As someone who grew up going to church, I have heard all kinds of stuff blamed on Satan. When I was young, I remember Flip Wilson’s famous line, “The Devil made me do it,” and even though we might not say it, sometimes we have that attitude. We think that if Satan tempts us, we … More Give the Devil His Due
I just had a pleasant experience. I got a notice that Kevin Newsome, author of the great Christian suspense book WInter that I have reviewed previously, came by and read my review. It’s nice to know that other authors are out there, doing what I am doing, namely wondering what people are thinking about my … More On the Drawing Board
I first decided that I wanted to be a writer when I was in high school. I always had a difficult time in wrapping my brain around the idea that when I graduate from college I should be prepared to embrace a career for the rest of my life. Call it a short attention span. … More That Special Something
The first breakthrough in my writing career came when I finally wrote a book that I had been pondering for almost two years. It wasn’t long, or really that fancy, but it was an idea that caught on. Since that time it has sold more than 30,000 copies. The year was 1982, the book was … More Don’t Look Back
Just like many others, I was shocked and dismayed a few days ago to hear of the tragic death of Cory Monteith. The actor who played Finn on Glee, Monteith had a casual, likeable everyman style that one might compare to Jimmy Stewart in his heyday. I especially identified with him, because I grew up … More Behind the Scenes
I’m my own worst enemy. It’s been a busy few days, with the whole family traveling up to Oklahoma for a reunion. Now it’s just Gavin, my grandson, our three dogs and me. Shelly and my kids drove off to Jefferson to get my daughter moved into a new house. Those of us who stayed … More Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
In the past 18 months since I started my indie author enterprise, I have experimented with lots of ways to get readers’ attention. After all the contests and advertising and promotions, I have come to the conclusion that the bottom line for selling books online is in reviews. How does one get reviews? You get … More My 99 Cent Sale
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I have said more than once that there are no guarantees in life. And that goes for writing as well. I told a fellow magazine editor one time while we were watching our first issue roll off the press: “Enjoy … More Positive Strokes
I have a new theory when it comes to book publishing. Well, it’s actually not that new. I’ve been thinking about it for the past year. At 18 months in the indie book business, I am still an adolescent when it comes to publishing. I continue to read advice from other indie authors. Some of … More Critical Mass
I’ve worked in various companies since the 70s, and it always amazes me how numbers can be manipulated. The old saying goes, “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” The publishing house I was a part of used to boast that they ended each year in the black, but those who worked there knew that … More Playing with Numbers
