Dean Frech's Blog, page 10
March 22, 2015
The Little Novel That Could
I could not at any age, be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Two years ago, I was basking in the glow of my first contract, getting ready to enter my first round of editing. Caught by surprise on Thomas’s birthday in 2013, Musa Publishing offered me a contract for A Place to Call Their Own. I had actually given up on my first manuscript and was working on polishing Disappear With Me in hopes that I could get better reception on that manuscript. In the end, APTCTO came through and hit the market first. APTCTO holds a special place in my heart. It’s my first novel, written during Thomas and I’s early years together. It’s very much an allegory of our lives at the time.
When I got my rights back at the beginning of March, I immediately set to work on polishing Disappear With Me. With advice from some writer friends, I attacked my WIP to do list starting from the least work need to the most. I sent Disappear With Me off two weeks ago, and still have not heard on that submission.
But, APTCTO, the little novel that keeps on going, was accepted today by JMS Books! Once again, my little tale of two Civil War vets going west after the war will be the launch (in this case, a relaunch) of my publishing career with an expected release date in May sometime!
I have never given APTCTO the credit it deserves. Not just one, but twice it seems it’s the hands down favorite of others who believe in it the value of its story. Thanks JMS Books!
Here’s a reminder of what APTCTO is about:
Frank Greerson and Gregory Young have been discharged from the Army and are headed to their childhood homes. They both defied their parents in 1861 when they joined the Army. After battling southern rebels and preserving the Union of the United States of America, the two men set out to battle the Kansas Prairie and build a life together. Once they find their claim, they encounter common obstacles to life on the Kansas Prairie in 1866: Native Americans, tornadoes, wild animals, and weather.
When a prairie fire destroys their crops and takes their neighbor’s lives, Frank and Gregory are instructed to find their young son’s aunt. Faced with leaving a destroyed claim, the railroad coming through their land, and dwindling funds, Frank and Gregory must decide whether to leave the place they have worked hard to make their own or fulfill their friends' dying wish. Is it possible for the two veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?
Here’s a link to check out JMS Books:
http://www.jms-books.com/
March 14, 2015
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Black and Blue Love by Judy Folger
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Black and Blue Love by Judy Folger: I'm excited to have Judy Folger on the Book Blog today. Here are her thoughts on wrtiing Black and Blue Love: I have a...
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Blood of Salar by Alexis Duran
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Blood of Salar by Alexis Duran: Author Name: Alexis Duran Author Bio: Alexis Duran was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. At the University of Oregon, h...
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Cinder and the Smoke by Geonn Cannon
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Cinder and the Smoke by Geonn Cannon: Cinder and the Smoke By Geonn Cannon F/F historical, crime, mystery Publisher: Supposed Crimes, LLC Cover Artist: Heidi De...
Outside the Margins on the Prism Book Alliance
I talked about my process of rereading my first two novels on the Prism Book Alliance yesterday...stop by and take a look...
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2015...
March 12, 2015
Jingle When You Walk
My heart has been broken so many times, it jingles when I walk ~ Garrison Keillor
If you’re like me, this is not your first dream journey. Establishing a writing career is not my first stab at large goals. I did quit smoking and I did finish my BS degree. But there have been a lot of dreams along the way that didn’t work out.
I think that has made me more resilient this time, it could be age as well…LOL! Whatever it is, I get up everyday now with a plan and a goal and move forward with my dreams of the next published novel.
Do you think past failed dreams help you today? I’d love to hear!
March 8, 2015
The Day After Tomorrow
The day after tomorrow is the third day of the rest of your life ~ George Carlin
Happy Sunday! What are you working on today? Maybe you’re using the day to catch up what you didn’t get done last week or maybe you are trying to get ahead for the next week. Maybe you’re so caught up you can just take the day off, enjoy the winter weather inside, and watch movies.
What ever the case, use it wisely. Even taking time off from both day job activities and dream journey is using the time wisely to recharge and attack both on Monday morning.
What are you doing this weekend?
March 7, 2015
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Razor by John Keys
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Razor by John Keys: Hey Dean! Thanks for having me today. Razor ’s my latest story and was released by Decadent Publishing on Feb 6 th . It’s my firs...
March 3, 2015
Close the Door on the Past
You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space ~ Johnny Cash
If you’ve been following me, you know that as of February 28, my publisher ceased business and returned my rights to me. When I first read the news via email on Friday morning, I thought I was unaffected. Sure I would need to find new homes for my novels, but that meant an opportunity to remove some typos that didn’t get caught in line editing (I am a horrible proofreader, never hire me to do that, even if I offer!).
But then reality hit. I already had two completed manuscripts ready to polish. My 1960s novel, Need Your Love, just needs a couple of run throughs and final polish. The Higher Law, my 1930s Los Angeles movie industry story, needs rewritten. In addition to that, I am about 40% done with a merman fantasy novel, Sartin. I realized I went from two nearly completed manuscripts to four in an instant. That’s when I got overwhelmed.
Thank you to everyone who has offered advice, either on hearing the news or from my asking. Thanks to everyone who shared their leads with me on publishers, especially ones taking previously published works.
If you’ve been following me lately, you also know that things have been really busy at my day job. Knowing that I no longer have a “backlist” out there has given me additional motivation to keep things caught up and in control so that time doesn’t spill into my morning writing time. I reworked my writing and publishing schedule to accommodate polishing the previously published works.
So what I am working on you ask? Here is my list (in my planned chronological order):
1. Comb through Disappear With Me for typos, word choice, etc.Send to publisher who will do second editions.
2. Finish polishing Need Your Love, send to different publisher.
3. Review A Place to Call Their Own and prepare to submit to a third different publisher, one who will do second editions.
4. Move on to rewrite of The Higher Law.
5. Then move on to Sartin the merman.
I have a busy year planned, but I can do it. It really is what I love to do.
Have you had to start all over before in your chosen dream field? I’d love to hear how you picked up the pieces and moved on!
February 28, 2015
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Best Chance by Aria Grace
Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Best Chance by Aria Grace: Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... Author Name: Aria Grace Author Bio: Born and raise...
Last day to get my novels for a while!
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Is it possible fora two Civil War veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?
My first novel, A Place to Call Their Own is available from Musa Publishing!
Love is greater than hope or faith, but can Reverend Leander Norris convince a jury that the love he shares with another man is natural?
My latest novel, Disappear With Me is available from Musa Publishing!
Then request an Authorgraph, an electronic inscription, from me.
Use #APTCTO and #disappearwithme to discuss on social media!
