James R. Paddock's Blog: Dusty Books, page 2

Smilodon - The Trilogy of Sabre-Toothed Cats

The original��was published in 2002. Notice that the cover has changed. Along with that came a thorough edit and re-edit of the entire book for typos and story consistency. Thus is the NEW and IMPROVED Smilodon

Cool Characters Can Be Found In My Birth City

While southbound for home at the end of our vacation in August of 2011, we passed through Butte, Montana, the city in which I was born and from where have come some strange and cool characters. Has anyone heard of Evel Knievel or Martha Raye?

10+ Online Resources for Writers

There are a number of links to online resources for writers that I keep on my desktop while I���m writing. They include several different kinds of dictionaries, of course, as well as Sun and Moon data, the Almanac, a name generator, and more. I���d love to learn what resources other writers use. Comment and let me know.

I've Stopped Writing and now I'm Getting Itchy Fingers

In the words of fellow writer, Julie Anne Lindsey, in her blog, Musings From The Slush Pile, finishing a full manuscript is a monumental event. It is so monumental that after self-publishing my first 3 in 2002 I went on to finish another 4 full manuscripts (novels) over the following 9 years. You might notice that publishing was not mentioned with those last four. The fact that I finished them was, at the time, monumental enough.

Characters and Timelines

What methods do you employ in your novels to keep your characters and timelines, as well as scenes and events, straight? How do you make sure when you give a character green eyes in chapter 3 that you didn���t give her blue eyes in chapter 30, or that you don���t have your villain driving a ���98 Ford Explorer in one scene and a ���98 Ford Expedition in another?

Who Remembers The Montauk Monster?

One question I am sure to get anytime I do a reading or happen into a conversation with a non-writer about writing is, ���Where are your sources of story ideas?��� I ask you this: ���What was that Montauk Monster that washed up on the Long Island beach back in 2008?��� If you���re a writer of fiction or someone who often sits around and contemplates the ���What if?���

Who is Dusty Books?

Dusty Books is not about dusty books��� or at times it can be if we are talking about a book that has been on the shelf gathering dust for some time. You could say it is about books we have read which now gather dust, or it is about some of us with more years behind us than ahead, who are maybe just sitting around with a lifetime of stories within us gathering our own dust.

Summer Sailing into Death Audiobook Giveaway

Summer Sailing into Death Audiobook Giveaway

Audio Book Giveaway

Summer audiobook giveaway… 2 copies of the audiobook, Sailing into Death, for my American and British friends.

ENTER THE DRAWING NOW!

http://www.desertbookshelf.com/FreeBook/

It’s going to be a beautiful summer. I know this because, well, it’s not winter. In celebration I’m giving away 2 copies (2 lucky recipients) of the audiobook, Sailing into Death, from Audible.com on or about July 4th. Take it walking on the beach or in the...

An Alzheimer’s Patient is Remembering Death?

An Alzheimer’s Patient is Remembering Death?

I’ve heard the following question often in the last twenty years as a novelist: “Where do you get your ideas for your stories?” I think every storyteller comes up with the same answer, although maybe in many different ways; from the world around us. I found Remembering Death in my community.

Life around us is our source.

Whether consciously or not—more often not I think—I absorb the struggles of life around me. Right now my wife and I live in a lar...

Audio Book to be Given Away

Audio Book to be Given Away

Audio Book Give-a-way

Black Friday give-a-way… 2 copies of the audio book, Deserving of Death, for my American and British friends.

ENTER DRAWING NOW! http://www.desertbookshelf.com/FreeBook/

I know, I know. Black Friday is a crazy American day. For those who are not crazy Americans, those crazy Brits on the other side of the pond, we’ll call it the last Friday in November give-a-way. Whichever you call it, 2 copies of the audio book from Audible, Deserving of Dea...