Update on writing

Doing a final review the science fiction book, "Gods?". I hope to send it to a publisher next week. My everyday life has been very hectic lately and I've not been able to dedicate myself to my work as much as I would like. It may settle down shortly. I've got my two books about The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat being sold--slowly.

For anybody that's interested I'm starting to post excerpts from the book, Gods?. The first one is below:

Most couples only had one child, rarely did they have a second one, or if it they did, it usually didn’t live. They had learned that if a couple didn’t have a child in the first few years of their forming a union there probably would be no children from this couple. One of their customs encouraged wives to mate with males they knew to be fertile. This developed in an effort to increase the fertility rate.
“What’s so funny Mary?” Jason asked his wife the next morning.
“Two of the women have sent their husbands off on hunting trips and told them to be gone for at least two days. The two women have been making eyes at the traveler staying with us. It may be that they want to increase their chance of having a child. The subterfuge we go through is so obvious. Why don’t they just invite the stranger to their beds? Where do you think these lone travelers come from? One seems to pass through every few years. They don’t usually say much but are welcomed by us all.”
“I don’t know, I’ve asked them but I’ve never gotten a good answer. They just point in a general direction and say something like from over there. I expect our hunters will go a little ways away from camp and fish or something. They too want offspring and don’t have any. We must take any reasonable opportunity to have more children. If our doing it brings some pleasure to a few of the women it can’t be all bad can it?”
“No, it’s not all bad. Why don’t you go hunting sometime? It might be enjoyable to take advantage of one of these males as they pass through.”

Writing update.

I'm still working on rewriting a novel. It'll be done this week, hopefully. I'll then be able to get back to my Cosmic Cat series of books for adolescents. It needs the last chapter and about twenty illustrations. Anybody have a good book agent out there that would like a new client? I made the mistake of watching the Dallas football game today. I should have worked on my novel. The Vikings showed up and a group of other people wearing Dallas uniforms were there. It's about all that can be said about them--they were there. In any case everybody have a good day.

New Book - A Visit to the Farm

It seems like it's taking forever but the advance copies of the new book, "A Visit to the Farm," are in the mail but haven't arrived. Oh, well they'll get here when they get here. I have a lot of work to do on the next book. It's only roughed out and needs a lot of work as well as a lot of drawings. Hopefully I'll have it all together in the next couple of months. I'd like to get it out before Christmas. I still say that the hardest thing to do is to take time away from writing to market your work. Marketing is almost a full time job all by itself. Let me know what you think of my work. Helpful suggestions are always welcome--don't send any other kind. I need to write these blogs a little more often. If I was certain that somebody was looking at them I probably would. With constructive criticism and suggestions this blog might even grow into something useful.

Another Step in Publishing

I expect to receive the first shipment of my second book, "A Visit to the Farm" either tomorrow or the next day. I'll be giving a few of them away and using the others for publicity purposes. I'm about half way through rewriting the book, "The Land of G'lop," my book about a family of witches. I, like a lot of authors, am having trouble getting enough time to work on what I want to work on. I seem to write in short segments--almost on the go. I make it a point to take some of my writing with me wherever I go. This allows me to use my time as wisely as I can. I'm attempting to get a publicist interested in my work so I won't have to spend so much time doing it myself. We'll see what happens.

New Book - A Visit to the Farm

I uploaded the new book, "A Visit to the Farm, The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat," for printing. I found a couple of errors and am preparing to upload it again. So goes the life of an author. The book is the same size as the previous one, "Astronaut Training," but has almost twice as many illustrations. The hardest part is getting the word out to everybody that the book is there. All I can do is keep trying.

Book Signing, Astronaut Training

My book signing for "Astronaut Training" was a little bit disappointing. It was in the middle of the afternoon and the outside temperature was over 100 degrees. Not many people showed up. Having a signing gets my work exposed to more people though. I spent the time doing what I shouldn't do. I went back through the first part of the book. I found a misspelled word. It doesn't distract significantly from the book but it bothered me to find it. I'm going to be ordering some more books shortly, but I think that I'll upload a corrected text. I'm going to read through the proof copy of "A Visit to the Farm" very carefully. I don't want to have to change the text after it's published.

Book Signing: Astronaut Training

My book signing for Astronaut Training is this Saturday from 2 to 4 P.M. at the Twig Book Shop. I've got the proof back for the second book, A Visit to the Farm. I didn't like how a couple of the drawings came out and have made corrections to them. Also the cover isn't as clear as I would like it. I'm going to redo it and upload the cover and the text this weekend. I need to be more active with my blog and work on it more than every few days. It's just difficult to take the time to do a really good job as I have so many different things going on. Any body need some tomato's? I made the mistake of planting about twenty tomato plants and now their producing. It's impossible for us to eat the tomatoes they are producing. Maybe the hot weather will bring us relief from the tomato attack. I guess it could be worse.

