My goal at this point was to be able to say that I was finished with Smoked…that the writing was done and it was in the hands of my editor. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the “good two weeks” to work on it that I’d been hoping for. It’s no one’s fault – a couple of things ju...
2023-05-25 04:20:45 +0000 UTC View PostI thought it was time for an update on the Smokescreen novel (working title: Smoked). In essence, I think that if I can get a good two weeks, I can wrap it up. However, that’s actually been the case for a while, but I haven’t been able to find the requisite time.
Basically, I...
2023-04-23 19:56:01 +0000 UTC View PostIf I haven’t brought it up before, I had a lot of fun writing the fourth Warden book. So much so that it’s caused me to take in hand (when time permits) and do work on future books in the series. With that in mind, I thought I share an excerpt form one of those (and as you might guess, the us...
2023-03-23 03:41:08 +0000 UTC View PostI recently mentioned how I started using stock images in some of my promotions. It's been helpful because it provides a bit of variety in addition to using my cover art. However, I recently found myself becoming more and more impressed with some of the images being generated by AI. That being the...
2023-02-21 03:38:12 +0000 UTC View PostIt's hard to believe that it's now 2023 - a totally new year. (2022 went by entirely too fast...) But not only is 2023 here, but we're already more than halfway through the month of January. Time is truly flying by (at least from my perspective).
But although it's a new year, it still feels...
2023-01-18 03:14:26 +0000 UTC View PostOn a fairly regular basis, I tend to hear from readers saying how much they like my work. This is usually in reference to the Kid Sensation novels, and it always makes my day because there are few things that an author likes to hear more than that. In short, I'm blessed in that my work has manage...
2022-12-21 10:06:59 +0000 UTC View PostI thought I'd start this post by diving right in and giving a writing update. In essence, I'm still trying to finish up Smoked, but frankly speaking, I've accomplished less on the writing front recently than I wanted, but the reasons are primarily logistical and technical.
On the l...
2022-11-21 21:30:45 +0000 UTC View PostA few days ago I mentioned that it might take upwards of a month for the audio version of Warden 4 to be released. Let me just say that it feels great to be wrong (although Mrs. Wonderful will never believe I said that).
In essence, I finished up my review of the audio files,...
2022-10-25 00:24:29 +0000 UTC View PostAs I've mentioned elswhere, my narrator finished recording the audiobook for Warden (Book 4: Roost of the Roc), and I'm in the process of reviewing it now. If I haven't said so before, reviewing audio is not as much fun as it sounds. Basically, I'm not listening to the audiobook for plea...
2022-10-19 23:06:32 +0000 UTC View PostAfter haughtily displaying my disdain for Kindle Vella when the platform launched, I've now come full circle and actually published a story on the platform. I know: How the might have fallen...
Seriously though, I mentioned previously that with the changes Amazon made regarding Vella, publi...
2022-09-21 05:02:50 +0000 UTC View PostSomeone recently asked me if there were any Muslim superheroes in the Kid Sensation universe. My response was that the KS universe has superheroes of every race, religion and creed. (Supervillains, too, I should add.) Most, however, are still waiting to make their debut. I think...
2022-08-22 04:58:03 +0000 UTC View PostOver the past month or so, I've mentioned in a couple of places that I've been rethinking the possibility of publishing on Kindle Vella, which is Amazon's platform for episodic writing. Initially, I had several reasons for not participating in Vella (e.g., the rigid exclusivity provision and the ...
2022-07-24 04:50:47 +0000 UTC View PostI'm still working on the Smokescreen story, which is taking a little longer than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I wanted to share another excerpt from the book. (As always, the usual caveats apply about proofing, etc.)
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2022-06-19 17:28:28 +0000 UTC View PostAfter dealing with taxes and other issues, I'm happy to say that I'm back at work on the Smokescreen novel. I think it's coming along well, so I thought I'd share an excerpt. (And as you might expect, the usual caveats apply - i.e., it's hasn't bene prooked, etc.)
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2022-05-20 03:10:57 +0000 UTC View PostSo I just hit the publish button about a minute ago, so you heard it here first: Warden (Book 4: Roost of the Roc) is now published - at least from my perspective. Woo-hoo!!!
Of course, I have no idea how long it will take for the book to go live on Amazon, although they're u...
