Too much fun!
I created my own special-interest group on Linked-In on Monday (5/5) and it was approved today! So, if you're a Derek Hart fan and you want to add the logo to your list of groups, just click on this link http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/100411/04AAC568EAFE and it will take you right where you need to go. Now I'm assuming you're already registered on Linked-In, because if you're not, you should be.
I'm really excited about this nifty little networking tool, because it's associated with Linked-In, one of the fastest growing social networking sites around. I'm also thrilled by the potential of attracting new readers, because curious people might investigate what the Derek Hart Readers Group is all about. If they click on the website link, their questions should be answered.
Anyway, it was fun to create and has been even more fun to watch people sign up. I can't wait to watch the group grow!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
May 4, 1955 at 6:31 PM, Central Time
It's my birthday, so instead of writing stuff on my blog, website, and the 15,000 social networking sites I belong to, I'm going to work on one of my novels. I haven't decided which one, but I've been away from the writing experience for too long and I miss it. I'm also going to hang out with my son and play Xbox, after I call my parents.
For dinner we're going to savor homemade garlic/herb wings, with tons of blue cheese dip. Oh, and don't forget the grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes and cold beer. Sounds delicious!
Heart healthy?
Not!
Hey, it's my birthday.
For dinner we're going to savor homemade garlic/herb wings, with tons of blue cheese dip. Oh, and don't forget the grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes and cold beer. Sounds delicious!
Heart healthy?
Not!
Hey, it's my birthday.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Doug Cummings - "Sometimes secrets are the real crime!"
Chicago.
It's my kind of town.
There's nothing quite like it and no place comes close. To those of you who have never been there, it's impossible to explain. There's something about the lake, I think. Lake Michigan has some kind of mystical and magical impact on anyone who lives within 50 miles of Chicago, whether they want to admit it or not.
Doug Cummings http://www.dougmcummings.com used to thrill Chicago radio listeners with his dynamic and factual crime reporting at WMAQ and then WGN, chasing spectacular fires, shattering car crashes, and horrible murders. One day, Doug decided he would rather pursue his lifelong passion of writing and started turning out some of the most realistic mystery novels to come out of Chicago.
Doug's first novel, Deader by the Lake, (I love that title), which introduced his main character, Reno McCarthy, was an instant critical success, widely acclaimed by anyone who read it. Doug's next book, Every Secret Crime, has just been released to scores of expectant fans and mystery readers.
So, if you enjoy mysteries that are hard-hitting and wonderfully packed with caustic wit, or you love books set in the vibrant and unique city of Chicago, you've just got to read novels written by Doug Cummings. You will not only be on the edge of your seat, you'll swear you're driving down Lake Shore Drive at 2:00 in the morning in the rain. His books are that good.
It's my kind of town.
There's nothing quite like it and no place comes close. To those of you who have never been there, it's impossible to explain. There's something about the lake, I think. Lake Michigan has some kind of mystical and magical impact on anyone who lives within 50 miles of Chicago, whether they want to admit it or not.
Doug Cummings http://www.dougmcummings.com used to thrill Chicago radio listeners with his dynamic and factual crime reporting at WMAQ and then WGN, chasing spectacular fires, shattering car crashes, and horrible murders. One day, Doug decided he would rather pursue his lifelong passion of writing and started turning out some of the most realistic mystery novels to come out of Chicago.
Doug's first novel, Deader by the Lake, (I love that title), which introduced his main character, Reno McCarthy, was an instant critical success, widely acclaimed by anyone who read it. Doug's next book, Every Secret Crime, has just been released to scores of expectant fans and mystery readers.
So, if you enjoy mysteries that are hard-hitting and wonderfully packed with caustic wit, or you love books set in the vibrant and unique city of Chicago, you've just got to read novels written by Doug Cummings. You will not only be on the edge of your seat, you'll swear you're driving down Lake Shore Drive at 2:00 in the morning in the rain. His books are that good.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Linda Mickey - Not Your Typical Mystery Writer
Now I am NOT the typical mystery reader. Sure, I've read my share of Agatha Christie, a few Rex Stouts, and even less Dick Francis. I enjoyed every book I've read, but I guess the genre just isn't my thing.
However, there's one exception. For me, Linda Mickey http://www.lindamickey.com/ writes really appealing mysteries, because her main character, Kyle Shannon, is very realistic. Not your typical sleuth in any manner, Kyle tries to go about her normal life. She is intelligent and hard working, but seems to stumble upon, and while she's at it, solve a few murders now and again.
Linda Mickey's ongoing series, which includes Greased Wheels, Defective Goods, and the latest - Horse Power, while very entertaining and believable, they're also fun to read. These books are the kind you sit down with a glass of wine or hot cup of tea/coffee, let the cat or dog curl up nearby, and you get away from it all for awhile. When you get to the last page and the crime has been solved, with no loose strings, by the way, you have a wonderful sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
So, I highly recommend such entertainment. You must give Linda Mickey a spin, because you'll start clambering for her to write more Kyle Shannon books!
However, there's one exception. For me, Linda Mickey http://www.lindamickey.com/ writes really appealing mysteries, because her main character, Kyle Shannon, is very realistic. Not your typical sleuth in any manner, Kyle tries to go about her normal life. She is intelligent and hard working, but seems to stumble upon, and while she's at it, solve a few murders now and again.
Linda Mickey's ongoing series, which includes Greased Wheels, Defective Goods, and the latest - Horse Power, while very entertaining and believable, they're also fun to read. These books are the kind you sit down with a glass of wine or hot cup of tea/coffee, let the cat or dog curl up nearby, and you get away from it all for awhile. When you get to the last page and the crime has been solved, with no loose strings, by the way, you have a wonderful sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
So, I highly recommend such entertainment. You must give Linda Mickey a spin, because you'll start clambering for her to write more Kyle Shannon books!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
David M. Burke - Artist and Author
"Burke" is the name he prefers. I have known him for over 12 years now and he is both a talented artist and a vibrant historical author. Besides being very adept with a myriad of skills, he has done the cover art for all 17 Derek Hart novels. It goes without saying that I have come to trust his judgment, but you would get quite a kick out of our meetings, when Burke and I discuss each impending book's cover. It's a form of verbal tug of war, with lots of laughter in between, but always satisfying in the end. There are usually a few rough drafts before we come to agreement, but it's a delight to go through the process.
However, Burke is also a dynamic historical author. His Images of America - Warm Springs www.arcadiapublishing.com is simply a fascinating look at Warm Springs, Georgia, which earned significance, because of a famous resident and visitor. FDR built his Little White House in Warm Springs and the historical implications were both monumental and heart warming. David captures this relationship in his choice of photographs and the in-depth research invested in such a work of love.
David Burke is currently employed at the Little White House as a ranger and lives in nearby Pine Mountain, so he intimately knows his subject matter. You can feel it as you read his book. Burke was also instrumental in helping me conduct my research for my WWII historical thriller, A Favor for FDR.
"The Spirit of Warm Springs” is what Franklin D. Roosevelt described as the peaceful atmosphere and healing qualities he found along the slopes of Georgia’s Pine Mountain. But long before FDR, the warm springs attracted people. Legend has it the Creek Indians used them for healing. European settlers used them as a revenue source. In the 1800s, the springs became a resort area, and the village of Warm Springs, Georgia, was founded. Rail brought visitors to this farming community for decades until travelers sought different destinations. By the 1920s, Warm Springs began slipping into the Great Depression. Destiny intervened when Franklin Roosevelt arrived in Warm Springs seeking a cure for his polio. After his first visit, he was able to move his leg. The news drew others afflicted with polio. Warm Springs provided FDR with hope. He returned the gift through New Deal programs and the March of Dimes while restoring hope in America. The waters are still used for healing, the town of Warm Springs thrives, and FDR’s Little White House is a memorial to “the foremost statesman and political leader” of the 20th century.
If you are a Franklin Delano Roosevelt fan or are interested in Georgia history or the significance of this location as it shaped FDR's view of the world, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It's a masterpiece of subtle and emotionally moving history.
It's also an honor to know the author.
However, Burke is also a dynamic historical author. His Images of America - Warm Springs www.arcadiapublishing.com is simply a fascinating look at Warm Springs, Georgia, which earned significance, because of a famous resident and visitor. FDR built his Little White House in Warm Springs and the historical implications were both monumental and heart warming. David captures this relationship in his choice of photographs and the in-depth research invested in such a work of love.
David Burke is currently employed at the Little White House as a ranger and lives in nearby Pine Mountain, so he intimately knows his subject matter. You can feel it as you read his book. Burke was also instrumental in helping me conduct my research for my WWII historical thriller, A Favor for FDR.
"The Spirit of Warm Springs” is what Franklin D. Roosevelt described as the peaceful atmosphere and healing qualities he found along the slopes of Georgia’s Pine Mountain. But long before FDR, the warm springs attracted people. Legend has it the Creek Indians used them for healing. European settlers used them as a revenue source. In the 1800s, the springs became a resort area, and the village of Warm Springs, Georgia, was founded. Rail brought visitors to this farming community for decades until travelers sought different destinations. By the 1920s, Warm Springs began slipping into the Great Depression. Destiny intervened when Franklin Roosevelt arrived in Warm Springs seeking a cure for his polio. After his first visit, he was able to move his leg. The news drew others afflicted with polio. Warm Springs provided FDR with hope. He returned the gift through New Deal programs and the March of Dimes while restoring hope in America. The waters are still used for healing, the town of Warm Springs thrives, and FDR’s Little White House is a memorial to “the foremost statesman and political leader” of the 20th century.
If you are a Franklin Delano Roosevelt fan or are interested in Georgia history or the significance of this location as it shaped FDR's view of the world, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It's a masterpiece of subtle and emotionally moving history.
It's also an honor to know the author.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Highlighted Fellow Author - Tony Eldridge
For the next 3 to 5 blogs, I'm going to highlight some fellow authors that I think my readers should investigate. Now it's just my opinion, mind you, but these authors have real talent and their books need the recognition.
First on my list is Tony Eldridge and his action/adventure novel The Samson Effect - http://www.samsoneffect.com/index.html
I'm biased, of course, because Tony writes in the same genre as I, but there's more to it than that!
For instance, check this out.
The Samson Effect is a “first class thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure.”
- Clive Cussler
Now I don't know about you, but I'd give my left arm (I've gotta keep my right arm for writing), to get a review like that from Clive Cussler, perhaps the greatest action/adventure author ever.
So, if you trust my recommendations, pick up a copy of The Samson Effect soon. I don't want to spoil the plot or lead the witness. What I can tell you is, you won't regret it!
First on my list is Tony Eldridge and his action/adventure novel The Samson Effect - http://www.samsoneffect.com/index.html
I'm biased, of course, because Tony writes in the same genre as I, but there's more to it than that!
For instance, check this out.
The Samson Effect is a “first class thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure.”
- Clive Cussler
Now I don't know about you, but I'd give my left arm (I've gotta keep my right arm for writing), to get a review like that from Clive Cussler, perhaps the greatest action/adventure author ever.
So, if you trust my recommendations, pick up a copy of The Samson Effect soon. I don't want to spoil the plot or lead the witness. What I can tell you is, you won't regret it!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Simple Ways to Show You Care
Regardless of your political affiliation or your opinion concerning the war in Iraq, today's post is about two simple ways you can support our men and women in the armed forces.
1) Books for Soldiers http://booksforsoldiers.com/ is a great site dedicated to providing reading material for our troops overseas. Life can be pretty boring while on duty and reading a good book can break the monotony. If you've got some paperbacks laying around, please donate them to this worthy cause.
2) If you use True Lemon, True Lime or True Orange, please take this opportunity to encourage a friend/family member to register for free samples. They are still donating 10 packets to Operation Gratitude for every new registration and they've almost reached their goal of donating 1,000,000 packets for Operation Gratitude's Patriot Drive in May.
Operation Gratitude is sending 50,000 care packages to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and True Lemon wants to make sure each of those care packages has 20 packets of True Lemon included so they can add True Lemon to their water also.
http://www.truelemon.com/sample.html is the link for your free samples. It's a great way to flavor water.
