In The Details

Several years ago I read a book that contained a story line about a couple trees.  It was a very detailed story and I am going to paraphrase it.  If you recognize it, please don't place anything in comments to reveal what book it is from.  I have a lot of respect for the author who wrote it, this just happened to be one instance of something that didn't work for me.

The tree story goes something like this.  They were very large old trees that grew in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.  Some businessmen from the far east bought those trees because they wanted to restore an one of the ancient temples in their country.

The trees were harvested, and the left out in the weather for months.  There was lots of rain and the trees got wet pretty much every day.  They were very water logged by the time they were transported to a shipyard to be loaded onto a ship for transport to the Far East.

The trees were chained to the deck of the ship and away they went.  Along the way they encountered very fierce storms.  The already water logged trees were further drenched from torrential rains and waves that sent spray over the deck of the ship.

Eventually it was too much for the chains, which gave out and the trees went overboard.  They were so water logged that they actually sunk several feet below the surface before their natural buoyancy halted the descent.

Those trees floated there several feet below the surface of the ocean before the real purpose and reason for them being in the story was revealed.

There were chapters devoted to those trees.  Extraordinary details which described how those trees ended up floating under the surface of the ocean, all so they could impact the lives of the characters who encountered those trees below the surface.

For me, it was way too much detail.  I do recognize there had to be an explanation for how these huge logs ended up floating below the surface of the ocean, but to give so many details made it excruciating to read.

I try to watch the details I am including.  To remember what I wrote.  It's not an easy task at all.  I've gone back to read things I have written and had to ask myself why I added something I had added.  I will press on.  The stories can't be told unless I face the fact that I might not write perfectly.  I just make sure I give my very best.

It's a Small World

Last summer I took a College Algebra course at the local junior college.  It was a fairly difficult course, but I did manage to get an A- for my final grade.

Almost every class I brought in a copy of Jeremy's Kiss and put it on my desk so everyone around me could see it.  I didn't say anything, just put it there to let it advertise itself.

I was successful.  The instructor purchased the signed copy in the last day of class.

Today I heard that he got to talking to one of his current students about books, and they have both read Jeremy's Kiss.

Well talk about a small world.  I'm a happy author.

From 300,000 to 1.2 Million

Just got some exciting news today.

First of all, the 300,000 is about the review I got in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal for Jeremy's Kiss.

http://lubbockonline.com/entertainment/2012-09-01/kerns-thrills-chills-abound-thompsons-self-published-jeremys-kiss?v=#

The Lubbock area encompasses about 300,000 people.  I am definitely not complaining about that reach.  It was awesome.

Today though, I got the news that Jeremy's Kiss will be featured in this Sunday's Omaha World Herald.  I don't know if it is a book review or if it is a press release.  I just know the book will be in that paper.

I am spreading the word to the very best of my ability.  I am going to buy copies of that newspaper too.  I am starting my own scrapbook of newspaper mentions.  Talk about super exciting.

The Scorpion And The Swan

One day a scorpion arrived at a river. She wanted to cross but knew she wouldn't be able to swim against the current. She looked over and saw a beautiful swan swimming along the other shore.

She called out to the swan and asked if he would carry her on his back to the other side. The swan was uncertain because the scorpion was known to be dangerous.

The scorpion asked again, with a promise to not harm the swan. And even pointed out that if she stung the swan, then she would die in the current.

The swan figured there was no risk. After all, why would the scorpion sting a creature that was helping it?

So he swam over and allowed the scorpion to climb onto his back. About half-way across the river, the scorpion stung the swan and as they were being swept away by the current the swan asked: "Why did you sting me?"

The scorpion responded: "It is my nature. It's what I do."

I know what it is like to encounter the scorpion.  A person who even if you try to help them, will still sting you and bring you down.

My Happy Truck

I have a happy pickup truck.

It is a 4X4 truck with a big V8 engine.  One look at it and you can tell it is a truck that is made for getting off road and playing in the great outdoors.

Well I like getting into the great outdoors, so it's a good relationship.

I just got back from a hunting trip.  The truck got to show off it's muscles and tow an RV trailer (along with 3 adults and 2 grown teens), plus all the camping and hunting gear.

We went out on muddy back roads.  We went off the road (only a little bit), and got to climb over some big bumps covered with mud.

The hunting part was not successful.  The camping part, well, there was no one anywhere around us and that was absolutely amazing for me, I like it when I go camping and I really get away from it all.

And of course, my truck is really happy because it got a full weekend of being a real truck and getting to do the things it was made to do.

Schedule Part 2

We decided on a schedule and here it is.

I'll write on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays.

Time permitting I will work on promoting on Saturdays.

The rest of the week belongs to family and friends and taking care of my house (oh, and that pesky day job).

Schedule

I realized today that I need to be on a schedule.

I have a work schedule.

I have a schedule for when I go for violin lessons.

When I was in school, I had a class schedule.

I kept to those schedules to the best of my ability.  I went to class, I go to violin lessons.  I get to work on time and stay until clock out time (or later).

I don't have a writing schedule though.  Everyone pretty much assumes when I am home I am free to do whatever, and so time gets filled with stuff that is not writing.

I am going to set a schedule.  Otherwise I will not be able to accomplish my goals.   I might even publicly post that schedule.  Who knows.  I just know that I am going to set that schedule, and I treat it like a work or class schedule that I am obligated to be at.

The Long Work Week

I haven't been quiet on purpose.  Really.  It was just a really long work week in which I put in several hours of overtime.  Every single day was a bust my butt and do everything I could do to get caught back up.

I came home from the day job every day time job just plain exhausted.  That is no condition in which to try and write.

I am happy to say that I have survived the week.  I am going to catch up on email.  Maybe write some, but no promises because I am still very tired.  I will get some rest and get back to writing.  I got a story that needs to be told.'

PS - On further review of this post.  I see why I haven't been writing this week, and why I really should consider not writing anymore tonight.

"Jeremy's Kiss" Reviewed in Lubbock Avalanche Journal

 

For those who don't know, the Lubbock Avalanche Journal is the main city newspaper in Lubbock, TX.

This is what unknown, struggling, self published author's call a really awesome break.  Newspapers generally don't do press releases on unknown self published authors.  In fact, William Kern's (Entertainment Editor at Lubbock Avalanche Journal) told me exactly that, but he was willing to give me a chance and asked if I would send him a copy of the book.

I sent it.  He read it, and he was impressed enough to interview me and put the full review in the Sunday edition on Sept 2, 2012.  I would love to put the full text of the review right here in this blog, but it was actually pretty long.

So here is a link to the book review posted online by the Lubbock Avalanche Journal.

Thrills, chills abound in Thompson's Thriller Jeremy's Kiss