The Best Laid Plans

Greetings, all! In this week's blog I wanted to update everyone on how the research is going for my new Falcon Guide, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama”. It’s slow going.

Of course, summer in the south is not a great time for a black Labrador to be hiking so even though we were scheduled to start the first week of July we had several off weekends due to the high heat and humidity. But we’re starting to roll now. I took Archer T. Dog on several “shake down” hikes to get him back into shape. We did all of the Gulf Coast hikes and some of the Southern Region hikes that weren’t too strenuous. I was hoping to be ready by now to start tackling some of the bigger and more difficult trails in the Central and Northern regions, but…

Having said that there is another wrinkle – Archer is having knee issues so that could hamper his scamper (credit to Alan Sealls for that line). So, we’ll be treading slowly and softly for a bit.

Other than that….

That make me chuckle. As I wrote it I realized that every book I have written starts off with some major issues that prevent me from getting started. It takes a while but eventually it always comes together.

Archer and I did a great little hike at St. Stephens Historical Park in St. Stephens, Alabama, on September 23^rd. The problem with the trails there is that while they take you to some beautiful scenery and history they are also used by equestrians which cause a few spots to be thick in mud. One area was so deep just after the trail head that Archer, and I’m not kidding, began sinking chest deep. I needed to slog in and pull him out. Poor thing! He was fine, a little shaken up, but now avoids mud puddles.

I had a few people email me this week with basically the same question so I wanted to answer it in this week's blog: Do I know which trails will be included in one of my hiking books before I get started? Honestly, no, I don’t.

Even though my publisher, FalconGuides, asks me regularly to do a hiking guide I still have to send in a proposal that lists the trails I will include. The list includes dozens of trails I have hiked before, several that I’ve always wanted to hike, and several new ones that were just opened or that I had never heard of.

The original proposal for “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” was approved on June 23^rd  with 40 preliminary trails. Since that time I have revised the list at least 20 times and as I set out across the state and with the more I explore I will update that list over and over again until I am satisfied with the trails I have selected – and I hope you will be, too.

That’s it for this week’s blog! Don’t forget to visit my website which is currently undergoing a face lift for the latest on new book projects, my latest articles, and my monthly podcasts and videos. Talk to you next week.

This-and-That

After several months of posting my Short Story (audio) Podcasts up on a service it looks like that service is requiring anyone who wants to listen to them to set up an account and login. I don’t blame you for not doing that! So, I’m “slowly” moving the podcasts to YouTube. I say slowly because YouTube doesn’t allow just audio so I have to do a little adjusting. But I’ll re-release the first 6 audio podcasts over the next few weeks. A brand new one titled, “Hello. I’m Driver Ed”, will be posted August 8^th.

By the way, all of my Video Podcasts can already be found on YouTube.

While we’re on the subject of my podcasts, a lot of folks have asked recently, “What are you doing? You’re all over the place!” Well, that’s me. I don’t believe in that rule of thumb that says you have to only write in one genre. I believe if you’re comfortable writing in different genres, then go for it. For example, I’m known for my outdoor recreation books on hiking, paddling, and camping but I love writing in general and I’m tackling a murder mystery, an historical non-fiction book on the space program, and of course, my short stories. Now, will they sell? THAT, my friends, is a different story, but I love the process and like I said, love writing so if anything I’m having fun.

Oh, and an update on the new book, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama”, my co-author Archer T. Dog is doing well with his cartilage and knee issues. We’ve done a series of “shake-down” hikes here along the Alabama Gulf Coast near our home which will be part of the book. The hikes in the book will once again be divided into the Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel’s regions – Gulf, South (Montgomery), Central (Birmingham), and North (Huntsville). Our first road trip will be August 19^th to do some trails in the South Region.

Can’t wait to get on the road!

And They're Off...

