So let it be written...

Keepers DAY [who knows?]

2010-10-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

I have been derelict in my duties and my goal to report daily on my progress on my latest book, Keepers of the Sword. Rest assured (for the one or two of you that might actually be interested in what stories are locked away inside this odd little brain of mine) that I have continued to write nearly every day, but have not committed or found (made) the time to type that writing into MS Word since about my last entry. As I sit here, I look down at the foot of my desk (off to the left and almost around the side) and see three full 70-page, college ruled notebooks full of the book, with another one in my bag that is nearly completed. That's nearly 280 pages of handwritten material to type up (that will equal well over 300 pages in Word). Keepers is, to date, my longest book.

As I near the ending, though, I suspect I will continue to do what I have always done, and that is finish my handwritten draft, take a month or so to type it up, do a couple of edits and rewrites, let a few close friends read it and get feedback on it, and then submit it to an eagerly (and patiently) waiting editor and publisher and hope it passes their board.

I'm not sure how often I will write in this, but I commit to try harder to keep you all updated.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Keepers DAY 57

2010-05-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

I gotta say, this new, little love "side-story" is turning fun to watch and write. It never ceases to amaze me when even these new, "unplanned" side-plots and stories seem to fit perfectly with the big picture and main story. This new scene that I wrote yesterday served as the catalyst and lead-in for the next chapter so perfectly that you would have thought it was part of my original outline, but I didn't even see it coming until the moment it was on paper. I love being in "the zone."

I'm also wrapping up the last details and rewrites on The Watchers, and getting ready to send it out. I am really struggling with the common author questions: do I get an agent or proceed on my own. So far I've done OK without one, but this next book was written for a wider audience. I think I may try a couple of publishers that accept submissions without them, and then take it from there (while I do some research on who to approach).

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again, but it is sad how work gets in the way of life.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Keepers DAY 56

2010-05-03T06:02:00.001-07:00

Watchers is just about wrapped up. Cover letter - check; Detailed narrative - check; First few chapters polished - check; Letter to current publisher explaining disappointments with editing, marketing, and distribution efforts - check.

I will likely need a couple of nights this week to finish typing the edits from last week, but today I start back on Keepers. It's exciting to see how it's all going to fit together.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Keepers DAY 50

2010-04-27T05:53:00.001-07:00

Well, I should be a lot further along than I am. I have hit that point where it becomes difficult to see how all of the story lines and sub-plots are going to interconnect. I'll be honest, for me this is the scary part. But as I push through those doubts and worries I find myself writing scenes that accomplish exactly what I feel they should. I like the direction the story is going.

But this week I have decided to take a break from Keepers and finish up The Watchers. I started writing this new book before I had completed the rewrites on the old one. Over the weekend Natalie asked what was happening with that book. I had to admit not much. Rich, a friend and early reader, found some "plot holes" and weak story lines that I had doubts about, myself, and have hesitated correcting them because of the overall work and rewriting that might be associated with it. But this week I am going to add/correct those parts and get it sent off to the publishers.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Keepers DAY 43

2010-04-20T05:57:00.001-07:00

Writing dialog is one of those things that is very difficult, very detailed yet must come across as effortless and natural. I like playing with double meaning, innuendo, and the like, but it is hard not to make it sound "forced." Nothing kills a book (or a movie, for that matter) than poor dialog. I studied and read movie screenplays for a couple of years trying to get a better ear for it, and I think it helped. It may be time to complete a refresher course and watch those good movies and read those books that display great dialog, where the words all have meaning, move the story along, and are a joy to listen to.

On another note, my interview aired last night. I'm pretty pleased with it. Because it was on so late I need to ask the host if it is available on their website (as a link) or if I can post the copy for people to listen to.

Anyway, I had to remind myself a few times yesterday that I am not writing the finished draft at this stage, and that I just need to push through to the end and then I can go back later and flesh it out. But I have to say I'm really liking the two main characters, and the intrigue is just beginning.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 33,715 (+1202)

Keepers DAY 42

2010-04-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

OK, last week was a "slow" week. There is so much going on that I needed some time to "recharge" (or at least that's what I'm calling it). One night last week I watched The Hitman (edited down, of course) because I felt that needed to recharge my batteries, so to speak. It is hard being creative all the time. Now, for me it's true that when I am in those creative moods and periods that I can't write fast enough to capture what is going on in my head, but like anything else, I need to find inspiration and immerse myself in it. Now, I'm not saying that The Hitman was truly inspiring, or anything like that, (in fact, it seriously lacked a good story and dialog, but the premise was pretty engaging, not to mention some pretty amazing camera angles and sword play...).

During this "down" time I also realized that I am starting to get bogged down with the finer details of the story. From here on out there is a lot of interaction, a lot of dialog, most of which has been "fleshed out" in the outline and I know where it's going and what needs to be said, but I found myself worrying that the new sub-plot isn't deep enough (and what do I have the two of them say), or that the chapter won't be long enough because I don't have every word of their exchange mapped out. I have had to remind myself that I'm in the stage of just getting the story out, the bones, the skeleton, and that there will be time later (during the first edit/rewrite) to add to and take away then.

I am looking forward to a good week of writing.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count (32.513) (+0)

Keepers DAY 37

2010-04-14T05:53:00.000-07:00

Not much to add today. We are short handed at work this week and I find that on these days I end up not even taking a lunch. (I have a great team and they are helping with the work load, but I feel guilty even taking a lunch break when I know someone else is helping with/doing my work.)

I have just finished up the last of the "setting up" chapters. The story line is established, the characters are somewhat fleshed out, and now comes the "hard" part of them all interacting and dealing with each other. I have the skeleton outline done and will be relying on it for guidance but this is the stage where the characters start taking on a life of their own.

As for my typing schedule, I've not typed so far this week. Tonight is another softball game but Natalie said she'd go, which means I need to take full advantage of the time and type my little fingers off.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 31,320 (+0)

Keepers DAY 36

2010-04-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

It's a funny thing how inspiration hits. Yesterday I was describing a scene that would have been difficult even for a modern, science fiction book (which this one is not), but made more challenging given that this story takes place hundreds of years B.C. I was looking for a word at lunch that didn't come to me until I was waiting for the elevator later that day. Out of the blue. Just like that. Now, I know it was just a word, but I find myself (after the fact of writing for a spell) wondering where that "stuff" just came from. It's an odd sensation having a story inside you striving to come out. The story is going in directions I didn't think it would; characters are taking on new life; it's pretty cool.

I'm still struggling with the whole balance thing. I think I'll post a question to one of the author Facebook groups and ask if anyone else has struggled with this and found a resolution that worked for them.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 31,320 (+0) on the computer, that is...

Keepers DAY 35

2010-04-12T05:58:00.001-07:00

This weekend was spent typing what I had written the past couple of days during the week. I'm back to the "balancing act" of writing a book and being present for the family. I would like to try dedicating a day or three a week that we all just know I'm going to by typing well into the night, but I'm not sure what days those will be. With baseball for two kids on two days a week, YW for the girls, and at least two nights a week to watch our shows (24, Lost, Modern Family, The Office, and 30 Rock), I'm not sure what nights I'm going to choose.

But I will find/make the time somehow. I may just type for an hour, or so, a day and then catch up on the weekends, as it seems that my Muse only visits me on the train and at lunch during the week.

One interesting note: I always tell people who want to write a book to just get a notebook and a mechanical pencil and start. I was noticing that thus far I have gone through a notebook and a half (each 70 pages), and I'm still on my first pencil. That pencil has written approx 120 pages of the new book. Pretty impressive, if you don't mind me saying.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 31,320 (+3600)

Keepers DAY 32

2010-04-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

During the day the light seems to be "on" and I write fast and furiously and for that I'm grateful. When I return home, however, I find that the demands (and not just demands, but requests and wishes, too) on my time put typing the day's work beneath a few things. I was feeling it so much yesterday that I had to question whether I was doing the right thing by "ignoring" Natalie (mostly) and even the kids to accomplish this goal of writing this next book by the end of May. I think it's the right thing, I just wish I had the means to type during the day.

Which brings me to my next "hair-brained" idea. I have an old copy of MS Office 2000 that I don't use anymore (I have 2007). I am going to ask the IT Help desk if I would be able to install at least Word on my computer at work. This way I could type when I have time at work, instead of taking my time at night. (But to be honest, then that opens up another "can of worms" of using company time for personal projects. I think it's one thing to jot notes down when I have "down" time in court, but quite another when I'm typing for an hour or so a day...)

Why can't I just have it all? I've said it before, but I really think I'd make a great billionaire.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 27,720 (+1035) But I have probably 15 pages of handwritten material still to type.

When Forever Doesn't Last

2010-04-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Just checked the website for our interview and here it is:

http://www.yourldsneighborhood.com/PersonalTouch.aspx

Check it out!

