Wow, I can't believe it's almost a month since I last posted! Unfortunately, I was deep into everything but fiction - triple net leases, real estate syndication, marketing, etc.
That's the life of a freelancer, though. I write (and have written) about everything under our young sun as long as it's not too technical like...urinalysis machines...food for zoo ungulates and worms...stocks, bonds, joint ventures, entrepreneurship, gears, plastics, crops, cows, hogs, and on and on!
The reason I mention these subjects is a) they keep a writer humble and grounded) and b) they're all potential sources for short stories and novels - novels in particular!
By nature, novelists are omnivores; they digest anything within reach because it provides such a treasure for stories, plots and characters. For me, it's been real life characters in particular.
For example, there was my co-worker, "Johnson," a man whom I silently called "Quite Frankly," the reason being that everytime he was lying to you he'd begin the conversation with the phrase, "Quite frankly." He never knew he was doing it!
Then, there was "Bob," our 80-some-year-old landlord in my younger days. Bob was an alcoholic and an unfeeling man, in some respects, because periodically he'd say of his dead wife, "Yup, I was married to that woman for 50 years. God, I hated her."
Then there was "Sally," the hypochondriac who carried around a small wooden case full of the medications she suppposedly had to take and who - of course - just had to go through everyone of them for you. By the time she finished, you were convinced hell existed and you'd just landed in the middle of it.
Finally, there was "Leon," a man so afraid of making a mistake in his work that he would actually stay up all night correcting commas, semi-colons and the like - even though he had an expert editor at hand.
Well, you get my drift by now. The sources for fiction lie in your own life and experience. Just apply patience, persistence and hard work, and a story will arrive!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Science Fiction Sorrow and Joy!
The thing I love about writing science fiction is that I can create my own world(s)! Frankly, although I love the sheer act of writing, I love the fact that I control my world, galaxy, universe, etc. That's the joy.
As is true apparently with many writers, I use fiction in an attempt to understand myself and my relation to the world. Or perhaps it's because my "Fragger Sparks" character is a surrogate for the war action I didn't experience in my life.
I've never been in combat (but my eldest brother was killed in combat). I've never even been in a fight since I was about 15 years old (but my best friend survived Vietnam).
And yet I've very adept at writing combat action scenes and describing far-flung worlds that will never exist.
Perhaps it's all my attempt to make up for what I see as the lack of "manly activities" in my life.
And yet....although I was in the Army, I would have made a miserable combat soldier. Beyond being very nearsighted, I simply didn't have the heart for killing. Most likely, I would have been dead within days had I gone to Vietnam or any other war zone.
It always struck me as weird that I was envious of soldiers who'd faced combat. Everybody who's faced a ruthless opponent says they wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy. And yet, those of us who haven't faced death are envious of them. That's the sorrow.
It's a weird hierarchy, isn't it? Without soldiers, wars wouldn't be fought, and heroes wouldn't exist. And heroes don't exist without writers.
Life is, indeed, strange!
As is true apparently with many writers, I use fiction in an attempt to understand myself and my relation to the world. Or perhaps it's because my "Fragger Sparks" character is a surrogate for the war action I didn't experience in my life.
I've never been in combat (but my eldest brother was killed in combat). I've never even been in a fight since I was about 15 years old (but my best friend survived Vietnam).
And yet I've very adept at writing combat action scenes and describing far-flung worlds that will never exist.
Perhaps it's all my attempt to make up for what I see as the lack of "manly activities" in my life.
And yet....although I was in the Army, I would have made a miserable combat soldier. Beyond being very nearsighted, I simply didn't have the heart for killing. Most likely, I would have been dead within days had I gone to Vietnam or any other war zone.
It always struck me as weird that I was envious of soldiers who'd faced combat. Everybody who's faced a ruthless opponent says they wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy. And yet, those of us who haven't faced death are envious of them. That's the sorrow.
It's a weird hierarchy, isn't it? Without soldiers, wars wouldn't be fought, and heroes wouldn't exist. And heroes don't exist without writers.