It's an exciting time for me here in L.A. (Lower Alabama). This weekend starts research for the new book, Best Dog Hikes Alabama, which will be followed by a presentation at the Bailey Cove Branch of the Huntsville Public Library. I hope to see you all there. It begins at 1pm with a book signing following. I'll be talking about how NOT to get a book deal, the writing process, and my favorite hikes from my previous three hiking books.

For those of you wondering about the Best Dog Hikes events to help raise money for local shelters (or so  you can adopt a pup) that I mentioned a few weeks ago, they will be happening. I'm working on the Gulf Coast event right now and hope to have details shortly. With my packed schedule for this book, writing for RootsRated and my video and audio podcasts, it looks like the remaining events in the south, central, and north regions of the state will be after the new year. But hang on! I promise, we'll have one coming to your area soon.

The hardest part of getting this new book started is the same as it was with the first edition of Hiking Alabama in 2000 - how do you pick and choose the best trails? Alabama has some fantastic hiking destinations and if I had my way my books would include them all. So once again I'm in the process of culling down the bajillion possibilities into 40 plus 20 honorable mentions. A daunting task.

I am a bit rediculous, though, with planning my research trips. I must have re-written my plans a thousand times already - - in a week! But, it will settle down soon.

Well, that's it for now. Hope to see you all this Saturday or on a trail soon!

The Adventure Continues...

Hi, again, everyone. 

I am thrilled to announce that the contract has been signed and I am all set to begin work on a new book, Best Dog Hikes Alabama. Well, sort of ready to begin.

But as with all of my books, getting started is always the hardest part. Something always happens. This time, my excitement to hit the trail again was quelled when my hiking companion, Archer T. Dog, tore a ligament this week and will be undergoing surgery in two weeks. That delays my start a bit but with a little rehab, plenty of healthy kibble, and TLC he’ll be good as new and we’ll get this party started.

After 18 years and 7 books (not including 4 editions of Hiking Alabama) I have finally learned my lesson. Usually I get an offer like “can you have the manuscript done in 6 months?” to which I say,

“sure!” which I immediately regret. This time I have one year to complete the manuscript and turn it in for editing. It’s good to have a little breathing room.

The hardest part of writing a guide book like this isn’t the research and writing. For me that’s the fun part. It’s the planning – which trails to include? Alabama has so many wonderful destinations that it makes it tough to choose. I’m scouring through pages of spreadsheets right now where I’ve logged every hike I’ve been on and listed some new ones I want to visit. But, the good news is that this time, I have ample time to put figure it out.

One thing I am working on is a way that you, my faithful readers and your dog, will be able to join me on one of my hikes in the Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville areas. These hikes will also be a way to help raise money for animal shelters in those areas. As soon as I can get the details together I will pass them along.

Till next time, Happy Snails, er, Trails (sorry J )

And the Podcasts Keep on a Rollin'

Hi, all! Just a quick note to let  you know that the May podcasts have been posted.

My video podcast this month is the fourth and final installment of my series, Hiking the Gulf Coast which is based on my book of the same name. This month I share with you photos and videos from my treks down only a few of the best hiking trails along the Florida Gulf Coast. I had just purchased my first GoPro video camera for these hikes and was learning to use it so pardon the sometimes shaky video (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! 😊

Florida was my absolute favorite destination while researching the book. They really know how to build and maintain trails to some amazing eco-systems!

Of course there are more trails in the book than I presented in the video so please, buy a copy today And if you would like to know even more about the trails of Florida please visit my friend and author Sandra Friend's definitive guide to hiking Florida, FloridaHikes.Com. A great resource.

My audio podcast this month is another short story and yes, it is loosely based on faulty memories. It's called Get a Job and harkens back to the day when childhood ends and we become adults. It's when our parents rip our summer vacations right out from under us by saying those dreaded words - "Get a job!" My first job was because I wanted to go see a new James Bond movie featuring Jane Seymour. I was a stock boy for the W.T. Grants Company in Ramsey, N.J., and like most of us, I REALLY didn't want to "get a job". I thought my life was over at that moment. And, as always, it was an adventure with tough life lessons.

