Category Archives: Blackbirds

Cats: Malone

Philosophical Meanderings, Too Posted on by

Malone here. Yeah, I’m a fictional cat. What’s it to ya? Have you checked out my latest story yet? No? Well, get yer credit card and head over to Lulu for the best quality version of Blackbirds Third Flight available. Go ahead. I’ll wait while you order. Then come back here and learn a little more about me.

If you haven’t met me yet, you can catch my first story at these fine retailers: Lulu (Blackbirds Second Flight), Amazon (as the bonus story with Glaring Upheaval) (Kindle only), Amazon (Blackbirds Second Flight) and BarnesandNoble.com (Blackbirds Second Flight).

I got dames waitin’ for me, but, hey, go check out my latest adventure dealing with an invader in our house.

MGR Tour: 2015 Conclusions

Philosophical Meanderings, Too Posted on by

It’s time to look back on the year and assess what I’d planned to accomplish and what actually happened with those plans. I know this is going to be a wild ride, so hang onto your handrails, and let’s get going.

I’m going to work counter to typical roller coaster design and take you on the downward plunge right out of the gate. I did not publish Polar Bear on the Loose. Feedback from my beta readers indicated it still needed far too much work, then I lost my way. So it, as my first novel and novel of my heart, is back in the igloo for now.

Taking you even deeper into the abyss, I did not begin my revision of Geeks, because I simply wasn’t ready to work on two dissimilar major projects at a time.

Time to pull out of the dive and rise to the top after that not so thrilling drop. Blackbirds Second Flight became a reality, in paperback and Kindle formats. Didn’t get your copy yet? Head on over and pick one up.

I also made progress in the behind the scenes publishing arena by packaging Quin and Glaring Upheaval (with bonus story) as ebooks on Amazon. The Glaring Upheaval story is from Blackbirds Second Flight. So if you already have the anthology, you have the story. Quin is my story from Blackbirds First Flight. If you don’t have either of those, you might be interested in checking them out. If you already have them in one format, I don’t expect you to buy them in another (but thank you if you do!).

I experienced a mixed bag this year. I’m going to embrace the positives that I’ve managed to add to my publishing credits, and I believe the stories, though categories in Dark Fantasy, are not too dark.

MGR: Mid-Year Check-In

Philosophical Meanderings, Too Posted on by

Welcome to the heat of summer, MGRers. It sounds like an excellent time to stay inside and review where I stand in achieving my goals for the year as stated back in January. I already am cringing, because I am far, far from the planned route for the year. But you’ll come along for the ride and can laugh at my embarrassment.

Let’s start with the good news. Blackbirds Second Flight is published. That’s the Kindle link, but you can find it in paperback at major on-line retailers as well.

That was the good news. I was not learning cover creation techniques fast enough to suit me, but I discovered Amazon has a Cover Creator Wizard that will create a passable cover. By uploading a .doc file, Amazon will convert a manuscript to Kindle format. For simple short stories, this works well, so I found cover art and converted my short story and poems from Blackbirds First Flight and my two short stories from Blackbirds Second Flight and offered them for sale on line. Both are available for 99 cents. Quin and bonus poems can be found here. Glaring Upheaval and bonus story, Malone’s Way, can be found here.

quinglaring upheaval

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quin is science fiction and explores one creepy solution to finding workers to work on dangerous jobs. Glaring Upheaval and Malone’s Way are written from their feline main character’s points of view.

That was the unexpected news, and I think it falls to the good side of the tally sheet. On the more disappointing side, Polar Bear on the Loose will NOT be published by August 4. It will not be published this year. I’m just too slow at revising, and it needs far too much rewriting to make it suitable for your eyes. Additionally, I have not begun the revision of Twilight (new Working Title: Geeks), because I do not want to descend into whatever level of Hell revising two novels simultaneously would send me to.

I’ve been stalled since my knee replacement surgery in late April. I had carpal tunnel release surgery last Thursday. My energy levels are returning from the knee surgery, and after my hand heals enough to be productive again (I’m a lefty, and the surgery was on my left hand), I’m anxious to resume work. I’m just not certain what that work will consist of.