award-winning writing | Painting With Light

Posts Tagged ‘award-winning writing’

When We Least Expect It

July 3, 2013

Good Books are Pleasant Surprises

Pleasant Surprises
Surprises come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. I don’t think many people would argue that pleasant surprises are the best kind. After all, they are events that make you smile and feel good, and who doesn’t need a little more of that in their life?

When I stop to think about it, I’ve had several pleasant surprises in my life. My lovely bride saying “yes” when I asked her was one.

Each of our three sons was another.

All of the former acquaintances who have since become treasured members of the “lifelong” branch of friendship with me are other miraculous gifts.

So are my grandchildren.

Some of you may remember last year, when I received an unexpected 2012 Readers Favorite Gold Medal for my novel Reichold Street. I’ve been writing for a long time, and would undoubtedly continue to do so whether anyone acknowledged it or not (just ask my wife).

While it’s not the same sort of surprise as those other things, it was still a very pleasant moment. Who wouldn’t want to know someone else thought their efforts, particularly judged against thousands of others, were worthwhile?

Other Successes
I had another very pleasant surprise last Sunday night, in the form of an email from the Readers Favorite organization.

My first thought was it must be some sort of solicitation, so you can imagine my elation upon learning my collection of fantasy short stories, Zebulon, has been selected as a 2013 Readers Favorite Finalist in the genre of young adult fantasy!

The winners won’t be announced until September, but that still gives me plenty of time to revel in the moment … at least through the holiday. Which reminds me, for those celebrating this week, have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

A FREE Guide
While I’m reveling, you might want to visit the link on the right-hand column of this page, and subscribe for your FREE copy of my booklet “Creating Believable Characters.” I created it to aid other indie writers. It might help, it might not (although I think it will) … but at least the price is right.

Tags:award-winning writing, indie writers, Readers Favorite
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Awards, Book Promotion, Book Review, Free Stuff | 2 Comments »

Feeling Good Enough to Write

June 24, 2013

Sailboat Moored on Lake Michigan

What a Month
I’ve had better days. Better weeks, actually.

Recently, my characters were quite active and my daily fiction writing seemed to flow with little effort. Ideas, situations and actions for my characters were coming out almost as fast as I could type. Then things suddenly slowed down … considerably.

It wasn’t writers block. It was pain.

For the past month I’ve had a pinched nerve in my upper back that’s been driving me crazy. There’s no comfortable position I can find; standing, sitting or lying down.

Sleep has become one of those words that I don’t bother to use … because lately I don’t do much of it. It doesn’t matter how many pain meds I take. They don’t help.

It hurts constantly.

It’s kind of like having an ice pick jammed into my back, just to the left of my right shoulder blade. I’ve blogged with it hurting, but my fiction writing slowed from the frenetic pace that saw me add 20,000 words to my Reichold Street sequel, to a crawl of less than a hundred words a day.

It finally stopped (the writing output, not the pain).

I went to my internist two weeks ago and he confirmed the pinched nerve diagnosis, but his remedies didn’t make a dent. I was going to make an appointment with a chiropractor last week, but couldn’t. Last week was a special gathering of old friends.

The Gathering
Seventeen gentlemen (I use the ‘gentlemen’ term loosely … but we’re all good friends and I’m sure they’d agree with me and forgive the slight) met in northern lower Michigan to celebrate an event that started way back in college, and continued for almost thirty years.

Most of the get-togethers were “ski” trips (we weren’t all skiers; we only called them that because they took place in winter). The fact this trip was in June didn’t change it much.

A little warmer. No snow.

We haven’t met now for more than 15 years (gosh, am I really that old?) but seventeen of the nineteen invitees made it to this one. I understand why.

This is a great group. Once in a lifetime friends. A little constant pain wasn’t going to stop me from being there.

I put off the chiropractor and dozed in a chair for a only a few hours the whole four days of the trip (it hurt so much I couldn’t lie down). But I’d do it all again and endure it for these guys. I wouldn’t have missed this trip for anything.

Someday I may even write a story about it.

I finally saw the chiropractor this morning (and made additional appointments for later in the week), and the relief is palpable. No, it hasn’t eliminated the pain, but I can at least raise my head again, and that’s a start.

I was beginning to feel like one of those really old men who always have their head down, as if they were looking for pennies or shiny little stones.

They’re not. Now I know why.

Today, I actually felt like writing again … and that’s a special thing. I’m not going to, since I spent the good “no pain” feeling of this afternoon writing this blog and I’m about ready for pain meds again, but it was nice to sit down in front of this lousy keyboard again.

One More Thing
I’m still trying to figure out how to use MailChimp to make my “Creating Believable Characters” pamphlet giveaway live, and I’m sure I’ll have it solved soon, or I’ll find another host (I’m having so much trouble with MailChimp I’m looking now at AWeber).

But … all that aside … the most important thing, as every writer (indie or not) surely knows, is feeling good enough to write again.

Thanks, Doc.

Tags:award-winning writing, book marketing, indie writers, self-publishing
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Book Promotion, Market Your Book, Storytelling | 12 Comments »

Compulsion Reads Endorsement

June 17, 2013

Every Once in a While Something Happens That Feels Like Success

Tooting My Horn
Hey, somebody’s got to do it, and I don’t have a publicity machine working for me.

It’s just little ol’ me here, adding an audio file on my web site Broken Glass, updating my media page, playing the promote-on-Twitter game, using the Book of Face, keeping up with AuthorsdB, and Goodreads, blogging and, oh yeah, trying to figure out how to sell my damn books while I keep up social obligations, write two new brand new novels and generally hold down the fort at home while keeping the creditors at bay.

What Am I So Excited About?
Well, I’m glad you asked (it gives me a chance to talk about it). I just learned my indie novel REICHOLD STREET, which won a 2012 Readers Favorite Gold Medal, has just received a coveted 2013 endorsement from Compulsion Reads.

OK … I know it’s not like announcing I just signed a publishing house contract for the book with a high six-figure advance … but, trust me, it feels good anyway. It took me by surprise, because CR endorses less than half the independently-produced books they read, and it’s a pretty big deal in the indie world.

Yes, I’d much rather have a big contract, or at least be able to report I’ve sold thousands of independently-produced-and-marketed copies in the last quarter, but c’mon … little successes are good, too, aren’t they? (I just checked on my royalties so far in June, and I’ll be able to take my lovely bride to at least one nice lunch this month).

But I know very well every indie author out there is always glad to know someone (other than immediate family and close, I-actually-speak-to-them, neighbors) truly likes your work. I’m no exception.

Working Hard
I know I said I’d have my “Creating Believable Characters” freebie ready by my this post, and I really thought I would … but I’ve written 20,000 words on my Reichold Street sequel, another 5,000 words on a totally new book and then had the Compulsion Reads thing happen.

You can cut me a little slack, can’t you? My giveaway is almost done (about 24-pages), and I promise I’ll have it available just as soon as I figure out MailChimp.

Honest.