"My husband is on a tour of duty in Iraq and he always complained about the taste of water until I started sending him True Lemon and True Lime," said Emily Barone, wife of one of our brave soldiers. "Having True Lemon and True Lime really helps him to get the water he needs and so this program is special not only to the troops but to their families too."
"It means a lot for our troops to get these care packages and know so many people have not forgotten them. The True Lemon samples are going to be a great addition to our care packages, and we've really appreciated the generous support of all the True Lemon customers who participated in this packet drive," said Carolyn Blashek, founder and president of Operation Gratitude.
CLICK HERE TO HELP SEND 1,000,000 PACKETS OF FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMON TASTE TO OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN!
Click here to learn more about Operation Gratitude and the great work they do supporting our troops!
Thanks for participating in either of these programs. It means a lot to our Americans in uniform.
1) Books for Soldiers http://booksforsoldiers.com/ is a great site dedicated to providing reading material for our troops overseas. Life can be pretty boring while on duty and reading a good book can break the monotony. If you've got some paperbacks laying around, please donate them to this worthy cause.
2) If you use True Lemon, True Lime or True Orange, please take this opportunity to encourage a friend/family member to register for free samples. They are still donating 10 packets to Operation Gratitude for every new registration and they've almost reached their goal of donating 1,000,000 packets for Operation Gratitude's Patriot Drive in May.
Operation Gratitude is sending 50,000 care packages to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and True Lemon wants to make sure each of those care packages has 20 packets of True Lemon included so they can add True Lemon to their water also.
http://www.truelemon.com/sample.html is the link for your free samples. It's a great way to flavor water.
"My husband is on a tour of duty in Iraq and he always complained about the taste of water until I started sending him True Lemon and True Lime," said Emily Barone, wife of one of our brave soldiers. "Having True Lemon and True Lime really helps him to get the water he needs and so this program is special not only to the troops but to their families too."
"It means a lot for our troops to get these care packages and know so many people have not forgotten them. The True Lemon samples are going to be a great addition to our care packages, and we've really appreciated the generous support of all the True Lemon customers who participated in this packet drive," said Carolyn Blashek, founder and president of Operation Gratitude.
CLICK HERE TO HELP SEND 1,000,000 PACKETS OF FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMON TASTE TO OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN!
Click here to learn more about Operation Gratitude and the great work they do supporting our troops!
Thanks for participating in either of these programs. It means a lot to our Americans in uniform.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Dry Bones Band
I want you to know about a great little band out of Saratoga Springs, New York. They're the Dry Bones Band and I highly recommend you check them out. I have included 3 links here for your choice. If you like them, then make sure you make a habit of visiting youtube on a regular basis, because Dry Bones Band has been posting new videos lately.
http://www.garageband.com/artist/drybonesband
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drybonesband
Dry Bones Band on iLike
They have a unigue Folk/Alternative Folk sound, but 90% of their music is original, written by Dan Hubbs (who looks entirely cool in his shades). They are sometimes compared to Carter Family, Tom Waits, Charlie Poole and Dan admits being influenced by wallace stevens, memphisminnie, pogues, Iris Dement, and Bruce Springsteen .
The band consists of Dan on Old Time Banjo, Frank on the Fiddle, Matt on the Guitar, and beautiful-voiced Mare does most of the Vocals. Don't take my work for it, but find out for yourself. They're good, damn good.
Right now the Band does the Upper New York thing, with gigs in cafes, bars, coffee shops and festivals. They are well known in their neck of the woods, but it's just a matter of time before they break out.
In the meantime, if you REALLY like their music, drop me a line and I'll send you their CD.
http://www.garageband.com/artist/drybonesband
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drybonesband
Dry Bones Band on iLike
They have a unigue Folk/Alternative Folk sound, but 90% of their music is original, written by Dan Hubbs (who looks entirely cool in his shades). They are sometimes compared to Carter Family, Tom Waits, Charlie Poole and Dan admits being influenced by wallace stevens, memphisminnie, pogues, Iris Dement, and Bruce Springsteen .
The band consists of Dan on Old Time Banjo, Frank on the Fiddle, Matt on the Guitar, and beautiful-voiced Mare does most of the Vocals. Don't take my work for it, but find out for yourself. They're good, damn good.
Right now the Band does the Upper New York thing, with gigs in cafes, bars, coffee shops and festivals. They are well known in their neck of the woods, but it's just a matter of time before they break out.
In the meantime, if you REALLY like their music, drop me a line and I'll send you their CD.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Widgets
First, up until just a few days ago, I thought I knew what a widget was. According to my American Heritage Dictionary, a widget is a term used to refer to any discrete object, usually of some mechanical nature and relatively small size.
Alas, I have since become educated! In this techno age, widgets display information and invite the user to act in a number of ways. Typical widgets include buttons, dialog boxes, pop-up windows, pull-down menus, and all sorts of neat little gizmos.
The reason I'm writing about widgets today is simply because I now am a fan of widgets and have experienced their usefullness firsthand.
Now here is where I add my recommendation. Over the weekend, I shared a flurry of emails with Fraser Kelton, the Director of Business Development at AdaptiveBlue. I must tell you that Fraser is patient, creative, customer-service focused, and a pleasure to work with! In fact, Fraser took the time to create 15 of the coolest book widgets I could imagine. I have been busy this morning sharing widgets with everybody I know and asking people to post them on their blogs, YouTube, Facebook, websites, or any social networking site they can think of.
Believe me, if you want to get some fantastic widgets made for you, please contact Fraser at support@adaptiveblue.com for their widgets! You won't be disappointed.
Alas, I have since become educated! In this techno age, widgets display information and invite the user to act in a number of ways. Typical widgets include buttons, dialog boxes, pop-up windows, pull-down menus, and all sorts of neat little gizmos.
The reason I'm writing about widgets today is simply because I now am a fan of widgets and have experienced their usefullness firsthand.
Now here is where I add my recommendation. Over the weekend, I shared a flurry of emails with Fraser Kelton, the Director of Business Development at AdaptiveBlue. I must tell you that Fraser is patient, creative, customer-service focused, and a pleasure to work with! In fact, Fraser took the time to create 15 of the coolest book widgets I could imagine. I have been busy this morning sharing widgets with everybody I know and asking people to post them on their blogs, YouTube, Facebook, websites, or any social networking site they can think of.
Believe me, if you want to get some fantastic widgets made for you, please contact Fraser at support@adaptiveblue.com for their widgets! You won't be disappointed.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Bullies, Big Boys & Egos
Smell that? Do you smell that? That's fear and you can not only smell it, you can hear it and taste it and feel it all around you.
I'm certain that anyone involved in the publishing business in any aspect, be that author, printer or retail bookstore, has been made aware of Amazon.com's move to control the publishing world.
What fascinates me much more than the online behemoth's tactical and strategic manuevers, is how everybody is reacting. I have visited scores of blogs, social networks, and author websites, where Amazon's posturing is the topic of the day.
It's all about change and lots of people don't handle change very well. It often brings out the snarling dogs, who snap and bite everybody nearby. I am NOT amazed at some of the pompous, self-centered bullying unleashed by the Old Guard, as they are uneffectionately dubbed, those people and institutions supporting how things used to be.
The publishing world, books and magazines, is a-changing and there's not a bloody thing anybody can do about it, except complain or go along for the ride. Yes, the Internet is to blame, but not in a bad way. Technology has given a common voice to so many. That's true democracy in action, by the way.
Sure, I've read all the banter about the quality of books today, the poor writing, lousy editing, ridiculous plots, blah, blah, blah. The fact is that many books published by the BIG Boys in new York are pure crap, have lots of typos, editing mistakes, lousy editing and stupid plots. Just because a named publishing house was foolish enough to publish a certain work, doesn't give it instant credibility. Yes, there is a lot of less-than-spectacular work out there, but the customer will decide what's good and what isn't, not Borders or Barnes & Noble, not Amazon.com, not New York publishers, not anybody but the buyer.
In simple terms, all of the traditional publishing icons we've know over the years are fading and they're going fast. So who can blame them if the dig in their heels and growl? Seems perfectly normal behavior to me. It's too bad they're wasting so much energy on bad-mouthing everybody else, instead of working to be a positive influence as the change takes place.
Remember the music industry? LP's to CD's to downloads. Recording artists realized very quickly that things weren't right, that the moguls were keeping all the money. The customer didn't want to pay for LP's that scratched. They didn't want to pay for CD's that had 1 or 2 good tracks, so the consumer made it clear what they wanted. In 10 years, we won't recognize the music industry at all, because the new generation of musician is responding to the customer, providing the needs directly.
Likewise, so should publishing.
Remember Hollywood? Beta, then VHS, then laser disc, now DVD. Movies also went through an enormous change. Sure, we still go to the theater, but for the experience and movies we really want to see on the giant screen. The rest we rent on DVD. Movies open and close in a week, if they're bombs, but can be redeemed with DVD sales/rentals.
Likewise publishing. It was just a matter of time.
Now Amazon flexing it's muscles is to be expected. The final outcome is too foggy to be foretold. The backlash is already pretty vocal. It may or may not change Amazon's collective minds.
Still, for authors and independent publishers, this is a critical time. As a part of that crowd, I am welcoming the change with open arms. When the dust settles, the publishing world will be different and perhaps so much better. I tend to believe that the horizon looks very bright. What I won't be a part of is the bullying authors who strut around badmouthing all the little guys. In the end, the little guys are going to win and I want to be with the winners.
My advice? Put aside your egos, your NY attitudes, your "I'm so special" nose-in-the-clouds view of books, bookstores, and authors, so you can be a part of this glorious transition. If you're really a writer, then you put your arm around all the other writers in friendship, because you know how tough this industry can be. You support your independent bookstore, not the soulless chains. More importantly, you fight narrow-mindedness. Shame on anyone who claims to be an author, who also shuns others, just because they sought a different path. Artists are all about differences.
Please, put aside the emotional response and let's make this journey benefit anyone with the courage to put words on paper, even electronic. We're still capable of burning books, just with email, delete buttons, and inflamatory press lambasting fellow authors. Get over it!
I'm certain that anyone involved in the publishing business in any aspect, be that author, printer or retail bookstore, has been made aware of Amazon.com's move to control the publishing world.
What fascinates me much more than the online behemoth's tactical and strategic manuevers, is how everybody is reacting. I have visited scores of blogs, social networks, and author websites, where Amazon's posturing is the topic of the day.
It's all about change and lots of people don't handle change very well. It often brings out the snarling dogs, who snap and bite everybody nearby. I am NOT amazed at some of the pompous, self-centered bullying unleashed by the Old Guard, as they are uneffectionately dubbed, those people and institutions supporting how things used to be.
The publishing world, books and magazines, is a-changing and there's not a bloody thing anybody can do about it, except complain or go along for the ride. Yes, the Internet is to blame, but not in a bad way. Technology has given a common voice to so many. That's true democracy in action, by the way.
Sure, I've read all the banter about the quality of books today, the poor writing, lousy editing, ridiculous plots, blah, blah, blah. The fact is that many books published by the BIG Boys in new York are pure crap, have lots of typos, editing mistakes, lousy editing and stupid plots. Just because a named publishing house was foolish enough to publish a certain work, doesn't give it instant credibility. Yes, there is a lot of less-than-spectacular work out there, but the customer will decide what's good and what isn't, not Borders or Barnes & Noble, not Amazon.com, not New York publishers, not anybody but the buyer.
In simple terms, all of the traditional publishing icons we've know over the years are fading and they're going fast. So who can blame them if the dig in their heels and growl? Seems perfectly normal behavior to me. It's too bad they're wasting so much energy on bad-mouthing everybody else, instead of working to be a positive influence as the change takes place.
Remember the music industry? LP's to CD's to downloads. Recording artists realized very quickly that things weren't right, that the moguls were keeping all the money. The customer didn't want to pay for LP's that scratched. They didn't want to pay for CD's that had 1 or 2 good tracks, so the consumer made it clear what they wanted. In 10 years, we won't recognize the music industry at all, because the new generation of musician is responding to the customer, providing the needs directly.
Likewise, so should publishing.
Remember Hollywood? Beta, then VHS, then laser disc, now DVD. Movies also went through an enormous change. Sure, we still go to the theater, but for the experience and movies we really want to see on the giant screen. The rest we rent on DVD. Movies open and close in a week, if they're bombs, but can be redeemed with DVD sales/rentals.