Life is, indeed, strange!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Happy Science Fiction Springtime!
I sat outside this morning after a long Wisconsin winter and sipped my coffee while I enjoyed the heat of the sun. I hope you were able to do the same and appreciate every molecule of fresh air!
If not, well, here a few facts (courtesy of NASA) about the solar system to make you really savor the sweetness of Earth's springtime!
On Mercury, there really aren't any seasons because its axial tilt is, essentially, zero. So,you couldn't enjoy springtime there. Well, heck, with temperatures ranging from -280F at night to +800F, you wouldn't be enjoying much anyway, would you?
On Venus, springtime is shorter than on Earth - around 50-58 days as opposed to approximately 90-98 days. Again, it wouldn't matter much for you since the surface temperature is around 865F year-round. You wouldn't have to worry about getting the lead out - it'd all be melted, and you would be too!
One more to make you appreciate Earth's springtime: On Uranus, springtime (and all seasons) last about 21 years. That's the good news. The bad news - temperatures hit -300 F, and the planet has storms the size of the U.S!
As you can, if you were on one of these planets, you'd be smashed, trashed, fricaseed, frozen and just flat out, well, flat!
So, get out there and enjoy spring right now - you're a lucky, lucky being!
And you'll be luck too if you try out one of my science fiction novels listed below, available at Amazon, Booklocker.com, Synergebooks, and many other sites!
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses the Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
If not, well, here a few facts (courtesy of NASA) about the solar system to make you really savor the sweetness of Earth's springtime!
On Mercury, there really aren't any seasons because its axial tilt is, essentially, zero. So,you couldn't enjoy springtime there. Well, heck, with temperatures ranging from -280F at night to +800F, you wouldn't be enjoying much anyway, would you?
On Venus, springtime is shorter than on Earth - around 50-58 days as opposed to approximately 90-98 days. Again, it wouldn't matter much for you since the surface temperature is around 865F year-round. You wouldn't have to worry about getting the lead out - it'd all be melted, and you would be too!
One more to make you appreciate Earth's springtime: On Uranus, springtime (and all seasons) last about 21 years. That's the good news. The bad news - temperatures hit -300 F, and the planet has storms the size of the U.S!
As you can, if you were on one of these planets, you'd be smashed, trashed, fricaseed, frozen and just flat out, well, flat!
So, get out there and enjoy spring right now - you're a lucky, lucky being!
And you'll be luck too if you try out one of my science fiction novels listed below, available at Amazon, Booklocker.com, Synergebooks, and many other sites!
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses the Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
Friday, March 19, 2010
Triple Your Writing Troubles!
Well, quite a week for intimations of mortality - a strained back, a recovering shoulder (from a fall on the ice) and part of a silicone ear plug (for swimming) stuck in the ear! Without even trying, I got myself in trouble. :)
Which reminds me of an old writing precept. I can't remember the author but it goes something like this: "Put your protagonist in trouble and then triple that trouble." (Believe me, I hadn't planned on doing it to myself.)
As those of you who've read my "Fragger Sparks" science fiction series know, I've followed that precept with a vengeance. There's no sort of trouble Fragger hasn't been in!
I continue to follow the precept for two reasons. One is, obviously, that trouble creates a great story - everyone wants to see what fix Fragger will get into next and how the devil he's going to work his way out of it.
The second reason is personal. It may sound odd, but it keeps me writing! By that I mean that I need to pose myself a problem and then get an adrenaline rush from solving it.
I'll have to admit that this is not a very noble or literary reason for writing, but then I've always been a practical person at many levels, and my attitude is, "If it works, use it!"
Actually, I spent a large part of my life not writing for various reasons (even though I wanted to) and am grateful for any spur that allows me to put words on the page.
Besides, it's enabled me to write four novels (and four non-fiction books) in about 10 years! So, here's to practicality and the acceptance of one's inadvertent gifts!
Hey, find out how much trouble I've gotten Fragger Sparks into by reading one in the series (and, remember, I'm working on the latest one)!...
