is almost done. I'm on the final read through right now. Stay tuned.

Sequels vs. Story Arcs

I've talked about the sequels to Killer of Killers. The second book in the series is the upcoming Killer Eyes. And the third will be The Killers Guild. But those sequels are more than just sequels. They are actually three books that carry the same story line. AKA Story Arcs.

That is different than a plain sequel. For example, the James Bond movies are sequels. Each Bond movie is a separate story unto itself. Sure there is some continuity in them, but they don't carry the same story from one movie (or book) to the next. Meaning they don't pick up where the last one left off. It's a brand new story line.

Lord of the Rings, however, and even the Jason Bourne movies did continue from where the prior story left off. Especially LOR. It's the same story arc.

And so are the three Killer stories. Where book one leaves off, that's where book two picks up, albeit about a year later. And The Killers Guild. That will pick up several years later. But it does tie in with the prior storyline, and can be considered part of the same story arc.

If I write any Killer books after that, I really don't think it will continue that particular story arc. It will have continuity for sure. But it will be a different story arc, and thus be a sequel, not a continuation. It will still qualify as a series, though. After all, even in a series, story arcs end, and new ones begin. We'll see how it happens with the Trent Smith sage. Only time will tell.

Killer of Killers, the Series, starring Dustin Clare?

With the successful completion of the Killer of Killers sequel imminent, and the third installment being planned to be written this summer or soon thereafter, it's turning out to be at least a three volume series. Should I call it the Killer of Killers series? Or the Trent Smith Saga? Or what?

Whatever I call it, it would be a great series on the STARZ channel, which had already made some great series. And seeing as how it had Spartacus with Dustin Clare, I think that would be a perfect venue for the Killer of Killers series, with Dustin Clare playing the lead role, Trent Smith, the world's greatest martial artist. And if Amber Heard is unavailable for the female lead Samantha Jones, then STARZ already had an actress, Ellen Hollman, who played Dustin Clare's love interest in Spartacus. Pairing the two together again in Killer of Killers would be sweet.

And a lot of those actors and actresses from Spartacus could find roles in the Killer of Killers series. Oh, what a dream come true if it were to happen. All authors have dreams like that. Game of Thrones,  after all, was a series of books. And they got made into a TV series, albeit by HBO, another STARZ-like channel. And it turned out great.

So when I submit Killer Eyes, my question is what should the subtitle be? Book Two of the Trent Smith Saga? Volume Two of the Killer of Killers Series? That is the question I'll need to answer and very soon. Because the completion of Killer Eyes is going to be very soon. Any suggestions? Let me know. Thanks.

Killer Eyes--Can't Wait to Finish

Working on Killer Eyes has proven to be very enjoyable. I'm referring to the revisions stage I'm on at the moment. For a long time, I wasn't sure how well that would turn out. I knew that there were plenty of holes to fill, and I thought it would take a lot of work.

Well, it did, but that word "work" is relative. It was a lot of fun, and it still is. I've always thought that the revisions stage was the most enjoyable stage anyway. At least it was for KOK and The Vase. But it's turning out to be true for Killer Eyes, also. I guess another thing that made me wary was fixing all the POV stuff. Making sure that all of the third person limited POV was consistent.

Nowadays it seems people are obsessed with not having any head-hopping in a story line, and I'm making darn sure none of my books do. If there is, it's a typo. I found one in the one book I would figure wouldn't have any. The Vase. And that's the book with the editor who made it a big deal to NOT have any. But there it was. Only one. It got by us both, I guess. Because it was sneaky. And I only caught it the THIRD time I read the book after publication.

As for Killer of Killers. I dare say there are no POV errors. None. Zip. No head-hopping whatsoever. That is, KOK the second edition, I mean. I put out the second edition to correct all of that, and I did. Very nicely, too. And it's all fixed in Killer Eyes, as well.

Next, the John Dunn story. That will be a bigger chore. It's a longer book. 120,000 words. My other three novels clock in at about 90,000 words. That's an average. But an accurate one. I have three books on the back burner. The third installment of KOK I may call The Killers Guild, the new book I've already started, called Second Chance, and the YA book I've talked about called Inside the Outhouse.

But first and foremost, I can't wait to finish Killer Eyes, because I'm loving it more and more every time. The future looks bright.

Summer Vacation--What to Write?

Summer Vacation is here, and that means more writing. For me, anyway. I got a head start on my newest book, tentatively called Second Chance, and I've been full speed ahead with the revisions to Killer Eyes, the sequel to Killer of Killers. And this is the year that I'm supposed to write The Killers Guild, which is the third and possibly last installment of my Trent Smith saga.