Likewise publishing. It was just a matter of time.
Now Amazon flexing it's muscles is to be expected. The final outcome is too foggy to be foretold. The backlash is already pretty vocal. It may or may not change Amazon's collective minds.
Still, for authors and independent publishers, this is a critical time. As a part of that crowd, I am welcoming the change with open arms. When the dust settles, the publishing world will be different and perhaps so much better. I tend to believe that the horizon looks very bright. What I won't be a part of is the bullying authors who strut around badmouthing all the little guys. In the end, the little guys are going to win and I want to be with the winners.
My advice? Put aside your egos, your NY attitudes, your "I'm so special" nose-in-the-clouds view of books, bookstores, and authors, so you can be a part of this glorious transition. If you're really a writer, then you put your arm around all the other writers in friendship, because you know how tough this industry can be. You support your independent bookstore, not the soulless chains. More importantly, you fight narrow-mindedness. Shame on anyone who claims to be an author, who also shuns others, just because they sought a different path. Artists are all about differences.
Please, put aside the emotional response and let's make this journey benefit anyone with the courage to put words on paper, even electronic. We're still capable of burning books, just with email, delete buttons, and inflamatory press lambasting fellow authors. Get over it!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
It's All About Writing, After All
Well, believe it or not, the reason I haven't posted in awhile is strictly due to the fact that I've been doing a lot of writing. That's my passion and it's what I love to do, so it was fantastic.
I worked a lot on Wreckchasers, a novel about two aircraft archeologists that go around looking for WWII-era crashes, who stumble across several mysteries that get them in trouble. There has been a ton of research involved and the writing has been hard work, because I put in a lot of historical stuff and then edit like a demon.
I also spent time wrapping up Secret of the Dragon's Claw, the 3rd book in the Dragon's Secrets series, and began really focusing on Secret of the Dragon's Scales, Book 4. My 12-year-old son, who is my consultant on what's funny and what isn't, or what's interesting and what isn't, is presently proofing my work.
In between all this writing, I sent out scores of email, surfed the Internet, and tried to run a business, while being a good dad. I write the novels, but I also have to create publicity, work on marketing campaigns, select certain advertising, and answer scads of email.
I found an industry contact in Hollywood who is looking over Tales of the Yellow Silk and I managed to ship 4 books to Iceland, where I hope one of the senior columnists for Iceland Review will read and review them. A local comic book store is handling the first 2 Dragon books and they're prominently displayed on the front counter. Little victories like these keep us going.
Oops, I forgot that I spent time on ebay looking for some out-of-print and obscure titles for research on Eagle Blue, my upcoming young adult novel on a famous Civil War eagle. I'm telling the story through the eyes of the bald eagle and his young handlers, so it's fun messing around with eagle facts. I'm not sure the "voice" I'm going to give the eagle yet, but he will definitely compare white men to native Americans, and birds, of course. I've got an outline finished, some characters fleshed out, and a few battle scenes already written. I've decided on the eagle's name given to him by his mother, his Indian name is historical, and Old Abe was the name given to him by Union troops. There's a lot written about the eagle once he joined the Union Army as a mascot, but not much before that fateful day. I fiddled around with describing how the eagle felt during a certain battle, as bullets whizzed past him, after the Confederate general told his men he would reward the first man, "who kills that damn bird!" After 2 hours of blasting away, they still missed. It seems the bird could hear the miniballs coming and just twisted his body, up and down, left and right, to avoid the hurtling metal. Very cool.
Anyway, it was very satisfying to get so much writing done, even if it was after midnight every night for the past 6 days.
I worked a lot on Wreckchasers, a novel about two aircraft archeologists that go around looking for WWII-era crashes, who stumble across several mysteries that get them in trouble. There has been a ton of research involved and the writing has been hard work, because I put in a lot of historical stuff and then edit like a demon.
I also spent time wrapping up Secret of the Dragon's Claw, the 3rd book in the Dragon's Secrets series, and began really focusing on Secret of the Dragon's Scales, Book 4. My 12-year-old son, who is my consultant on what's funny and what isn't, or what's interesting and what isn't, is presently proofing my work.
In between all this writing, I sent out scores of email, surfed the Internet, and tried to run a business, while being a good dad. I write the novels, but I also have to create publicity, work on marketing campaigns, select certain advertising, and answer scads of email.
I found an industry contact in Hollywood who is looking over Tales of the Yellow Silk and I managed to ship 4 books to Iceland, where I hope one of the senior columnists for Iceland Review will read and review them. A local comic book store is handling the first 2 Dragon books and they're prominently displayed on the front counter. Little victories like these keep us going.
Oops, I forgot that I spent time on ebay looking for some out-of-print and obscure titles for research on Eagle Blue, my upcoming young adult novel on a famous Civil War eagle. I'm telling the story through the eyes of the bald eagle and his young handlers, so it's fun messing around with eagle facts. I'm not sure the "voice" I'm going to give the eagle yet, but he will definitely compare white men to native Americans, and birds, of course. I've got an outline finished, some characters fleshed out, and a few battle scenes already written. I've decided on the eagle's name given to him by his mother, his Indian name is historical, and Old Abe was the name given to him by Union troops. There's a lot written about the eagle once he joined the Union Army as a mascot, but not much before that fateful day. I fiddled around with describing how the eagle felt during a certain battle, as bullets whizzed past him, after the Confederate general told his men he would reward the first man, "who kills that damn bird!" After 2 hours of blasting away, they still missed. It seems the bird could hear the miniballs coming and just twisted his body, up and down, left and right, to avoid the hurtling metal. Very cool.
Anyway, it was very satisfying to get so much writing done, even if it was after midnight every night for the past 6 days.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Advantages to Linking, Connecting & Social Networking
I've been having a lot of fun lately with Linked-In, a social networking site that is particularly popular in the business and IT community. It purports to be a way to meet useful new business contacts, and I've indeed seen evidence of that. One of my contacts told me he uses it for market research; another uses it to find conference speakers; recruiters use it for hiring leads; and I myself have located a score of people I want to communicate with, but lost touch with over the past 10 years.
Where I think Linked-In really shines, however, is as an aid to tracking down or keeping up with a person you already know. True, in many cases, you can also find a person you used to know via an ordinary Web search, but LinkedIn has several advantages over that strategy. First of all, many people can not easily be found on Google. Second, even if they can, you may not easily find their most recent work position (which is what you need to deduce a current email address or phone number). Third, if you don't remember the exact spelling of their name, a Web search risks being pretty useless.
If you like or believe it is useful to network with people, Linked-In is worth checking out. I know some of you have joined in at my request and I really appreciate your recommendations and support. However, to achieve maximum potential from networking, you need to invited everybody you know as well. Some former colleagues won't respond, some will never get around to registering, while others will gladly supply endorsements of past work history and will reopen lines of communication. It's been a blast catching up and sharing "war" stories. Besides, people who already know you are fantastic conduits to business opportunities, career paths, and interesting folks.
One last thing. Recently someone expressed their concern about registering at Linked-In, because then "The Man" would find out. Hey, "The Man" knows everything about you already, believe me. There's nothing you're gonna hide from them and if you think you are, you're fooling only yourself. Besides, I don't want to know what you did a long time ago (well, I do, but over a cold beer), so lighten up. Use this tool to find people you want to find. It's so cool when somebody emails you back, after many years, remembering how influential you were.
You can sign up in a very fast way that doesn't compromise your privacy.
Where I think Linked-In really shines, however, is as an aid to tracking down or keeping up with a person you already know. True, in many cases, you can also find a person you used to know via an ordinary Web search, but LinkedIn has several advantages over that strategy. First of all, many people can not easily be found on Google. Second, even if they can, you may not easily find their most recent work position (which is what you need to deduce a current email address or phone number). Third, if you don't remember the exact spelling of their name, a Web search risks being pretty useless.
If you like or believe it is useful to network with people, Linked-In is worth checking out. I know some of you have joined in at my request and I really appreciate your recommendations and support. However, to achieve maximum potential from networking, you need to invited everybody you know as well. Some former colleagues won't respond, some will never get around to registering, while others will gladly supply endorsements of past work history and will reopen lines of communication. It's been a blast catching up and sharing "war" stories. Besides, people who already know you are fantastic conduits to business opportunities, career paths, and interesting folks.
One last thing. Recently someone expressed their concern about registering at Linked-In, because then "The Man" would find out. Hey, "The Man" knows everything about you already, believe me. There's nothing you're gonna hide from them and if you think you are, you're fooling only yourself. Besides, I don't want to know what you did a long time ago (well, I do, but over a cold beer), so lighten up. Use this tool to find people you want to find. It's so cool when somebody emails you back, after many years, remembering how influential you were.
You can sign up in a very fast way that doesn't compromise your privacy.
Idle Ramblings
I went back to the library yesterday, to do some more research. I spent some time in the American Civil War section, collecting information for Eagle Blue, a young adult novel that takes place during the war and is focused on Old Abe, the eagle mascot of the 18th Wisconsin Regiment. This will come as no suprise to anyone, but the books about the Confederacy outnumbered Union about 10-1. After all, this is Georgia! Still, I found some great information.
Then I headed to the WWII section, because I'm still trying to find very specific and true historical background to put into Book 4 of the dragon series - Secret of the Dragon's Teeth. This portion revolves around the Holocaust and I can only emotionally handle a few hours of reading about the attrocities and it gets pretty depressing. By the way, writing about this terrible moment in history is really challenging my writing skills. I want to describe life in a concentration camp, without getting too graphic, and still capture the horror and hopelessness. I have decided to use certain details to communicate the scope, such as the hundreds of thousands of shoes and spectacles heaped in piles at the camps. Anyway, it's a struggle, because I want teenagers to know of this abomination, but I also don't want to make the book too dark.
I did some more King Arthur research too, just to make sure I wasn't going too far off the legends. I was pleased to find that my storyline is pretty faithful, in most regards, to both the historical Arthur and the fantasy Arthur. Combining the two makes for some interesting situations, but I'm somewhat creating my own version, with the help of a dragon.
I also checked out the books on container ships, PT Boat operations in the Pacific, the Japanese-American relocation camp in Topaz, Utah, B-29 Bomber details, and a comic book store guide. Perhaps some of these intrigued you, because you suspect there's a plot element or two hidden amongst my list. You would be correct.
I continue to send out at least 50 emails a day, promoting Derek Hart, seeking venture capital, sending press kits and review kits as attachments to numerous bookstores, speciality stores, book reviewers, magazine and newspapers, and all sorts of individuals. I keep posting at websites, blogs, social networks, etc. This kind of activity not only gets the name out, it increases Derek Hart's Google Quotiant, which is vital to keeping him at the top of the search engine's results.
Lots of things brewing and more books coming soon. Until then, pass the word.
Then I headed to the WWII section, because I'm still trying to find very specific and true historical background to put into Book 4 of the dragon series - Secret of the Dragon's Teeth. This portion revolves around the Holocaust and I can only emotionally handle a few hours of reading about the attrocities and it gets pretty depressing. By the way, writing about this terrible moment in history is really challenging my writing skills. I want to describe life in a concentration camp, without getting too graphic, and still capture the horror and hopelessness. I have decided to use certain details to communicate the scope, such as the hundreds of thousands of shoes and spectacles heaped in piles at the camps. Anyway, it's a struggle, because I want teenagers to know of this abomination, but I also don't want to make the book too dark.
I did some more King Arthur research too, just to make sure I wasn't going too far off the legends. I was pleased to find that my storyline is pretty faithful, in most regards, to both the historical Arthur and the fantasy Arthur. Combining the two makes for some interesting situations, but I'm somewhat creating my own version, with the help of a dragon.
I also checked out the books on container ships, PT Boat operations in the Pacific, the Japanese-American relocation camp in Topaz, Utah, B-29 Bomber details, and a comic book store guide. Perhaps some of these intrigued you, because you suspect there's a plot element or two hidden amongst my list. You would be correct.
I continue to send out at least 50 emails a day, promoting Derek Hart, seeking venture capital, sending press kits and review kits as attachments to numerous bookstores, speciality stores, book reviewers, magazine and newspapers, and all sorts of individuals. I keep posting at websites, blogs, social networks, etc. This kind of activity not only gets the name out, it increases Derek Hart's Google Quotiant, which is vital to keeping him at the top of the search engine's results.
