I can say one thing about my part-time job as an author and freelance writer. I am never bored with nothing to write about.
Just after I posted my last blog entry, in comes a slew of projects. In the pipeline, I have eight articles for TravelAwaits to write, two publishers have approached me for two new books and a third is waiting for me to complete a proposal before committing.
I don't think I will be bored in retirement.
In the meantime, I'm awaiting the final proofs for Space Oddities: Forgotten Stories of Mankind's Exploration of Space which is set for release in July. The last go round wasn't too bad. It's funny how the acquisitions editor red it and only found one error. Give it to the content editor and POOF! I think he must have ran out of red ink. LOL!
Those edits were basically minor corrections, but some of his remarks puzzled me. For example, what comes to mind when I talk about mice being loaded onto a rocket and I say, "the rocket exploded and the mice were lost"? He questioned that and asked, "did they escape and run away?"
Guess you can see it both ways. I can't but the editor knows best.
I hope the "Space Oddities" publisher signs me up for presentations at all of the NASA visitor centers. Now THOSE will be some fun book signings (and road trips). Meanwhile, while I wait for the final proofs, here is a teaser for you, the first trailer for the book. Hope you enjoy it.
As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I am at a quandary over my next book project and the perplexity continues. This interim period for me between books is an odd time. As I close out the editing process on my
latest two titles, Hiking Alabama 5th Edition and Space Oddities:Forgotten Stories of Mankind’s Exploration of Space, I get the bug. It’s a
feeling that I really need to write another book. These last two books have led
me to a thousand new ideas for other titles. They are rushing around in my head,
each one shouting at me that it needs to be the next one I need to pursue.
Unlike big name
and world famous authors, writers like me are not under long term book deals.
It’s a fight to get the attention of a publisher and have our book ideas get
past the dreaded Acquisition Editor. We do this through query letters first
where on a single page we have to describe our idea by making the words jump
off the page and smack the editor in the face making them sit up and take
notice and say, “Hm, interesting idea.”
I have been
very fortunate since my first book, “Hike America Alabama” (later renamed “Hiking
Alabama”) was published in 2000. That book offer came to me by chance when I approached
the publisher, Beachway Press (later Falcon Guides) with another project. They
declined my idea and offered me the Alabama book. Sweet. My third career was
born and ever since, I have been able to skirt around the query letter step.
When it comes to
my outdoor recreation books, since I have been with Falcon so long, they usually
come to me when it’s time to update my previous titles or to ask if I would be
interested in writing this book or that book. That has been the case with PaddlingAlabama, Best Dog Hikes Alabama, Hiking Through History, Hiking the Gulf Coast,
and Hiking Waterfalls Alabama. For my non-fiction history books, that is
another story.
For my history
titles, I make the bold move and skip the query step and go right to the
proposal. A proposal is the blueprint of a book that outlines every detail,
every nook and cranny of what I envision a book to be complete with a detailed
outline of each and every chapter, how it should be marketed, and so on. Not to
pat myself on the back but my proposals usually hit the mark and spur the Acquisition
Editors to call, ask questions, and sign me on. That has been my experience with Baseball in Mobile, Hidden History of Mobile, and my latest, SpaceOddities: Forgotten Stories of Mankind’s Exploration of Space.
That last
title, “Space Oddities”, was the most fun I had writing. The researching and
writing was everything I believed writing should be and it spawned a dozen
different ideas for future books, each one more exciting and interesting to me
than the first. That is where my problem lies.
As I said in
the beginning, each one of these ideas are shouting at me, “Write me! Write me!”
I literally have five proposals started for different titles. While researching
the proposal for one book I’ll stumble on some interesting facts for another
that sucks me into the proverbial rabbit hole and the next thing I know, I’m
working on that proposal instead of the first one that I originally started on.
But this is a
good problem to have. With retirement from my day job imminent, I see a whole
new world opening up. I can’t wait for that adventure to begin. But before that
time, I have a proposal to finish writing. Oh, wait. Look at that over there.
That would make a good book.
I took a short
break from writing after I worked through the final edits for Hiking Alabama 5th
Edition and Space Oddities: Forgotten Stories of Mankind’s Exploration of Space.
It’s a waiting game now until the initial proofs arrive for my final blessing.
In the meantime, as I relaxed by mowing our pasture over and over and over
again (I miss the horses!), I began thinking about what the next book would
be.
Hopping off the
mower I went inside the house and dug out my bajillion notebooks, each with
ideas scribbled in them with possible ideas that date back to my high school
days. Most of those will NEVER see the light of day. Out of the stack, five
options leapt out at me. One of those is the mystery that I had started working
on two years ago, Dead Air, a good old fashioned mystery based at a local radio station in the 1940s. (The rough - and I mean rough - first chapter can be read here.) The concept is good, the rough draft was mediocre
at best, so that one would need a lot of work.