So far I have a good start on Second Chance, mostly due to the inspiration I received from that dream I mentioned on the blog back when I had it. It was in May I think. I dreamed of a new story, and then the following day I wrote the synopsis/outline, which I based on that dream, and for the rest of the week I tweaked that synopsis. But since I was so motivated or inspired by that story, I went ahead and started writing it. I wrote most of what will probably be chapter one, about 3500 words or so, and I really like the way it turned out.

But I'm now back to finishing the revisions to Killer Eyes, and I've put Second Chance aside to do it. And I think I should. Killer Eyes, in its current state, was filled with too many holes, too many inconsistencies, too many loose strings. I had written it over the course of about two and a half months during one of my summer vacations a couple years ago, before Killer of Killers was even published. And I wrapped up the first draft not even knowing if Killer of Killers would ever get published. But now that it is, and Killer Eyes will follow, I'm making sure that it is just as good, just as well written, and just as consistent.

In fact, in many ways, Killer Eyes is proving to be better, which it should be. I'm not saying it IS better, just in many ways it could be considered better. Why? Well, there's more action, more killing, and more blood. In fact it's a much more violent and intense story than the first one, and it's not that way because I wanted it to be. It just turned out that way.

You see, for my Killer books, I just let the stories go where they went, like I was just the observer, like if I was watching a movie in a theater. I didn't even write an outline for the first one. And even though I did for the second one, it still went where it wanted to go. Like I've said before, it's not as violent or as gory as a Quentin Tarrantino movie, or like the STARZ show Spartacus, but it is violent, and it is bloody. At least some parts of it are. And again, I didn't exactly want that. It just happened.

When it's released, and you read it, you'll see what I mean. It should be out by the end of the year. Cant wait. As for what I'm going to write this summer after the revisions to Killer Eyes are done? What I'm hoping is that I'll stay in the Trent Smith mindset and proceed with The Killers Guild. That's the plan, although every writer knows that the best laid plans do go awry. We'll see.

Killer Eyes Almost Ready, but...

I'm wrapping up the revisions for the Killer of Killers sequel, Killer Eyes, and in that story some of the things that were left unresolved in Killer of Killers are resolved in Killer Eyes. But a couple other things that crop up in Killer Eyes are left unresolved. So that means that there will have to be another book in the series. I've talked about it before, tentatively giving the third book the title The Killers Guild, but only because I liked the concept of the Killers Guild, and I thought it also made a good title for a book.

I even almost changed the title of Killer Eyes to The Killers Guild, but ultimately I decided to retain the title Killer Eyes. And for the third book I have a good idea just what the story will be about. Yes, it will be the continuing adventures of Trent Smith, but it will also have to deal directly with those issues brought up in Killer Eyes that were left unresolved. Understand I did it on purpose. I fixed those problems I talked about, but in doing so it left a subplot that starts in Killer Eyes, but is not wrapped up. That's where the third story will go. Wrapping that up. And the third book should wrap up the Trent Smith saga.

But that's not final. Who knows? I may keep going. That's what series do, of course. Bottom line, there will be at least three. And then we'll see.

Killer Eyes--Revisions Completed!

I've been mentioning the problems in the story line in Killer Eyes--the events that were not consistent, the character actions that were questionable, and I've been saying how I wanted to fix them. Well, I got it done over the three day Memorial Weekend Holiday. That's not to say I'm submitting it any time soon. No. I've learned over and over again not to be quick on the trigger. I'm giving it at least one more read through. Already I've found some typos and errors, including one set of about four or five consecutive words that somehow got changed to 11 point font from the 12 point font in which the manuscript is written.

How that happened? Who knows. It's the first time I've seen it. No, actually, I have seen it before. Nevertheless, it just goes to show that there is no minimum or maximum number of times you can proofread your manuscript. No matter how many times you do it, there's always going to be something you'll find that needs correcting or improving.

But the big news here is that the subplot and supporting character action I was worried about has finally been fixed. When you have a character doing something, there should be a reason why he/she is doing it. And when that character does something else in the climax, it better not conflict with what he/she was doing throughout the story line. That's what was troubling me for the past couple of months, and finally, that's what I fixed.

It took some rewriting, but that's what I'm celebrating now, that rewriting got done, and I'm calling the story complete. So after this read-through/proof reading, and one more after, THAT'S when I'll submit. And my Killer of Killers book on the Melange Books website will finally have its sequel.

Then, on with the John Dunn revisions, and hopefully the writing of my new book, Second Chance. And I haven't forgotten the third book in the Killer Series. And I still have every intention of writing my MG/YA novel, also.

So here's what's in queue: Revising the fourth book I've already written--John Dunn, and then three more books to write from scratch-- the third Killer book, tentatively titled The Killers Guild, and then my new story, tentatively titled Second Chance, and the YA book which I'm pretty sure will be titled Inside the Outhouse.

After all of that, maybe I'll get back to the Sci-Fi book I began years ago as a graphic novel. Now that will be interesting. Maybe I'll keep it as a graphic novel. We'll see.