Timothy H. Cook's Blog, page 15

August 12, 2012

More developments, of sorts

To those of you who might like to know (i.e. those of you who have been asking, "when is the next one coming out?"),

I have just finished my editing work on Turbulence and Restoration, and it is now in the hands of the publisher. What does this mean? Well, next step is what used to be called type - setting, but is now referred to as layout. This process usually takes about a month to complete. After that I will get a final edit copy, which is a paperback mock-up of the book, and will be my final chance to fix any typos, and make any such corrections as need to be made.

What this really means, is that The Book of Drachma, Parts One, Two and Three are now essentially complete. I would like to thank all of my online friends (and others in 'real life') who have been so encouraging during this process. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy my efforts. It is really for you that I've done this.

Just a couple of notes regarding Coaptation (Part Two). That book is due to be released October 2nd, 2012, but may be obtained from the publisher now (tatepublishing.com). I anticipate that I'll be having book signings, etc in the near future.

Anyway, do keep in touch!
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Published on August 12, 2012 16:37

July 19, 2012

July 16, 2012

Book Four, Chapter Four

Here now is Chapter Four, and we're back to Shepperton. And with the threat of LeGace's presence felt most acutely by Craycroft, we are ripe for some interesting twists.


      Book Four, Chapter Four



Craycroft was at his window, looking out at the gathering storm. He looked off in the distance, and could see that his own world seemed to be caught up in the gray, blowing skies and the sweeping sheets of rain.
“M’lord, what will you have us do?”
“Ah, Kerlin, I wish that I had but one answer for you. But nay, what I should have is more information. I must know the whereabouts of LeGace, and I must find out what he is doing in the company of Master Guarneri. Surely this is no coincidence that he and Guarneri are together, and that it was Guarneri that was involved with our last plague, during which our craft all but came to naught. Tell me, whom do you have that might be of some use in this pursuit.”
“Well, m’lord, we have Jeremy and Rowan, whom you know. It would seem that they are ideally suited for a task such as that. And they, I do know, would be most eager to perform such a service.”
“Very well, then, we should set up a meeting with these two. And I feel that it should be soon.”
“Leave that to me, m’lord. We can get them both here this evening, of that I am certain.”
“Then, make it so, good Kerlin.”
Kerlin bowed slightly, and was off in search of the two youths. Craycroft turned his attention back to the storm that was rapidly coming off the sea towards the castle. He thought wistfully of Falma. How he missed that man’s intelligence, but more than that he missed his insight. If anyone would know what he could and should be doing, it was Falma.
And then he turned away from the window, walked over to his chair. He poured himself a tumbler of wine, and sat heavily down into the cushion. As he sat, he thought again about Robert and Judy.  He thought again about how they had each been torn from their old lives. He wondered just how much of their former lives they missed. He had talked rather extensively with Robert about the differences between his old way of life and now, this more primitive society in which he now found himself. And as animated as the conversations were, he could not seem to get anything substantial from him about his former life, except to talk about medicine. It was as if Robert had deliberately cut himself off from the painful reminders, and was concentrating on his current state of being. And it seemed to Craycroft that with all of his most marvelous discoveries, and the magnificent things that he taught there was still something of regret and sadness. It seemed as if there was something deep, dark and heavy that Robert kept hidden.
It was not so with the lady Judy. Here was someone who was open as a book, and who appeared to have no regrets about coming to Shepperton. It was not as if Judy was always cheerful, but it was she who could be counted on to ever be the empathetic listener as well as the sage advisor. How she reminded him of another! He had even caught himself referring to her as his Felicia, which made Judy smile that secret smile of hers.
