The Crotchety Old Man

Category: Writing

  • Waiting Games

    Three weeks ago today I submitted a query, synopsis, and the first twenty pages of Until Thanksgiving to a publisher. Three days later, I received a response to my query: a request from the publisher for the full manuscript. I sent the manuscript within thirty minutes and have been dancing off the ceiling ever since.…

  • We’ve Come a Long Way

    After Christmas Eve takes place in late 1965 and early 1966 in Washington, DC. I didn’t have a choice. Details I wrote into Until Thanksgiving, before I knew there would be a prequel, forced my hand. I firmly believe in writing what you know. My first two books were set where I’ve lived. For the…

  • A Totally Different Experience

    A few years ago, the idea of writing a book intimidated me enough to keep me from even trying. The complexity of the task overwhelmed me. The job was too big to comprehend and I didn’t know enough to break it into smaller, more manageable chunks. I added “write a book” to the things I…

  • A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That…

    Writing has been a key interest for most of my life. The rest come and go, some lasting for decades and others keeping my attention for only a few weeks. You’ll notice a trend. When I’m in, I dive into the deep-end and completely immerse myself in whatever activity has caught my fancy. My interests vary.…

  • Back to Work

    It’s just been me and the dogs here at home this weekend. I took the opportunity to focus on me. My partner would say I do that all the time. He’s right. But when he’s not around, I really indulge myself. I could accomplish more without the dogs pestering me. They insist I stop whatever…

  • The Real Me?

    My life as a professional writer isn’t exactly profitable. Three blogs and two completed manuscripts have yet to generate a dime of revenue. At least blogging doesn’t cost anything. After paying a freelance editor to review them, I’m in the red on both books. Consequently, I’ve not yet given up my day job. I happen…

  • Going Pro

    Okay. That Until Thanksgiving is seriously being considered by a real publisher means I’m that much closer to my goal of becoming a published author. It’s time to spiff things up here at the House to prepare for fame and fortune. I’ve done some research and as a result, will be making some changes. The…

  • Aiming High

    Because of everything I’ve learned about writing in the year since I finished writing it, revising Glass Houses has been more interesting and less tedious than I expected. Leaving it alone for nearly a year helped, too. Hard to say whether the passage of time or my growth as a writer helped more. Both made…

  • More Than Friends

    I finished writing Glass Houses about a year ago. After receiving rejections from the agent of my dreams and a publisher that seemed perfect for my book, I knew I needed help. Several friends suggested I check out local groups for writers. A Google search turned up a group right here in Athens. I sent…

  • Writing Myself Out of a Corner

    For the last month or so, I’ve made very little forward progress on Addicted, my first work of fiction. I know where the story is going and how it will end. Even so, for some reason I’ve been stuck at the 40,000 word mark. Addicted is a male/male romance novel about Josh Freeman, a middle-aged…