Keepers DAY 31

2010-04-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

I am finding out that the word "balance" does not mean finding time to do everything I would like to. In most instances, balance means trading off, exchanging, and prioritizing what needs to be done. Like yesterday (and other days since starting this book project). I wrote a great deal (handwritten), but had my daughter's softball game to attend (and pick her up from), then after dinner just had 45 minutes until the kids' bedtime, so I spent a little time with them on Wii Fit, then, when Natalie got home (from book club) we were both exhausted, so we went to bed early. And then tonight: Today is my daughter's birthday. She's 13! We have a small friends party planned this afternoon and evening, and then a family party tomorrow night. With work taking up my whole day, I'm not sure when I'm going to fit in typing. But tonight might just have to be a Mountain Dew night, even if the family has already gone to bed.

I guess that's what balance means.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 26,685 (+0)

Keepers DAY 30

2010-04-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

I have entered a very technical area of the story and I apparently don't know enough about the subject to allow the writing to flow. I had always just "passed over" the details of these next few chapters knowing that someday I'd do the research and fill in the (many) blanks that I currently have. Well, yesterday was the start of that "someday."

I made the decision to skip over many of those fact-intensive parts and try to focus on the story, instead, but my mind wouldn't quite let me. I did write a few pages, but I also spent time doing research and getting some of those facts organized and distilled for the book.

Although I will continue to push myself and strive to write the ten pages a day, I have to admit that it may be a little slower for the next couple of days..

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 26,685 (+887) (Lost and V were both on, too, which didn't help...)

Keepers DAY 29

2010-04-06T05:55:00.001-07:00

Well, I think I'm past the doubt and questions. Yesterday morning a new, more in-depth idea came to me on the train that I think will add meaning and reality to the story and will "fix" some of my concerns. It will also lend itself to a stronger storyline in later books.

A couple of thoughts came to mind yesterday as I thought about this "block" and doubt I was experiencing:

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names. - Chinese proverb

and

When confusion ceases, tranquility comes; when tranquility comes, wisdom appears; and when wisdom appears, reality is seen. - Buddhist Saying

I think that by calling those feelings as they were, and not trying to hide them or just worry about them, helped me overcome these.

I didn't type yesterday, and my writing was limited during the day as I worked to catch up from last week (when I didn't do much work and was preoccupied with interviews, writing, etc.). But with a clean desk at work I think I will have more time to be creative.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 25,798 (+0 at least on the computer)

Keepers DAY 28

2010-04-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

Fourth week. And I'm still plugging along.

But something happened over the weekend that I have experienced before but it still gave me pause and concern. Yesterday, while typing a couple of days' worth of writing (that wasn't very much, by the way...), I was struck by the doubt and fear that I wasn't going in the right direction. This was more than just writer's block; it wasn't a "I don't know where to go from here" thought - this was a full-on "I'm going in the wrong direction/what the heck was I thinking" thought. And when these happen it can be very frightening.

I remember having this while writing The Watchers. I was into the book about the same number of pages (page 100), and about the same amount of time (about a month), and with that book I did take a break - about a year and a half! And then when I finally came back to it I had changed, and so did the story from that point on.

I'm not sure what this milestone is, and I wonder if other writers experience it, too. If I try to analyze it, part of this might be due to the fact that I combined two chapters and now I have to come up with another means to blend into the second "Back Story" chapter, or just break it up like I had planned all along, and beef up those chapters to fill the number of pages.

But I'm sure that's not all of it. For me, there seems to be some period of doubt and creeps in about this time. It's like it says in The Alchemist, that "beginner's luck" happens to create excitement and build confidence for what you are trying to accomplish.

I am glad that I am recording this because, as I have said many times and in many circumstances, you can only control what you understand. (Think about that one for a while...) But I'm not going to be shaken from this book that easily. I will push through this, trusting in my outline and dreams for this book. I feel that I have been inspired to write this one at this time, and will trust in that inspiration to get me through my doubts. Like I heard on Conference this weekend: The opposite of faith is fear. I will rely on my faith and dispel my fear.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 25,798 (+2595)

Keepers DAY 25

2010-04-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased with the writing (handwritten, anyway) that happened yesterday. I find that whenever I have a chapter or scene with a lot of dialog that the words and phrases and order of those conversations come to me in pieces at first. I will "hear" bits of it, exchanges, etc. and just have to write them down anyway I can. I think that's one of the reasons I find that I have to write a first draft longhand. My pages yesterday are filled with boxes drawn around paragraphs, lines and arrows to adjust the order, and notes off to the side to go back and include these words or this reaction. But at the end of the day I was very happy with the direction it went.

But, alas, last night I didn't type. You see, tomorrow (Friday) I am going to be interviewed on FM100 on my latest book, When Forever Doesn't Last, and had to update and fix the website as well as outline the points I wanted to cover. Frankly, it took almost all night. But that's OK, right? I wrote during the day (keeping true to the plan of writing every day) and this was related to writing (just not this current book).

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 23,203 (+0 on the computer, anyway)

Keepers DAY 24

2010-04-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

I am noticing that I am able to write/type faster than I could just a couple of weeks ago when I started. Last night I didn't start typing until after 9pm and even with a bedtime "rodeo" I was done with my 2000 words by 11:15pm. It is definitely getting easier. I just hope that holds out to be true for the next month or two.

Today I will be writing events that are, at least peripherally, actual accounts. These are always a challenge with historical fiction because you want/need to use these accounts but also have to make sure they fit within the story, plot, and "voice" of your writing. I struggled a little with this when I wrote the "trial" scene in Lifted Up. I had the accounts from all of the gospels, as well as insight from Jesus, The Christ, and had to use them in a way that I felt accurately portrayed the recorded accounts but blended with the story line. I think it worked well (or so I have been told my many people over the years), and I suspect it will be the same for today's writing. And, of course, I'm not using the words of deity, but you get the picture.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 23,203 (+1816)

Keepers DAY 23

2010-03-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure who is ever going to read this blog. This must be the most boring account out there. It's like watching grass grow. Sure, we all put fertilizer on in the spring and give it lots of water, and everyone likes a green lawn, but no one is crazy enough to sit and watch it grow. Come to think of it, watching grass grow might just be a tad more interesting than watching a writer write.

But here I type, unwilling to give it all up just yet. But in all reality, I think I write this blog for my own sake. It keeps me honest and committed to the end result and product. And maybe that's a good enough reason to keep doing this.

Yesterday I picked up writing after a very hard day of frustrated story lines and "movement." I also realized that I am nearing the length for this chapter and haven't even really gotten to the main parts of the story I need to have happen.

And then I had a thought last night. It's not a new one but it applied to this one. In one of Stephen King's book I read years ago (something about Bones in the title, I think) there was a line in it that said, "You can't rush stories with magic in them." I would love to just skip to the parts I think need to be written, but this story is really beginning to take on a life of it's own. You know, I may just have two chapters describing his return home and the death and funeral of his father instead of one, and that's okay. Especially as with the introduction of this new character (the new love interest).

Last night was Lost and the season premier of V, so I had to turn in early to watch them with the wife. But consistency is the key here, as I strive to reach that word goal each day. Maybe today I can start making up time/words.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 21,387 (+1229)

Keepers DAY 22

2010-03-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

My laptop wouldn't load up yesterday morning so I was unable to write, but to be honest, I didn't have much more to write since writing Sunday night. But the computer is up and working now and I'm back on track.

Yesterday was a tough day writing. It was the start of a new chapter, a "transition" chapter bringing the main character "home" and learning of his father's death. Not much happens in the outline (story-wise, action, interaction between people, etc.) and that's why I needed a secondary character for him to interact with. I was able to write some description and reflection, but I really need to get back to the dialog and action to "move" the story along. And I think I have it.

It's going to be a secondary romantic sub-story. An old, childhood friend who has been plotting these many years to be "the one" for him to marry when he returns. Her goals are not love, they are marrying into power and wealth. This, of course, will interfere with the real love story here.

I think today's writing efforts will be better than yesterday.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 20,158 (+920)

Keepers DAY 20

2010-03-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday. Yesterday was spent typing an entire chapter that was handwritten Thursday and Friday. I may write everyday, but I find that typing everyday can sometimes be a strain.

But yesterday I typed over 4000 words. It was a good couple of days.

I also spent some time researching and reading up on ancient Jewish funerals. I'm still not entirely sure how the chapter is going to flesh out, but I know I need more information. I also realized that I need another secondary character to spend this next chapter with the main character. He will be relatively alone when he learns of his father's death, and I don't want to write a chapter filled mostly with his internal thoughts and narrative. I need interaction, someone for him to talk to, to complain to; someone who will help him through this challenge and emotional day. Someone from his childhood, someone who knew he was coming home soon. Who would his father have confided in and shared his excitement with his son coming home after all these years? I need to find out who that was.

Anyway, I am really liking the schedule and progress so far. It doesn't seem like much until I go back to look through an earlier chapter. A lot has happened so far...but there is so much more to happen. It is a different feeling having the story simply unfold in front of me, instead of writing it in spurts and fragments. I like this way better.

I wonder if I should skip this next chapter (at least the first half) until I have more information and can spend some more time on the funeral process and the events of the day. There is still action to happen at the end of the chapter. I'm thinking I might just do that. We'll see how tomorrow efforts go.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 19,238 (+4098)

Keepers DAY 18

2010-03-26T05:51:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was an AWESOME day of writing. It was all I could do to keep up with the train of thought and flow of the words. I only had about an hour yesterday to write and composed about 5 pages. It was the first day of the back story and I have to admit I was a little hesitant how it was all going to go because this back story was not as thought out (over the years). In fact, the idea for even having a back story only came to me a couple of months ago, but I love it!