It was during this brief reverie that a page appeared at the door. After all this time, Craycroft was still not used to always being available and accessible.
“Yes, Page, what is it?” He said this just a bit churlishly, putting down his tumbler of wine.
“Most sorry, m’lord. It seems that Master Robert needs your assistance. He is at the clinic, and says that it is a matter most urgent.”
Craycroft could think of no other time that Robert had ever called upon him. He, who had seemed so independent, and so self-assured, now calling for Craycroft’s help.
“Well, then, m’lad. This must, indeed, be something of importance.”
Just then the sky darkened, and a sudden bright flash of lightning was followed by an enormously loud clap of thunder, which caused all activity to momentarily cease. After a brief pause, Craycroft stood up, walked over to the doorway, put on his trustworthy hat, of nondescript color and shape, but which, he knew would keep the rain out of his face.
“Well, now, lad, let us then be off. You say that Master Robert did ask for me? Then we must not tarry. And tell me, page, what is your name?”
“Me name’s Mortimer, m’lord.”
“Tell me, are you fairly new? I don’t recall seeing you before.”
“Oh, aye, m’lord. This be my first month as page, though ye might know me older brother. His name’s Jeremy.”
“Why, of course I know Jeremy, m’lad.” Craycroft smiled at the irony of this. “And let me tell you that Jeremy will have some important work to do for me.”
As the page and Craycroft stepped out, and toward the clinic, the storm unleashed its fury, with rain pelting them mercilessly. They picked up their pace, and were soon running. They came upon the clinic, and as they did, the heavy door opened to them, and the small page stepped back out of the way. Inside, one of the servants took Craycroft’s cloak and hat, as the page again shut the door.
Coming across the entryway, Bob rushed over to greet his friend.
“Oh, Craycroft, I’m so sorry to have called you away. But you’ve just got to see this. Hermes, can you bring a towel over here. Yes that should do fine.”
Hermes came rushing over as well, and handed Craycroft a dry towel, which he used to wipe himself off.
“Why, thank you Hermes. And so, Robert, what is it that has you so stirred up? I know that it is not anything trivial…”
“Just come this way, my friend, and see for yourself.”
Bob led him across the entryway, and then down a long hallway toward the back rooms of the clinic. He then opened the door, where he found Judy, Jeanne, and several persons that he had never seen. It was Judy who spoke.
“Oh, thank heavens you’re here! It seems that you are needed once again to solve a mystery. Just come over to this side of the room, and tell us what you see.”
Craycroft came over to the exam table, where sat the man from the sea. And next to him was Alexandra. And next to them both sat the injured Julius, with his deformed jaw. Farther away, in a corner of the room were Peggy, Julius’s mother, Louise, and the man, Chauncey.
“My, what an unusual collection of persons we have here, Master Robert...”
“You would most certainly be right in that, but let me tell you, that would only be the beginning, and would not be the reason that I called you.”
“Do, go on, my friend. For I know that you would not call me needlessly.”
“Well, you remember telling us all to be on the lookout for any information about this Master LeGace. Just keep that thought in the back of your mind, as I fill you in on the history that brings all these people together.”
Craycroft’s eyebrow raised up, as the man from the sea winced. Then Bob continued.
“Let me start with this young fellow, here. He was brought in after an altercation in our courtyard, in which he was knocked to the ground by a man, who fled the scene, but unfortunately caused this young fellow to suffer a broken, dislocated jaw, and for him, talking would be most difficult. But he understands everything around him now, though it has been within the past half hour that things seem to be coming back to him. Is that not right, Julius?”
Julius nodded, tried to speak, but found that it was too painful to try.
Craycroft came up to the youth quietly, looked at his swollen, disfigured face. And he reached out and touched his jaw ever so gently, and as he did, he spoke, saying, “Ah my lad, I can see that you have been grievously injured. And let me reassure you that here you shall find the care that you need. For there are none in this world equal to Master Robert, and the Lady Judy.”
