Tag Archives: new release

Update 6-4-2023

Greetings,

It’s been an intense few weeks, with the promise of continuing to be so, but I cannot resist keeping my blog updated for my audience.  For those few intrepid souls, I salute you.

Anywho…I understood when I began my writing it would be a learning experience – as all things in this life are -and the writing journey, along with its narration counterpart – has not disappointed in this regard.  There have been some bumps along the road, but I have gained knowledge along the way, and it has been a rewarding process creatively, if not financially.  One such bump has seen the delay of release of the hardbound versions of my novels, but it appears I have overcome that particular hurdle (and learning in the process), and the revised hardbound additions should be available on Amazon soon.

On the Audible front, the audio version of Highway Hypnosis should be available sometime on or after June 10, 2023.  The files have all passed the ACX check on my software, and are awaiting QC approval.  Here’s keeping my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, I have begun recording the Audible version of Strange Stories, Twisted Tales.  The first story, The Minstrel, has been recorded, and I have begun work on Roadkill.  I find I enjoy the recording process immensely – the audio processing not so much – but am determined to learn as much as I can on both ends of the process in order to produce the best result I can.  I have a lot of irons in the fire on any given day, and plan to add even more, in the form of a video blog, in the near future, but I am confident the results will be well worth the effort.

Until next time,

~Namaste

Audible Update: 5-29-2023

Greetings,

Well, after many hours of recording and audio processing, I have uploaded my first novel, Highway Hypnosis, to Audible.  The files are in review, and I should get a response within ten business days, according to their website.  I will begin recording the various stories in Strange Stories, Twisted Tales within the next day or do…unless I can’t resist getting back to reading, in which case it could be as early as tonight.

It is my plan, hope really, that by the time I get to my third book, that  will have become proficient enough at the process that I may begin to do some freelance narration work.  I have to find something, after all – my current job is a narcissistic nightmare and both emotionally physically destructive.  The damage done to me physically by the results of narcissistic and legal abuse has left me technically disabled, and these effects are exacerbated by the physical demands of my ‘day job’.  Narration is not only something I enjoy, but is work that I can perform at my own pace, and around the limitations I face on a daily basis.

I’ll be sure to announce when the Audible version of my novel is ready for purchase.  Thanks again for any and all who follow this blog.

Until Next Time,

~Namaste

Audible Update: 4-10-2023

Greetings!

I have officially begun my first attempt at narration, recording my first novel, Highway Hypnosis for release on Audible.  It has turned out to be an interesting process, and this has given me a clue to just how much work goes into video and sound production.  The learning curve for the software end has not proven difficult so far, but that cannot be said about the actual voice work. I am not a stranger to narration, having recorded books for remedial reading students back in the day, but it is not as easy as it appears. I have confidence I will improve with time, however, and look forward to gaining experience in this new endeavor.  Should this go well, I may even hire myself out for other work in that field on a freelance basis.

I have five chapters completed so far, with another twenty-three to go.  Upon completion, I plan on beginning the second book immediately.  With luck, this project will be finished in time for me to begin compiling the manuscript for my next work, which will be a non-fiction account of the my struggle against narcissistic abuse, not something in line with my usual work, but something I feel I must complete for both personal healing and to help other men who may be in similar situations.

Stay tuned for progress and release updates.  There is plenty more to come!

Until Next Time,

~Namaste

Writing Update: 3-5-2023

Greetings!

So much news!
The manuscript for my upcoming novel is completed. It will weigh in at 634 pages, and a bit over 169k words. Cover reveal coming soon! I’ll be announcing the publication date soon.
I have solved my previous problems with WordPress, apparently, so I’ll be keeping this format for a while. I will be working more on the mobile version once the new book has been published.
I am also working to start a Youtube channel, basically a video blog of this writer’s life kind of thing. More details will be given as this project progresses.
Also, after some positive feedback from a good friend, I will also be working on making audible versions of all my work.
So, a full plate, it seems.
For those few loyal readers, stay tuned…it’s going to be a busy year.

Until next time,

~Namaste

Writing Update – Oct. 5, 2022

Greetings all,

It’s been a hectic and exhausting few weeks. I’m not even sure at the moment when I posted last. It’s been some weeks, but the days have a way of blending together when things get intense, and they certainly have been ever since the new owners of my former apartment complex decided to act like complete asshats and not pay me for two months worth of labor. This led to my ending my term as property manager, and having to find a new place and a new job simultaneously. This was a stressful time, and though I managed to do both, this was but the start; I still had to pack up everything I owned into storage while working my new job, and also doing all the rehab work in my future living space in trade for the security deposit. While difficult, this last was a win for me, as I do a better job painting than the normal job done on vacant units, as well as making sure everything was done my way.
I had hoped to finish the first draft of my current novel of multi-dimensional existential horror before having to change my residence, but ran out of time just as I was set to write the next to last chapter, i.e. the climax of the story (the last chapter is just afterglow). I then faced the task of packing the remaining 75% of my belongings and all my furniture in about 24 hours. Unfortunately, my new apartment was not ready yet, so I spent a few nights sleeping in vacant units until the flooring was ready. The end result is I have been keeping a minimum of 16 hour days 7 days a week, and have a bit more to go. As I write this, I am surrounded by a small mountain of boxes waiting to be unboxed, and a few last pieces of furniture to move from another unit I have been using for storage. Although smaller by a slight bit, I think my new place has the potential to be a more creative living environment than my previous residence. it will need to be, because I have lots more books to write.
I have a bit more to do before my place is more of a home, but the finish line for both the apartment and my current WIP is close.