Lots of things brewing and more books coming soon. Until then, pass the word.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Soliciting Venture Capital, While Handling Rejection
Raising money for Derek Hart Books is tough. Currently I'm talking with a private investment group, while still searching for the "right" Venture Capital company. I've even searched for angel investors that understand publishing, fine arts, peripheral markets, computer/video games or toys, but so far to no avail. I'm digging and searching and scraping. We've made presentations and came close, but not quite. After almost succeeding, I’m reluctant to get excited about any pending opportunity, until the ink is dry on the contract. I wish I had a magic wand and could just conjure up a serious investor with deep pockets, who believed in not only the potential, but the reality of such a vault of existing resources.
What we have learned is to never stop talking about it.
Every chance we get, one of us is plugging the product and envisioning how Danger Cruise would work in the cruiseline industry, or how A Favor for FDR would make a great movie with Tom Hanks, or how the Dragon books would easily convert into a fantastic computer game, action figures, graphic novel and movie too. When one of us runs out of steam, another partner picks up the slack and takes off after another prospect.
We have an excellent business plan, which has lots of assets to draw from. There is a creative force and energy behind this business that can't be denied.
However, in the end, it will be our knowledge of those assets, combined with enthusiasm and passion, which will invite an investor to believe in the cause.
This isn't just about me. This about a group of people who signed on to make awesome entertainment possible for all ages, adolescent to adult. I have illustrators and graphic artists, editors and webmasters, game and toy designers, all contracting to add their talent and skill to this endeavor. Derek Hart Books is providing a true marketplace for their endeavors and I'm responsible for their faith in me and our company. It's a dream and I will make it come true.
We've gathered the talent and the enthusiasm. We have an incredible team of professionals, both experienced and hungry. The assets are all lined up and this same team has outlined an incredible array of products to dazzle the imagination.
What we need now is capital. Not gobs and gobs of cash, but a solid financial base to get us going.
Technorati Tags:
venture capital, angel investor, Tom Hanks, video games, computer games, action figures, graphic novels, toys, dragon, illustrators, graphic artists, game designers, toy designers, webmasters, editors, planners, investors
What we have learned is to never stop talking about it.
Every chance we get, one of us is plugging the product and envisioning how Danger Cruise would work in the cruiseline industry, or how A Favor for FDR would make a great movie with Tom Hanks, or how the Dragon books would easily convert into a fantastic computer game, action figures, graphic novel and movie too. When one of us runs out of steam, another partner picks up the slack and takes off after another prospect.
We have an excellent business plan, which has lots of assets to draw from. There is a creative force and energy behind this business that can't be denied.
However, in the end, it will be our knowledge of those assets, combined with enthusiasm and passion, which will invite an investor to believe in the cause.
This isn't just about me. This about a group of people who signed on to make awesome entertainment possible for all ages, adolescent to adult. I have illustrators and graphic artists, editors and webmasters, game and toy designers, all contracting to add their talent and skill to this endeavor. Derek Hart Books is providing a true marketplace for their endeavors and I'm responsible for their faith in me and our company. It's a dream and I will make it come true.
We've gathered the talent and the enthusiasm. We have an incredible team of professionals, both experienced and hungry. The assets are all lined up and this same team has outlined an incredible array of products to dazzle the imagination.
What we need now is capital. Not gobs and gobs of cash, but a solid financial base to get us going.
Technorati Tags:
venture capital, angel investor, Tom Hanks, video games, computer games, action figures, graphic novels, toys, dragon, illustrators, graphic artists, game designers, toy designers, webmasters, editors, planners, investors
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Artist Recognition
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I have just been slammed and by the time I sat down with the intention of blogging, it was past midnight. I know, I know, I've written about sleep being unimportant, but lately I've been in need of a good 7 hours of snooze time.
This blog is focused on a situation that is common for artists, no matter what their discipline. I have an example to help illustrate my point.
Eric is a talented and skill edartist I connected with recently through JacketFlap, a fantastic website that promotes community amongst illustrators, authors, agents, publishers, and anybody else involved in the wonderful world of children's books. It's a great place to visit and I try to stop by at least once a day.
Anyway, let's get back to Eric. He is truly gifted and Ihave contracted him to do a cover for one of my upcoming novels - Claws of the Raven. Eric and I hit it off right away and I not only like his work, I like conversing with him via email. Right now Eric's facing recent unemployment, supporting a wife and baby, and all the other responsibilities life has to challenge him with.
But Eric is an artist. He is an illustrator and that's his passion. To feed his family and pay the bills, he'll take just about anything. You know, a job. Like so many other artists in the world, we set aside our dreams and our passions, because reality gets in the way.
So I'd like to take some time to talk about that common state-of-affairs. And please, let's get something straight. While I'm pursuing my passion, I too have to work at a job to pay the bills. However, I'm determined to change all that, by making my passion the focus of all my energy and creativity. The other guy's corporate thing is temporary and this time I mean it. I've had it working for somebody else and making them rich with my labor!
Here's what everyone should do. I'm not making any promises, but at least if you start committing energy to your dreams and goals, they have a much better chance of coming true.
1. Envision the goal, make it real in your mind and write it down or print it out and keep it posted nearby, as a constant reminder. Visualize the dream already being fulfilled. Remember to be thankful for every success along the way, no matter how insignificant they might seem at the time.
2. Take whatever action you can to get you closer to that dream. Stop thinking about the steps that cost money. You don't have any money, so stop wasting time on that. Sit down and plot out the steps you can take that don't cost a thing. There are a lot of options. It takes exploration and determination, but they're out there.
3. If you're reading this, then it's probably on a computer and with that tool alone, you can make great inroads. Google it. Yahoo it. Seek it out.
4. The Key is to create publicity. Marketing yourself takes time, it's true, but a lot of it can be done via email, your cell phone, and building networks of people who are interested in who you are and what you do. There are thousands, and I mean thousands, of free sites. You have to find them, register, post your work, announce it to everybody and move to the next. On and on and on.
5. Some of the sites I discussed in the previous blog hold true for creating such publicity. However, so much of it depends on how much effort you're willing to put into it. If it's really your passion, if it's really your love, if it's really your soul, then it deserves everything you can give. Yes, yes, I know you have responsibilities. We all do. But you'll need to sacrifice some things to make that time. That means staying up late to compose all the email, or visit the websites, or write your blogs, or draw the pictures, sculpt, paint, author the next book, compose the music, design the clothes, whatever your passion is. It means getting up early. It means giving up cable. It can mean a million different things to a million different people, but it still means you must drop the excuses and get it done.
6. People are the most important resource you have at your fingertips. Everybody knows a lot more people than they realize. And those people know even more, and so on. So you've got to start somewhere. It's okay to ask for help. You probably will get rejected a lot, but so what? Move on to the next person.
You see, I really care about Eric's success. He's too good to let slip away. His artistic skills are worthy of accolades. Not very many people know about Eric and that's not right, but he can change that. He is better than that boring old corporate tedium. Eric deserves more than that. So it will take him time to get the word out, to have lots of people see his talent. He'll have to balance the realities of life with the necessity of dreams.
You'll see Eric's work on the cover of my latest book when it's published. Until then, with his permission, I'm going to post one of his draft drawings for you to see. The finished work is quite impressive, but I find his set-up work the real proof to his skills. You'll be seeing a lot more of him. Like David Burke, who has done 17 covers and will continue to do another 17, Eric will become readily recognizeable. Just watch.
For you out there reading this blog, however, this little pep talk is about setting aside your fears. FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. That's all it is. It gets in the way of everything. Push it aside and start small. Get some victories under your belt. Use the powerhouse of the Internet to research, communicate, initiate, motivate, create, stimulate, and publicize your intentions. Go for it.
What have you got to lose? Really, is that all.
This blog is focused on a situation that is common for artists, no matter what their discipline. I have an example to help illustrate my point.
Eric is a talented and skill edartist I connected with recently through JacketFlap, a fantastic website that promotes community amongst illustrators, authors, agents, publishers, and anybody else involved in the wonderful world of children's books. It's a great place to visit and I try to stop by at least once a day.
Anyway, let's get back to Eric. He is truly gifted and Ihave contracted him to do a cover for one of my upcoming novels - Claws of the Raven. Eric and I hit it off right away and I not only like his work, I like conversing with him via email. Right now Eric's facing recent unemployment, supporting a wife and baby, and all the other responsibilities life has to challenge him with.
But Eric is an artist. He is an illustrator and that's his passion. To feed his family and pay the bills, he'll take just about anything. You know, a job. Like so many other artists in the world, we set aside our dreams and our passions, because reality gets in the way.
So I'd like to take some time to talk about that common state-of-affairs. And please, let's get something straight. While I'm pursuing my passion, I too have to work at a job to pay the bills. However, I'm determined to change all that, by making my passion the focus of all my energy and creativity. The other guy's corporate thing is temporary and this time I mean it. I've had it working for somebody else and making them rich with my labor!
Here's what everyone should do. I'm not making any promises, but at least if you start committing energy to your dreams and goals, they have a much better chance of coming true.
1. Envision the goal, make it real in your mind and write it down or print it out and keep it posted nearby, as a constant reminder. Visualize the dream already being fulfilled. Remember to be thankful for every success along the way, no matter how insignificant they might seem at the time.
2. Take whatever action you can to get you closer to that dream. Stop thinking about the steps that cost money. You don't have any money, so stop wasting time on that. Sit down and plot out the steps you can take that don't cost a thing. There are a lot of options. It takes exploration and determination, but they're out there.
3. If you're reading this, then it's probably on a computer and with that tool alone, you can make great inroads. Google it. Yahoo it. Seek it out.
4. The Key is to create publicity. Marketing yourself takes time, it's true, but a lot of it can be done via email, your cell phone, and building networks of people who are interested in who you are and what you do. There are thousands, and I mean thousands, of free sites. You have to find them, register, post your work, announce it to everybody and move to the next. On and on and on.
5. Some of the sites I discussed in the previous blog hold true for creating such publicity. However, so much of it depends on how much effort you're willing to put into it. If it's really your passion, if it's really your love, if it's really your soul, then it deserves everything you can give. Yes, yes, I know you have responsibilities. We all do. But you'll need to sacrifice some things to make that time. That means staying up late to compose all the email, or visit the websites, or write your blogs, or draw the pictures, sculpt, paint, author the next book, compose the music, design the clothes, whatever your passion is. It means getting up early. It means giving up cable. It can mean a million different things to a million different people, but it still means you must drop the excuses and get it done.
6. People are the most important resource you have at your fingertips. Everybody knows a lot more people than they realize. And those people know even more, and so on. So you've got to start somewhere. It's okay to ask for help. You probably will get rejected a lot, but so what? Move on to the next person.
You see, I really care about Eric's success. He's too good to let slip away. His artistic skills are worthy of accolades. Not very many people know about Eric and that's not right, but he can change that. He is better than that boring old corporate tedium. Eric deserves more than that. So it will take him time to get the word out, to have lots of people see his talent. He'll have to balance the realities of life with the necessity of dreams.
You'll see Eric's work on the cover of my latest book when it's published. Until then, with his permission, I'm going to post one of his draft drawings for you to see. The finished work is quite impressive, but I find his set-up work the real proof to his skills. You'll be seeing a lot more of him. Like David Burke, who has done 17 covers and will continue to do another 17, Eric will become readily recognizeable. Just watch.
For you out there reading this blog, however, this little pep talk is about setting aside your fears. FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. That's all it is. It gets in the way of everything. Push it aside and start small. Get some victories under your belt. Use the powerhouse of the Internet to research, communicate, initiate, motivate, create, stimulate, and publicize your intentions. Go for it.
What have you got to lose? Really, is that all.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Writing is a Business
Being an author is running a business. Promoting your book(s) is a full-time job, even if you haven't got the time. It requires dedication. It requires focus. It requires determination. It requires passion and patience and thick skin. It requires creativity, while demanding you play by certain rules.
Derek Hart Ventures is blessed with a great team. The partners work hard. We encapsulate all the traits listed previously. Still, with our assets on the line, we realize that persistence will make the differece. That, and faith!