Then Robert continued, “and to make matters more interesting, we have his mother, here. And also, we’ve got this gentleman, named Chauncey, who can fill you in on some more of what led to his being injured.”
“Aye, and who be these? Come forward. I am Craycroft…”
At the mention of his name, the lady immediately bowed down, groveling at his feet, and spoke, “Oh, m’liege lord, is it truly thee? Ah, you have indeed come to us in our need!”
“Come, now, lass, there is no need for this. Rise up, and tell me your name.”
“Me name’s Louise, m’lord.” And she got up, but could not look Craycroft in the face, and kept her own face downwards.
“Well, Louise, it is my task then to tell you that your own son is now here among us. And let me also tell you that there is no better place for him than with our good physician, Robert, and his lady, Judy. Now, if you’ll be so kind as to tell us all of what happened.”
“M’liege, it was earlier today, when my son was in the market. He was, I’m afeared to say, trying to remove the purse from this man, here, name of Chauncey. And then this other man just up and seizes him, and hits him, and he throws him to the ground. But, m’lord, it was not I, but this man who scared off the other man, so maybe ye’d better talk to him, fer I am just a mother, and most worried fer my son.”
Her little speech was interrupted by a brilliant flash of lightning, followed immediately by a clap of thunder so loud that it shook the whole castle. Craycroft felt an unfamiliar chill, going from the back of his neck, down his spine. As he looked at the others in the room, he could tell that what he was going to hear might stay with him for some time.
“Master Chauncey, then, do tell of your encounter today, for it would seem that whatever you have to tell us, it will be significant.”
Unlike Louise, Chauncey seemed perfectly at ease in talking to his liege lord. He strode forward, and humbly, but unafraid, said, “m’lord, I shall tell ye of the events of the day, and I hold nothing back.”
Craycroft smiled at this man, so humble, yet not at all awed in his presence. He found him refreshing. “Do go on, then, and let us hear of your own tale.”
“As ye see, m’lord, I am but a humble man, and one who has risen to me present circumstances, from the dust of your own feet. Ah, and I do know that ye, yerself have also risen from origins in humility. In that we are alike.”
Craycroft looked again at the man, notice that he looked familiar, but could not place him.
“I shall tell ye some about me, then, so that ye may judge me accordingly. As I have said, I came from humble origins, so humble, in fact, that many would consider them to breed only vermin. I was but a child, living in the shadows of this castle, me parents having both died before I could know of their work. I was left to meself , to make out as I could, and I became, by necessity, one of the best thieves and pickpockets in the area. It was how I got along, and how I fed meself. That was, until I met up with the man whom I’ll simply call by the name of Jonas. As it was, this man was walking out of the tavern, and I, in me usual way, came up beside him, and I spied his purse. Then, as the man turned away, I reached fer his purse, but as I did so, I felt it, like a knife down me hand, and I cried out.
“Next thing, I was lyin’ on the ground with Jonas looking down at me. He had me own bleedin’ hand in his big old hand, and wrapped up in a cloth. The look on his face was not one I expected – rather, it was a warm, welcoming look. As if t’ say “it’s aw’right wi’ me, lad,” as if he was expectin’ me to cross his path. As me own bleedin’ then stopped, and I got back up, I noticed on his own arm he had on it, on the wrist, a very strange tattoo. It was of a serpent and a skull. When I asked him about it, he said only that it was a mark of his rank.
“Well, he found out about me, and that I was alone in the world.  And he arranged fer me to get fed and housed by the innkeeper, in exchange fer me services. And I worked fer that innkeeper fer the next six years, and every year, old Jonas would come by, in February. He’d stay at the inn, and he and I would talk about how things were happenin’. But then, one year he didn’t come by, and the innkeeper took me aside, and told me that this man had been payin’ a yearly sum of money, and that this year, I should take that money wi’ me, and go down to the dock, and ask after a man, by the name of LeGace, and that he would see to it that I had passage aboard the next boat leavin’ the island.”
