My next novel, Trouble in Choctaw County, is almost ready for release. It's scheduled for August 15. It seems like that day is taking forever to get here.
This is my first book published by a New York Publisher, DocUmeant Publishing. There's a lot more to getting a book ready for the market than I realized. All my other novels were self-published, which means that when I was done writing and reasonably certain it was ready to go, I published through Kindle Direct. It's pretty fast, but I was only selling a few hundred books.
So - I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get a contract with DocUmeant and have been learning ever since. BUT, I am getting excited about getting my new novel released. Only 62 days left.
I hope lots of people will purchase one and then actually read it, and then, if all the planets line up, write a review. Wouldn't that be something?
Since I had time on my hands (waiting for the release of Choctaw County), I wrote another novel. No telling when this one will come out, but I just finished the first draft. The working title is The Five Watches. It's a time travel story, covering 700 years.
I think a lot of people avoid time travel novels, which I can kind of understand. I've read several, and some are very good, and some are pretty lame. Of course, mine is excellent and worthy of your attention. LOL. As always, it was fun to write.
I love writing stories. They come very easy to me, for which I am blessed. The Five Watches is about an ordinary guy who gets swept up in an adventure he never expected. He's the kind of guy who always helps others and often wishes he could just say "no".
I'd guess it will come out sometime early next year, so save your allowance.
If you read Billy Bean's Ghost, you might have guessed that I'm into playing the piano. I am. I took lessons when I was a little kid, but found that trying to learn to read music was difficult. So, I quit.
When I turned 50 years old, I suddenly started playing again. My brother, Richard, got me and a couple other guys together as a jam band. It was a lot of fun, but that group broke up years ago. I kept playing my Yamaha keyboard, and started buying better models. I play by ear, which I am able to do well enough to entertain myself.
I always wanted a grand piano. When Paula and I lived on our ranch, there just wasn't enough room, but now that we're in Florida, and have a house that has this perfect place for a piano, I finally got one. Here's the cool part: it is a 1901 Everett semi-grand - 121 years old, and it sounds good. I'm really jazzed about having it. One thing about grands, though: they are really loud. My doberman, Rayne, heads for the hills when I play it.