As we head into fall and cooler temperatures, I want to take a minute and reflect on the year to date.
We have been blessed to travel this year. Mexico in January with our daughter-in-law and grandson. Italy in June, and Punta Cana in September.
I’ve attended ThrillerFest in NYC, and Killer Nashville and Bouchercon in, you guessed it, Nashville. I also became a member of Mystery Writers of America.
I just finished editing the proof copy of Caribbean Harvest. It’s amazing what I find when the words are on paper. It reminds me of working proposals to the DOD and IC with a handful of red pens. The MS is in the hands of my trusted proofreaders. One finished the book in three days.
“It took me a couple of chapters to get used to first-person, but it really works. When I read your books, as with any good action thriller, it plays as a movie in my brain. Your writing in first person just made that “movie” more exciting, and added to my I-can't-put-it-down emotions.”
I also turned in the MS for Code Name Snowman to Winding Road Stories editor Michael Dolan. We edited the first ten chapters, and I expect more soon.
And in my spare time I’ve started writing a historical fiction series of short stories in the 5-8K range. They are personnel protection focused, so I get to use my US Secret Service training and experience when writing. The first two I wrote are in the 90’s and then for some crazy reason I don’t understand, I decided to take the series back to 1319. That was interesting, is a nice way to put it, another might be that Steve likes pain….
Write two sentences - research for 15-20 minutes, write a paragraph – research for an hour.
I’m on the fourth short story and thinking about releasing them individually and then pulling them together in a “book” when I have eight to ten completed. Buy the series, get the short stories and a book is one thought. How would you like to consume them?
I’ve got one more motocross race on the calendar and it’s hunting season through the end of November. I’ve still got Elk and Antelope in the freezer so I’m bypassing those hunts and focusing on Deer. I’ve got a couple of needy families ready to take my harvests.
I’m looking forward to fall and the holidays with our family. What has you excited?