At the name of LeGace, there was a collective intake of breath, and all in that room became restless, including the man from the sea.
“And I see, by the look upon yer faces that this is a name that means somethin’ t’ ye. Well, more about him later. But suffice it to say, that, upon that meeting, and taking a large share of the money, he did send me to be boarded upon a boat headed toward Ireland.”
“Might I ask, my good man,” interjected Melchior, “how many years ago was this?”
“Why it was a good twenty years ago, at least,” Chauncey replied. “And might I ask why that’d be important to ye?”
“Well sir,” continued Melchior. “I, myself, had dealings with this Master LeGace, while I was in Ireland, but that was some years later. And let me tell you that those dealings were professionally, and personally an embarrassment to me.”
“Ah, well, it would appear, Master…”
“Melchior, it is.”
“Very well, Master Melchior, it seems as though little has changed, then, over the years. Now, I meself, have been chasing this phantom these past four years, and for reasons personal, as you shall hear. But for now, I shall say that I was but walkin’ about in yer courtyard, when this young lad tried to get me purse. Now, as I was grasping his hand, this other man, of a sudden took hold of the lad. And as his mother told ye, this fellow just pummeled this poor lad, and he threw him down on the ground. Now I did not get this other man’s name, but I got a good look at him, and I could tell that he was one of the brotherhood…”
“The brotherhood?” asked Craycroft. “By that do you mean one of the Order of Byzantium?”
“Oh, aye, m’lord.”
At this, the man from the sea started shaking, uncontrollably. 
“What is it, me man from the sea?” asked Alex, who had remained at his side this whole time. “What does it mean, this brotherhood?”
The man remained mute, but it became clear that the mention of LeGace, and talk of the brotherhood meant something to him. Craycroft could see this.
“How now, my good man? And to what do we owe this visit, your highness?”
Oddly, Alex was not alarmed by Craycroft’s term for him. And then Craycroft addressed her.
“It would appear, m’lass that you have developed something of a special friendship with our prince, here. Would I be right?”
Alex spoke as if having a conversation with her liege lord was just as natural as talking with her mother. “Oh, m’lord, if you could have seen how he got to our island…”
Another flash of lightning, followed by another loud clap of thunder interrupted the doings in the clinic.  And what became clear to Craycroft were several things. The first was that Robert and Judy were right in calling him here. The second was that here were people, previously unrelated, who knew about, and could provide useful information on this most pressing problem of LeGace - some background and some individual stories that just might prove very interesting. And thirdly, that he had sent Kerlin off to find Jeremy and Rowan, and he wanted to be there when they got back. And lastly, that these folks could use some good food, some good comfort, and some thanks.
So he made mention to his page to send word to the keep, that there would be people coming over, and to make room for them, and to make certain that they were fed and cared for like royalty.
As the arrangement were being made, Peggy came up to Judy and Jeanne, and asked after Clarice. When Jeanne explained that Clarice was now watching over young Falma, Peggy asked if it would be all right if she were to visit with her sister, Clarice.
“It’s just that I’ve something fer her, m’lady. But me daughter, Alexandra, it seems, needs to be with this man from the sea, but I need to get back to Champour, fer to see after my own and Clarice’s child.”
“Don’t you worry,” added Judy. “I’d be happy to see to your daughter’s needs. You may leave her in my care for now.”
“Oh, thank ye, m’lady. Now, mind ye, I’ll be back fer to check on me daughter tomorrow. If ye but need me afore that, just tell them it’s the house of Simeon in Champour, or me brother’s house, Malcolm’s. Now, I must be off, but I’ll speak to me daughter.”
Judy followed Peggy over to her daughter, who was gently soothing her man’s nerves, singing softly to him, in her little girl’s voice.
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Published on July 16, 2012 16:34