But, to balance things out, I ended up not typing last night. I got home from Hannah's softball practice around 8:30pm, got kids ready and in bed, but really wanted to spend time watching our shows (Modern Family, The Office, and 30 Rock) with Natalie last night. It was a conscious decision, and I'll just spend some time over the weekend typing what I have written.

Today is Friday and I have a pretty light day at work. It should lend itself to a lot of writing and even give me a little research time as the next chapter in the "main" story will include a Jewish funeral and I need to do a little reading up on the ancient traditions and customs.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 15,140 (+0 - at least on the computer)

Keepers DAY 17

2010-03-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a fun day writing. I smiled and even laughed a little all day writing the scene and finishing the chapter. I am writing the main villain as being a true narcissist and having a great time with his disregard for others and self-centered personality. It was really fun and gives him more depth than some of my other "bad guys" in my other books. This guy is really bad, and I love it!

Today I will start with the first chapter of the Back Story, a time when the main character was a child, going away to be an apprentice. I really like this "switching" technique I'm trying here, with two story lines going on simultaneously. I've had one person read the outline who mentioned how she loved the "switching" of the story lines. The trick is making them all tie into each other, which I think I've done.

Also, I made the decision not to postpone my writing project and push ahead, trusting that this is the right thing for me/us to do.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 15,140 (+1801)

Keepers DAY 16

2010-03-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Argh! So many "tests."

Yesterday was a tough day of writing, and I'm not sure why. But in the end I did get out over 1500 words before I put is aside and spent some time with the family. I was fearing that it might be slowing down (if the last few days is anything of a pattern), but I know I have exciting scenes and chapters coming up so I think I should be back on track soon (like today).

But here's the test.

I received an email last night from an instructional design company I worked very hard to get under contract with last November and December. In fact, the plan was to start working with them part/full time at significantly more than I am making right now. But the work never came through. Well, they have work for me now and I have to make a decision: do I put my writing on "hold" (or at least scaled back) and put in a few hours a day for this company (and almost double my current salary); or do I tell them no thanks and continue with the breakneck writing schedule?

I think I have my answer but I need to confer with the wife. Putting the question to the Lord (not only because He has my best interest in mind with my life decisions, but I feel that He has a real stake in all this, as it is my talents and purpose involved here), I asked for a clear answer because I can be pretty dense on issues like this. So, just now, during breakfast, I opened the scriptures to a random spot and began reading. Guess where it turned to? Doctrine & Covenants Section 60. The same one that was spoken to me in a dream a few months back, clearing directed me to use my talents and that the Lord is not pleased with men who hide their talents.

I'll send this company an email to buy me enough time to confer and confirm, but I think the Lord has more in store for me with this writing.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 13,339 (+1517)

Keepers DAY 15

2010-03-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

I wonder if this blog is as boring to others and it feels to me. I'm not sure if I have terribly insightful insight every day. Most days it's just a process of doing it, getting the words down on paper, and moving the story along. Not much to say other than that. Had company over for dinner. She brought her latest pictures from Jerusalem. It was very inspiring. Didn't start writing until 10pm, though. Had to call it quits a little early. Didn't quite reach 2000 words.

But one thing does come to mind. I had expected to just have just a paragraph describing dinner, that it was good, and mentioning some small talk. Instead, I found myself writing almost 4 pages of this dinner scene. Now, every scene must move the story along in some way, and I was surprised to see how this little, additional scene was able to show new depths of the main character. And, it was fun to write.

Today I start the chapter introducing (and subsequently killing) the main character's father. This is a pivotal scene in the book as much of what will follow is directly related to the motivation for and the act of killing him. I have already established the villain as really bad and a bit crazy, so this will serve to magnify this. It should be fun. All I have to do is find a name for him (this morning, before I start writing...he has to have a name before I can start writing him).

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 11,822 (+1850)

Keepers DAY 14

2010-03-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

I think I have come the conclusion that keeping up with the 2000 words a day schedule is too hard for the weekend. I still need to write (which I did, writing a page or two yesterday afternoon after church), but the schedule needs to be lax on weekends.

I also need time to work on other writing projects (this screenplay, The Watchers, etc.), as well as catching up on a little Clone Wars with the kids.

I fully expect this week to be like last week, and expect to have another 10,000 words written by Friday - maybe more if I can to "make up" for weekend time lost.

By the way, I'm really liking this new book. The characters are really alive to me and the story they are going to tell is great.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 9972 (+0)

Keepers DAY 12

2010-03-20T20:56:00.001-07:00

Saturday. Yesterday (Friday) I spent a good part of the day manning the front counter. None of the other clerks like answering the phones and dealing with the public. Call me strange, but I love it. I really love the challenge that each person brings. But another reason I like it is there are stretches (usually) that are slow or dead. I find that I can concentrate sometimes for 20 minutes at a time out there on my writing. I had a lot of time yesterday.

Although I didn't think I had many pages handwritten, I did outline a great deal with the introduction of another (minor) character, following my detailed outline. Natalie went to a wedding shower so I had time alone to write and ended up typing well over my goal, which is good considering that after a quick comment by the wife about spending time over the weekend writing, I need to be sure to "stock up" during the week.

But I think she's right, and I need to spend time with the family on the weekend, so maybe I'll only write 1000 to 2000 for the whole weekend. I still need to write or the story might become stale.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 9972 (+2230)

Keepers DAY 11

2010-03-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a little tougher writing than the other days. This was the introduction chapter to the "bad guy" and as I place such a high esteem on the villain of a story, I really wanted to make it right. I had it outlined, and I knew what I wanted to write, but the outline notes didn't really have enough for an entire chapter. And therein was my mistake. I tried to force it to be longer at this early stage of the process instead of just writing what I wanted to / needed to and let the rest come afterwards. What happened was a forced couple of hours last night trying to "build the plane" as it was flying. Though not entirely without success, I didn't even get to the "good" part that revealed the villain for who he was before I had to close up shop for the night. So this morning I might work for a little bit and try to finish up what I had written yesterday.

Also, I didn't get / take a lunch break yesterday and my afternoon was pretty busy with people at work. I didn't get a lot of time there. It seemed that the burst of inspiration happened on the train on the way home. It just didn't "flow" yesterday as well as it has before. Oh well, that was yesterday. Today is today.

I have to admit, a thought has crossed my mind this week that my ambitious goal may be a bit out of reach. Sure, the goal of 200o words a day is a worthy goal and keeps the process alive and moving at breakneck speed, but as Stephen King shared this schedule of his I am pretty sure he wasn't working full time, taking the train to and from work, leaving at 7:15am and not returning until 6:00pm. He may have had a little more time during the day to fit in his 4 hours. And though part of me would like to scale back the schedule (to, say, 1000 words a day), the other part, the louder part, would just like to push through, suffer for a month or two, and get it done. If I could write two books a year, the royalties might start to add up and be more consistent. This is the goal, after all. This is the plan. Both Natalie and I feel it. I just don't want the family to suffer for it.

I will take a lunch today, for sure.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 7742 (+1692)

Keepers DAY 10

2010-03-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

The time it is taking me to write my 2000 words is becoming less and less. But I find myself still relying on the handwritten outline, so in essence I am writing nearly 4000 words a day. But I guess that's OK.

I am having to remind myself that this draft does not have to sound or be perfect. I am using words that I know I will go back later and "dumb-down" because no one really uses words like those, but they were the first words to come to mind. Although I do find using an online thesaurus helpful. Instead of flipping open my old, trusted thesaurus, I can just tab over enter the word and have dozens of suggestions at my fingertips.

This first version, as Stephen King says, if for me, the writer. This is my time to just tell my story. I have to not worry about what the reader will think, or how the words need to be phrased better, or anything like that. I just need to get this story out. And I tell you, writing like this has made the characters and story very real, more real that any other story I have started to tell.

The wife mentioned burn out this morning, and I have to acknowledge that a schedule like this one is very difficult to maintain. I will just have to do my best to balance life and not make too many sacrifices in the name of this book.

Today I start the "bad guy" chapter and introduce him. I love a good bad guy, and I hope he turns out to be as bad as I think he will be.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 6050 (+2042)

Keepers DAY 9

2010-03-17T06:02:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of writing started off a little slower than Monday, but in the end it was still very productive. It felt almost forced to write on the train, but during lunch the floodgates opened and before I knew it I was late returning to work. When I finally returned home I had nearly 2000 words handwritten. It is my goal, however, to outline during the day and write at night. But I guess if I have to write the book twice (handwritten and then typed) then I guess I write it twice.

It seemed to take less time last night, due partially to the fact that most of it was written out long hand during the day, and I hope that time continues to be cut down.

I am a little concerned how little time I am spending with my family at this stage, but according to my plan I should be done by the time they are out of school. I only wish there were more hours in a day, or I come up with a more perfect way to manage what little time I do have.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

4008 (+1980)

Keepers DAY 8

2010-03-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well...

