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This page is dedicated to my
current and upcoming writing projects.
I finished a new novel called Pardon the Mess.
It's taking me in a refreshing new direction in my writing
career. I conceived the
story one night in the winter of 2006 while staying at a
friend's house. I was lying in bed,
unable to sleep, wondering what it would be like to write a
story in the first-person, present-tense. The thought prompted
me to get out of bed and pen the first line of a new story: "So, the receptionist
gives me that look." I knew then I had something special--the telling of one man's
adventures, revealed through his quirky personality.
The story
The story is about a 33-year-old data recovery expert who’s a whiz with
technology but not too smart when it comes to dating. His strengths and weaknesses get
him into trouble as he seeks to cope with a new relationship
while dealing with a threat to the Internet that pulls Bill in way over his head.
I consider the novel a cross between 40 Year Old Virgin
and National Treasure (if you can picture that). It's a
mystery with a good dose of humor and touch of tech-noir. I have
three objectives in this project. First is to ensure the story
has broad
appeal. To me, the female audience is key. If I went too heavy
on the geek angle, it would impede women from picking up the book. That's
why the title is so important. It has to be neutral from a
male/female perspective, but catchy enough to get mainstream
readers to buy it. My second objective is to give the book a movie feel.
I want to entertain the reader. First person, present tense
coupled with action, humor and drama make the story palatable
for moviegoers. The last objective is book length--300 pages
max. With my first novel, Prophecy, I went over this
threshold by a significant margin. I don't want to repeat that,
especially as a debut author.
About the project
I'm excited about this project. Pardon the Mess is
the first book in a series I'm creating. I like Bill. He has
heart, an uncharacteristic wit and unique way of thinking. I look
forward to writing more adventures with him at the helm. So far,
I've envisioned two additional books for the series. If the first
novel succeeds, I might push the second one ahead of my other
writing
projects.
Current status
I got my manuscript back from professional
editing at the end of July. Of course, there are
a bunch of revisions I have to make, including
some character tweaks that could eat up a fair
amount of time. Compared to my last book,
Prophecy, however, the changes are minor. Come
the end of
August, I hope to be done and on to finding a literary agent. If I can secure a book deal by
year's end, I'll be a happy camper.
Also in the works
Also on the drawing board is a short story
collection entitled Say My Name. I
anticipate writing 20-25 flash fiction-length
pieces (5-10 pages each); I've completed 7 so
far. The theme centers on people's names and how
they factor into their lives. Every story is
first-person, present-tense narrative, which I
believe is highly effective for evoking the rich
range of emotions and experiences I want to
communicate. I'm mixing it up with male and
female protagonists, serious and fun tales, each
with a twist. I'll let you know how the
collection progresses.
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