"Comet's Passage" Accepted for Publication

It is my pleasure to inform my readers that Long Story Short, the ezine that has already published three of my fiction pieces, has just accepted my first work of poetry for publication in their October issue.

"Comet's Passage" is a fanciful telling of how a comet traces its path through the heavens. Look for it after October 7th of 2008 to appear in the poetry section of Long Story Short.

Obama: An Observation

This will be a rather short post, but I felt like putting it here.

I heard Democratic presidential candidate Barach Obama speaking on television the other night while I sat down in the break room at Frito Lay. Obama stated, in words even a child would have difficulty misunderstanding, that the "walls" must come down. The two particular "walls" to which I remember he referred were the walls between nations, and the "walls" between Christians and Muslims!

The short conclusion I came to is this: Obama is an insane liberal politician; Obama must not become the next president of the United States of America.

Rebecca Miller to edit SOTS

Rebecca Miller, editor for Bryan Davis's Dragons In Our Midst books, has agreed to edit my first novel. Among Bryan Davis's novels, Circles of Seven has always been my favorite. I need someone, in whom I have confidence, to edit Swords of the Six. Having seen her finished work I have no doubt she'll do a wonderful job on my novel.

The next step toward publication is line art. I need one of my illustrators to do banner-style images to be used as headers for the chapters in my novel.

Currently I am looking for a book-designer. I'd prefer someone with a track record of professionally-done fantasy books.

Taking the Open Door: FLAMING PEN PRESS

Well, my dear readers, after two years of back and forth with AMG Publishers, my proposed novel was shot down at the final stage before contract. Both the acquisitions editor and the senior editor of the house expressed their disappointment to me... and their surprise. Both of them felt the other editors would go for The Sword of the Dragon series.

Some people have expressed sympathy to me for having spent so much time with that publishing house only to be rejected. But their sentiments are not mine. I asked God to close the door to AMG if that was not the best venue for me to release my book through, and He has . . .. So now it is time to move on to the next stage of the publishing process.

I'd made the decision in the last six months to start my own publishing company if AMG did not offer contract for Swords of the Six. During the past year and a half I have researched and studied the process of doing just that. It is complicated and, initially, more financial capital is required up-front. But it also allows me to control 100% of the book rights and keep 100% of the profits.

Many people who have not studied the publishing process will confuse what I am going to do with Print On Demand publishing services (offered through places such as BookSurge and Lulu.com). I will not be following that route. The cost of the books, per unit, is too large for there to be a profit for the author that prints that way.

Traditional publishing houses order 'print runs' from book printers after they hire editors (either in-house or freelancers). They also hire (and I will be out-sourcing for) book design/typesetting. Currently I am in the process of commissioning final artwork, negotiating marketing rights, looking for one more editor (I have two already committed), and planning the first print run.

This Fall I will open Flaming Pen Press and, come Spring of 2009, we will release The Sword of the Dragon--Book 1--Swords of the Six. Flaming Pen Press will launch a website in the near future and I will feed updates on the novel's progress into this blog as things move forward.

Rescheduled Meeting & ongoing Artwork

AMG's new product meeting has been rescheduled due to one of the editors going in for surgery this week. July 8th is the new date.

On the bright side I know for certain now that I have at least two possitive votes for Swords of the Six because I spoke with one of the editors.

Also, check out some preliminary artwork for the interior of the book. This is copyright property of the artist, Amber Hill:

AMG's New Product Meeting

Dan Penwell at AMG Publishers informed me today that they are having their next New Product Meeting on June 30th. My manuscript is the first on their agenda and they will give me a final decision after that meeting. ...Please pray. I know that whatever happens will be in God's will and thus in my best interest, but after all this work I cannot help but be a little anxious. Over 90% of manuscripts never make it to this point in the publishing process... I would like it to jump this last hurdle.

Positive Attitude: It Makes a Big Difference

What do you surround yourself with? Do you hang out with negative people or positive? The first group will drag you down, the second will build you up. As a writer I occasionally come across people who look at me funny and invariably say something along the lines of "Why don't you get a real job?" The people who say things like that to me find that I avoid their company. I don't shun them or despise them, rather I avoid them in order that I may surround myself with people who will encourage me to strive toward my goals. I do not have a large circle of friends and this is why. If I were to hang out with the crowd I could have more 'friends' . . . but in actuality they would be acquaintences. A true friend is a kindred spirit; someone who encourages you in what you do and is honest enough to tell you when you've done something wrong. Those that I count as my friends are not acquaintences, they are encouraging individuals who appreciate me for who I am and what I want to be. I can count my friends on one hand. They are few in number but strong in heart.

The same principle applies to entertainment. When you watch television, is the show or movie a positive force on your attitude or a negative? I enjoy watching movies. Any of my friends can tell you that. But there are certain things I avoid at times. For instance, we have several seasons of the I Love Lucy Show on DVD. I can't watch too many of those at a time because I find that the sarcasm adversly affects my attitude. The same is true of science fiction shows. Some of them get too dark and the characters are always down in the ruts. I have found that watching less television empowers me for a more productive day. That's not to say television is bad, in fact, at times, it is a very good thing. But exercising wisdom in what you fill your mind with goes a long way toward being a positive individual.

Fill your mind with clean thoughts by sifting out the images you allow your eyes to see. And surround yourself with individuals who will encourage you to attain your goals and be a constant, unfailing encouragment to you.