She showed up the minute I got on the train. In the half hour it takes the train to take me to work I had written at least two pages and once there. During the day I found more time and wrote / outlined another three. Once home, however, I realized with a certainty that it is going to be a sacrifice to keep to my goals of 2000 words a day. But with a supportive wife and children I took about 2 1/2 hours and plowed through my first day's goal. I am pleased because this was the prologue, to which I haven't really given much thought to, and which was heavy on the narrative side. There are "gaps" (marked with "****" so I can find later) that I will go back and fill in later, but I feel really good about the day's work. Today I will start the actual story, which will likely move much quicker.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count (2028) (+2028)

Keepers DAY 7

2010-03-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Well, this weekend was pretty good as far as writing goals and projects go. I had a book signing at Barnes & Noble on Saturday for my latest book, When Forever Doesn't Last. I was part of a four-author signing event and overall it went pretty well. And like other book signings we didn't sell many books to people that we didn't know and invite to the signing. That part wasn't disappointing. The disappointing part was the lack of B&N staff to talk with and "sell" our books to. You see, the others signings I have done resulted in about the same sales outcome: not very many. But the saving grace of the Seagull Book signings was the exposure and time to interact with the manager and sales staff. They are the ones that are going to sell your book long after you've left the store. But there was none of that at B&N. In fact, I got the feeling that many of the sales associates really didn't even want us around.

But this weekend was not all bad. I took time yesterday to finish my reading and review of the new screenplay for a movie that is in the process of being re-made. The same producer that is working toward making Lifted Up into a movie asked me to look at his screenplay and offer any thoughts and suggestions I had on it. Now all I need to to do is get them all down in a Notes version of Word and shoot it back over to him. At this point I don't think there's any money in it, but I would be happy (thrilled, actually) to just have a screen credit.

But anyway, today is the day I should start actually writing the next book. I have everything prepared and prepped, and today is a light day at work. The invitation has been sent and notice giving...let's see if my Muse decides to show up for a visit.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count (0) (+0)

Keepers DAY 4

2010-03-12T05:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it's started. I woke up this morning with a the opening lines to the new book. I know I'll change them at least three times before it goes to print, but it felt good to start getting the inspiration. Of course, by the time I got out of the shower I had forgotten most of it and had already started improving on it, which is almost never as good as the original inspiration. Which reminds me: I need a pocket notebook to start carrying around.

It has been my experience, and the experience of other writers that have talked to and associate with, that when inspiration comes, when your Muse nuzzles you from behind, caressing and embracing you and whispers in your ear, you'd better get it written down right then because once she's gone (I'd like to think my muse is a woman), she's gone, and trying to summon her back later, when it's more "convenient" for you usually results in a shoddy, sometimes forced reiteration of her gift from earlier. (That was a bit creepy, wasn't it?)

So, today I will get and start carrying a small notebook and pen everywhere I go.

I didn't mean to comment on this today, but let me say a few things about a "Muse." For those of you who may not be familiar with this word, a Muse is one of of several sister goddesses who were credited with inspiring ancient Greek poets, musicians, and artists. All to often they are thought of as fickle, unpredictable, and unreliable; that we artists are at their whim and can only write (or paint, or compose) when this "inspiration" hits. And despite my above plan to start carrying a notebook around to be ready for these "bursts", I have learned that my Muse can be forced to visit and stay with me as long as I need her. For me, I can make a standing appointment with my Muse. It takes time and consistency, but it can be done. When I wrote Lifted Up I used to go down to the Law Library everyday at lunch and write, and what I noticed is that for one hour (almost to the minute) the ideas and words would flow almost faster than I could write/type, and then it would shut off, like a faucet. That regular, consistent writing allowed all my creative juices to focus. I quite literally had a standing appointment with my writing and it seldom failed me. It might be a little harder given my current situation and goals, but I am going to do what I have to to make this happen.

Oh, and I cleaned off my desk last night (and even balanced the checkbooks...something that's been bothering me for a week or two) and I feel ready to start working.

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count (0) (+0) (but next week that will all change...)

Keepers DAY 4

2010-03-11T05:43:00.001-08:00

Two days ago I printed out a calendar to take me three months into the year, numbering each day starting with last Monday as DAY 1. As I was numbering them I felt a mix of excitement and dread. That's a lot of days - a lot of days of knuckling down, blocking out distractions, denying myself the "rest" from a long day of work, all for the story that is inside me, clamoring to get out. I know from experience that it is all worth it, but still there is that hesitation, and desire to look for an excuse - any excuse - from starting.

But then I have to remind myself that it is not all work and no play. Part of the hesitation is that, although I have the outline done and know generally what the characters are going to to and say, I really don't know where this journey is going to lead me. And I guess I should be more excited than scared, but here I am, with those feelings nonetheless.

I had planned on cleaning up my office desk yesterday - currently it's a mess - and I know that once I have a clean desk much of my anxiety will go away, but I found myself frittering my time away with other activities (as noble and "dad-centered" as they were). I'm trying not turn this in to a "sucker's choice," the either/or trap that some of us fall into: I can either block my family out and write, or I can be a good dad and husband. Do you see the danger in polarizing your life like that? It will be my challenge to write and still give my family the attention they want and need.

But on another note, I did finish adding a small sub-story line yesterday and got it typed out yesterday, adding about a page to the notes. I am pleased with the progress so far, and truth be told, I really am excited to start this. I just wonder (now) if I am making a bigger deal with this than I should? I wonder if other authors go through this same period of doubt and hesitation, or if it's just me. I should ask that on Facebook.

Today's the day. I just have to do it, and get done what I need to (like finish up the rewrites on The Watchers by the weekend, so I can focus 100% on Keepers...)

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word Count: 0 (+) (this, by the way, will be a running total of words when I start writing on Monday, to keep me honest and track my progress)

Keepers DAY 3

2010-03-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

And the countdown continues...

Yesterday, reviewing the outline I noticed an "anti-climatic" end to one of the main characters and it took most of the afternoon (between work, of course) to come up with a way to add more "spice" to this man's ultimate death. It's not 100% done but it feels really good and I like the direction it will go. Of course, I now have to rewrite parts of the story to include this new character and sub-plot line, but I think it will be for the best.

A quick word about this outline. Some authors don't use one. I tend to need one. I make many references to Stephen King - love him or hate him, you have to acknowledge that he is quite possibly the most prolific writer of our time. King mentions that he never uses an outline - he just starts writing. (He's a situational writer, by his own admission, meaning that he takes characters and just throws them into a situation (bizarre as it might be) and watches what they do and what happens.) The way he puts it, if he, as the writer, doesn't know what's going to happen next, neither will the reader. And if you've ever read any of his work you know that's true. Of course, if you've read through to some of his endings, you know that they can be extremely frustrating, forcing you to question why you just spent reading 800+ pages to have it end "like that". I think an outline is good for completeness and closure. But that's just me.

The story for this next book is over 5 or 6 years old. I started writing it just after Lifted Up was published. Many of my notes are dated March 2004. The idea was first discussed with a good friend of mine over dinner and we actually started meeting to flesh out this idea. But the more we met the more apparent it became that we were taking our idea in two different directions. He wanted to focus on one part of the story while I thought the real story was down a slightly different path and approach.

For the past 6 years, or so, this story idea has been simmering in the back of mind, permeating my subconscious. I have shared the basic story line and thoughts with a few people over the years and each one has said how profound it is and how excited they are for me to tell it. Well, the time is closely at hand.

I have noticed that my preparation is still not complete. My desk is a mess and I have this urge to clean it, to tidy up. It feels like the "nesting" instinct that some women have before they have a baby, and for me, writing a new book is the closest thing I feel to the creation process. It's weird, I know, but for me it is like giving birth.

The next few months will be hard work. I recognize that, and I think that's where my hesitation comes from. The process of writing it down, taking the time, the late nights, the long hours - fun as it might be - is hard work, and some of the fun goes away with it. But the end result is well worth it. (Or at least I have to tell myself that...)

So let it be written...

so let it be done.

Word count: 0 (+0)

Keepers DAY 2

2010-03-09T05:41:00.000-08:00

So, by way of a little background and explanation, this "2000 words-a-day" writing goal comes from Stephen King's excellent book titled, On Writing. In it he outlines his schedule when writing a first draft of a new novel where he writes 2000 words per day no matter what. Connected to this is his belief that a book should not take more than 3 months (the changing of the seasons) or you (as a writer) begin to change and, therefore, change the story you set out to write. At this pace he has a manuscript of about 120K to 180K words which, he says, is a good place to start when it comes to the rewrite stage.

I tried this schedule when I started writing The Watchers, and in a just under a month I had nearly 150 pages written. I didn't do it every day, but I was pretty close. It was amazing how the story and the words just flowed. But then I let work get in the way and, to be honest, I hadn't outlined the story well enough and found myself wondering where the story was headed. It was nearly a year and a half before I got back to it. (But I did continue writing, editing and rewriting Shadow Hunter and When Forever Doesn't Last - so I don't think it was "wasted" time by any means...)

