When I last made a blog entry, I said my life had settled down a bit. As it turned out, December proved to be anything and everything ... EXCEPT a settled month. (We lost our grandson just before Christmas.) Everett was only with us for 11 weeks, but we all grew to love him dearly.

It's now January. A new month. The start of a new year. A time for New Year's Resolutions.

My primary resolution is to publish at least one of my books. So come back in late January or early February. 

Also, if you haven't already done so, visit my "Freebies" page, where you will find some examples of my work, including a short story set in the latter days of the American Civil War. And please feel free to click on the envelope at the top of the page and send me a short note of encouragement or criticism. ... constructive criticism is preferred, but all criticism will be taken into consideration..

Has it been two months already? How time flies! In some respects (thought not all), my life has settled down a bit. I've also done a couple more re-reads of my novel since my last blog entry. As much as I'd like to continue making it better and better, I think the time has come to learn the intricacies of publication...after one more re-read. I know I can't make it perfect, but I do want to make it better.

As for my grandson, he's still in the Vanderbilt NICU. Again, a long story, but not a story for this blog. At least, not at this time.

If you haven't already done so, visit my "Freebies" page, where you will find some examples of my work, including a short story set in the latter days of the American Civil War. Also, feel free to click on the envelope at the top of the page and send me a short note of encouragement or criticism...constructive criticism being preferred..

It was my intention for this blog to be about my writing projects, but, as I've hinted in prior entries, life happens. Literally! My son Lee and daughter-in-law Elizabeth delivered (again, literally) a new life yesterday, shortly after noon. Everett, at 5 lbs 13 oz, is presently in Vanderbilt Hospital's NICU and will probably be there for about 2 months. Long story. Not for my blog. At least, not today's blog. But I had to share this with you. As you can read on my "About Me" page, I now have 3 grandchildren. Dang! Three grandchildren, and zero books published! My life is out of balance! Or is it? Family first!!!!!

If you haven't already done so, visit my "Freebies" page, where you will find some examples of my work, including a short story set in the latter days of the American Civil War.

Yes, I'm still here. And still plugging away. A lot has happened in the past couple of months. More so in my life than in my writing. A couple of road trips (pleasurable), family illnesses of both immediate and extended family (not so pleasurable), the selling and purchasing of vehicles (both pleasurable and not so pleasurable) and the routine time burners of day-to-day life. Come back soon. I may have a couple of additions on my Freebies page...and I might have an excerpt or two from my novel. Who knows? I might even have my novel!

I recently read a Paul Simon interview.  He said:

"A lot of people believe first idea, best idea, but I don't. I'll sing a song many, many times before I get the vocal I want. I re-write songs, not because I'm trying to make them more commercial, but because there's something about them that's unsatisfying to me. My thought is that the ear always goes to the irritant and, eventually, you find the thing you don't like in a song and that's got to go. Sometimes it takes me a year or two. I'll be in denial about it. But once it goes, then I'll try and fix it."

Paul put into words (perfectly) why I am so frustrated with my writing...and why I have taken so long to publish this novel. Each time I reread one of my manuscripts, making edits as I go, I tell myself I've done a great job...it's ready for publication...but, just to be sure, I'll give it one more read. And then, like Paul said, "my ear goes to the irritant" and I find myself changing tons of wrong that seemed so right.

For those of you have been reading my blog, I apologize for taking so long to make another entry...and especially for taking so long to publish my novel. Life has gotten in the way...partly unavoidable, and partly because I've allowed it to do so. Believe it or not, I am getting closer. In fact, I am very close. (In the meantime...if you haven't already done so...go to my Freebies page. There, you'll find a few examples of my writing...a couple of travel memoirs and a short story.)

Well, it's obvious I did not meet my self-imposed March "deadline," but I hope to get it done by the end of April or middle of May. I PROMISE I'm working on it, and feeling very good about its status. One more read of the manuscript (maybe two) and I'll convert it into a book. (In the meantime, visit my freebies page where you'll find several examples of my writing efforts.)

I'm almost ready to move from the editing stage to the publishing stage. Won't make it in February, though. Hopefully by the end of March. (Please visit my Freebies page, where you'll find examples of my writing efforts.)

Well, the Holidays are behind me. So, what's my excuse now? Perhaps the fact writing...or should I say editing?...takes a lot more time than I realized. But I'm getting there. So soon. Maybe. I hope. (Please visit my Freebies page, where you'll find examples of my writing efforts.) 

Please bear with me. I had hoped to have one of my novels published by the end of this year; however, with family issues, and the Holidays coming up, it will probably be early next year before I have something new to share with you. (In the meantime, visit my Freebies page, where you'll find some examples of my writing efforts.)

I have added Catherine's War, a short story, to the Freebies section. Please read it, and, if you enjoy it, share the link to my website with your friends. 

Finally! If you would like to read some examples of my work, click on the Freebies page. I have placed links to a couple of my travelogue/memoirs there, and, in a day or two, will add a link to one of my short stories.

Again, I apologize for the delay. Check back in 3 weeks. I promise I'll have something for you to read by then. And here's a bonus: it will be free! (I may get something posted even earlier, so visit my blog again, oh, say, around the  21st.. Until then...) 

It's amazing how life can get in the way. Sickness in the family...my new-found obsession with genealogy... preparation for, and the taking of, a lengthy vacation road-trip...

One more read of my book. After that, I promise I'll "compile" it, put a cover on it, and place it on the market. 

My, how time flies! I'm getting closer, so please check back in a couple of weeks.

It's amazing how an empty calendar gets filled in. Didn't make a lot of progress this past week, but I did identify some time wasters and improve my "game plan." Check back soon. I still hope to have my first book online within a couple of months.

My goal for the upcoming week is to make improvements to my website and, of course, continue working on the novels I hope to publish within the next couple of months. Unlike the past few weeks,, my calendar for this week is relatively clear,  so I hope to make considerable progress.

Welcome to my blog. I started writing at the age of 16. For the most part, I simply recorded plot ideas to be developed at some point later in my life...at the age of 40, I decided I had reached that point...and I've been writing, on average, an hour or two every day since then. It has been a slow process, but I feel several of my projects, as well as my writing skills, are knocking on the door of being "publish ready." Just how I'm going to get published is yet to be determined, but I'm only a month or two away from tackling the process in earnest. STAY TUNED! Come back and read my blog. I'll keep you up to date on the status of my writing and publishing efforts.