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
Also, try American Job if you enjoy comedy, satire and tragedy all rolled into one epic tale!
Which reminds me of an old writing precept. I can't remember the author but it goes something like this: "Put your protagonist in trouble and then triple that trouble." (Believe me, I hadn't planned on doing it to myself.)
As those of you who've read my "Fragger Sparks" science fiction series know, I've followed that precept with a vengeance. There's no sort of trouble Fragger hasn't been in!
I continue to follow the precept for two reasons. One is, obviously, that trouble creates a great story - everyone wants to see what fix Fragger will get into next and how the devil he's going to work his way out of it.
The second reason is personal. It may sound odd, but it keeps me writing! By that I mean that I need to pose myself a problem and then get an adrenaline rush from solving it.
I'll have to admit that this is not a very noble or literary reason for writing, but then I've always been a practical person at many levels, and my attitude is, "If it works, use it!"
Actually, I spent a large part of my life not writing for various reasons (even though I wanted to) and am grateful for any spur that allows me to put words on the page.
Besides, it's enabled me to write four novels (and four non-fiction books) in about 10 years! So, here's to practicality and the acceptance of one's inadvertent gifts!
Hey, find out how much trouble I've gotten Fragger Sparks into by reading one in the series (and, remember, I'm working on the latest one)!...
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
Also, try American Job if you enjoy comedy, satire and tragedy all rolled into one epic tale!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Real Hero - Not a Science Fiction One!
My "Fragger Sparks" books have an imaginary hero who fights his battles in the far future. Today, I heard a real hero at church.
His name is Dr. Charlie Clements, and he's Executive Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
He's a hero for two reasons. One, as a pilot during Vietnam, he flew 50 missions before deciding that the war was immoral and refused to fly any more. Two, he became a doctor and devoted his effort to saving lives and preventing genocide in Latin America and other countries. He's been at it ever since the 70's. Now, there's a life of devotion and heroism!
Well, back to the badass side of town - I'm close to 14,000 words on the first draft of the next book in the "Fragger Sparks" science fiction series - The Blood of Fragger Sparks.
I'm often asked how I plot out my novels. My answer is, as always, I don't. I'm what's called an "intuitive" writer; that is, I have no idea where I'm going when I start a book. That's both terrifying and exhilarating!
You have to trust that you'll find the way in the end - and, I imagine, it's a lot more fun than fully plotting a book. I don't know because as hard as I've tried, I simply can't write a plot out! It seems to me that it would save me a lot of time and heartache, but, hey, you have to accept the gift you've been given and make the most of it.
Sometimes, the intuitive approach doesn't work out. I once threw out 90,000 words of a novel because I realized it was 90,000 words of crap. It was painful, but it was also the best move I ever made as a writer.
As a matter of fact, it made me a writer! I received a strange sense of freedom, knowing that I wasn't chained to whatever I put on the page! As W. Somerset Maugham said, a writer has to have a "piece of ice" in his heart toward his writing; in other words, sooner or later, you have to be able to cast an objective eye on what you've put on the page!
Hey, if you'd like some free ebooks this month, you can go to one of my publishers, Synergebooks.com at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.synergebooks.com%2F&h=aa3b797646535a5e4f077e70a12a6baf.
As always, if you'd like to get in on the Fragger Sparks action, you can find the print versions at Amazon and at Booklocker.com. Ebook versions can be found on Fictionwise.com and similar epublishers. The titles are:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
And don't forget the first book I ever wrote - American Job (as in the Biblical character). It's also called The Relentless Pursuit of Everett Pick).
His name is Dr. Charlie Clements, and he's Executive Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
He's a hero for two reasons. One, as a pilot during Vietnam, he flew 50 missions before deciding that the war was immoral and refused to fly any more. Two, he became a doctor and devoted his effort to saving lives and preventing genocide in Latin America and other countries. He's been at it ever since the 70's. Now, there's a life of devotion and heroism!
Well, back to the badass side of town - I'm close to 14,000 words on the first draft of the next book in the "Fragger Sparks" science fiction series - The Blood of Fragger Sparks.