Writing 2000 words a day would take on average right around 4 hours. Now, with work and time to spend helping with homework and spending time with the family, I just don't have 4 hours every night to spend locked in my office typing away. Besides, after a long day of divorces and protective orders, I'm pretty bushed. So my plan is simple: I will use my lunch hours and any other "down" time I have during the day (during oral argument, for example, when I really don't have to pay attention to what the attorneys are saying - that's the Commissioner's job...) to outline what I plan to write that night. It is my hope that by doing this I will be able to "unleash" my creative juices and tackle those 2000 words in half the time. Two hours a night, I think, is doable.

So, as I continue to review and make edits to my detailed outline this week, I plan to share with you the origins of the story idea (without giving anything away) and share with you what it's like for me to write a book. But before I finish, I have to admit there is a sense of hesitation and dread with starting this book. I have experienced this feeling each time I start a new project, a feeling of nervous anticipation, a wish that I could just spend my time coming up with new ideas for characters, plot lines, conflict, and everything else that goes into a good story without having to actually do the hard work of getting it all out on paper and in some semblance of order and continuity. But it must be done.

Word count: 0 (+0)

So let it be written...

So let it be done.

Keepers DAY 1

2010-03-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

What a crazy year this has been! The ups and downs... the highs and lows... I have learned some valuable and personally insightful lessons during it all and though I wouldn't trade this new-found strength and self-awareness I occasionally wonder if there was an easier way to learn it...

BUT...

Long overdue, I am returning to my blogs (this one and "The Gospel According to Guy" with a new direction and purpose that I hope will lend itself well to consistency (on my part) and genuine interest (on your part). I am going to experiment over the next few months with a "journal" of sorts my day-by-day experience writing a new book, chronicling the challenges and rewards of drafting and composing a new novel.

My next novel, currently titled "Keepers of the Sword", is the first in a series of books telling a "behind the scenes" story I am convinced runs the length of the Book of Mormon. Though not the "main" storyline, I think the story I am going to tell over the span of several volumes is there and played a valuable part of this great and influential book. With the detailed outline nearly complete, I am gearing up to start my intensive writing stage where the plan is to write 2000 words a day, which is roughly 10 pages double-spaced. This is an ambitious goal, but I want to try it and see if I can get this book written (first draft, anyway...) in about three months.

And you're going to be right there with me as I do it.

So, if you ever wondered how in the world someone writes a book, here is your chance to follow one struggling writer on his next project. I expect the blog entries to be short, detailing the efforts and work of the day before, sharing the struggles and triumphs of that all-consuming effort to write a story in one's head and put it down on paper to be shared with the rest of the world.

Here's to hope...

Mapping out the Journey

2009-05-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

So, I've taken a bit of heat on Facebook when I revealed that I had started reading a book that blended creative writing and yoga. It would seem that the majority of my friends are unable (or unwilling) to see the connection between the two. But in their defense, I had purchased this book years ago (in 2004) and tried to start reading it back then (and even once since then) but I guess I wasn't "ready" for it, because both times I couldn't get past the first few pages.

But you know the old saying, "When the student is ready the Master will appear." I must be ready now, and I tell you, this book is awesome.

To many it might seem odd to blend a physical activity, such as yoga (and to all those who are disciples of yoga--I know! I know! Yoga is more spiritual than it is physical...but bear with me) with creative writing, which is largely mental (and again, to all those who are writers know that writing is so much more than what takes place in the brain...but bear with me). It is this blending of the breath, body, mind, and spirit. I have always been a believer that the mind, body, and spirit are closely connected (I might even say that they are "One"), and when you affect one, for good or bad, the others are affected, too. So it was a familiar voice that spoke to me from this book when the connection was made with specific emphasis on writing.

"If you do not breathe correctly, you do not move correctly." So said Chuin, the Master of Sinanju, and it has been a concept that I have believed in for years. Thus far (I am only in chapter 3) this book has given great instruction and yoga suggestions for calming the mind, centering the body and making a real difference in my own writing practice and routine. I seem to be more of a "hands on" learner, and when I can blend the physical to help the mental or spiritual, I tend to learn better and modify my behaviors to better reach my goals. I have started to take a long look at my intentions for writing, being better about scheduling it and making a regular appointment with my muse (this was the key, by the way, to how I was able to write Lifted Up--every day at my lunch hour the words would flow fast and furious for exactly one hour and then dry up, only to return the next day during lunch--it was really odd until I understood the importance of routine and regularity). This book is really helping me map out my journey toward my dream of writing full time.

So to all you naysayers out there, those who believe only in traditional (and perhaps outdated) instruction, I would encourage you to suspend your disbelief, if even for a minute, and consider that there may be more to this world and the way we operate within it than meets the eye.

...so let it be done.

Not So "Lost"...

2009-05-15T19:08:00.001-07:00

OK, I'll be the first one to admit that I have been somewhat of a slacker these past few weeks. I login daily, see the current (past) post, get to work, and then forget about it (or just run out of steam by the end of the day). But if anything could get me off my proverbial "duff" and back sharing my (admittedly odd) ideas, it is the network television show that I am "hooked" on: Lost.

For those of you don't know me well enough, we started watching Lost at the beginning of Season 2. But before it started we borrowed Season 1 from the Library and watched all 7 DVDs in one week, often staying up until 1 or 2am (...quick look at the clock...it's not quite 1am...we got time for one more...). I absolutely LOVED the twists and the tangling of the passengers' lives, and then there was the mysterious "monster" in the jungle and those whispering "others"--I was in TV heaven!

Then they revealed the Dharma Initiative, and met Ben and his band of "others", who weren't really that different from the passengers, all except for that Richard guy, and Lost began to "lose" me. But by then I was a Lost junkie and couldn't quit if I wanted to.

Seasons 3, 4, and now 5 passed with usually a frustrated feeling but a hope that next week I'd learn something I could use to help me figure out what the heck was going on.

But then the Season Finale offered up a small sip of water to whet my insatiable thirst that had been building for nearly three years, and I think (I hope) I see where it might all be going.

First, years ago when the Internet was buzzing with theories on where, exactly, the survivors of Oceanic 815 were and what the island really was, I was particularly fond of the theory that the "survivors" had actually died in the crash and that the island was a place like purgatory where the passengers were given a chance to prove whether they were good or bad and that when they "died" on the island they moved on to their respective eternal rewards, either heaven or hell. But then they introduced the Hatch, the computers, the Dharma Initiative, people coming and going to the island via submarine, and that was the end of that theory.

Or was it?

So the Season Finale beings with two men speaking with each other on the beach. In the distance is a masted ship (we assume it's the one "beached" in the middle of the jungle). One of the men (Jacob) is wearing a white shirt the other is wearing black. At first listen, their conversation would suggest that Jacob (wearing white) is good while the other (wearing black) is evil ("Do you know how bad I want to kill you?"), but if you listen to their brief exchange, it would appear that Jacob is actually the bad one, and the events of the show confirm it.

At first it appears that Jacob was showing up in the past of many of the survivors lives and, at first glance anyway, seems to help them--but it is not help. As a child, Kate had stolen a lunchbox and got caught by the store owner. He was about to call her mother when Jacob shows up and buys the lunchbox--no harm, no foul, and the store owner doesn't make that call. A good thing, right? Wrong. If her mother had been called and if Kate had experienced the consequence of stealing when she was young she may not have been on the run and later on that plane in handcuffs. And then when Sawyer was a boy at his mother's funeral his pen runs out of ink while he is writing that fateful "revenge" letter to the killer. Jacob appears and gives him another pen. Again, a nice thing to do, right? Wrong. If he had never finished that letter he wouldn't have turned out the way he did and end up on that island, as well. Jacob is the bad guy!

So, returning to my not being so "lost" anymore, if Jacob and the man in black are god-like beings (as they are presented in the episode), and this is all some kind of eternal struggle between them, using humans as pawns, or at least watching how them to prove our worth in the grand scheme of things, this at least makes some sense.

I know it's not much, but it's something, and at this point I'm so starved for answers that even the hint of an answer will carry me through the summer and fall and into what I understand is going to be the last season.

Here's to hope...

...So let it be done.

"Strange things are a-foot at the Circle K"

2009-04-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since I last blogged, and I have been a bit of a slacker for not sharing it all (any) of you that might care.

First, a little background.

Last year I received a telephone call from a movie producer who had just read Lifted Up and was very moved by it. He expressed a real desire to make it into a movie, and not one of these local "Mormon" movies but one destined for a national release and with a budget in excess of 8 figures. He was putting together the funds and lining up investors, but wanted to touch base with me, make sure the movie rights were still available, and generally talk about the opportunity this movie would have to touch many more people than it had already reached.

I was on a high for a couple of months. But the news died down, and there was really nothing more to report.

And then last Tuesday I am struck with the idea of sending this producer a personalized copy of Lifted Up as well as Shadow Hunter with a little note just saying "Hi" and wondering how things were going. I did a reverse search on his telephone number and found his address and planned to send the books out before we left on vacation on Thursday.

And then on Wednesday afternoon who should call me out of the blue? This producer. He had been thinking about me for a little while and had news about the movie project. It seemed that they had been working on funding a multi-movie deal and they were about ready to close the deal and just wanted to make sure everything was still a "go" on my end. I offered to purchase books for some of the decision-makers and met with two of his associates that night. It was amazing!