I spend most of my day right now working on promotion. I write my blogs, send hundreds of emails, make calls, and network. I visit websites, conduct research, and intensify relationships. After all, I've got a 1,500-year-old dragon breathing down my neck. He can get pretty grumpy at times.
Yes, I do manage to squeeze some writing in there, but not as much as I'd like to. That very shortfall makes me grumpy. Just ask my wife and son. Just ask my partners. Just ask.....
Anyway, I'd like to pass along some of the lessons I've learned. In this blog, I'm just going to highlight some great websites I've encountered and how I think they can help.
Nothing Binding http://www.nothingbinding.com/ is a great site for authors to display their work and for readers to discover that same talent. It's user-friendly and once your register, take the time to create your presence. The end result is quite impressive.
Jacket Flap http://www.jacketflap.com/index.asp is a site intended to support, promote, and motivate anyone involved with books for children and young adults. However, if you love reading books for any age, this place is cool to visit. I am very partial to the people here. They are warm and friendly and several made a point of greeting me when I registered. What really grabbed me was all the talent represented by the membership. I have made some incredible contacts and have discovered a gifted artist who is working on cover art for me. I also landed some librarians anxiously reading Dragon books to review and a contact in England who wants to promote the Dragon books where the plots are located. This is an swesome site!
Book Marketing Network http://bookmarket.ning.com/ is a site designed to create a network of authors. After registering, you get your own mini-website to design and add material. It's not easy to work with, but that's because there's so much you can do with your persoanl page. I drop in every other day and add more stuff. John Kremer created the site and I respect him greatly. It's always worth networking.
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/home is a professional network site, but you should seriously consider registering here. This is a very active "social network" site, but from a business perspective. I have reestablished old relationships, created new ones, connected with important people, and generated lots of communication. Just because you're an author deosn't mean you can't develop serious business transactions using such a tool.
Blogger http://www.blogger.com is the very site you're reading my blog. This site is so user friendly it's ridiculous. If you're a serious writer/artist and you want people to know you exist, set up a blog. Write about whatever, but write as often as you can. Link it to everybody you know. Invite people to comment and subscribe. Visit other blogs and comment, inviting them to visit yours. Blog, blog, blog. Activity is the key. The more you blog, the more the bloggers find you. This is the new era of writing, immediate and real. Capture the energy of the blogging community, because they will buy your books, read your poetry, and admire your illustrations. Blogging rules, believe me.
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com is the premium website for exposure. We're starting to take it for granted and that's a mistake. All the demographics prove that amazon makes things happen. You should visit on a regular basis and leave reviews for books like yours, make sure your book is well presented and add anything you can to improve it. I highly recommend you sign up for Search Inside the Book, because this gives someone who is trying to decide if they should buy your book a glimpse into what you have to offer. They may read your table of contents and a specific item they are looking for might jump out at them causing them to buy your book. You're only showing a few pages, and this can be a great way to get more sales.
Google http://www.google.com/ Okay, this may seem obvious, but do you use it? Search for yourself. Search for specific book titles. Search for categories or subjects that align themselves to your book or subject. Then seek to improve your standing. You don't have to pay to gain a better postion in Google results. You need to make more impact on the search engine criteria. Write more, get your blog going, write articles to post at other blogs, send email promoting your books and get them to link to you. All of this activity makes Google react positively.
Finally, there are a bunch of book promotion sites on the web. There are too many to mention here. However, put Book Promotion into Google and then investigate what comes up. Often these sites are good for a one-time visit. Register, enter all your book information, and move on. Wait a few weeks and use Google again to search. If you come up on one of these promotional sites, then you know there's traffic involved and you'll want to bookmark the site for further attention.
PR work is time consuming and can be tedious. However, it can reap huge benefits. Whenever I take the time to invest on promotion, my sales go up on amazon and I find more activity on Google. I'm spending a lot of time blogging and slowly seeing benefit.
Think of it this way. You spent a lot of time and energy writing your book, composing your poem, or creating your illustration. You deserve for somebody else to read it or see it or admire your talent. That takes building tools to help people find you.
You will get a return on your investment!
Derek Hart Ventures is blessed with a great team. The partners work hard. We encapsulate all the traits listed previously. Still, with our assets on the line, we realize that persistence will make the differece. That, and faith!
I spend most of my day right now working on promotion. I write my blogs, send hundreds of emails, make calls, and network. I visit websites, conduct research, and intensify relationships. After all, I've got a 1,500-year-old dragon breathing down my neck. He can get pretty grumpy at times.
Yes, I do manage to squeeze some writing in there, but not as much as I'd like to. That very shortfall makes me grumpy. Just ask my wife and son. Just ask my partners. Just ask.....
Anyway, I'd like to pass along some of the lessons I've learned. In this blog, I'm just going to highlight some great websites I've encountered and how I think they can help.
Nothing Binding http://www.nothingbinding.com/ is a great site for authors to display their work and for readers to discover that same talent. It's user-friendly and once your register, take the time to create your presence. The end result is quite impressive.
Jacket Flap http://www.jacketflap.com/index.asp is a site intended to support, promote, and motivate anyone involved with books for children and young adults. However, if you love reading books for any age, this place is cool to visit. I am very partial to the people here. They are warm and friendly and several made a point of greeting me when I registered. What really grabbed me was all the talent represented by the membership. I have made some incredible contacts and have discovered a gifted artist who is working on cover art for me. I also landed some librarians anxiously reading Dragon books to review and a contact in England who wants to promote the Dragon books where the plots are located. This is an swesome site!
Book Marketing Network http://bookmarket.ning.com/ is a site designed to create a network of authors. After registering, you get your own mini-website to design and add material. It's not easy to work with, but that's because there's so much you can do with your persoanl page. I drop in every other day and add more stuff. John Kremer created the site and I respect him greatly. It's always worth networking.
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/home is a professional network site, but you should seriously consider registering here. This is a very active "social network" site, but from a business perspective. I have reestablished old relationships, created new ones, connected with important people, and generated lots of communication. Just because you're an author deosn't mean you can't develop serious business transactions using such a tool.
Blogger http://www.blogger.com is the very site you're reading my blog. This site is so user friendly it's ridiculous. If you're a serious writer/artist and you want people to know you exist, set up a blog. Write about whatever, but write as often as you can. Link it to everybody you know. Invite people to comment and subscribe. Visit other blogs and comment, inviting them to visit yours. Blog, blog, blog. Activity is the key. The more you blog, the more the bloggers find you. This is the new era of writing, immediate and real. Capture the energy of the blogging community, because they will buy your books, read your poetry, and admire your illustrations. Blogging rules, believe me.
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com is the premium website for exposure. We're starting to take it for granted and that's a mistake. All the demographics prove that amazon makes things happen. You should visit on a regular basis and leave reviews for books like yours, make sure your book is well presented and add anything you can to improve it. I highly recommend you sign up for Search Inside the Book, because this gives someone who is trying to decide if they should buy your book a glimpse into what you have to offer. They may read your table of contents and a specific item they are looking for might jump out at them causing them to buy your book. You're only showing a few pages, and this can be a great way to get more sales.
Google http://www.google.com/ Okay, this may seem obvious, but do you use it? Search for yourself. Search for specific book titles. Search for categories or subjects that align themselves to your book or subject. Then seek to improve your standing. You don't have to pay to gain a better postion in Google results. You need to make more impact on the search engine criteria. Write more, get your blog going, write articles to post at other blogs, send email promoting your books and get them to link to you. All of this activity makes Google react positively.
Finally, there are a bunch of book promotion sites on the web. There are too many to mention here. However, put Book Promotion into Google and then investigate what comes up. Often these sites are good for a one-time visit. Register, enter all your book information, and move on. Wait a few weeks and use Google again to search. If you come up on one of these promotional sites, then you know there's traffic involved and you'll want to bookmark the site for further attention.
PR work is time consuming and can be tedious. However, it can reap huge benefits. Whenever I take the time to invest on promotion, my sales go up on amazon and I find more activity on Google. I'm spending a lot of time blogging and slowly seeing benefit.
Think of it this way. You spent a lot of time and energy writing your book, composing your poem, or creating your illustration. You deserve for somebody else to read it or see it or admire your talent. That takes building tools to help people find you.
You will get a return on your investment!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Outlook
Today hasn't been a very good day. Without going into details, things didn't turn out the way I had planned. In fact, nothing went my way.
Oh, that's ridiculous. It's all in how I look at the day. I went to the library to do some research using books. Now that was different. I still took my laptop, but decided I would read and walk around, checking out titles. No fiction, just reference material and nonfiction. It was fun.
So, while personal and professional things were in the toilet, I got lost in a world of books. For me, it was simply wonderful. Every so many titles, I would slip out a volume of interest and flip through it. About every 5th book, something of interest would grab me and I would walk back to my table and type a few notes.
There was a gentleman sitting at the table next to me and he was having some difficulty, so I asked if I could help. He too had a laptop, but forgot his wireless card, so was forced to use the library computers, which you have to sign in for and wait in line. I lent him my thumbdrive to save stuff and bring it back to load on his laptop. I had seen him at the library before and we had shared pleasantries. Before you knew it, we were chatting away. I discovered that he was retired and now tuned pianos and restored antique organs.
How cool is that? We talked about all sorts of things and I really found his insights and input marvelous. I learned things I never knew and we shared advice and observations. For awhile, I forgot all my trials and tribulations, if i really had any.
Still, once I had spent several hours, I decided it was time to get back to work. You know, the tedious stuff. As I was driving, I was thinking more than paying attention to the road. Nothing bad happened, but suddenly I had reached my destination, without remembering how I got there. Sitting down at my desktop, I had a ton of emails to sort through and a list of projects to complete, and I really didn't want to do any of it.
I wanted to write. To immerse myself in characters and plot and action and grammar, and all the wonderful elements that make up a story. Instead, I forced myself to do the necessary stuff. I was at my very grumpiest, when I got an email from my sister. She's a published author too - mysteries. We're kindred spirits in many ways, though she's much more level-headed than I.
This is what she sent in her email.
Ms. Whitney ascribed her success as a writer to persistence and an abiding faith in her abilities. "Never mind the rejections, the discouragement, the voices of ridicule (there can be those too)," she wrote in "Guide to Fiction Writing." "Work and wait and learn, and that train will come by. If you give up, you'll never have a chance to climb aboard."
There are times, like today, when I question my sanity. Who in their right mind would want to be a writer? Then I think back to the man at the library and how much I enjoyed myself for awhile.
Tomorrow will be a lot better.
It always is.
That's because it depends on your outlook.
Oh, that's ridiculous. It's all in how I look at the day. I went to the library to do some research using books. Now that was different. I still took my laptop, but decided I would read and walk around, checking out titles. No fiction, just reference material and nonfiction. It was fun.
So, while personal and professional things were in the toilet, I got lost in a world of books. For me, it was simply wonderful. Every so many titles, I would slip out a volume of interest and flip through it. About every 5th book, something of interest would grab me and I would walk back to my table and type a few notes.
There was a gentleman sitting at the table next to me and he was having some difficulty, so I asked if I could help. He too had a laptop, but forgot his wireless card, so was forced to use the library computers, which you have to sign in for and wait in line. I lent him my thumbdrive to save stuff and bring it back to load on his laptop. I had seen him at the library before and we had shared pleasantries. Before you knew it, we were chatting away. I discovered that he was retired and now tuned pianos and restored antique organs.
How cool is that? We talked about all sorts of things and I really found his insights and input marvelous. I learned things I never knew and we shared advice and observations. For awhile, I forgot all my trials and tribulations, if i really had any.
Still, once I had spent several hours, I decided it was time to get back to work. You know, the tedious stuff. As I was driving, I was thinking more than paying attention to the road. Nothing bad happened, but suddenly I had reached my destination, without remembering how I got there. Sitting down at my desktop, I had a ton of emails to sort through and a list of projects to complete, and I really didn't want to do any of it.
I wanted to write. To immerse myself in characters and plot and action and grammar, and all the wonderful elements that make up a story. Instead, I forced myself to do the necessary stuff. I was at my very grumpiest, when I got an email from my sister. She's a published author too - mysteries. We're kindred spirits in many ways, though she's much more level-headed than I.