Finishing a Book

It's often difficult for authors to let go of a book and send it off to the publisher or printer. "I know that if I work on it for just a little longer I can make it better." We all have to adopt the same philosophy that poets have developed. You work on the manuscript (poem) until you're tired or sick of looking at it. At this point you send it off. It's complete. No book, no matter how perfect it is judged to be by others, is totally complete or perfect. An author, reading their own work many years after the work has been published, will often be heard to mutter something like, "I can't believe I got this published, it's terrible." Don't despair, just work, write, get tired of it, and send it off. It's good enough. There are those few of us who can't live with, "It's good enough." These writers will not publish very much. Write often, be prolific and put your work out to be read and looked at by others. So what if some of them don't like it or you have a dangling sentence once in awhile. Make it your style and work every day if it is possible as your work will get better. My set of children's books that I'm working on are an example. Writing a book and doing the illustrations takes me about four months. It takes another couple of months to edit it and do the corrections. I've published, "Astronaut Training," late last year and expect to receive the proof for, "A Visit to the Farm," today or tomorrow. I'm working on, "Moving." These are all in the book collection, "The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." The books are written for fourth and fifth grade readers. Are they any good? I''ve been told that they are and that I have a good sense of humor and style. Only time and my readers will tell.

Cosmic Cat and Astronaut Training

I attended a couple of short courses; one yesterday and one today. I'm obviously not networking enough and not using social networking to my best advantage. I also need to connect with more people that are blogging. I'm going to attempt to do it--it just takes time. One of the short courses was on social networking such as Facebook. I actually used Facebook once. I though that it was too much of an invasion of my privacy. I'm going to try it again and see what happens. I need to send out some press releases for the new book, "A Visit to the Farm." I sent out one yesterday but I need to get as many out as I can. I handed out a number of business cards at the meetings maybe one of the participants will check out my blog.

The Continuing Saga of Cosmic Cat

It still goes on. It's all ready but I haven't uploaded it to the printer. There's still some question as to the cover template. It should be straightened out tomorrow. What's another day. Has anybody read, "Astronaut Training," the first book in the "Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat?" Hopefully I'll get a report that somebody has before the second book, "A Visit to the Farm," is published. I'm working on the third book. It will be a trip to visit with Dad at the end of the summer just before school starts. They decide to go ahead and move before school starts. It's a very busy time. Getting packed, moved, and settled into a new town. Reading the first two books will better prepare you for the third one. It's not necessary, but it would be best. Each book will be able to stand on its own merits.

A Visit to the Farm Continued

I've redone the cover a little bit. Moved some words around and generally made it more balanced. I also found a drawing in the book that needed to be altered slightly. Writ ting a book is sort of like writing poetry. When is a poem done? When you get tired of working on it. There isn't any book that the author wouldn't change if given the chance. I hope that having a second book out there will help spur the sales of the first book, "Astronaut Training, The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." I talked the personnel at the U.S.S. Alabama today. She's supposed to send my a listing of her vendors. I'm going to try to get on their listing. Maybe this will get me into more markets. I printed out a short pile of bookmarks today. I've got to add some red to my printer. I'm trying to convince myself that I should start using things like, "Facebook." I'm not sure, I'll have to think about it. I have to get over my reluctance to send the book, "A Visit to the Farm," off to the printer. In case anybody is interested my email address is rct@ronaldcthompson. com and my home page is ronaldcthompson.com

New Book - A Visit to the Farm

I'm still pushing to make, "Astronaut Training, The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat," a success but I need to bring the next book out also. I finished putting the cover together. I'll take one more review of the text and then send them both off to the printer. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day. This second book should be better received than the first one as it will appeal to a more general audience. It doesn't involve any science or space activities. I'll have to get back to the book I'm working sporadically on, "The Land of G'lop." A witch, warlock, and wizard book. I'm also working on a third book of the "Adventures," group of books. This next one will involve their having to move up river to live where Dad is working. If they don't the dam being put across the river they live nearby will result in their drowning when the lake it forms covers their house.

Trip to Barnes & Noble

I went to Barnes & Noble at La Cantera here in San Antonio to discuss my book with them today. They are reluctant to list it in the store. I need to submit it to their Small Press Department. I will attempt to get the information ready tonight so I can post it tomorrow. They ask such things as is it with a wholesaler and is it listed with Bowker Books in Print. All of this information is available to them on their web page as the book is available for sale through Barnes & Noble. It's in the B&N near me at Bandera Point, but it's the only one. I'm going to upload the second book, "A Visit to the Farm," this weekend. Wish me luck on this new adventure of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat. I've added some ancillary drawings to it. I hope that they add to it and don't distract from it--only time will tell. I've also sent a list of addresses of people to send announcements to for my signing this next month at the Twig Bookstore, here in San Antonio.