Now, I have kept my enthusiasm in check this past week because nothing is final or for certain at this point, but there is a real possibility that the pre-production money will be approved and they will have me start working on the screenplay. To quote the words of Ted Theodore Logan, Strange things are (indeed) a-foot in the Galli household.

So let it be done...

Joy in the Journey

2009-04-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Natalie included some of these pictures from our first book signing for Shadow Hunter on her Facebook page, but I wanted to include a couple of them here and share some thoughts about them.

I remember a few years ago when Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game, etc.) came for a book signing at the old Media Play on Fort Union. I brought my favorite books by him (Characters & Viewpoints, and How to Write Science Fiction) and got in the back of a line that reached to the front of the store and started to wrap around to one side. There must have been 200-300 people waiting in line for his autograph and the chance to say a few words or ask him a quick question. It was a pretty big deal. A book signing for a small, local LDS-related book is not.

I mean, it's great to meet with the store manager and sales associates who have all read your book and can discuss it in detail with you, but for the most part you sit at a table just inside the front doors and smile as the customers come in and talk about and promote your book. Sometimes you meet people who share a real passion for the subject of your book, or (better yet) people who have actually read your book and can ask you questions about why the characters did this, or why the plot took this direction. It's pretty cool.

But in the end, and I've said this many times before, you don't write books for the money. Of course, it would be nice to finally reach a place where you could actually live off the royalties and write full time, but most of us have to find other means to make the mortgage payment and put food on the table until that far-off goal is eventually realized. In the meantime, you do what you can to find joy in the journey, personalizing each book, as you would a gift, with a sincere hope that they enjoy your book.

...so let it be done.

Super Breakout!

2009-04-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

For the better part of a year I have been dreading the ending of my next book. It started out with a bang, the characters and action and plot line(s) just jumped out at me and it was all I could do to write it down. In fact, it came so fast and furiously (TWSS) that for the first time I wrote the first draft directly on the computer. It truly was a first.

And then I hit "the wall." I was concerned that my story premise couldn't carry through to the end. Exactly what was the motivation/purpose of one of my main characters? Nothing I came up gave me the goosebumps and felt right. And then there was the ending. I knew what I wanted to happen, but what I want and what I get are often two different things. And so, even when the chance came to write, I dreaded it. Was I on that "road to nowhere"?

And then it hit. In fact, it hit shortly after one of my previous blogs about being more committed to writing, and my character issue materialized. And what's even more cool is that I could see the shadows of this motivation throughout the half of the story that was already written--it was like my subconscious knew it all along and was just waiting for me to catch up.

And then this weekend the floodgates opened! It was all I could do to type in the scenes and chapters that I had to write/re-write, and (I have to say), I love this ending! I wasn't expecting it quite like this, but I love it! (That might sound a little odd to someone who hasn't written fiction before--these stories really do take on a life of their own.) It's got drama, it's got intrigue, it's got sacrifice, it's got death, and more importantly, it's got life! I started getting up an hour earlier just to make sure I get the time in to write before my work and other responsibilities get a hold of me.

It feels good to be "in the zone" again. I hope you all like it when it's completed.

...so let it be done.

Tales of a 6th Grade Nothing

2009-04-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I found my old 6th Grade notebook that I wrote all my short story assignments in. I can't imagine why I would have kept it, but I am glad I did.

As a writer, I have been asked many times when I knew I was going to be a writer. I guess I had always enjoyed writing, as evident by this blast from the past. I have to say, though, I do remember my father pushing me at this age to come up with good ideas and write better than I might have without his pressure. I'm sure many of these stories have his influence on them, and for that I am grateful.

I have typed up one of the first stories in the notebook and have included it here for you to read. I hope you like it.

Reading Guy Galli
Period 2 Feb 7, 1982

Five Miles Off Kotzebue Sound

“Mayday! Mayday! Do you read me? Point Barrow! Do you read me? Iced wings! Repeat! Iced wings! I’m going in for a crash landing. Five miles northeast of Kotzebue Sound.”

The next day I woke up—alive, but cold and numb. I decided to take a look outside. All I could see was snow blowing in my face. I climbed back into the plane for something to east. All I found was a half-eaten pastrami sandwich and a can of beer. The plane was full of supplies, all right, but mostly valves, regulators, and pipe destined for the oil pumping station at Point Barrow.

My flight survival course had taught me to stay with the plan and wait for help, but I couldn’t be sure my “Mayday” call had been heard. If I stayed I could easily starve or freeze to death. I decided to start out on foot for the Eskimo villages which I knew dotted the shores of the Katzebue Sound.

It was mid-morning before I was packed for the journey complete with snowshoes. A blinding snow was still falling and it was difficult to see where I was going. “I might be going in the wrong direction,” I thought. The going was tough and night was coming on. The temperature was falling. I stumbled into a large crevice in the snow which got me out of the wind. I started a small fire using pieces of packing crate I had brought from the plane. I took a bite or two from my sandwich and fell asleep.

That morning I awoke to the sound of a polar bear. I was frightened more than ever now. I didn’t have any weapons except for a pocket knife. By the time I could reach my knife, the bear was all over me. I jabbed and slashed until the knife found its way to the bear’s stomach. The bear bellowed and ran away to find easier prey. I was in bad shape, myself, but I felt that I had better move on because the bear would probably be back. I bandaged my wounds the best I could and climbed out of the crevice.

The snow storm was calming down, and I could see better than the day before. I headed southwest. Four hours had passed when, over a ridge, I saw an Eskimo village. I didn’t speak Eskimo, but I didn’t have to. They saw my wounds and that I was blue and numb and took me in. They warmed me and fed me whale blubber. I was so hungry that I ate it like it was steak.

After I ate and rested, I tried to communicate with my newly found friends. One of them spoke a little English. I told him the whole story of how I had become stranded and my fight with the polar bear.

The next day, the Eskimos loaded me onto a dog sled. It was three days before we reached Nome. If it wasn’t for the Eskimos, I wouldn’t have lived to tell this story.

THE END

What do you want to be when you grow up?

2009-04-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

This morning (strangely enough) I was thinking about what I wanted to be when I grow up. Notice I used "grow up" and not "grew up"--it's a matter of time that we "grow old" but we each decide when or if we "grow up." (That's my excuse, anyway, for still liking to eat a bowl of Cap'n Crunch while watching Saturday morning cartoons.)

With the release of my latest book, Shadow Hunter, I find myself reminiscing about the goals and dreams of my youth. My first recollection of "knowing" what I wanted to be when I grew up was this ad that ran in the Salt Lake Tribune when I was 13 or 14. It was a recruitment push by the CIA. Now, I'm not sure how often ads like this ran before I saw it (and cut it out), but I am pretty sure they have never run one like it since. Now, I was raised on James Bond and always imaged how cool it would be to be a spy, but the serious thought had not really crossed my mind until my dad pointed out the ad in the paper. From that point on, I read books, I watched history and documentaries, and even made a conscious decision in choosing my classes in Junior High, High School, and even College based on this assumption that I was destined for a life in the smokey, mirrored world of international espionage.

But then two things happened. First, I met the cute young lady that would later marry. Now, at this time, I had an application in for an internship with the CIA, and had also submitted one for the FBI. Natalie made it very clear while we were dating that she did not want to be married to someone who had to carry a gun or put his life on the line like that on a regular basis. You might think that it was a difficult decision to make, after all I had spent my entire life preparing for this line of work, taking German (during the Cold War) and Arabic (post Cold War), as well as a myriad of Middle Eastern, Asian, and South American courses at the U, not to mention years of Kung Fu. You might think that nothing could stop this Juggernaut pushing me toward a life of secrecy, but Natalie did. I made the choice then that I wanted to be married to to more than I wanted to work for the CIA or FBI or any of the other agencies I had applications for.

And then the other thing happened: I wrote my first novel. I have said this elsewhere, but the first book I ever wrote is the latest one to be published (Shadow Hunter) but back then it was titled, A Green Hill Far Away. About 15 years ago, my father shared with me a dream he'd had the night before, and over a game of pool we fleshed it out into a pretty good story. When the game was over (I think he won) he said, "and we're going to write it." The next day we started working on what would be our first novel. The next year and a half was challenging, fun, exciting, disappointing, and exhausting, all rolled into one. I still remember very clearly looking at the final, printed copy of the book, sitting there on the bed--I was so proud of it you might have thought I had just given birth to healthy, 400 page baby boy--and thinking, "I finally know what I want to be when I grow up." I was 25.

Now, when people would ask the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would smile and say, "Happy." The reaction was always, "No, really. What do you want to be when you grow up?" and again I would emphasize that I just want to be happy. Would I have been happy being some foreign analyst working on the 3rd floor of the CIA offices in Langley, VA? Do I ever regret not pushing on toward my childhood dream of serving my country in this capacity? Not once. I made the right decision to choose Natalie and our life together over one glamorized by Hollywood. Happiness comes from not living with regret. Sure, you'll make mistakes and poor choices from time to time, but learning from them and moving forward, either toward a dream or being present in the one currently live--this is where you find real happiness and satisfaction in life.