This is what she sent in her email.
Ms. Whitney ascribed her success as a writer to persistence and an abiding faith in her abilities. "Never mind the rejections, the discouragement, the voices of ridicule (there can be those too)," she wrote in "Guide to Fiction Writing." "Work and wait and learn, and that train will come by. If you give up, you'll never have a chance to climb aboard."
There are times, like today, when I question my sanity. Who in their right mind would want to be a writer? Then I think back to the man at the library and how much I enjoyed myself for awhile.
Tomorrow will be a lot better.
It always is.
That's because it depends on your outlook.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sources of Creative Energy
Recently, Alice, my dear friend and loyal reader, asked me where I get the inspiration and motivation to write my novels. By the way, she also bought me a T-shirt for Christmas that reads: Careful, or you'll end up in my novel. She should know, because I patterned a major character after her in Shadows in Replay. She says she's flattered. Hmmm, I wonder. I certainly intended it to be complimentary.
Anyway, it was a great question and I entertained (or bored) her with details of how I go about creating the plots, characters, and historical background within each of my books.
1) I have a vivid sense of imagination and I like to reflect on how I might behave if I was living in a different time or place. This often leads to visualizing a moment in history and playing around with it in my mind. So I take ordinary people, throw them into the middle of extraordinary situations and let them fumble about. It's fun to mess with fictional people, without causing real damage.
2) I have extreme moments of inspiration, which leads to flurries of activity researching the possibilities online. I'm a Google addict and will search high-and-low to seek out details. If I'm successful and discover lots of information, then I'll start saving websites and copying details to ponder later. If I run into a void, I may shelve the idea for awhile, but it never dies. I've learned over time that searching is all about what keywords you're using, so a few months down the road might give me a different perspective.
3) Relationships. People provide incredible material, either as characters or as seed planters. Many times a simple conversation will lead to a finished novel. This has happened several times. A question about whether Winston Churchill ever visited FDR at the Little White House in Georgia led to A Favor for FDR. A Statement regarding my ongoing fascination with Iceland led to Crooked Cross Factor. A comment that I should write for young adults created the excitement, which spilled over into Secret of the Dragon's Eye and the continuing series.
4) Reading. I love to read, so therefore, I write what I love to read. Yes, my ego is involved, but I like my characters and I strive to create people that my readers can relate to. I'm usually successful. I have a wide range of subjects, but I fit into the action/adventure genre, if I must give myself a label. I even like my bad guys, because they're complicated.
5) The drive to keep improving. I'm a much better writer today than I was yesterday, last week, last month, last year, and so on. I pay attention to reader feedback and criticism. I'm striving to create a great novel, not in the literary sense, but from the reader's viewpoint. I practice the art of writing suspense, dialogue, setting, place and style.
6) I'm a master at plots. I can spin a pretty good tale. I'm a storyteller.
7) Formula. I have settled on a style and a format. All of my books follow in that vein. There's a comfort level, both from my standpoint, because I know how I'm going to design my writing. The reader knows what to expect and sits down to read a story that will flow in a certain manner. I may gravitate away in some ways, but Derek Hart has established what the reader can expect.
Finally, there are a few very special people who are the catalysts behind most of my books. They're not always aware of the impact, but it's real and profound. Some might not even believe they've had that much influence in the outcome, but it's true. For as I travel along this journey called life, I credit people more than anything. There are so many personalities that have touched me in some way. I can't always express my gratitude and joy openly, so it ends up on the pages of my novels. And one person in particular will always have godlike status for the power of creativity they have created in me. For that, there are no words in the English language to capture my respect and love.
But I keep on trying!
Anyway, it was a great question and I entertained (or bored) her with details of how I go about creating the plots, characters, and historical background within each of my books.
1) I have a vivid sense of imagination and I like to reflect on how I might behave if I was living in a different time or place. This often leads to visualizing a moment in history and playing around with it in my mind. So I take ordinary people, throw them into the middle of extraordinary situations and let them fumble about. It's fun to mess with fictional people, without causing real damage.
2) I have extreme moments of inspiration, which leads to flurries of activity researching the possibilities online. I'm a Google addict and will search high-and-low to seek out details. If I'm successful and discover lots of information, then I'll start saving websites and copying details to ponder later. If I run into a void, I may shelve the idea for awhile, but it never dies. I've learned over time that searching is all about what keywords you're using, so a few months down the road might give me a different perspective.
3) Relationships. People provide incredible material, either as characters or as seed planters. Many times a simple conversation will lead to a finished novel. This has happened several times. A question about whether Winston Churchill ever visited FDR at the Little White House in Georgia led to A Favor for FDR. A Statement regarding my ongoing fascination with Iceland led to Crooked Cross Factor. A comment that I should write for young adults created the excitement, which spilled over into Secret of the Dragon's Eye and the continuing series.
4) Reading. I love to read, so therefore, I write what I love to read. Yes, my ego is involved, but I like my characters and I strive to create people that my readers can relate to. I'm usually successful. I have a wide range of subjects, but I fit into the action/adventure genre, if I must give myself a label. I even like my bad guys, because they're complicated.
5) The drive to keep improving. I'm a much better writer today than I was yesterday, last week, last month, last year, and so on. I pay attention to reader feedback and criticism. I'm striving to create a great novel, not in the literary sense, but from the reader's viewpoint. I practice the art of writing suspense, dialogue, setting, place and style.
6) I'm a master at plots. I can spin a pretty good tale. I'm a storyteller.
7) Formula. I have settled on a style and a format. All of my books follow in that vein. There's a comfort level, both from my standpoint, because I know how I'm going to design my writing. The reader knows what to expect and sits down to read a story that will flow in a certain manner. I may gravitate away in some ways, but Derek Hart has established what the reader can expect.
Finally, there are a few very special people who are the catalysts behind most of my books. They're not always aware of the impact, but it's real and profound. Some might not even believe they've had that much influence in the outcome, but it's true. For as I travel along this journey called life, I credit people more than anything. There are so many personalities that have touched me in some way. I can't always express my gratitude and joy openly, so it ends up on the pages of my novels. And one person in particular will always have godlike status for the power of creativity they have created in me. For that, there are no words in the English language to capture my respect and love.
But I keep on trying!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Movie Soundtracks and Writing
I have always been a music lover. There are a few genres I don't care for, but for the most part, music speaks to my soul. I am listening to music whenever possible - at work, in the car, working in the yard, and especially when I'm writing.
In fact, music is always playing while I'm writing, no exception. Now sometimes I plan ahead, selecting specific music to augment my mood or intensify a certain style or timeframe I want to capture with my writing.
For the most part, movie soundtracks will be my preference. I have over 300 soundtracks on CD, with 25 still on cassette, because I can't find them on CD. They're wearing out, which is sad.
My office is arranged in such a way to help music help my writing. I have a great chair (alas, it is old and squeaks a lot and the seat is wearing thin), and excellent lighting (though my eyes are failing me after all these years) and speakers strategically placed to enhance listening. The receiver and CD player are within easy reach, though I do have to get up to select a different CD (if it isn't in the convenient tower of 20 on my left). The tray holds 6 CD's, so that's a lot of music to play, before I need to change the selection, which is rare, because I often have certain favorite tracks on endless repeat. I will play something over and over, for hours on end, until I suddenly realize that I've heard it 2 million times. This often happens when I'm in the "groove", a place writers love to find themselves in, for the words just flow.
I do try to select music that has some correlation to what I'm writing. Since I'm a historical fiction author, I tend to lean to action and adventure movies, because their soundtracks have powerful themes. Currently I'm writing a young adult novel that takes place during the American Civil War, so I'm listening to Glory, Gettysburg, The Horse Soldiers, and How The West Was Won.
I'm also working on an adult action/adventure novel, where the music covers a broader range of emotions and themes, so the musical selection varies widely. In this case I'm listening to Matrix Reloaded, Transformers, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Day After Tomorrow, The DaVinci Code & Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
As a rule, I prefer soundtracks composed by Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Ron Goodwin, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, to name a few. I don't necessarily have to like the movie, to enjoy the soundtrack. Case in point, the most recent War of the Worlds. The movie was horrible, but the music was great.
This habit extends to my research modes as well. I have found that music helps me concentrate on the subject I am delving into, whether that's reading books and articles, composing email to hsitorians, writers, or everyday people, or surfing the Internet. I make every attempt to match the music with whatever era I'm working with.
I'm tempted to tell readers what music to listen to when they're reading my books. I have gone as far as burning myself a mini-soundtrack to listen again and again as I'm editing my final draft for the 7th time. It makes the tedious nitpicking seem less irritating and more productive. Music evokes a sensory element in me that heightens the experience and helps me transform words into images. Yes, sometimes classical rock will sneak into the lineup, but that's either because I just want to listen to Eddie Money or David Bowie. That also means that Scottish bagpipes, Celtic, Latin, and Native American music will find its way to my ears as well. It all depends on my mood and what I'm currenlty writing.
If you're interested, you can email me and ask what music I was listening to when I wrote a certain novel. I kept track of it all, so I'd be happy to share the music with you!
Technorati Tags:
Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Ron Goodwin, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Matrix Reloaded, Transformers, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Day After Tomorrow, The DaVinci Code, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Glory, Gettysburg, The Horse Soldiers, How The West Was Won
In fact, music is always playing while I'm writing, no exception. Now sometimes I plan ahead, selecting specific music to augment my mood or intensify a certain style or timeframe I want to capture with my writing.
For the most part, movie soundtracks will be my preference. I have over 300 soundtracks on CD, with 25 still on cassette, because I can't find them on CD. They're wearing out, which is sad.
My office is arranged in such a way to help music help my writing. I have a great chair (alas, it is old and squeaks a lot and the seat is wearing thin), and excellent lighting (though my eyes are failing me after all these years) and speakers strategically placed to enhance listening. The receiver and CD player are within easy reach, though I do have to get up to select a different CD (if it isn't in the convenient tower of 20 on my left). The tray holds 6 CD's, so that's a lot of music to play, before I need to change the selection, which is rare, because I often have certain favorite tracks on endless repeat. I will play something over and over, for hours on end, until I suddenly realize that I've heard it 2 million times. This often happens when I'm in the "groove", a place writers love to find themselves in, for the words just flow.
I do try to select music that has some correlation to what I'm writing. Since I'm a historical fiction author, I tend to lean to action and adventure movies, because their soundtracks have powerful themes. Currently I'm writing a young adult novel that takes place during the American Civil War, so I'm listening to Glory, Gettysburg, The Horse Soldiers, and How The West Was Won.
I'm also working on an adult action/adventure novel, where the music covers a broader range of emotions and themes, so the musical selection varies widely. In this case I'm listening to Matrix Reloaded, Transformers, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Day After Tomorrow, The DaVinci Code & Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
As a rule, I prefer soundtracks composed by Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Ron Goodwin, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, to name a few. I don't necessarily have to like the movie, to enjoy the soundtrack. Case in point, the most recent War of the Worlds. The movie was horrible, but the music was great.
This habit extends to my research modes as well. I have found that music helps me concentrate on the subject I am delving into, whether that's reading books and articles, composing email to hsitorians, writers, or everyday people, or surfing the Internet. I make every attempt to match the music with whatever era I'm working with.
I'm tempted to tell readers what music to listen to when they're reading my books. I have gone as far as burning myself a mini-soundtrack to listen again and again as I'm editing my final draft for the 7th time. It makes the tedious nitpicking seem less irritating and more productive. Music evokes a sensory element in me that heightens the experience and helps me transform words into images. Yes, sometimes classical rock will sneak into the lineup, but that's either because I just want to listen to Eddie Money or David Bowie. That also means that Scottish bagpipes, Celtic, Latin, and Native American music will find its way to my ears as well. It all depends on my mood and what I'm currenlty writing.
If you're interested, you can email me and ask what music I was listening to when I wrote a certain novel. I kept track of it all, so I'd be happy to share the music with you!
Technorati Tags:
Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Ron Goodwin, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Matrix Reloaded, Transformers, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Day After Tomorrow, The DaVinci Code, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Glory, Gettysburg, The Horse Soldiers, How The West Was Won
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Warm Springs, Georgia + The Little White House
Located just an hour south of Atlanta, the town of Warm Springs, Georgia is nestled amongst rolling hills and fresh water springs and is steeped in traditional southern charm and hospitality.
