I’ve been neglecting you, oh dear readers, and I feel bad
about that. I could say I’ve simply been too busy, but of course that would be
nonsense. It’s simply that I’ve been writing my skinny little butt off and
having a ball doing it. For several years, those just before and just after
retiring from a real job, I wrote half a dozen or more novels, never looking to
get any of them published.
Some of us are slow learners and it took several years
before I finally said, why haven’t I seriously tried to get published? I have
published many short stories, many poems, and of course, fifty years of
journalism, many articles. Why not a novel? No good answer, so I got out my
stack manuscripts and started the long process of polishing them up.
Two thousand and fifteen is my year, so far. I have
published the western Jacob Chance, U.S. Marshal, which has received four
five-star reviews and some favorable comments. I have published the fantasy The
Quest, with one five-star review, so far. The book hasn’t been out very long at
this writing. And I just finished the first edit on my western novel, Paradise
Challenged, which could be available in time for Christmas giving.
I’m writing the second book in the Jacob Chance trilogy at
this time and have two mystery/crime novels that I hope to have published in
2016, and this brings up the question of writing in more than one genre. I’ve
had no problem with the concept, but I know other authors who either don’t feel
comfortable writing in more than one genre, or feel it shouldn’t be done, for
whatever reason.
My comfort level comes from my long background in print
journalism and broadcasting. In my broadcasting career I was called on to write
fuzzy-wuzzy commercial copy, hard news, cover murders, and ladies’ tea parties.
And, I called many sports broadcasts, baseball, football, and elections. (Humor
intended) In other words, I had to wear many different hats, write in many
different forms, and all of it on the fly. The word ‘deadline’ still makes my
heart race and my blood pressure increase.
So why couldn’t I have Jacob Chance clean up a mob of land
scheming frauds in one novel, put Simon Sol Dorsey through the wringer clearing
out drug dealing mobsters in another novel, and enjoy writing Tom Henry through
a universe-wide conspiracy with romance in the wings? Well, actually, I have,
and in the process allowed Pete Quimby to be compared to John Wayne.
Some introductions are in order here. You have met Jacob
Chance, U.S. Marshal, and Tom Henry, interstellar traveler, I hope, and in a
novel not yet completely ready to be looked at by a publisher, Simon Sol Dorsey
is a private eye with high morals and few ethics. Yeah, a likable noir
character who can get in lots of trouble. Pete Quimby is one of the leads in
Paradise Challenged, and my editor said, ‘his character should be played by a
John Wayne type.’
What I find most enjoyable about all of this is simply
having lots of fun telling stories, letting make-believe people romp through
all kinds of difficulties and circumstances, some living through it all, some
not, and at the end, hopefully, many live happily ever after and the bad guys
go down in flames. I try not to write with a heavy moral emphasis, strong on
doing good, or characters that toe the line of ethical behavior, rather, I try
to picture myself at a campfire surrounded by wonderful people listening to my
stories.
Those teaching ‘creative literature’ are already cringing,
but I like to write the same kinds of stories that I like to read. I love
rompin’ stompin’ heroes fighting off the murderous hordes, men and women in
silver space suits soaring through the vastness of our galaxy, or a rough and
tumble PI with a forty five auto tucked in his pants whoop-assin’ on some
tweaker.
No, my novels will not make social inroads toward bettering
our civilization, but hopefully they will make more than one evening’s read a
pleasant experience.
Until next time, read good books and stay regular.
Will you join me on facebook from time to time?
Or Tweet with me, darlin’?
No comments:
Post a Comment