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

No Joke...

2009-04-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

FedEx knocked about 20 minutes ago with a box full of books. Looks like my fears about having to explain to everyone why, on April 1st, my book wasn't in the stores were unfounded after all. Oh, me, of little faith.

On this note, let me say that I listened to the Audio CD for a few minutes, too, and LOVE it. The narrator read it exactly the way I wrote it, and even gave the Middle Eastern dialogue a little accent. It is great!

How in the world am I expected to work the rest of the day?

A Little Stage Fright...?

2009-03-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been building up April 1st. Not for the fun and pranks that are bound to be played with a house full of elementary school-aged children, but for the release of my latest book, Shadow Hunter. But I have this sinking feeling that perhaps I have missed something in its release, an email, perhaps, that I missed about it's delay. You see, if my memory serves me (which it rarely does...) Covenant had sent me a box of books that arrived a day or two before Lifted Up was released, arranged for book signings, and made it a really big deal. They had even produced a television commercial for it (click below). We had dinner plans with friends and family and it felt like a big deal.

But today, the day before its release, I'm just not feeling it. No books have been delivered, no book signings, no advance mailer/catalog with the titles listed in full color--nothing. Which makes me wonder if tomorrow is really the day.

Here's to hope.

On Success...

2009-03-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, these past few weeks have been more than a little uncomfortable for me. You see, for the past 20 years I have been happy living in my secluded, and largely friend-less (or at least friend-impaired) life (Facebook and blogging--connecting with those of my past--is a little unnerving for me). And perhaps now, more than ever, I find myself trying to evaluate my life and determine whether I am a "success" or not. In fact, and truth be told, I chose not to attend my 20 year high school reunion because I dreaded having to answer the question, "so what do you do for a living?" For those of you who know the events of my business and financial life you will understand; for those of you who don't, let me just say that it was less than stellar. It pains me to say it, but I considered myself a failure at that point in time and didn't want to be reminded of it in conversations with "successful" friends.

But I know better than that. I have believed and taught for years that what you do is not who you are. But still I fell into that trap. So, what is success and how is it measured in one's life? I have a few thoughts on this today.

For twelve years I worked for the State of Utah. I quickly worked my way up the ladder, made some serious career advancements, and found myself sitting on top of the governmental over-worked-under-paid-under-appreciated heap, and fairly happy with it all. But deep down I knew something was missing. You see, I had written a book with my dad in 1995-1996, and knew then, at age 25, what I wanted to be when I grew up.

For years this drive to write consumed my thoughts (and lunch breaks), writing another book with him (The Last Silver Bullet), turning it into a movie screenplay, penning a Destroyer series short story (Unofficial Action), and then finally authoring Lifted Up, all written at home, on the train, or during my lunch hours. And when Lifted Up was published I glimpsed for the first time the fruits of my labors. Sure, there wasn't much money it (I think it came out to under $1 an hour) but my book was in the hands of readers who, for the most part, loved it. I knew it could be done. Nothing was going to stop me. This apparently included leaving my secure, well-paying job.

In 2005 I gave my notice (over the objections of well-meaning family members), and in May found myself self-employed, a small business owner, with little more than his dreams to keep him going. But state employment did little to prepare me for what was waiting for me. To make a long story short (too late, I know), I found myself selling my interest in the business that was going to make me a "success", start a new line of work, only to have projects completed just as the housing and financial markets began their out-of-control tailspin. My life, it seemed, was a failure.

But just when things looked bleak, a ray of light pierced the dark skies and I found myself writing for a company that designs and develops corporate instructional design material. I was writing again, working from home, and at least had the chance to start working on my books again. At the insistence of my dad, I resubmitted our first novel, A Green Hill Far Away (now Shadow Hunter) and to my utter surprise, they loved it, and it was scheduled for publication. Another small success.

But through it all, I often failed to see where my true success lay. During the good times, and especially during the bad, I have never been alone. My wife, my best (and sometimes only) friend never gave up on me and never left my side. She always and continues to believe in me. And then there are my children, who don't really care where we live, or what new toys they have (or don't have), just so long as I'll get down on the floor and play with them. Their love is my greatest success. It is easy to say that family is all that matters to you when you have everything, but when you are faced with quite possibly losing everything you have this truth becomes a reality, and it sinks deep into the recesses of your soul.

For me, this is my success.

--Guy

Those who can't...teach

2009-03-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Now, before I write another word, I need to make sure that all of the educators out there do not take offense at this title (although I am sure you have all heard it before in one context or another). You educators work your tails off--and it's not for the money--and for that we all owe you a great deal of gratitude.

(I'm glad I got that out of the way...)

Now, this blog is about those who profess to "know" how to do something but haven't actually done it. Like the friend who knows how to make a six-figure income selling soap (and wants you to sign up with him...) but hasn't actually done it--yet. We are surrounded by "so-called" experts, and I ran into one the yesterday.

Waiting for Hannah to take her 7th Grade Honors English placement exam I struck up a conversation with a professor/teacher that was setting up in the room for her Fiction Writing Adult-Ed class. Fiction writing? That's just up my alley, and besides, I had brought the draft of my latest work (The Watchers) with me to edit and review. So I put down the red pen and pulled up a seat next to her. After some chit-chat about writing, her class outlines, and what books we had in common, an exchange took place along these lines:

"So, it seems you have an interest in writing," she says. "Are you working on anything right now?"

"Yes. Actually, my new book comes out in a couple weeks, and they are going to re-release my other novel, too."

"Oh," she says, her eyes getting wide but leaning back, away from me (has my deoderant worn off?), "What's it's name?"

"Shadow Hunter. The other was is called Lifted Up."

She shakes her head. "What is your name?"

"Galli. Guy Galli," I say (but not like James Bond--dang!).

She looks at me and squints her eyes somewhat. "Nope. Sorry. I've never heard of you."

And then that was it. It got real uncomfortable all of a sudden. So to make conversation (Hannah still wasn't done yet--how hard could that test be, anyway?), I ask,

"So, have you written anything I might have read?" Uncomfortable or not, I am still in awe of other published authors.

"Well," she starts, quite timidly, I might add, "I've had a couple of article and poems published in a few magazines over the years, but nothing other than that. But," she gets more animated now, "people always say I have written good stuff if I would only finish them and try to get them published."

I smile. "That's great," I say. "Well, good luck with that and with your class," and I'm out the door (Hannah's still not done yet! C'mon, Hannah! Let's Go! Move it! B...D...A...B...C!)

Now, I have to be careful not to sound like I am getting full of myself, (too late, I know), but if you were going to pay to take a fiction writing class, wouldn't you want to take one from someone who has actually written fiction and been published, or at least submitted one or two works? I don't know, maybe it's just me.

--Guy

If You Plan to Plan you Fail to Fail...is that how it goes?

2009-03-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

I have set myself on a new schedule in an attempt to get more accomplished during the day and have more to show at the end of the week. I have many aspects of my "business" life that all seem to pull and tug me in different directions and take up the limited time I have during the day (and night). I'm going to put into practice the advice to use 5% of my time to plan the other 95%. (And the cliche, If you fail to plan you plan to fail, keeps running through my mind.)

So, a big part of this planning initiative is making the time to write. To this point I have claimed it was what I wanted to do for a living, but only made time for it like a hobby. This has to stop if I am going to make this dream a reality. It's like the scene in (one of my absolute favorite books) The Alchemist, when the boy realizes that not everyone actually wants to acheive their dreams and goals--some people are happy just having a dream. I don't want to be one of those people. Although I live most of my life in my mind (the result of an over active imagination), I do enjoy seeing the fruits of my labors, so to speak.

So with this new schedule, with specific and concrete goals, I venture into what I hope is the next stage of my writing, where I am able to complete two books a year, not as hobbies, but as a serious means to support my family. I know that I created another blog to discuss my more religious thoughts and subjects, but I need to cross that line for a minute on this topic.

I have been self-employed going on four years. A large part of that decision to leave the safety of State employment and seniority was the feeling Natalie and I both had that I was supposed to pursue my writing (and I felt that working full time and being away from home for nearly 11 hours a day wasn't going to allow for this). In my heart, and in a very real sense, I promised God that I would write if I was able to stay home. Of course, anyone who has ever been self-employed knows that you work harder and longer when you are relying on yourself and the money you make instead of the money you earn at a job. My writing again took a backseat to my business efforts, and my spare time was quickly and mindlessly filled with old Seinfeld episodes.

When I was forced to return to the workplace last year, I realized (again) how good I had it working from home and re-committed to work harder and make writing a priority in my life, and (again) made a deal with God that if I was able to return to working from home that I would continue to use my talents (limited as they might be) to write and reach people through my words.

We were blessed with yet another opportunity to return and work from home again, and then the words of Joseph Smith struck me to the very center: "Men not unfrequently forget that they are dependent upon heaven for every blessing which they are permitted to enjoy, and that for every opportunity granted them they are to give an account." It was like God was speaking directly to me and I redoubled my efforts to make sure that I succeed this time, that regardless where I am working--at home or in a cubicle somewhere--that I continue to make the development and use of this talent to use, for I will be asked to give an accounting when all is said and done, and as I have said many times before, I never want to hear myself utter those words, "If I'd only..."