As for the
others, I had already started fleshing out the material, doing enough basic research,
and writing sample chapters to include in possible proposals to publishers. Before
going down the long and winding road of creating a lengthy proposal, I put
together a query letter for each one and will be submitting them to a few
publishers to see what will stir up interest
As I have mentioned previously and in earlier blogs, my writing began in high school. After
graduation, I wrote many articles and short stories which led to a new pastime –
rejection letter collecting. I have quite the collection, too, all in three
ring binders neatly tucked away on bookshelves in my writing room.
The first is my
collection of short stories about growing up, all loosely based on faulty
memories. Many of you have either read or heard some of these stories on my
podcast, Joe’s Shorts. They need a good re-working plus several new stories
will be added.
The next three
are non-fiction historical books. One came to me as I was writing Space
Oddities. It is the story of how pop culture and the space race ran parallel
courses between 1958 and 1971, many times intersecting to create unusual results.
In that same
vein, I had started another book five years ago that recounts the history of
July 1969 as the first humans walked on another world. The manuscript titled Everyone's Gone to the Moon (after the 1965 Jonathan King song) was centered around the entire month from July 1st to 31st. The book would chronicle interesting and unusual new stories and pop culture events that occurred during the month as well as present interesting and lesser known stories of the preparations and eventual first landing on the moon.
Finally, I have
always been fascinated with the music of the 1940s, particularly during the war
years. I have a proposal for another non-fiction historical book tentatively
titled, GI Jive. The title was taken from the great song composed and sung by
Johnny Mercer and also sung by Louis Jordan. The goal of the book is to
document not only the history of many of these tunes – how they were written
and recorded – but to also put them into context as to what was occurring
during the war at the time of their release and how the songs related to the
people fighting overseas and those fighting the war on the home front through
interviews.
So, now I need
to figure out which one to pursue. Can’t do them all at once, you know. Or can I?
Hm. Who needs sleep! I’ll keep you posted and let you know what the final
decision is.
I've taken a few days off from the day job to just take a break and relax for a bit. It has been a hectic few weeks. It has been very busy at the day job (yes, friends. Don't let anyone kid you - writing does not necessarily pay the bills.) Then there is the writing. I had to complete the second round of text and map edits for the new edition of Hiking Alabama (which is due out April 2022) and at the same time, run through the second and final round of edits before the galley proofs arrive for the book Space Oddities: Forgotten Stories of Mankind's Exploration of Space. And there are constant articles I have to write for various online sites.
Don't get me wrong. I love it. But sometimes you need a break and that's what I've been up to. Trouble is, within a few days of saying that, I get the itch. In fact, as I take a couple days off from that day job to do absolutely nothing, three new book ideas popped into my head and all thought of relaxing have been put on the back burner as I sit here and begin writing the proposals.
As I was writing the proposals, I got the bug to do a little audio and video production again so now I am working on the book trailer and an interview for the Space Oddities book.
I guess I should face the fact that letting my imagination run wild on the printed page IS my relaxation. So, I'm back from my little vacation and at it again. Much more to come.
Don't get me wrong. I love all of the 12 outdoor recreation books and two non-fiction history books that I have written over the past 20 years and think they all turned out great, but my latest title, "Space Oddities: Forgotten Stories of Mankind's Exploration of Space" is my absolute favorite. I jokingly call it my "real book" only because of the amount and depth of research I had to do to and how the words flowed as I wrote it. It was liberating not having a strict format to follow and being given complete artistic license to actually write.
I put the manuscript to bed several weeks ago and shipped it off (ok, emailed it) to the editor and last night received an incredible reply, the most glowing review I have ever received. It is the proudest I have ever been about any of my works which made it difficult to sleep last night. The review said:
"What a joy to read! Loved every minute of it. Interesting, well-researched, compellingly written, full of “what! Really?!” moments – exactly what we had in mind for this book. Excellent work, and a squeaky clean manuscript to boot – I wish every author that I worked with submitted a manuscript as clean as this."
WOW! Nice! I can't wait for it to hit bookshelves but unfortunately, we'll all have to wait until July 2022.
Guess I better get cracking finishing the new book, "Space Oddities..." Looks like the publisher is serious about releasing it. LOL! This is a great write up (click here) that explains the book (that will be out July 2022) except they messed up the bit about the First Lady Astronaut Trainees. There were 13 selected, not 25. But still, good write up. The book will sell for $19.95 (or 13 pounds 75 if you're buying it in England. :) )
Sorry, friends. But the few copies I have to sell and autograph are sold out! Thanks to all who purchased a copy. But don't worry if you didn't get one. I'm scheduling book signings and presentations now across the state and they are available at your favorite bookstore or online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-a-Million, etc.
One of the best feelings is when that book that you've been working so hard on for the past year finally arrives in book stores and on your doorstep. I was thrilled the other day when my latest two titles, Hiking Waterfalls Alabama and Paddling Alabama 2nd Edition, arrived.
Both books are available through your local book store or online retailers but I have a limited number of copies of each for sale through PayPal.
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If you order a copy, I will be more than happy to sign and personalize it for you.
Thanks for your continued support of my writing over the years! Happy Trails!
