Category: author

The Power of Planning

I’ve spent some time over the last few days working on my production schedule for 2015. I’m through the first part of June and, I must say, I am excited for what 2015 has to offer.

My time losing over 100 pounds and working as a personal trainer taught me a lot. Many people want to do things, but fail to set goals and plan. They say things like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to save more money”.  While it’s great to want to do these things, you need something tangible to aim at.

Instead of saying something like “I want to run more”, a more tangible goal would be “I want to run 10 miles a week” and then mark 3 days on your weekly calendar that you will commit to running 4 miles. Make yourself accountable and stick to it!

I am going into this year knowing that I want to release 5 books that will each be around 50,000 words. Using a production template for each book, I calculate that I can release a book that size about every 65 days. So I have every day until June scheduled out so that I can hit those targets.

Will I hit every deadline? Probably not. But that’s okay. A lot of this is a learning process for me. I am still finding my stride and what works best for me as an author-entrepreneur.

The important thing is that I have something to aim at. And like the great Zig Ziglar said, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.”

So what do you have planned for 2015? I’d love to hear your comments below.

Also, if you want to be the first person to know when my books are being released, please join my mailing list. You’ll get a FREE book right now just for signing up and also be eligible for exclusive contests and giveaways.

  

Dark Reveries – Volume One is Available Now!

Greetings!

My debut fiction publication is now available!

Dark Reveries (Volume One) features four short stories with, what I believe, features something for every fan of horror.

It is currently available exclusively as an eBook for the Amazon Kindle.  If you do not have a Kindle, you can read it on any of the free Kindle apps for your mobile device or computer.

A paperback version will be available soon.

Purchase Dark Reveries (Volume One) on Amazon

And thank you to Ian White for the amazing painting on the cover!


“Intense, well-written, and creative!” – Jessica Hatton, New York (reader) 

“I couldn’t put my iPad down. The ending to ‘Inked’ was KILLER!” – Sarah Siepen, Australia (reader)


“I loved it! It was dark and something completely new!” – Jayme Baldwin, Tennessee (reader)


FEATURING:

Inked – Terry Russell is a tattoo artist struggling just to make a living. But when one of his clients turns up dead in a gruesome murder, things begin to go south for Terry…

Heritage – After a successful bank robbery, a trio of notorious outlaws arrive in Blackwater: an abandoned Colorado mining town. They stay the night at the local, vacant inn, only to have the mystery of the town’s emptiness revealed to them…

Training Games – A serial killer with an interesting taste in victims puts his captives through a series of challenges with one simple goal: Survive. For fans of “Saw”

The Flesh on the Note – A disturbing 1500 word confession…

***WARNING*** Dark Reveries is a work of horror. While there is not a lot of descriptive gore, there is cursing, violence, and suggestive situations. Please use discretion when purchasing.

Thinking Long-Term As a Writer

Epic bro…

It’s basically impossible for me to do anything half-ass.  I was overweight most my life.  And I didn’t decide to make a change about it until I knew with 100% certainty that I was ready to make it my #1 focus in my life and that I would not fail.  Before that, I wasn’t ready and I wasn’t going to start then fail.  When I decided it was time, I put everything I had into it and I lost 115 lbs. in 15 months (95 in the 2012 calendar year).
With that, I made sure that I did things that would sustain my  health long term.  I didn’t do any fad diets.  I developed new habits and a new lifestyle that has stuck with me and I have been able to keep most of the weight off and I am a much healthier person now than I was 3 years ago.
Now that I have decided to write fiction, I am taking a similar approach.  
I understand that the novel that I am working on is not going to make me a lot of money.  It is probably not going to be read by a lot of people.  
The chances of hitting it big on the first swing is almost non-existent.
And I love that.
Because I am thinking long-term.  I would much rather my 5th or 8th or 10th book take off and kick start my writing career.
But why?
  • I believe that, over time, I will become a much better writer
  • I want my brand to have an inventory.  If people read and love Abiding Harvest, the novel I am currently working on, then what?  I have nothing else for them to read after that
  • I will make mistakes along the way.  I understand that I need to be patient and learn from them whether they be in my stories, my marketing, or any other aspect of my writing business
I love writing.  I always have.  And I want other people to love my writing.  The great thing is that I have the rest of my life to work toward that.  
I want to lose the weight and keep it off.  To me, there is no appeal in dieting down to go look awesome at the beach and then go back to my old ways.
Write and keep writing.  Over time, you will gain sustainability with discipline.