Plodding Through Plot Problems

Cover Concept Art

My last book came out on Valentine's Day this year (2017). I've been working on and off on another novella, but a few other things have taken from my book writing time AND, when I have been writing, it's been a struggle with my present work. There have been plot perplexities, which I am now working out...when I have the time.

It's not that I'm not writing.

This year I've done a lot of work for local news services and a magazine, not to mention editing and other business writing work. So, I have my excuses, I guess. (Don't we all?) We've been running Harbor House Writing Center this year and we opened Harbor BOOKs & Gifts in September, too.

I wanted to get the new Bayou Boys Adventure, Alien Ambush, out for Thanksgiving 2017 (because the story takes place over the holiday and addresses timely matters).

That may still be possible, but it will be a challenge. I have about fifteen writing days to write half the work (that's 15K words) and then it still has to go through editing and polishing and formatting within the three weeks following.

I may yet do it, but some days I just have too many other things on my mind and on my plate. And honestly, I'm pretty lazy, too. So, please, bear with me. Maybe say a little prayer for me as well.

New/Upcoming Publication News & New Cover Designs

With the publication of Joe Benjamin's Silly Billy and Ducky Dee through my press, my self-publishing workshop over, and the Indie Author & Book Fair done and gone it's time to turn my attention back to my own work. That is the work of writing, editing and designing stuff that is my own.

Some of you may know that I've been casually working on new cover designs for some of my older books. Actually, I've been working on a new cover for Rocketman: From the Trailer Park to Insomnia and Beyond and now have the concept design finalized. I just have to complete the final art. That should take about a day.

I'm also doing up an omnibus of my three Bayou Boys books (Voodoo Virus, Marsh Monster and Playhouse Phantom). That means I'm compiling all three books into one volume, titled simply The Bayou Boys. I'm working on the cover for that. I came up with four designs and sought opinions and comments. My readers and fellow authors supplied and they definitely ruled out one of the four, but, as yet, I have no clear consensus on the remaining three. LOL I do have one I'm leaning toward, though (see the concept art below).

When I do finally and firmly know which cover I'll go with I'll have to complete the final art, compile the texts and format the interior. That's a good solid week's work. (BTW: I have no plans at this time to complete the fourth Bayou Boys Adventure, Alien Ambush.) I have begun work on the interior layout as of this writing.

Finally, I'm working toward completion of Chicken Poop on My Sole. I still need a couple stories and I have a cover design that needs fleshed out and completed. I have begun formatting the interior, but that, too, needs work. Should I get those stories in (Might you have one you'd like to submit?) I could be done inside two weeks.

All in all, I'm looking to complete these projects before the end of May. Chicken Poop is slated to be released on Memorial Day weekend.

I'm not sure what the summer will bring yet. I do have a humorous short story that I'm looking into possibly making into a graphic novel or something, but haven't really decided what to do with it. I might just put it into another anthology.

You can read it here.

I do plan to write more short works: articles, personal essays, short fiction, and poetry. Sure, I have ideas for novels, but I'm not sure that's what I want to pursue right now.

So, NaNoWriMo No Mo, Y'kno

I did about 30K even though my ambitious goal was 80K. LOL I hope you did better, and I hope you y'all hit at least the 50K mark. I did get my entire story roughed out narratively. 

I'll be adding to it and fleshing out some more dialogue, adding a few scenes, etc. as December progresses. I will be happy if the final manuscript rounds out at 50-60K.

Here's the premise in a nutshell: A burned out pastor thinks he's living hell until he actually goes there. A visit to Heaven reminds him what he's living for.

At the right is a rough mock-up of the proposed cover art. A few tweaks are in order, but the general concept and layout are there. >

Final editing will take place in January and the book should be out in time for Valentine's Day.

I hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic and that your Christmas season will be a joyful blessing to you and yours.

Proposed Cover Art for "Louie, the Lonely Lighthouse"

Here's what I'm thinking will be the cover for the new book coming out May Day, may day. 

What do YOU think?

Illustration by Roxanne Bowman, typography and layout by me.

Proposed Cover for: "I'm Samson," said Sydney

Here's the front cover mock-up for "I'm Samson," said Sydney, due out this fall. 

The illustration is by April M. Bullard, type design by me. The overall layout (by April and I) is designed to carry over throughout the (potential) series.

So the next one (?) might say "I'm Solomon," at the top and the picture in the circle would be different.

You like?

Also, seven of the twelve inside illustrations are now complete, so we're right on schedule..

New Book in the Works for Fall 2014

I am currently editing a book (due out this summer), gearing up to market another (due out at the end of the  month), and writing another (due out this fall). 

Here is a proposed cover for the one I'm writing. Tell me what you think.

Which Photograph Would Be Most Compelling?

Which of these photographs might be the most compelling for the cover of the Second Edition of my upcoming book LIGHTS, CAMERA, WORSHIP? 

Keep in mind that the thinnest of the three (left) would be the front cover alone and that the wider one (below) would spread to the back cover.

Designs are mock-ups only and text may differ. Cover ideas are subject to change.

Proposed Cover for PLAYHOUSE PHANTOM

This is the proposed cover design for PLAYHOUSE PHANTOM. 

Please tell me what you think.

Proposed PLAYHOUSE PHANTOM Cover

So, this is the newest proposed PLAYHOUSE PHANTOM cover.

What do you think?

MARSH MONSTER Cover Art

All it needs is a blurb.

Who wants to read it and have their name on the cover?

I'm willing to wait one week (as hard as that is) for a reader or two.

It's about a two hour read.

MARSH MONSTER: Proposed Cover Art

Proposed cover art for MARSH MONSTER.

What do you think? Colors, layout, impact?