What Fame and Fortune?

Author events, Author Fairs, Book Review, Teaching, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Workshops / By

Attention NetGalley Readers

ESCAPE FROM THE PAST: THE DUKE’S WRATH (Book One) and AT WITCHES’ END (Book Three) are currently available for review.

And now about my blog…

I just read an article on Writer Unboxed (WU) about the life of an author and money and feel the urge to piggyback onto it. I agree with the writer that there is a lot of misconception out there, not only among readers and the general public, but even authors themselves.

It’s human nature that we most remember the big book deals where a debut author is handed a six-figure check, then sells the movie rights and becomes filthy rich overnight. If you’re a new writer/first-time author and expect such success, you may want to put down that pen or set aside that typewriter.

I’ve got news. You’re in it for the wrong reasons. While immediate success does happen once in a great while, it is rare. Most authors never see close to those figures, not even with their second, third or fifth books. Which brings me to the main reason for my blog. If you’re considering the career of an author, you’ll want to dig deep into your soul and find out if you’re passionate about spending thousands of hours researching, writing, editing, discarding and restarting.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s definitely cool to write a book. But to write a good one, you’ll need to pay your dues and that, my friends, takes time. What I’m trying to say is that a true writer doesn’t care so much about the money. It’s great when it comes in, but it is not a determining factor to be a writer. Ask a painter why he paints, ask a musician why he plays, they’ll tell you because they must. It’s no different for an author. We must.

So while it’s wonderful to envision fame and fortune, I’m going to put my nose to the grindstone and write another novel. Something set during the prohibition. Not sure yet, but my brain will lead me there. Ask me in a few months.

In other News

banner for blog tour of escape from the past: the duke's wrathBlog Tour

To prepare for the release of the last book in the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST trilogy, I’m currently doing a blog tour for ESCAPE FROM THE PAST: THE DUKE’S WRATH. Here is the schedule:

front image of bookstore in Madison, Ind.Author Fairs/Readings

I hope to see you at one of the author fairs this fall. I’ve been really enjoying meeting readers and book lovers, chatting about the background of my novels, historical research and the writing life. I just spent a great day at the Village Lights Bookstore in Madison, Indiana. Nathan and Anne are great hosts and very passionate about books. Scroll down and see the lineup of events.

Teaching/Presentations

Here are a few places I’ll be presenting or teaching.

  • October 7, 2016 – Mad Anthony BookFest: The good and bad of living in the Middle Ages
  • November 13, 2016 – Monroe County Public Library: FREE Workshop: Dialogue in Fiction
  • January – April, 2017 – Ivy Tech Community College: Three consecutive workshops on various aspects of fiction writing and publishing
  • June 2017 – Historical Novel Society: Going Medieval: How to Infuse the Middle Ages into your Novel