Category: An Author’s Life

  • No Time for Writing

    There’s more to being an author than writing stories. Making readers aware of new releases is a big part of the job. “Managing the brand” across numerous social media platforms is another requirement. A boss would tell me I need to do better, or else. She’d be right too. The marketing part has always been…

  • Release Day Eve

    Shortly after midnight, DSP Publications will release The Case of the Missing Drag Queen. Readers who preordered the e-book will wake up tomorrow to find a copy in his or her inbox. Paperbacks should reach readers in the next week or two. As release day nears, I’m like a child awaiting Christmas. Imagining happy endings…

  • The Friends Behind my Blog Tour

    The midpoint of my 14-week promotional campaign for The Case of the Missing Drag Queen just passed. So far, so good. It’s #8 on DSP Publications best sellers list and has been as high as #6.. Setting up a blog tour is a lot of work. Since my first release, I’ve outsourced the job. Those campaigns…

  • Time Warp

    The older I get, the faster time seems to pass. I can’t believe it’s nearly the middle of March. What happened to winter? The last month of the year always goes by fast. This December went by at a record-setting pace. On top of the usual end-of-year and holiday rush, preparing to teach a class…

  • My Genre-Identity Issues

    My process for crafting a novel is entirely organic. That’s a snooty way of saying I have no idea what I’m doing. I get an idea, and, with little forethought or planning, start writing. The plot, subplots, and characters evolve along the way until, with any luck, the story comes together. My first four attempts at writing…

  • Back in the Saddle

    Good news for anyone who has missed my blog. I’m back! Four months without having to write a post every week was good for my soul.  Time off helped me gain some perspective. Becoming a published author remains the coolest thing I’ve ever done. Five years into the gig, however, the new has worn off. Between…

  • A Christmas Letter

    Dear Friends, Holiday greetings from the Deep South. This year, I’m not sending any cards. My declining vision is such that hand-writing notes and addressing envelopes is too difficult. Yeah, I could print labels and mail form letters, but that’s about as personal as those stupid holiday email messages with dancing elves or some such. May…

  • Closed for the Season

    I’ve blogged at least once every week for more than eight years. The Crotchety Old Man was my first blog. I added The Adventures of Tico and Toodles when my Chihuahuas were puppies (links below). Banging out a post took maybe an hour. A small but loyal following seemed to enjoy my little essays. Some said I should…

  • Stop the Pirates

    Once upon a time, books were only available as hard copies. Digital formats didn’t yet exist. The  pricey hardback edition came out first, and if it did well, a paperback edition followed. Readers could buy the book, borrow a copy from the library or a friend, or shoplift a copy from a retailer. Stealing from bookstores…

  • My New Exercise Routine

    “Exercise more” tops my to-do list and will likely remain a priority for the rest of my life. Progress has been made. “Exercise more” replaced “Get off your ass and do something,” a to-do list topper from the late 1970s to 2005 or so. Incorporating exercise into daily routines is the key to success. I try…