In fact, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was so enchanted with Warm Springs, Georgia that he built the only home he ever owned there - a modest, six room cottage called the Little White House, which served as a relaxing, comfortable haven for him during his regular visits to Warm Springs. It was there he is believed to have developed his New Deal policies that would affect the entire nation, but the President also was rumored to have planned several of his wartime operations with the simple walls as well. Roosevelt died in the house on April 12, 1945, while posing for the "Unfinished Portrait".
People used to flock to Warm Spring to swim in the waters for health. The warm mineral springs drew settlers to the area, and in 1832 when David Rose built the first "resort area" in Warm Springs, its popularity grew. Later in 1893, Charles Davis built the very Victorian 300-room Meriwether Inn. There was a dance pavilion, bowling alley, tennis court and trap shooting. From the nearly 90 degree springs flowing from the hillside of Pine Mountain, resort pools were constructed. It became "the place" for a summer retreat. But at the turn of the century, the resort and the town fell into a decline.
It was the late former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who first gave national recognition to Warm Springs when, in 1924, he visited the town's naturally heated mineral springs as treatment for his polio related paralysis. Georgia State Parks recently refurbished the pools and, although they are now mostly empty, a touch pool still exists where visitors are welcome to feel the actual warm spring water and listen to information about its' history. The warm springs maintains a constant 88 degree temperature year round and flows at approximately 914 gallons per minute. Unfortunately the springs are not available for public use as a spa resort, but they are used by the Roosevelt Institute for therapeutic purposes.
When I decided I wanted to write a novel the took place during World War II, but was more focused on intrigue and secrets, I didn't need to look very far for locations or a plot. A Favor for FDR was the end result and it has been very well received by veterans. Many ask how I came to devise such a fascinating plot?
Well, while visiting the Little White House, my tour guide mentioned several things that got the imagination going. First, the Secret Service maintained a visitor log at the front gate, making sure that everyone who came to see the President signed in and then signed out. It turned out that many pages had been removed for security reasons. Also, there was a great deal of controversy regarding a specific trip Roosevelt took to Warm Springs in 1943. From many sources I gleaned that the President's train arrived sooner than officially recorded and departed later. Finally, there was a set of Royal Doulton lunch plates displayed at the house, which when asked, no one knew where they came from. I asked if I could see one and I noted all the details from the baskside. After extensive research, it appears that Winston Churchill had purchased many items from the same pattern and kiln date. Supposedly the Prime Minister never visited Georgia and there is no record of Churchill ever giving the plates to the President.
Armed with these little bits of mystery and a much more complicated series of events, I began to create the story.
In response to the fear that the Nazis were developing an atomic bomb, the US government through the OSS (forerunner of the CIA) commissioned a super-secret mission to evaluate the status of German science and to assess their progress in the area of nuclear fission. ALSOS was the code name for the joint military/scientific expedition into occupied Europe, and they succeeded in capturing scientists, seizing uranium supplies and concluded that no such plans for a bomb were seriously underway.
So what were the Germans really up to? Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Lisa Meitner, Otto Hahn were the German scientists, all great minds capable of reaching the same conclusions as the American team. Were they morally against the bomb’s development or did they just not understand the technical problems and concluded its development was not feasible? We may never know, because they publicly denied the possibility that such a bomb could be built, even after learning about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Yet certain evidence suggests that the German team not only knew how to build an atomic bomb, but decided against it. No matter what the reason was for abandoning the project, it is startling to delve into the alternative choices. Atomic power took on an even more advanced role in the German plans, far surpassing the “simplistic” approach of a terrible weapon.
US Army Captain Robert Brock makes a personal promise to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to destroy all evidence that the Germans have actually perfected the design for an atomic bomb. The “favor” takes him to Greece, Italy, France, and into Germany itself, as ALSOS races to prevent the Third Reich from using their weapon of mass destruction. Go along for a fast-paced ride as Brock delivers whatever it takes to make good on his promise, offered as a favor to FDR.
If you're in Georgia and have some extra time to take a pleasant drive through the countryside, go to Warm Springs and visit The Little White House. If you've read A Favor for FDR, you can ask the guides irritating questions. You'll be surprised by some of the answers you get. By the way, they're used to it by now. The museum bookstore carries the book too, but they run out a lot, so make sure you let them know you read it.
Technorati Tags:
Warm Springs, Georgia, The Little White House, FDR, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, ALSOS, Georgia State Parks, Royal Doulton, Winston Churchill, World War II, polio, Charles Davis, Meriwether Inn, Unfinished Portrait, atomic bomb
In fact, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was so enchanted with Warm Springs, Georgia that he built the only home he ever owned there - a modest, six room cottage called the Little White House, which served as a relaxing, comfortable haven for him during his regular visits to Warm Springs. It was there he is believed to have developed his New Deal policies that would affect the entire nation, but the President also was rumored to have planned several of his wartime operations with the simple walls as well. Roosevelt died in the house on April 12, 1945, while posing for the "Unfinished Portrait".
People used to flock to Warm Spring to swim in the waters for health. The warm mineral springs drew settlers to the area, and in 1832 when David Rose built the first "resort area" in Warm Springs, its popularity grew. Later in 1893, Charles Davis built the very Victorian 300-room Meriwether Inn. There was a dance pavilion, bowling alley, tennis court and trap shooting. From the nearly 90 degree springs flowing from the hillside of Pine Mountain, resort pools were constructed. It became "the place" for a summer retreat. But at the turn of the century, the resort and the town fell into a decline.
It was the late former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who first gave national recognition to Warm Springs when, in 1924, he visited the town's naturally heated mineral springs as treatment for his polio related paralysis. Georgia State Parks recently refurbished the pools and, although they are now mostly empty, a touch pool still exists where visitors are welcome to feel the actual warm spring water and listen to information about its' history. The warm springs maintains a constant 88 degree temperature year round and flows at approximately 914 gallons per minute. Unfortunately the springs are not available for public use as a spa resort, but they are used by the Roosevelt Institute for therapeutic purposes.
When I decided I wanted to write a novel the took place during World War II, but was more focused on intrigue and secrets, I didn't need to look very far for locations or a plot. A Favor for FDR was the end result and it has been very well received by veterans. Many ask how I came to devise such a fascinating plot?
Well, while visiting the Little White House, my tour guide mentioned several things that got the imagination going. First, the Secret Service maintained a visitor log at the front gate, making sure that everyone who came to see the President signed in and then signed out. It turned out that many pages had been removed for security reasons. Also, there was a great deal of controversy regarding a specific trip Roosevelt took to Warm Springs in 1943. From many sources I gleaned that the President's train arrived sooner than officially recorded and departed later. Finally, there was a set of Royal Doulton lunch plates displayed at the house, which when asked, no one knew where they came from. I asked if I could see one and I noted all the details from the baskside. After extensive research, it appears that Winston Churchill had purchased many items from the same pattern and kiln date. Supposedly the Prime Minister never visited Georgia and there is no record of Churchill ever giving the plates to the President.
Armed with these little bits of mystery and a much more complicated series of events, I began to create the story.
In response to the fear that the Nazis were developing an atomic bomb, the US government through the OSS (forerunner of the CIA) commissioned a super-secret mission to evaluate the status of German science and to assess their progress in the area of nuclear fission. ALSOS was the code name for the joint military/scientific expedition into occupied Europe, and they succeeded in capturing scientists, seizing uranium supplies and concluded that no such plans for a bomb were seriously underway.
So what were the Germans really up to? Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Lisa Meitner, Otto Hahn were the German scientists, all great minds capable of reaching the same conclusions as the American team. Were they morally against the bomb’s development or did they just not understand the technical problems and concluded its development was not feasible? We may never know, because they publicly denied the possibility that such a bomb could be built, even after learning about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Yet certain evidence suggests that the German team not only knew how to build an atomic bomb, but decided against it. No matter what the reason was for abandoning the project, it is startling to delve into the alternative choices. Atomic power took on an even more advanced role in the German plans, far surpassing the “simplistic” approach of a terrible weapon.
US Army Captain Robert Brock makes a personal promise to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to destroy all evidence that the Germans have actually perfected the design for an atomic bomb. The “favor” takes him to Greece, Italy, France, and into Germany itself, as ALSOS races to prevent the Third Reich from using their weapon of mass destruction. Go along for a fast-paced ride as Brock delivers whatever it takes to make good on his promise, offered as a favor to FDR.
If you're in Georgia and have some extra time to take a pleasant drive through the countryside, go to Warm Springs and visit The Little White House. If you've read A Favor for FDR, you can ask the guides irritating questions. You'll be surprised by some of the answers you get. By the way, they're used to it by now. The museum bookstore carries the book too, but they run out a lot, so make sure you let them know you read it.
Technorati Tags:
Warm Springs, Georgia, The Little White House, FDR, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, ALSOS, Georgia State Parks, Royal Doulton, Winston Churchill, World War II, polio, Charles Davis, Meriwether Inn, Unfinished Portrait, atomic bomb
Friday, February 8, 2008
Iceland - Land of Fire and Ice
Two of my novels - Crooked Cross Factor and Ice Flotilla, are located in Iceland. This incredible nation is also regularly featured in the Secret of the Dragon's Eye and Secret of the Dragon's Breath, as the mysterious and closely-guarded secret home to all dragons.
Iceland is an wondrous place! Besides being misnamed by the Vikings, on purpose, to keep others away, the island is full of contrasts. Yes, the weather can get pretty exciting, but that's part of the beauty. There are glaciers, raging rivers, volcano activity, geysers, the wooliest sheep I have ever seen, the most breathtakingly beautiful blonde women, and truly some of the cleanest streets in the world.
Her people are a hardy bunch, who live life to the max. As a nation, they are 100% literate and books are revered. This explains why the author in me loves this Island. They love their heritage, their art, and their history. They are independent from the world, while still an active member of the community. They're not especially fond of America's politics, but they are warm to her citizens.
The common diet is designed to power you during the cold winter and would be a doctor's nightmare otherwise. After all, these Icelandic folk work hard for a living. Iceland offers a fine variety of all kinds of foods produced locally. The quality is excellent, in part because of a very clean environment. Perhaps the best is lamb meat, mostly because the sheep range freely in the mountains. Iceland has strict regulations relating to meat production and the use of hormones is strictly forbidden.
Iceland has a range of traditional foods, called thorramatur, which are enjoyed especially in the period from January to March. These preserved foods include smoked and salted lamb, singed sheep heads, dried fish, smoked and pickled salmon, cured shark and various other delicacies. Breads include laufabrauð (deep-fried paper-thin bread), kleinur (similar to doughnuts) and rye pancakes.
I must admit, her people caught my attention and forever captured my heart. Being a guy, I simply was mesmerized by the women I spoke to in Reykjavik. Eyes so blue, you don't need to look at the sky, hair golden natural blonde (no bleach or dyes necessary) and smiling faces that just sparkled. Sure, it helped when they discovered I was a writer and instantly they could speak very correct English, with a Danish accent.
After a night drinking vodka, dancing, and flirting, the next morning, hung over, I traveled down the coast to see the sights. My driver, a young student who was fascinated in why I wanted to see Iceland, turned out to be a fantastic guide. He asked a few questions and we headed for Vik, which became a key location in Crooked Cross Factor. There's no way I can do justice to what I saw, the sights, sounds, smells were so unique and SO clean.
If for any reason you get an opportunity to go to Iceland, do so! Many flights from the US to England make stops in Keflavik, a fortunate layover indeed. If this is your case, get off the plane and look around, if possible. I promise you that Iceland is a country you will never forget. If you'd like to visit from the comfort of your hone, drop in at www.icelandreview.com and take a look around.
I can't wait to go back!
Technorati Tags:
Iceland, Reykjavik, Keflavik, Vik, vodka,
Iceland is an wondrous place! Besides being misnamed by the Vikings, on purpose, to keep others away, the island is full of contrasts. Yes, the weather can get pretty exciting, but that's part of the beauty. There are glaciers, raging rivers, volcano activity, geysers, the wooliest sheep I have ever seen, the most breathtakingly beautiful blonde women, and truly some of the cleanest streets in the world.