I'm often asked how I plot out my novels. My answer is, as always, I don't. I'm what's called an "intuitive" writer; that is, I have no idea where I'm going when I start a book. That's both terrifying and exhilarating!
You have to trust that you'll find the way in the end - and, I imagine, it's a lot more fun than fully plotting a book. I don't know because as hard as I've tried, I simply can't write a plot out! It seems to me that it would save me a lot of time and heartache, but, hey, you have to accept the gift you've been given and make the most of it.
Sometimes, the intuitive approach doesn't work out. I once threw out 90,000 words of a novel because I realized it was 90,000 words of crap. It was painful, but it was also the best move I ever made as a writer.
As a matter of fact, it made me a writer! I received a strange sense of freedom, knowing that I wasn't chained to whatever I put on the page! As W. Somerset Maugham said, a writer has to have a "piece of ice" in his heart toward his writing; in other words, sooner or later, you have to be able to cast an objective eye on what you've put on the page!
Hey, if you'd like some free ebooks this month, you can go to one of my publishers, Synergebooks.com at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.synergebooks.com%2F&h=aa3b797646535a5e4f077e70a12a6baf.
As always, if you'd like to get in on the Fragger Sparks action, you can find the print versions at Amazon and at Booklocker.com. Ebook versions can be found on Fictionwise.com and similar epublishers. The titles are:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
And don't forget the first book I ever wrote - American Job (as in the Biblical character). It's also called The Relentless Pursuit of Everett Pick).
Monday, March 1, 2010
Banging My Head Against a Science Fiction Blank Wall!
As a writer and a cartoonist, I can't count the number of times the same responses I get from people when I inform them of my occupation.
When I tell them I'm a writer, the usual response is, "I've always wanted to write, but I don't have time." (The second most common response is: "Will you look at some of my writing?"
When I tell them I'm a cartoonist, their response is, "I can't even draw a stick figure."
These responses frustrate me because most people possess talent at one level or another, and they waste it with such remarks.
Because they don't lack talent! What they lack is will...determination...perseverance...or whatever you'd like to call it.
On a bad day, I'm tempted to scream at them, "Well, just sit down and do it...and do it over and over again until you get it right! That's all there is to it!"
So, what's my point? None, really...it's early March and cabin fever is definitely getting to me!...Writing on my fifth fiction book, I've escaped into a future where assassinations are common...people bully each other...and love sometimes seems like a dim spark in a black and pitiless cosmos.
But it'll all pass as soon as I figure out the next turn in the plot. How do I know? Because it's a pattern. Everytime I run into a fiction blank wall, I despair and despair...until suddenly a solution pops into my head!
Then, I realize that all that worrying was for nothing...and then repeat the process over and over again until the book is done!
It's all very silly, really, but in the end quite wonderful - a small price to pay for creativity.
Hey, if you want a sample of my science fiction creativity, try one of the following (in print and ebook form) at Amazon and elsewhere:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
If you don't like science fiction, try American Job (also called The Relentless Pursuit of Everett Pick). It's satire and a comic-tragedy set primarily in the Black Hills of South Dakota!
When I tell them I'm a writer, the usual response is, "I've always wanted to write, but I don't have time." (The second most common response is: "Will you look at some of my writing?"
When I tell them I'm a cartoonist, their response is, "I can't even draw a stick figure."
These responses frustrate me because most people possess talent at one level or another, and they waste it with such remarks.
Because they don't lack talent! What they lack is will...determination...perseverance...or whatever you'd like to call it.
On a bad day, I'm tempted to scream at them, "Well, just sit down and do it...and do it over and over again until you get it right! That's all there is to it!"
So, what's my point? None, really...it's early March and cabin fever is definitely getting to me!...Writing on my fifth fiction book, I've escaped into a future where assassinations are common...people bully each other...and love sometimes seems like a dim spark in a black and pitiless cosmos.
But it'll all pass as soon as I figure out the next turn in the plot. How do I know? Because it's a pattern. Everytime I run into a fiction blank wall, I despair and despair...until suddenly a solution pops into my head!
