In 1996, I was one of two editors responsible for the launch of a national magazine directed at Christian parents called ParentTalk. It was a labor of love, a lot of work, and our pride and joy. But from the beginning we knew that there were no guarantees. The publishing house invested $250,000 into its … More Rule #1: Have Fun
I entered into the independent book publishing business with trepidation just about this time last year. This is after the publication of about eight books the old-fashioned, more traditional and more accepted way. And after a year, what’s my prognosis? Great for some, terrible for others. As for me, I follow in my father’s footsteps. … More Indie publishing. Great for some, not so great for others.
It wasn’t life. I had given up on life a long time ago. It was existence—barely. I took no notice of my gray, pallid, flaking skin, my putrefied face and hair, my black nails or the thick, black fluid that oozed from the sores that covered my thin body. I was only dimly aware of … More “Pinocchio”
OK, first I just want to make it clear. Prevail Publications is me, and I am it. It’s the watermark I use for my indie publishing. Here are five books I plan on releasing this year: The Secret of Promise Island. An orphan brother and a sister are sent to live with their mysterious, strange … More Prevail Publications: Five New Books for 2013
One of the things I am trying to accomplish with this blog is to challenge myself to a new level of “honest” writing, something my friend and colleague Tim Lale recommended to me a few years. While I continue to contemplate what true honesty is in relation to writing, I am reminded of a story … More Beyond Pushing Buttons
A month or two ago, I had a fellow Tweeter ask me what Christian suspense was. I politely told them that Christian suspense was just suspense writing with a Christian theme. That got me to thinking about a question that came up in my blog about a year ago: Is there such a genre as … More Is There Such a Thing as Christian Horror?
Years ago, back in the Stone Age, I used to write music. I started while I was a student in Austria, namely because I had access to my roommate’s guitar (without his permission) and no access to a radio. Later, when I was back in the U.S., I kept it up and formed a Christian … More Just the Right Words
I just got finished watching “A Thousand Words,” a movie featuring Eddie Murphy. The story is about a book agent who develops a psychic connection to a mysterious tree. He discovers that for every word that he says–or even writes–a leaf falls from the tree. He determines–with the help of a holy man–that when the … More A Thousand Words
Week six in my Drama Writing class, and we are making the transition from stage play writing to screenplay writing. As I have said from the very beginning, we are blessed with two great textbooks, and I am learning a lot not only about scriptwriting, but about novel writing as well. One of the words … More How Spectacular Are You?
I spent a little time on Twitter this morning. My Reporting class is involved in an in-class writing exercise, which gives me time to play. Once again, as I surf through Twitter, I am amazed and floored at the thousands and thousands of would-be writers all saying the same things and dreaming the same dreams. … More Really, It’s Not the Lottery. Or Is It?
The Great Adventure 