2022-04-12 13:37:56 +0000 UTC View PostOne thing to note about publishing - especially self-publishing - is this simple fact: Change is constant. There's always something new on the horizon. For instance, not long ago Amazon made it possible to publish hardcover versions of our books. They also introduced Kindle Vella, so tha...
2022-03-25 22:58:18 +0000 UTC View PostI'm happy to report that Warden 4 is done. This one was a bit of a challenge in a number of ways, but I'm pleased with the end product and hope readers will be as well.
As in the previous books, the story features what I tend to refer to as non-traditional monsters - quite a few of...
2022-02-28 14:04:24 +0000 UTC View PostA few weeks back, I wrote on my blog that I anticipated completing Warden 4 this month. Thus I had hoped that this post would be an announcement that it was finished. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll need a few more days, although I'll still probably make the January deadline.
The...
2022-01-28 23:53:39 +0000 UTC View PostHopefully everyone has been enjoying themselves or found something worth celebrating during the holiday season. Personally, I feel blessed – especially in terms of friends and family (although the kids often drive me crazy). I’m also extraordinarily grateful for my readers, and in particular ...
2021-12-28 01:08:10 +0000 UTC View PostAs most readers probably know or have guessed by now, occasionally there are scenes in my books which - as in movies - ultimately end up on the cutting room floor. Basically, for whatever reason, the action or dialogue may change or get deleted altogether. However, instead of simply writing...
2021-11-28 06:09:31 +0000 UTC View PostTo be honest, the title of this post is a little misleading. My titles have actually been available as hardcovers for months now. However, when Amazon invited me to part of the hardcover beta program, they stressed that it all had to remain confidential (i.e., I couldn't talk about it...
2021-10-15 22:58:23 +0000 UTC View PostI think I previously mentioned that the pyramid insignia on Alpha Prime's costume was a mistake, but I don't think I ever offered much of an explanation.
The truth of the matter is that when I came up with the black-and-gold color scheme for the Alpha League uniforms, I had envisione...
2021-09-26 22:29:41 +0000 UTC View PostAs implied by the title of this post, I received notification just a short time ago regarding the release of the audiobook of Conjuration (Kid Sensation #9). The turnaround on this one was incredibly fast: my narrator just finished it maybe a week ago. It took another couple ...
2021-08-24 19:25:32 +0000 UTC View PostI think I've made various promises to provide an update on the audiobook for Conjuration. Thankfully I've finally been able to nail down a date and the audiobook will be complete on August 20th. Sort of...
The way it generally works is that my narrator does his thing an...
2021-07-30 04:59:22 +0000 UTC View PostMuch to my surprise, Amazon reached out to me recently about the Kindle Vella program. Basically, they wanted to talk to me about participating in it and uploading some material before it offically launches in July. Of course, it was flattering to have Amazon initiate contact, but I wasn't foolis...
2021-06-29 17:16:56 +0000 UTC View PostJust in case someone's in need of a laugh, I thought I'd share something that I don't think anyone's seen (aside from my cover guy, that is): my attempt at cover art. Okay, not really...
Basically, after completing the first Warden book, I had a couple of ideas for the cover.
Tha...
I've mentioned Audiblegate a couple of times before and also talked about the internal debate I was having with respect to moving my audiobook catalog - including how that deliberation was delaying the audio production of Conjuration (Kid Sensation #9). I've finally come to a decis...
2021-04-26 02:36:45 +0000 UTC View PostI think I've mentioned before that I have the next few Kid Sensation books pretty much mapped out in my head. That said, I've been trying to find a way to tell stories about Future Jim (when he's older) without giving too much away. Fortunately, I think I've found a creative way to do that....
2021-03-30 02:11:51 +0000 UTC View PostI'm running somewhat behind at the moment in terms of writing. We've been having internet issues at my house for about a month now, so my provider sent someone out and it looks like the problem may finally be resolved. (Emphasis on "may.")
The real setback, however, was th...
2021-02-25 14:07:13 +0000 UTC View PostWell, we are into a new year, and I thought I'd kick things out with an excerpt from "Smoked: A Kid Sensation Spin-Off Novel." (My preference would have been to use "A Kid Sensation Companion Novel" as the subtitle, but I've learned the hard way that the term "Companion Novel" is interprete...
2021-01-22 05:25:59 +0000 UTC View Post