Then, I realize that all that worrying was for nothing...and then repeat the process over and over again until the book is done!
It's all very silly, really, but in the end quite wonderful - a small price to pay for creativity.
Hey, if you want a sample of my science fiction creativity, try one of the following (in print and ebook form) at Amazon and elsewhere:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
If you don't like science fiction, try American Job (also called The Relentless Pursuit of Everett Pick). It's satire and a comic-tragedy set primarily in the Black Hills of South Dakota!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Living Inside a Science Fiction Head!
Sheesh...first, an entire week without my computer when the evil forces of the Digital Age decided to corrupt the files in my machine! Then, I took a header on an icy sidewalk and spent the week with a sore shoulder reminding me of my mortality!
But, that's all just late winter complaining when cabin fever sets in with a vengeance in Wisconsin! So, how to combat it?
Write a book, of course! I took all the snow and the cold and the irritation and threw it 600 years into the future and let my characters in the first draft of The Blood of Fragger Sparks handle it!
That's the wonderful thing about being a science fiction writer (or any other kind of writer). You take what's inside your head and turn it into a story instead of letting it fester until spring arrives.
That means....dangerous four-legged predators...even more dangerous two-legged ones...inter-planetary, inter-galactic, and inter-multiverse intrigue! What fun and what a relief from the tedious February winter days!
Of course, when summer eventually arrives and I want to escape the heat, then I'll do exactly the same thing - send my characters into the coldest, sweetest hell possible to keep myself cool!
It doesn't get any better than that!
Hey, take your own trip out the freezing cold or boiling heat by reading the three books (listed below) leading up to my book-in-progress, The Blood of Fragger Sparks. Your mind and body will appreciate it!
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
But, that's all just late winter complaining when cabin fever sets in with a vengeance in Wisconsin! So, how to combat it?
Write a book, of course! I took all the snow and the cold and the irritation and threw it 600 years into the future and let my characters in the first draft of The Blood of Fragger Sparks handle it!
That's the wonderful thing about being a science fiction writer (or any other kind of writer). You take what's inside your head and turn it into a story instead of letting it fester until spring arrives.
That means....dangerous four-legged predators...even more dangerous two-legged ones...inter-planetary, inter-galactic, and inter-multiverse intrigue! What fun and what a relief from the tedious February winter days!
Of course, when summer eventually arrives and I want to escape the heat, then I'll do exactly the same thing - send my characters into the coldest, sweetest hell possible to keep myself cool!
It doesn't get any better than that!
Hey, take your own trip out the freezing cold or boiling heat by reading the three books (listed below) leading up to my book-in-progress, The Blood of Fragger Sparks. Your mind and body will appreciate it!
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Dense Frog Advisory!
Thirty-six degrees in Madison and rain falling on top of snow which can mean only one thing....dense fog is on the way! And what's more perfect for fiction than a cloak of fog over the landscape?
It hides things and makes the ordinary mysterious...all elements for a murder...or a bungled assault on a military position...or a ship in Arctic seas with its engines out and icebergs near! All stories designed to make your spine try to crawl right out of your body and seek the safety of the nearest chiropractor..
Except when you have an imagination like mine. It often tends to look at the comic side of things. So, when I saw a forecast for dense fog, my mind instantly transformed it into "A Dense Frog Advsiory." Silly, I know, but it's stuff that just keeps popping up in my head without any invitation on my part. And it's very helpful for the cartoon-drawing side of my creativity
So, right now, I picture a huge and very stupid* frog lumbering over the Wisconsin landscape, squashing Hyundais and Home Depots with its wet tonnage.
*I mean, what kind of amphibian is thick enough to come out in the winter, anyway?!
And the question occurs to me, "What's going to happen to this frog?" I mean, it's either going to freeze to death...starve to death...slurp up pedestrians with a mile-long tongue in a frantic attempt to fuel itself....or be brought down by 155 mm howitzers brought in by the National Guard because they're the only artillery pieces big enough to do the job.