  

Hope you enjoy them. Next month I have some really special podcasts cooked up.

Thanks for listening and reading!!!! Joe

Where Do We Go from Here?

Got to tell you, being on the outdoor panel at the 2017 Alabama Book Festival was a real joy and honor. My co-panelists, Renee Raney ("Hair, Scary, but Mostly Merry Fairies") and Larry Davenport ("Exploring Wild Alabama"), were fantastic and we bounced off of each other well during the panel and I think our topics were well received.

  

I had a chance to sit in on a couple of other panels and workshops with my favorites being with Dean James (aka Miranda James and the "Cat in the Stacks" mystery series) and Carolyn Haines (the Sarah Booth Delany mystery series). Both are unbelievably talented mystery writers who had a lot to offer us "would-be's". The drive home had me planning on digging out a mystery I wrote several years ago called "Dead Air". It has been tucked away on a hard drive for MANY years now. I was excited to dust it off and give it a once over.

 

One thing I walked away with was that both authors didn't believe in outlining their mysteries, that is unless there is a deadline involved. Most of the time it's "see where it leads to" which contradicts everything I was taught while attending several writing workshops over the years but it seems more natural. Let it flow then come back and tidy it up. And that's how I write.

So, I walked away with a new determination to get my murder mystery back out into the light of day, I'm not confined to just writing about hiking trails and Alabama (that confuses some folks, but more on that in another post). In fact I have three other books in the works currently and now "Dead Air" is back on the list.

"Dead Air" is a murder mystery set in the war years of the early 1940s at a small radio station on the Gulf Coast where the station's star performer is found murdered in one of the production rooms. Her estranged husband, Ralph Bandera, is accused of the murder but the radio station's sound effects or "foley artist", Art Foley - yes, his name is Art Foley and he will tell you it's just a coincidence - believes Bandera is being wrongly accused and sets out to find the real killer.

It's a mix of drama and suspense filled with laughter. I've posted a sample of the first chapter if you'd care to view it. I'd love to hear your opinion of the opening chapter. Mind you, this was the first take not edited in 6 years.

More to come on my new book projects in the weeks to come. In the meantime you can catch up with my latest articles for RootsRated.Com and don't forget, you can catch the latest installment of my podcasts on my website, The latest audio podcast is a little short story about pulling practical jokes as a kid. Enjoy won't you? Till next time...

Only Days Away from the Alabama Book Festival 2017

I am very excited to have been invited to this year's Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery. The event features some of the best writers not only from Alabama but writers whose work focuses on the state as well. The event will be held April 22nd at Old Town Alabama.

When I was contacted by Kirk Curnutt to do the event I was a little hesitant but when he said there will be food, I was in! Just kidding.

I'll be on a special outdoor panel at 11 a.m. representing my latest Falcon Book, "Hiking Through History Alabama". It's a bit of a different take on the subject, this time focusing on the history surrounding the trails we walk from Native American history to the Civil Rights Movement and everything in between.

I'll be joined by two other great authors talking about the art of writing about the outdoors. First there is Renee Raney author of the book "Hairy, Scary, but Mostly Merry Fairies". This is a really fun book that encourages families and classrooms to get out and explore nature with fun activities and as the synopsis on the book jacket says, it's a "cure for nature deficit." And Renee should know a thing or two about that - she is the Director of Conservation for the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust's Conservation Education Institute.

Then there will be Lawrence Davenport, the co-author of the University of Alabama Press book, "Exploring Wild Alabama". Along with his writing partner Kenneth M. Willis, the book does a deep-dive into over 150 amazing destinations in the state you can hike to with detailed info on the geology, flora, and fauna.

It should be a fun event and I encourage all of you to join us. And don't forget to bring along a copy of any of our books (or you can purchase them onsite) and come on up so we can sign the for you!