And So It Begins

An early draft version of a cover for History of the Trap.  I stole a picture of Bridgeport High School, my alma mater. and used the design as a template for Loren High.

Good morning!

Tax season has toddled off the stage. There will still be more hours spent in accounting, but they should be fewer and more restrained, at least until an audit I assist with in July and August.  But I hope to begin to rearrange my time in order to better pursue my creative interests.  And, if I'm successful, to make some of the income I would have made in accounting.

So here are the projects I will be working on:

1)  Publishing Crowley Stories: Swamp's Edge

I have decided to not pursue an agent or a regular publisher for this book.  It's a little different and unique, and the time period it is covering is becoming more remote.  But I'm not sure I'm going to just go straight to Create Space, either.  I'm going to look towards some services that provide additional professional editing, and will help with the marketing and promotion of the book.  I have some ideas in mind, and I will explore the options in the next week or so.  It may cost some money, money I may never recoup, but I want to give the book the best launch I can.

I think it is a book that should be of local interest, and should sell well in the Okefenokee Heritage Center environment.  But there's no guarantee of it.  It won't be a picture book filled with photos, and there is no detailed area history.  Nevertheless, it is a book steeped in the culture of the area.

2) Finding a magazine or anthology that will publish My Europa

I need to continue to send out my completed science fiction novella, My Europa, to magazines that might consider publishing it.  It has been rejected by Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, but I need to send it back out, Next on the list is The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.

The biggest difficulty in this, besides gearing up for a long line of rejections, is that every place you submit it wants a different format.  That's not easy for me to do.  Formatting is not a specialty of mine, and it's hard for me to keep readjusting it.

3)  Continue writing The Extra Credit Club

I know it's frustrating to those waiting for the second volume of History of the Trap, but I think I have a publisher who would be interested in The Extra Credit Club when it is complete.  I know I may be fooling myself, but believing there is an interested market for this novel is highly motivating to me.

4)  Reread The History of the Trap in preparation for the sequel

Yes, I have a general outline as to where Volume 2 will go, but I think it will be a stronger book if  I reread the first one and take copious notes.

5)  Start the quest to become a reader for audiobooks

I've bought a couple of books that should help me set this up.  Benjamin even has some of the audio equipment on his computer.  I will probably start with an audio version of Here Comes Tommy, and work my way out from there.  I don't need to be falsely modest in this area.  Reading aloud is something I do extraordinarily well, and it's about time I figured a way to make a little money from doing it.

6)  Eventually, become an extra in TV and films

This is not as far-fetched as it seems,  Many movies and TV shows are being filmed in Georgia now.  If I can participate in some in a way that gains me net profit, I would be happy to do that.  Will I get speaking parts?  I doubt it, particularly at my age.  But if it happened, I wouldn't, as they say, "kick it out of bed."

7)  Other writing projects

Publish an ebook version of A Christmas with Pegasus.   Write another Escape From the Office romance, maybe eventually writing enough to get a collection.  Continue my blog, including returning to my father's stories.  Help Grace Lee with the publishing of some of her works.

In order to do this, some other things have to give.  Until Benjamin goes off to college, what community theatre I do will be done in conjunction with him.  My involvement in local organizations may be more limited.  And, although supportive of local progressive politics and progressive candidates, my time spent may not be as much as I originally hoped.  My participation in church activities and charities may not yet reach the scope I would like it to.

And hanging over all of this is the reality that accounting as an income source is not through, and will not be until and unless I can demonstrate the ability to make the income gap up with creative enterprises.

Nevertheless, whether it takes weeks, months, years, or just a dream I pursue without ever capturing,  I am ready to begin!

Wish me luck!