--Guy

Twilight and the Confessions of a Skeptic

2009-03-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

As the title explains, I have some confessions about the movie, Twilight. Now, I do want to make it clear that in no way do I change my thoughts and opinions of the books (those that I actually read) but that this commentary (confessions, actually) is about the movie.

And the confession is: I actually liked it.

Natalie has been a fan of the books and has seen the movie at least two other times (that I am aware of...but come to think of it, she did come home from a church meeting or two smelling like buttered popcorn. Hmmm...) but we decided to wait until it hit the dollar show before setting out together. Of course, we actually waited until the weekend the movie was released on DVD to venture to the theaters, and were lucky that it was still playing.

Now, I will admit that I did read Twilight a few months ago, more out of a professional/writer curiosity than anything else--what is Stephanie Myers doing right that I am not? (It turns out that she knows a thing or two about teenage "girl stuff" that I, and my male counterparts, are ignorantly unaware of.)

The movie had one thing going for it that the book didn't--something actually happened in the movie! The teenage drama was there, but there wasn't 300 pages of it before something happened. Im talking about action! Now, granted, there wasn't much, but it was more than the books, and for that I was grateful. I thought the love story was satisfying, and the dialoge realistic (as much as you can between a gothic/moody human and a perpetually youthful vampire). I thought the casting was done well. I thought that the actress that played Bella was well chosen and portrayed a pretty yet "gir next door" character. Edward had to grow on me, but by the end I was taken by his character, as well. And then there is that perfect line: "Your scent, it's like a drug to me. You're like my own personal brand of heroin." Classic! in a somewhat inappropriate-for-teenagers way.

So am I less of a man for admitting this? Perhaps. But I have to give credit where credit is due.

Until next time...

Thoughts on God...

2009-03-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

I don't take a topic like this one lightly, but I have been flooded with thoughts about God, His nature, and our relationship to Him these past few days. You see, Natalie read the book The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young (www.theshackbook.com) in her bookclub a few months ago and was really touched by it. I reluctantly agreed to read it and took my own sweet time picking it up. It didn't seem like the type of book I would take the time to read (my "free" time to read is pretty limited...), but it remained there on the dresser and I finally opened it and began reading.

Now, I don't want to spoil the plot lines or give anything away, but I do want to share some of my thoughts about it. The main character, Mack, through a series of incredible events ends up spending the weekend with God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit at a remote cabin (shack) deep in the woods. For Mack it is a spiritual journey that I have seldom seen or read about. Theology aside (the restoration of the gospel has given us lost truths about the nature of God, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going after this life, which I believe are true)...like I was saying, theology aside, the author's explanation and insight into a very personal relationship with God is quite amazing and uplifting. I can only touch on a few of them here, so here goes:

The truth that God is not only the creator of the universe, the world, and everything thereon, but that he is intimately aware of each of us, and loves us without measure or condition, was inspiring. In the book, what God desires of us is not simply obedience, but a "relationship" with him, a blending of wills, where our thoughts are His thoughts, and vice versa. Add to this our knowledge that we are all literally spiritual sons and daughters of God, it was reassuring that He wants us to be like him, not just slaves or servants to His will. It was sweet to see the perfect "One-ness" of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. It was a little odd to see the Godhead portrayed the way they were, but the topics, conversations, and actions of the three were much like I imagine it.

It was interesting to read about the fact that Light and Goodness exists, and that darkness, for example, only exists with the absence of light, and not the other way around. This is a subject I have felt passionately about for as long as I can remember. We, as children of God, have more power that we give ourselves credit with. Darkness and evil cannot ever win the war as their existence is dependant on the absence of light and goodness and God, being eternal and from everlasting to everlasting, isn't going anywhere any time soon. It is us who stray from and leave God, and not (never) the other way around. I'm not sure if this last part is making much sense, but I hope you get the drift of what I am trying to say. (You would think a writer would have better control of the English language, but that's what re-writes and editors are for...)

Anyway, couple finishing The Shack this morning and then going to the Draper Temple dedication today, and my thoughts are very much on things eternal. I will likely come back to this topic from time to time, and hope you will bear with me. Please, I welcome your comments and thoughts on this, and every blog I publish. I would love to chat with you.

--Guy

2009-03-19T07:28:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a quick minute this morning and comment on one of my favorite television shows: Lost. Natalie and I have been watching lost since Season 2. We began our Lost journey by checking out Season 1 from the library and watching them almost non-stop for a week. We didn't get to bed before 1am or 2 am for that week. It was AWESOME! Season 2 did not disappoint, either. The character development, the plotting, foreshadowing, building conflict, setting major characters in place--everything was great! Now, I have to say, that watching shows or movies, and especially reading books for a writer is an entirely different experience than most. For me, anyway, I tend to analyze every part, listening for word choice, scene and setting placements, etc., looking for the "tricks" of the trade as the story progresses. It can be somewhat of a curse because gone are the days of seeing a movie or reading a book for the simple pleasure of it.

But I digress...

Seasons 3 and 4 of Lost have typified the problem of "writing yourself into a corner." I laughed pretty hard when Saturday Night Live, News Update, reported (something along these lines): "NBC announced today that the television series Lost was picked up for four more seasons, to which the writers were reported as saying: Oh, Crap!" Now, I have to admit, that I have written myself into that proverbial corner many times, but as a writer of a novel (yet unpublished) you can always go back, fix parts that need fixing, change scenes or events, and make the characters at the end of the book match the characters you started with (they inevitably grow and change as you write the story). You can't, however, do this with a series television show, such as Lost. And I cringe when we watch it now, wondering, "How in the world are they going to wrap this up?" (I have to admit, a few years ago when there was buzz on the internet about what the island really was, and where the passengers really were, I really liked the idea that the island was a "pergatory-like" state and when the characters "died" on the island they had tipped the scales--so to speak--and either went on to heaven or hell.)

Needless to say, we continue watching every Wednesday night, frustrated with the new plot twists and added confusion, and I hope and pray (well, sort of...you know what I mean) that the writers are able to tie it all up in a way that satisfies the hard-core fans (like us, who wait on each and every episode with baded breath).

2009-03-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

"In the beginning...."

First impressions are important, and I want to make a good one with you. I have never contributed to or maintained a blog before, and I know that I have a lot to learn, so I hope you will be patient with me as I experiment and try new things with this.

When Lifted Up was published over 5 years ago, I heard back from many readers who directed their comments to the publisher or who sought me out from the local phone book. It pained me to not have a very effective means to respond to their many questions and requests to discuss parts of the book. I am very hopeful that through this blog I will have that opportunity to talk with more of you over the years.

So...

After much too much put-off and delay and concern on what in the world to write and include on my first-ever blog, I have finally decided how to start out my blog and personal and professional thoughts and journal--I have decided to start at the beginning. Genius! I know.

We writers are painfully aware that the first few words and sentences we pen are critical to every book's success. Done right and we may have a best-seller on our hands; done poorly, and it could be the most inspiring, influencial book ever written but it will go largely unread and unappreciated.

You may not judge a book by it's cover, but you certainly judge it by it's first paragraph. You may not even realize this, but for most of us the decision to purchase and/or read a book is the same:

The color of the book cover will catch our eye
We will read the back or jacket-cover synopsis
If that interests us, we will open to chapter one and begin reading

If those first lines don't catch our attention, if we are not "hooked" at this early point, we put the book down and move on. In this light, I offer here the opening lines from a few of my favorite books.

"I am the vampire Lestat. I'm immortal. More or less. The light of the sun, the sustained heat of an intense fire--these things might destroy me. But then again, they might not."

--Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat

"When Chili first came to Miami Beach twelve years ago they were having one of their off-and-on cold winters: thirty-four degrees the day he met Tommy Carlo for lunch at Vesuvio's on South Collins and had his leather jacket ripped off. One his wife had given him for Christmas a year ago, before they moved down here."

--Elmord Leonard, Get Shorty

"Sally."

A mutter.

"Wake up, Sally."

A louder mutter: leeme lone.

He shook her harder.

"Wake up. You got to wake up!"

--Stephen King, The Stand

"His name was Remo..."

--Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy, The Destroyer series (this was how every Chapter 2 began)

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun."

--Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

"The boy's name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with his herd at an abandoned church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood."

--Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

"The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide."

--Joseph Conrad, The Heart of Darkness

"I settled back into the crushed ebony velor of the Cadillac limousine's spacious rear seat and checked my Omega. The ride to burbank studios, according to the public relations people handling my tour, would take at least fifty minutes in the late afternoon traffic."

--Og Mandino, The Christ Commission

"Hafid lingered before the bronze mirror and studied his reflected image in the polished metal.

'Only the eyes have retained their youth,' he murmured as he turned away and moved slowly across the spacious marble floor."

--Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World

And thus it ends, for now, this maiden voyage of my blog, So Let it be Written...

I hope to update this regularly (if not daily) as I share with any of you that might care what it is like trying to balance writing, working (believe it or not, writing does not pay the bills...), and being the best husband and dad I can be. I look forward to hearing and talking to you!