Til next time,

~Namaste

Writing Update – Aug. 2022

Greetings.

It’s been a hectic summer. New ‘real’ job while dealing with the shenanigans caused by the owners of my current residence, which has led me to start packing in order to move…lots of time and effort and calories spent. Also, surprisingly enough, a great deal of writing. Even in the midst of all the chaos, I’ve managed to devote some time to my craft just about every day. Some days have been more productive than others. but on most nights, the Muse has blessed me with new ideas, and taken my current WIP to places I never saw during its conception, which is always a pleasure for creatives such as myself, one of the few rewards an artist is given in today’s world.
I’ve been working on two manuscripts simultaneously, one fiction and one a memoir detailing my experiences suffering from narcissistic and legal abuse. I have been concentrating on the former for the last few months, as the latter is mostly transcription of a journal I kept for a decade during my disastrous slavery in the form of my second marriage. This extra time was required, for this is the longest fiction work I’ve ever attempted, and by far the strangest thing I have written to date (something I’ve said many times during its creation, so apologies for repeating myself). I think my Muse is aware of my upcoming move, and has been pushing me to finish the first draft before I am forced to pack and move my computer. It will be close, as I am close to the finish line, with approximately twenty-five more pages or so to go on the first draft. I doubt I will be able to finish this epic-length beast before I have to up and move, but I will give it my best shot.
The Muse will not be denied, it seems.
That’s okay. I don’t mind.
A bit over two chapters left to go.

Until Next Time –

~Namaste

Quick Vanishing Act

Greetings all,

In case anyone was paying attention, the site may have gone down for a day or two. That was completely on me; I lost track of time and forgot to renew my domain for a bit, but that’s all fixed now.
When I have time, I’ll be tinkering with the pages again, not so much for appearance but to clean up some mobile issues and change some content I’m not quite happy with at the moment. Websites are always a work in progress, and that is true for this site as well.
On the writing front, I’ve begun the last group of chapters for my current work in progress. It is a long work, the longest I’ve written so far, and though this is still a first draft, I do not know how much I would cut in the editing process. I do not usually waste time on elements of the manuscript that are not integral to the story, or the characters. I may find a way to condense some sections, but even so, this book will still be longer than my other works. With my hectic schedule, it may become a race against time to finish my first draft before I need to move, and I’ll cross that bridge when and if I come to it.
Until then, I’ll just keep writing. The finish line for this new book is in sight.

Til’ Next Time –
~Namaste

Update 4-17-2022

After a long buildup of events, I have been put into a position that requires me to find a new place to live. The new owners of my building have proven to be a nightmare in their own right, creating a hostile workplace that is also my home. They have required me to go way beyond my job description here, and I ended up doing over $10k worth of rehab work in the building for no pay, and harassing calls and texts when I finally said enough was enough. In the process, I lost over 14 pounds, had my sleep and eating schedules disrupted, and subjected to severe stress and anxiety. So, in addition to having to find a new place to call home, I need to deal with courts and lawyers, as I refuse to take this abuse sitting down.
Just another weekend for this writer, boys and girls.
Fortunately, writing has been, and always will be, a means of therapy and solace for me, and thus, has not slowed my writing. To the contrary, in times like these, I find myself writing more, which in a sense proves that art is born of pain, I suppose. My current work in progress is currently a bit more than two-thirds complete in terms of the first draft. It is my longest, and strangest, work to date I feel, and hope to have it completed this summer. With luck, the events surrounding me will not entail too many delays, and I will complete this new novel on schedule. The cover is complete, and I’m itching to do a title and cover reveal, so stay tuned.

Until next time,
~Namaste

Update: Jan 14, 2020

Greetings Once Again From the Void…

I’m writing this at quarter to four in the morning, taking a break from a depression-induced manic streak. I should be wrapping up my daily writing around this time, but my writing has suffered from motivation problems over the last couple of weeks. This is not writer’s block; I have plenty to say, should I actually take the time to sit in front of the keyboard, but I have had a hard time of late being able to bring myself to do so. My particular cycle of depression and anxiety are best helped by writing in any form, and this has come to affect my writing process, becoming in fact a part of the process itself. The interruptions are rare – as I’ve said, I do not ever really suffer from writer’s block in the conventional sense – but they do happen, and this has delayed the completion of my current novel.
I had hoped to complete two books in 2021, but the second of the two works has turned out to be more of a project than I originally anticipated. Currently, the new manuscript draft sits at forty-five complete chapters, and 116k words, and there could be as many as 50k more words to go. I do a hybrid pantser/plotter process, so my notes give me a direction, but allow room for the Muse to roam where she likes. This time around, however, I am required to do more fine-tuning on the third act, and the nature of the story requires more research than I’ve ever done before, which I can but hope is a good thing, as it means I am attempting to leave my comfort zone as a writer.
Will all the effort be worth it? Time will tell, I guess.

Until next time,

~Namaste