Relaunch of First Book!

It's finally here.  My first book, Northwoods Forest Mystery now in eBook through Smashwords.com.

I wrote my first novel in 2003 in response to a request from my Mom's group for fiction that didn't contain the gratuitous sex or extreme violence we often see in today's books.  I decided to give it a try and "Northwoods" was my first attempt and it literally launched a new career for me.

I learned just how much I didn't know about the publishing business.  It has changed over the years and every man and his uncle seem to have a book in publication.  But I wanted mine to be different.  I wanted an easy read, something fun but also something with meaning and this book began it all.

The book was finally published in 2005, although it only took six weeks to write.  Countless hours of editing, restructuring, etc., and it still wasn't right, but I thought I could correct things down the line if I still wasn't satisfied.  Wrong.  That would have cost a mint.  Two years and over 300 rejections from publishers and agents later, I finally got the first in a four-part series published.  I learned about rejection, heartbreak and fortitude.  My advice is if you want to write a book, fine.  If you want to publish it?  Learn your craft.  Get your education and make sure you understand grammar, punctuation, tense, structure...learn it all before you even think of publishing.  This is where you earn your dues - through diligence, hard work and perseverance.  Yes, you get knocked down but you must get right back up again.  Do your research, listen to other authors, get yourself known in the community.  The easy part is writing the book.  The hard part is doing the marketing and publicity.

Death Across the Pond is the next book coming up for eBook status, probably at the beginning of next year.  I lost my disc, so this baby will have to be input manually and it takes time.  This is my photo on the cover, taken in Princeton, Iowa at the old quarry.  We had only about five minutes of good light when we were shooting and this is one of the best pictures from that shoot.  I love it and will use it again on a different cover.

This is the second book in the series and shows much more depth to the characters, their experiences and tests to their faith...their faith in God and in one another.  As the books go on, the people become a little darker.  They delve into a more complicated character structure and into the human condition.  I like the way the main characters develop as they experience more together.  And the introduction of new central characters adds another dimension - much darker and twisted.

And the good thing is I learned how to write properly.  Gone were the college days in English class...now is the meat and potatoes of actually writing for a living.  And this is such a different and unique perspective.  I've often said my mind is so fertile, I could grow enough crops to feed a nation!  Or at least grow a forest.  And it never stops.

The third book in the series, The 'Ghost' in Bolton Hall, takes place in part in Bolton-by-Bowland, a real place in the northwestern portion of Lancashire, England.  And there really was a Bolton Hall.  The photograph on the book cover is actually Bolton Hall.   I chose this village because it is one of the most beautiful in all of Britain and there have been other books set there, so why not?  I got the assistance of their Parish Council and the stage was set for the deepest mystery yet.

We meet the new character of Michael DuMonde - the 'The Ghost' - an international assassin who is thrust into the lives of main characters Roan and Shauna Sanderson.  You meet him in the second novel, but only briefly and here, the 'Ghost' takes on his depth.  Suffice it to say, now we have some real mysteries..lots of questions but no answers.  And this is where the psychological twists begin and deepen, making this man a broody, vicious killer.

The last book in the series, Murder and Pasta Don't Mix is even deeper, but with humorous segments.  Now we are dealing with murder, new central characters and a lot of British humor...with some Italian giggles as well.  This is a real combination of worlds and they all come crashing in on Roan, Shauna and crew, culminating in our beloved Franco finally showing he isn't the buffoon we took him for.

This novel is difficult to put down.  Every time I read it, I can't seem to get enough of it!  I hope you will enjoy all four of the books in this series.  I am also contemplating adding a fifth book - possibly in a couple of years when the rest of my projects are finished.  People keep asking me to do another one, so just maybe I will!!

You can find Northwoods Forest Mystery at Smashwords.com and although the book is no longer in printed form, you can probably still find some on Amazon.com or other retailers.  The other three can still be found at PublishAmerica.com.  Eventually all my books will be in both forms...digital and print.  Those are the best of both worlds.

Now is the time for autumn leaves, smells of cinnamon and cocoa. This is my favorite time of year.  Being a September baby, I love anything dealing with the earth and I become more alive as each day goes on.  I hope all of you will enjoy this time of year with your families and take in all the planet has to offer.