Her people are a hardy bunch, who live life to the max. As a nation, they are 100% literate and books are revered. This explains why the author in me loves this Island. They love their heritage, their art, and their history. They are independent from the world, while still an active member of the community. They're not especially fond of America's politics, but they are warm to her citizens.
The common diet is designed to power you during the cold winter and would be a doctor's nightmare otherwise. After all, these Icelandic folk work hard for a living. Iceland offers a fine variety of all kinds of foods produced locally. The quality is excellent, in part because of a very clean environment. Perhaps the best is lamb meat, mostly because the sheep range freely in the mountains. Iceland has strict regulations relating to meat production and the use of hormones is strictly forbidden.
Iceland has a range of traditional foods, called thorramatur, which are enjoyed especially in the period from January to March. These preserved foods include smoked and salted lamb, singed sheep heads, dried fish, smoked and pickled salmon, cured shark and various other delicacies. Breads include laufabrauð (deep-fried paper-thin bread), kleinur (similar to doughnuts) and rye pancakes.
I must admit, her people caught my attention and forever captured my heart. Being a guy, I simply was mesmerized by the women I spoke to in Reykjavik. Eyes so blue, you don't need to look at the sky, hair golden natural blonde (no bleach or dyes necessary) and smiling faces that just sparkled. Sure, it helped when they discovered I was a writer and instantly they could speak very correct English, with a Danish accent.
After a night drinking vodka, dancing, and flirting, the next morning, hung over, I traveled down the coast to see the sights. My driver, a young student who was fascinated in why I wanted to see Iceland, turned out to be a fantastic guide. He asked a few questions and we headed for Vik, which became a key location in Crooked Cross Factor. There's no way I can do justice to what I saw, the sights, sounds, smells were so unique and SO clean.
If for any reason you get an opportunity to go to Iceland, do so! Many flights from the US to England make stops in Keflavik, a fortunate layover indeed. If this is your case, get off the plane and look around, if possible. I promise you that Iceland is a country you will never forget. If you'd like to visit from the comfort of your hone, drop in at www.icelandreview.com and take a look around.
I can't wait to go back!
Technorati Tags:
Iceland, Reykjavik, Keflavik, Vik, vodka,
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Staying Up Late
I'm not a morning person, but I still get up and get going while it's still dark out. If it was up to me, I'd be a night owl. So, much to my doctor's dismay, I have decided sleep is over-rated. Besides, I must balance my passion for writing, with my other responsibilities. My son comes first, so until he's asleep, writing has to wait. Oops, my wife has a list of priorities too. So, when it's time for me to sit down and pound that keyboard, it's usually pretty late. If I get on a roll, I lose all track of time.
I recently had a good friend ask about how I write and how I find the time? It's a discipline, but it's also my passion, so I make the time. It does mean that other things don't get done when they should, but that's the trade-off. How I write is for another blog.
Michael, my agent, says I'm prolific. I like that. I write as an obsession. As I'm working on my blogs, I'm organizing the progress I've made so far this week. I have two finished novels that are awaiting my quality control editor's radar eyes. I have 2 more novels that are in draft form and need my scrutinizing. I have 4 novels that are 80% complete, 3 novels that are 50% written and 8 more novels in outline or research stage. There's no such thing as writer's block for me.
I answer email as soon as I can, work on blogs, check my son's homework, and a myriad of other things too. I love it. I just wish I didn't have any bills to pay.
I have a few fans (they are the people who have read just about everything I've written) who correspond with me on a weekly basis. They're the word-of-mouth engines that lead to improving sales and more name recognition. Anyway, I really love hearing from them and look forward to sharing email or cell phone calls. Still, I wish I could dedicate more time to them.
Next week I'm reading a chapter aloud from Secret of the Dragon's Eye to a 5th Grade class at a nearby elementary school. Now talk about exciting. That's another reason I love to write. Those kids hang on every word. They ask really awesome, thought-provoking questions, and they really like my dragon. If it was up to me, I'd visit a school every day, read a chapter and hopefully get them excited about writing and reading.
Okay, back to work. I want to get my main character into some kind of situation that doesn't look promising. It was 4:00 am when I stopped, but when I looked at the clock, I decided that I could skip the remaining 2 hours. Brew a pot of coffee, see my son off to school, wave as my wife heads off to work, and then sit back down at the computer.
To some of you, I bet that sounds like drudgery. To others, it sounds just right. To me, it's just the way it has to be.
I recently had a good friend ask about how I write and how I find the time? It's a discipline, but it's also my passion, so I make the time. It does mean that other things don't get done when they should, but that's the trade-off. How I write is for another blog.
Michael, my agent, says I'm prolific. I like that. I write as an obsession. As I'm working on my blogs, I'm organizing the progress I've made so far this week. I have two finished novels that are awaiting my quality control editor's radar eyes. I have 2 more novels that are in draft form and need my scrutinizing. I have 4 novels that are 80% complete, 3 novels that are 50% written and 8 more novels in outline or research stage. There's no such thing as writer's block for me.
I answer email as soon as I can, work on blogs, check my son's homework, and a myriad of other things too. I love it. I just wish I didn't have any bills to pay.
I have a few fans (they are the people who have read just about everything I've written) who correspond with me on a weekly basis. They're the word-of-mouth engines that lead to improving sales and more name recognition. Anyway, I really love hearing from them and look forward to sharing email or cell phone calls. Still, I wish I could dedicate more time to them.
Next week I'm reading a chapter aloud from Secret of the Dragon's Eye to a 5th Grade class at a nearby elementary school. Now talk about exciting. That's another reason I love to write. Those kids hang on every word. They ask really awesome, thought-provoking questions, and they really like my dragon. If it was up to me, I'd visit a school every day, read a chapter and hopefully get them excited about writing and reading.
Okay, back to work. I want to get my main character into some kind of situation that doesn't look promising. It was 4:00 am when I stopped, but when I looked at the clock, I decided that I could skip the remaining 2 hours. Brew a pot of coffee, see my son off to school, wave as my wife heads off to work, and then sit back down at the computer.
To some of you, I bet that sounds like drudgery. To others, it sounds just right. To me, it's just the way it has to be.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Danger Cruise
I haven't decided if I'm going to write on each of the 17 books published, but I will cover at least 5 or 6 of them. Danger Cruise is one of my favorites and is selling very well. It's not a traditional romance, nor is just action and adventure. It's a blending of the two.
Danger Cruise came about, because I wanted to develop a fast-paced story that took place on a cruise ship, but before the age of terrorists. So I researched famous ships during the 1970's and settled with Princess Carla, the jewel of the Costa fleet. I jumped on ebay and won my bid on a cruise packet from the Carla. Then I set the entire plot during a 1 week cruise. That's why all the details are based on fact, right down to the movies playing, the entertainment, the food, eveyrthing I could dig up.
The main characters were pretty easy too. I patterened John Drake, the first office after Matthew McConaughey and Raylene Capri after Eva Mendes. It would make a really entertaining movie.
Anyway, the rest of the writing was to develop character, create dialogue, move the plot along, and have a sizzling romance. Typical stuff for me. The end result was gratfying, because lots of people like Danger Cruise.
My business goal is to get the cruise ships to carry the title in their gift shops, so if you know anybody in the cruiseline industry, let me know.
"There is so much action in DANGER CRUISE that I can’t even begin to explain. If you’re looking for a passionate romance story, mixed in with danger, murder, robbery, and a smashing ending, than this is the book for you and you should read it as soon as possible. Derek Hart has told this story so well that you’d almost believe you were a passenger on the Princess Carla. I enjoyed DANGER CRUISE and highly recommend it to everyone."
Kimberly Leslie
Romance Junkies
Technorati Tags:
Carla, Danger Cruise, cruise ship, action, adventure, romance, Costa, Princess Carla, Matthew McConaughey, Eva Mendes. Romance Junkies
Danger Cruise came about, because I wanted to develop a fast-paced story that took place on a cruise ship, but before the age of terrorists. So I researched famous ships during the 1970's and settled with Princess Carla, the jewel of the Costa fleet. I jumped on ebay and won my bid on a cruise packet from the Carla. Then I set the entire plot during a 1 week cruise. That's why all the details are based on fact, right down to the movies playing, the entertainment, the food, eveyrthing I could dig up.
The main characters were pretty easy too. I patterened John Drake, the first office after Matthew McConaughey and Raylene Capri after Eva Mendes. It would make a really entertaining movie.
Anyway, the rest of the writing was to develop character, create dialogue, move the plot along, and have a sizzling romance. Typical stuff for me. The end result was gratfying, because lots of people like Danger Cruise.
My business goal is to get the cruise ships to carry the title in their gift shops, so if you know anybody in the cruiseline industry, let me know.
"There is so much action in DANGER CRUISE that I can’t even begin to explain. If you’re looking for a passionate romance story, mixed in with danger, murder, robbery, and a smashing ending, than this is the book for you and you should read it as soon as possible. Derek Hart has told this story so well that you’d almost believe you were a passenger on the Princess Carla. I enjoyed DANGER CRUISE and highly recommend it to everyone."
Kimberly Leslie
Romance Junkies
Technorati Tags:
Carla, Danger Cruise, cruise ship, action, adventure, romance, Costa, Princess Carla, Matthew McConaughey, Eva Mendes. Romance Junkies
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Writing for Business, Art or Entertainment
Well, Derek Hart Books has struggled as of late, but lots of inroads and networking is paying off. Sure, we didn't get our venture capital influx, which bummed everybody on the team, but we'll keep pursuing the pot at the end of the rainbow.
Besides, we've learned a lot about presentations, PowerPoint, venture capital, and what not to say. LOL
Secret of the Dragon's Breath is now in several reviewers hands and we hope it gains as much success as its predecessor, Secret of the Dragon's Eye. Everybody has been working very hard to promote the product. It's paying off.
Which has also created an ongoing discussion with the partners. Are we trying to focus on the business, the art of writing, or the entertainment? Our business plan is focused on the business, of course, but we're up against some pretty big competitors.
1) The marketplace. Books are not the frontrunner form of entertainment for lots of people. They just don't read. Movies yes, books no. Video games yes, books no. YouTube + MySpace, yes, books no. Can we compete? We sure hope so.
2) Other authors. On the children's front, there Harry Potter, of course, with Series of Unfortunate Events, Spiderwicke Chronicles, and so many others. Are kids sick of dragons? Not any I know and my 12-year-old son and his friends all love to read about Thaddeus Osbert's adventures, but I have heard that complaint.
3) The whole branding, marketing thing. Were do we advertise? Which trade shows, conferences, and book fairs do we attend? Which organizations should we join?
Anyway, we're learning and getting better. More to come tomorrow. Derek has to do an interview and write more.
Technorati Tags:
Secret of the Dragon's Breath, Secret of the Dragon's Eye, YouTube, MySpace, Derek Hart Books, dragons, Thaddeus Osbert, venture capital
Besides, we've learned a lot about presentations, PowerPoint, venture capital, and what not to say. LOL
Secret of the Dragon's Breath is now in several reviewers hands and we hope it gains as much success as its predecessor, Secret of the Dragon's Eye. Everybody has been working very hard to promote the product. It's paying off.
Which has also created an ongoing discussion with the partners. Are we trying to focus on the business, the art of writing, or the entertainment? Our business plan is focused on the business, of course, but we're up against some pretty big competitors.
1) The marketplace. Books are not the frontrunner form of entertainment for lots of people. They just don't read. Movies yes, books no. Video games yes, books no. YouTube + MySpace, yes, books no. Can we compete? We sure hope so.
2) Other authors. On the children's front, there Harry Potter, of course, with Series of Unfortunate Events, Spiderwicke Chronicles, and so many others. Are kids sick of dragons? Not any I know and my 12-year-old son and his friends all love to read about Thaddeus Osbert's adventures, but I have heard that complaint.
3) The whole branding, marketing thing. Were do we advertise? Which trade shows, conferences, and book fairs do we attend? Which organizations should we join?
Anyway, we're learning and getting better. More to come tomorrow. Derek has to do an interview and write more.
Technorati Tags:
Secret of the Dragon's Breath, Secret of the Dragon's Eye, YouTube, MySpace, Derek Hart Books, dragons, Thaddeus Osbert, venture capital
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