July 7, 2012

More things happening with The Book of Drachma

This is kind of good news for friends and followers  of The Book of Drachma. The second book (Coaptation), is now complete, and back to the publisher. I anticipate that it will be available in around 4 - 6 weeks. It should then be released nationally/internationally about three months after that. This, to me, is good news, as sales of Laminar Flow (The Book of Drachma, Part One) seem to be stagnating. I believe that the second book will provide some of the necessary publishing momentum. I have seen the trailer that was produced for Laminar Flow (visible on my blog, a couple of posts in the past), but I haven't heard from the publisher just when, or on what networks it will be visible. Laminar Flow is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble (bn.com).

And now, I've made progress with the third book (Turbulence and Restoration). I have completed the demanding developmental editing, part one, and I've just gotten it back to the publisher. This took considerable effort, as I've had to trim some big sections, and have eliminated some of the redundancy. My own feeling is that the third book is still the best of the three, and now, in its leaner/meaner form. My only wish is that the publisher had required that my editor read the first two books, as it would have made all our tasks easier. Fortunately for me, I've had a regular commentator to keep me honest as I've written the book. So here's a big huge Thank You to Diego Green.

And so, here is the cover of Coaptation again!
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Published on July 07, 2012 18:54

June 23, 2012

Every now and then...

Some of you may be wondering why I haven't posted anything in a while. Well, I could give you the excuse that I've been busy, which would be just that - an excuse.

There are really two reasons. The first is that I've been dealing with the problems generic to authors vs publishers. As my second book is on the verge of coming out, there are a number of details that demand my attention - namely the appearance of the book, with all of the right words and pictures, in all the right places. And the final chance to fix all the typos. All the little things that I learned from my first go-around which I find very embarrassing now. Because, I promise you, this second book will be cleaner - fewer typos, and overall, an even better story. And on top of this I am deeply involved in developmental editing of the third book. Now my own personal feeling is that the third book should be even better than the first two, and I do think it will be. But I've got to deal with an editor who hasn't read the first two books, and whose main goal seems to be keeping the word count down to 80-90,0000. So, I've got to do some serious cutting, trimming and rewording - which may not be all that bad a thing when I'm done with it all. We shall see.

And the second reason is more personal. I just got back from a trip out to California - to see my daughter, Sarah. And let me just say  that it was not a pleasure trip, but one I needed to make. And I left her a special post on my other blog (http://photosbydrachma.blogspot.com/).

Anyway, I think I hear the voice of my developmental editor calling me back to work...
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Published on June 23, 2012 19:48

June 7, 2012

Golden Apples, Giant Mushrooms, and the great Bradbury

I don't typically write pieces in honor of individuals, but this week, we have lost a really great American short story writer, whose own quietly explosive output I have held in admiration for close to a half century. As I'm sure you've read, Ray Bradbury died this week, at the pleasantly advanced age of 91.

Now, my own memories of that man go back to a time when my own brother, Steve, and my father had a subscription to a Science Fiction journal, called Analog Magazine. Now, this was in India, where such things were rare, indeed. Anyway, I remember them talking of a writer named Ray Bradbury, and some of the magnificent stuff he was writing. Anyway, I filed that little tidbit somewhere in the dusty confines of my mind. But then, when we got back to the States, I happened upon a short story, which, if I recall correctly, wasn't even in a Sci Fi collection, but was written by this same Ray Bradbury, and was named 'Boys, Grow Giant Mushrooms in Your Basement!' The story was fanciful enough, and told of aliens who would take over the bodies of earthlings, by having them ingest themselves, and who were cleverly disguised as giant mushrooms,and advertised in the back pages of journals such as Boys' Life, and then propagated themselves in this manner. There was just something about that story, and I could just imagine the writer, laughing behind his typewriter. Needless to say, I was smitten.

Now some years later, I happened upon a truly remarkable collection of short stories, by Mr. Bradbury, called Golden Apples of the Sun, which had the most memorable cover, all in gold and black, with a skull, a snake, and a huge golden apple - there was absolutely no doubt, I had to have that book. But the most memorable short story in that collection was a forlorn tale of a sea monster in love with a foghorn, which it could hear but not see. In any event, it was his incredible flights of fancy which stirred my imagination then, and through the years. The variety, the intensity, and the underlying humanity of that creative genius was what still captured my spirit.

And now, I am saddened by the loss of this man, but I am encouraged by one little thing - that my son, Ben, now has among his things, a collection of short stories, which Ray Bradbury signed. It was signed in Borders Book Store, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which does represent the passing into obscurity of yet another purveyor of good books. Farenheit 451, indeed!
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Published on June 07, 2012 16:12

June 2, 2012

Success, though modest...

I need to report (though I have no idea why) some modest success, in the arena of new author, new book.

I just had a book signing event at a local bookstore. It was at Hastings Book Store in Yukon (yes, Yukon), Oklahoma. Even though I didn't sell a large number of books, I did manage to sell all but one copy of the books that the store bought from my publisher. And while there, I did manage to interest people in the project, and actually sold one copy to one of the employees. Now, how does that translate into success?

Well, based on what has not happened in the last month, I would say that any activity is better than none. And now, with my second volume about to be published, and the third volume undergoing the process of editing, I am happy to report that success, though modest, should continue.