Imagine the mess! "Left lane of the Beltway closed due to frog innards! Avoid this area until remains are toad* away."
*One thing I've discovered over the years is that highway departments are notoriously poor spellers.
Well, by now, you've gotten the idea. Your imagination can take you anywhere if you just loosen the reins and let it have its head. It also allows you to mix metaphors freely.
In fact, I have a Metaphor Mixer in the kitchen, and I highly recommend it. It saves time and when you add in a lot of adjectives and adverbs, you get a fine purple color. But, as with any appliance, you have your prose and cons!
Hey, if you'd like a decidedly action-adventure oriented science fiction series (with a dash of humor), try my "Fragger Sparks" series at Amazon, Fictionwise.com, Synergebooks and elsewhere! The three books out now are:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
A fourth book, The Blood of Fragger Sparks, is on the way, but before I can continue writing on it, I have to get a frog out of the driveway! See you next time!
It hides things and makes the ordinary mysterious...all elements for a murder...or a bungled assault on a military position...or a ship in Arctic seas with its engines out and icebergs near! All stories designed to make your spine try to crawl right out of your body and seek the safety of the nearest chiropractor..
Except when you have an imagination like mine. It often tends to look at the comic side of things. So, when I saw a forecast for dense fog, my mind instantly transformed it into "A Dense Frog Advsiory." Silly, I know, but it's stuff that just keeps popping up in my head without any invitation on my part. And it's very helpful for the cartoon-drawing side of my creativity
So, right now, I picture a huge and very stupid* frog lumbering over the Wisconsin landscape, squashing Hyundais and Home Depots with its wet tonnage.
*I mean, what kind of amphibian is thick enough to come out in the winter, anyway?!
And the question occurs to me, "What's going to happen to this frog?" I mean, it's either going to freeze to death...starve to death...slurp up pedestrians with a mile-long tongue in a frantic attempt to fuel itself....or be brought down by 155 mm howitzers brought in by the National Guard because they're the only artillery pieces big enough to do the job.
Imagine the mess! "Left lane of the Beltway closed due to frog innards! Avoid this area until remains are toad* away."
*One thing I've discovered over the years is that highway departments are notoriously poor spellers.
Well, by now, you've gotten the idea. Your imagination can take you anywhere if you just loosen the reins and let it have its head. It also allows you to mix metaphors freely.
In fact, I have a Metaphor Mixer in the kitchen, and I highly recommend it. It saves time and when you add in a lot of adjectives and adverbs, you get a fine purple color. But, as with any appliance, you have your prose and cons!
Hey, if you'd like a decidedly action-adventure oriented science fiction series (with a dash of humor), try my "Fragger Sparks" series at Amazon, Fictionwise.com, Synergebooks and elsewhere! The three books out now are:
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
A fourth book, The Blood of Fragger Sparks, is on the way, but before I can continue writing on it, I have to get a frog out of the driveway! See you next time!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Fragger Sparks Is Your (Anti) Hero!
Hey, Happy New Year to everyone! And I just wanted to thank all those readers who have made Fragger Sparks such a popular character!
I find his popularity an interesting phenomenon. After all, although at heart he's an honorable man, he's capable of ruthless actions in order to stay alive, some of which are, to say the least, morally repugnant.
And maybe that's the key - although he has abilities far beyond us, he seems just like us in many respects - a regular guy caught in a situations not of his own making and coping as best he can. Also, who among us wouldn't want to kick the galaxy's ass if we were capable of it!
...I'm about 5,000 words into the next book in the series, The Blood of Fragger Sparks, and making slow progress. Lots of fun and excitement already. I always follow the advice offered by many writing teachers - Put your hero in trouble...and then triple it!
Hey, Fictionwise.com seems to be the most popular spot to download the ebook versions of Fragger, so you might want to check the site out for other science fiction titles.
See you soon. In the meantime, check out my titles below...
The First Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Leads the Way
The Second Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Loses His Way
The Third Misadventure of Fragger Sparks, A Ranger Paves the Way
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