Book Signing

I'm gearing up for my book signing at Twig Book store on the 20th of June. They need to have a list of persons to send out notifications to. I'm compiling them. It's a good exercise as it forces me to update my addresses. I seem to have gotten into some fire aunts. I have bites on both arms and around my knees. The ones on the underside of my wrists make it difficult to use a mouse. I'm not allergic to them but when I get this many it makes my body ache. Oh, well, given a few more days I should be back to normal--whatever normal is. I redid the cover for the second book "A Visit to the Farm" in "The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." It was too messy. I trimmed a lot of stuff off and enlarged the title. It looks better now. I'm supposed to hear back from the people at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday as to whether they'll be carrying my book, "Astronaut Training."

Today's Work

What has today brought me? Should I say more of the same? It's brought me a small check for books at the U.S.S. Alabama battleship books store. Every little bit helps. I've finalized my restructuring of the next book, "A Visit to the Farm." I worked on the cover: the front went together pretty quick, I'm having some trouble with the back cover. I talked with a gentleman at the Kennedy Space Center about their selling my book. He's supposed to get back with me. I've also talked with the library in Boerne, they want to do a signing but can't until August. I need to complete my list of names to send post cards to and get it to the Twig Bookstore for the signing on the 2oth of June. I visited three elementary schools yesterday and talked to the librarians. Got some pretty good feedback. I'll have to wait and see what comes out of it.

My home page is ronaldcthompson.com
My publishers web page is r-an-kenterprises.com

Restructuring

I'm redoing the structure of the book, "A Visit to the Farm." When I put it into a 6" by 9" format the chapters were too long. I've broken each chapter up into "headed" subsections. This will also allow me to place the illustrations in better positions to help the flow of the story. I still don't know exactly how long it's going to be. I hope to know in the next few days so I can finish all of the little things and get it to the publisher. I passed through Wal-Mart and the local grocery store and while visiting managed to hand out some book marks. I need to get out and push the publicity for my book, "Astronaut Training, The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." Very few readers know of its existence. Any suggestions?

Home Page

For those of you that are interested I have updated my web page (actually it's updated by somebody else, I just work with him to get it like I want it). It should be a lot more representative of my work than it has been. I'm still working on the second book in the Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat. It's taken me a lot longer than I thought it would. What's making it difficult is inserting the twenty-six line drawings into it without breaking the text in the wrong places. I have had to make a number of compromises on their positioning. We can't win them all. I can't go to the printer until I'm certain how it all fits together. I don't know exactly how long the book will be. Why don't you all make me happy and order my first book either through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble won't charge you shipping like Amazon does, but they will charge you tax.

Astronaut Training and A Visit to the Farm

I'm getting a list of addresses of people together to send out notifications concerning my upcoming book signing and reading on the 20th of June at Twig Bookstore. My book, "Astronaut Training" is available in the Barnes & Noble bookstore near me. It felt a little bit comforting to walk into the store and see it on the self. I've revised the last drawing for the book, "A Visit to the Farm." It's still on track to be published early next month. Anybody out there know of a publisher that needs a book from a new author written for fourth or fifth graders? Adults, who have read it, have told me that it's a good read for them too. I'd like to get it widely distributed and get the second book rolling so I can get back to my full length science fiction books. I've finished sixth of them. Two are the first books in a trilogy. I need to get the third one written but it won't do me much good if I can't get the first one published. I don't know how far I should take the Cosmic Cat theme. Maybe I should start selling T-shirts and other items.

Books selling

Today was a small milestone. My book is not only in independent bookstores but I found it in the local Barnes & Noble. I've also got a book signing on the 20th of June in the Twig Bookstore here in San Antonio. I haven't completed my drawing I need to change in the new book, "A Visit to the Farm." I'm almost through with the corrections to the text. I may do things the hard way but I print out the entire book and read through it, marking my corrections in the book. They get typed in later.

A long day

It's been a long day today. I redrew one of the drawings for the book, "A Visit to the Farm, The Adventures of Curtis, Connie, and Cosmic Cat." I'm still not happy with it. I plan on getting the book to the printer by the first of next month. I've got to make a number of telephone calls to the book stores selling the first book, "Astronaut Training." I'm trying to arrange a couple of more signings in the next few weeks. My wife and I are getting so overrun with things that we're putting some of them on ebay. It takes more time than I want to spend to do it. I've also got a few things on Craig's list. Anybody need a Gramophone?