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wednesday, december 30, 2009
Happy New Year 2010!Her name is Eileen. She's an avid reader. She's the first to finish reading
the published Jolt: a rural noir. And she loved it.
Yup. You can believe it. She loved the characters,
the names (Aesopolis and Thaw), the descriptions (the lake between the mountains), the boys (concerned about their whereabouts),
the portrayal of the community (credible). We discussed Jolt for at least a half an hour.
What is
there to say? Except that I called my sisters and son to let them know the good news. And I thought I'd write you about
it, too.
Tomorrow we welcome in 2010.What a nice way for it to begin.
RMR in Po-Town, Wishing you all
a wonderful New Year!
9:28 pm est
saturday, december 26, 2009
Researching My Next Novel, Too Close: a study in survivalThumbin' through books on behavioral neurology. Scratchin' my brain to recall
instructive bits and pieces of my own experiences. Reading My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D. Emailing
questions to a couple of oncologists and experts in the treatment of radiation sickness and emergency response to blunt trauma.
Playin' around with timelines, settings, and characters. Looking for an essential conflict. Preparing to outline
Too Close: a study in survival. Getting ready to write another novel. Hoping it will be as good as Jolt: a rural
noir.
Meantime, the calls come in. "I've started Jolt. It reads well." "I like it."
"It's beautiful!" "Yeah. Thaw." " I'm up to page 70." "I'm up to page 50." "My
granddaughter started Jolt, but Margaret says she can't borrow it until she's finished." Will they still like
it at page 100? And page 200? Will they recommend it to others? Will they want to read my next book?
Humbling.
Being read. And gratifying. That all was not for naught.
In other, starting an "Other Writers" page. I
was thinking about adding a different writer's blog each Tuesday starting the first or second week in January. First topic:
Trauma and Writing. More anon.
RMR in Po-Town, Autographing
10:28 pm est
sunday, december 20, 2009
Too Close: A Companion Novel to Jolt in Concept StageWell, here I am, pushing on week two as a published novelist. Yesterday and today
I posted some fifty or more copies of Jolt: a rural noir to first purchasers, friends and colleagues. Now
I look forward to someone beyond the nine pre-publication first-readers of Jolt to read it with
fresh eyes and comment on the post-publication version. Can't wait. Love feedback. Good, bad and indifferent. It will help
to steer me in the writing of Jolt's companion, which at this point I thinking of calling Too Close: a study in
survival.
In Too Close we will learn of the outcomes of a couple of Jolt's
characters who were closer toThe Event at the time of the meltdown and dirty-bombs. One has suffered the effects
of radiation and been cared for at home. The second, thrown by the impact of an explosion, has suffered blunt
trauma, a collapse of the lungs, and right-side brain damage. Whisked by medics in a helicopter to a distant
hospital, his is the story of how his body healed while his brain struggled to reorganize, make sense of the world,
and become once again whole.
Despite the severity of their difficulties, two years hence we find them reunited
with family and ready to carry on their lives.
My hope is that in the writing of Too Close, the reader
will look the tiger in the eye and find the practicality of the nature of survival encouraging.
RMR in Po-Town,
Looking to the future
10:11 am est
friday, december 11, 2009
Day 3 As a Published NovelistThere's excitement to sharing my book, accepting checks, and autographing
it. I especially enjoy it when somebody gives me a ten and five singles that I know they had to count out one at a time in
order to purchase the Trade paperback copy (referred to by the printer as perfect bound). And it's a kick to recieve
a request for the casebound copy (hard cover with dust jacket to me). Exciting. And humbling.
I find
it touching that anyone would care enough to buy Jolt: a rural noir. After all, they haven't read it. No one has recommended
it. And I am anything but a known writer. But they buy it anyway. And they are excited, too.
They know how long
it took me. They are aware of some of the challenges I faced getting it published. But I did it. So in a sense, I won.
And somehow, they, too, have won. They had faith in me. And still do. I love them all. And thank them especially.
Each and every one.
RMR in Po-Town, Smiling
Up and Running in Time for the Winter HolidaysToday I worked with Jeremy at Register.Com and we . . . I mean he . . . fixed
it. It took some discussion and a little trial and error, but it's up and running. The timing is just right as yesterday
both the hard cover and Trade paper back editions of Jolt: a rural noir arrived so you can now order a copy in time
for Hannuka or Christmas .Jolt . . or just for you because you'd like to have it.
So far most people are
ordering the Trade paperback as the contents are identical to those of the hard cover but it costs $14.95 plus shipping instead
of $24.95 plus shipping. And I don't blame them. Times are tight.
At work I was thrilled when the school's most
avid reader was the first to buy a copy. Just scoffed it up, wrote me a check, and went off smiling. Hope she enjoys it. Can't
wait to hear her reaction. Whatever it is.That's really what writing is all about. Relating to people and, if your lucky,
putting smiles on the readers' faces. And hoping they feel their investment in time and money was a wise one.
Now here's a nice one. At his request on Facebook, I Friended Michael Anthony, the author of Mass Casualties.
It's a book based on a journal he kept in Iraq. Can't wait to read it so I offered to swap a copy of Jolt with
him for one of Mass Casualties. I'll let you know if he agrees. Forgot to ask him to autograph it, but I will.
Yeah. I love author-autographed books. Makes me feel closer to the writer, some of whom I really admire very much.
Gives me a lift to pick them each book and look through it and remember the writer and why they are special.
If I'm lucky, maybe somebody will read Jolt and think I'm special. Like my grandsons when they are older. Or my nieces.
Or you. But you never know. You can only just hope.
RMR in Po-Town, Hopin'
11:12 pm est
wednesday, december 9, 2009
9:19 pm est
monday, december 7, 2009
PayPal DifficultiesMy apologies to those of you who have tried to use PayPal only to find that it
totals in the shipping twice. As Jolt is ready for distribution, this glitch will be corrected ASAP and you will still
be able to order it in time for Christmas.
RMR in Po-Town, Chagrined but undaunted
10:11 pm est
saturday, december 5, 2009
Jolt: a rural noir Ready for ShippingBookMasters says that Jolt: a Rural noir is ready for shipping
pending issuance and payment of its final invoice. Assuming the final estimate which has already been paid either equalled
or exceeded it, Jolt could be shipped and warehoused under the garage plan with shipping to begin Friday,
well in advance of Christmas. Very exciting!
RMR on a weekend escape to Port Henry, NY
P.S. When you
order, don't forget to ask for some free bookmarks.
thursday, december 3, 2009
Needed: a bus or airplaneEvery couple of days I sign onto http://alvapressinc.com and open the sleepy eye beneath the last few blog entries to see if anyone has
written to me. Once in a while W. or Kristen send a message. And I wonder if anyone else ever even notices the little word
Comments to click on beneath that day's entry.
In other, I'm on pins and needles waiting for the arrival
of the novel Jolt: a rural noir. And December 11 seems so far away. Still, if you would like a copy to give as a gift
for Christmas, you probably ought to order now so we can get it in the mail by the fifteeth at latest.
I was so
sure everyone would want to read Jolt, if not because of all the life-saving info in it pertaining to nuclear survival
then at least for the story of Thaw and Natalie, the books two star-crossed lovers. Or maybe to follow the charming Matters
boys who, having created them, I'd like to adopt. But so far the prepublication orders linger in number under one hundred.
What do I have to do? Hire a bus or airplane? Go on a country-wide tour? Great idea! Just a
bit outside of the Alva Press, Inc., budget.
Roberta M. Roy in Po-Town, Musing
10:37 pm est
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