And here is the trailer that the publisher told me would be hitting the airwaves, on national broadcast channels such as the History Channel, MSNBC, The Cooking Network, ESPN, etc.
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Published on June 02, 2012 13:06

May 22, 2012

An introduction

To those new to my blog, this will introduce you to The Book of Drachma. Let me just say that, even though this blog is new, I am not really new to blogging, as you can see from the links to my previous blog.

Now what is The Book of Drachma? Well, it is the product of a long-time love affair with writing, and is a medical fantasy novel whose humble origins were in a medical conference in which a bunch of us were sitting around, griping about the state of medicine, as portrayed in the lay media.

Now from this session, I came away with the notion that I would like to put my own feelings and experiences out there. I guess to set the record straight, not only about what really goes on in the world of medicine, but more importantly, to let the world know just what it feels like to be a doctor, and what it feels like to care for the desperately ill. And so began my writing (in 1989), and thus The Book of Drachma had its beginnings.

The first part I wrote, rather hurriedly, and was done with what became Laminar Flow, by 1990. Then, as I was trying to find a publisher interested, I wrote some of the second part. It was then that I moved, changed computer systems, moved again, all the while my unfinished novel lay dormant in my office, gathering dust.

It was not until 2009, when I mentioned my novel to some of my office people, that it was reborn. Michelle Ogle, who worked in my office, offered to transcribe my novel onto a Word-compatible system. And about this time, the idea came to me to write a blog, posting a chapter per week on the blog. I slowly picked up a loyal base of readers, who provided the necessary positive feedback, and I started back to writing. I finished the second book, and was almost done with the third, when (thanks to my loyal readers' encouragement) I again sought out a publisher. This time, with two volumes done, and a third on the way, I was able to get it published.

So now we have Laminar Flow, The Book of Drachma, Part One available. It can be found on Amazon.com as well as Barnes & Noble (bn.com).

So, what is it about? In the first part we have two story lines, occurring in two different centuries, in which physicians are trying to care for their own desperately ill patients. But then the stories come together. How and why this happens is part of the magic of writing.

And we will have Book Two coming out shortly (Coaptation), with the third volume now in the editing phase.
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Published on May 22, 2012 11:59 Tags: laminar-flow

May 18, 2012

Nonhappenings with The Book of Drachma

I know that things in the world of publishing can move at a slug's pace - or seemingly so. And these last two weeks have been an example of that. As I sit at my computer, and work on the sequel, it seems to me as if I could be doing something to promote my already published Book One (Laminar Flow). But those who know me, know that as a self-promoter, I am borderline worthless - at least in the context of printed material. Now, in the realm of meeting people face to face -- that's a different matter.

So, my novel remains "available" on Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble (bn.com), but it does not seem to be moving at all. At the very least, it's numbers are anything but staggering. Ah, well.

And now, there are the sites where you may join others in book discussions, and where they give you helpful hints on promoting your own book. But mostly their "hints" are such things as: pay us money, and we'll advertise your book all over the site.

The whole thing might just come down to getting my whole trilogy published, which is something that is occurring, albeit at the publisher's pace, which, as noted above, is roughly that of a speedy slug.

I guess this is as close to a rant as I typically get. And I'd better get back to Book Four - Chapters four and five won't write themselves.
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Published on May 18, 2012 18:28

May 6, 2012

What's happening with The Book of Drachma

To those of you who want to know, the second volume is now nearly ready for printing, and may be out (prerelease) sometime in July. Now the second volume (Coaptation) will be a significantly different work from the first volume. It tells of Judy's and Bob's travails as they find themselves both in Shepperton, and their attempts to get across the snowy, mountainous place that Shepperton represents, toward the castle, and to get back into each other's lives.

But here we now have villains, as well as plagues to contend with. Some more about Tom, Craycroft, Rust, Falma, Reordan, and, of course Drachma himself are yet to be revealed. And what of Bob's wife back 'home'? And  have we heard the last of Carlo Vincente?

And here is a sneak peek at the cover design for Coaptation, Part Two of The Book of Drachma
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Published on May 06, 2012 18:48