Alan V. Nelson's Blog, page 6

Stories

I've been struggling with time and subject material for my next post. I owe you all a post about the youth event #makeknown25 from a couple weekends ago, I know. I owe you all an update on Before She Grows Cold and I owe you all a big hug for the support and encouragement you've bestowed upon me lately. But I must apologize and tell you something else first. 

I have to tell you, not a story, but about stories.


Samwise Gamgee, center, seen here reacting to Gollum yelling 'Heyyyy y...

Wow...

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I have some great news for you.

As of today at about twelve-thirty pm, I handed over the final draft of Before She Grows Cold to my editor. At a little over 103,000 words, my first novel is complete.
One more polish edit, then the compilation will begin and out it will come into your hands, digitally and physically. 
I'll have more details on each of the differences between the two formats, as there WILL be differences. Those announcements will be given at a late...

Ask Optimism In Return

Thankful for...

Homemade Cinnamon Chai // the Written Word // Michael Chabon & Josh McDowell 
A Slightly New Look for the Blog //   The Vesper's cover of "Grinnin' In Your Face" // Walter Bishop
And a world full of people. I love people.

Better Late Than Never

The new! The improved! The re-edited... Waking Alive eBook! 
It's up for download on Amazon, AND Nook, AND Kobo! Go grab it and tell your friends! Click on their respective names to go to the respective sites, if that wasn't clear enough.
(Expect another eBook to be announced soon, but not the one or two you're thinking of. Sorry.)

Genre-Defying

I don't think it's a secret that I'm a fan of Zombie-lore. After all, Waking Alive is set in the middle of such a pandemic. But it's only set there. It's not a genre piece. And that's what I like doing: defying genre. I love turning genres on their heads and turning them into think-pieces. And with that I'm proud to announce I'm doing it again. And I'm going back to the world of Zombies. Surprise, right?

It's not going to have a spiritual slant but it will definitely make you think. Within the...

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Link for video if you can't see it

I'm not going to apologize for seeing this movie. 

Stone-Throwing

"But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground."
John 8:7

The issue of sin has come up a lot in my conversations as of late. It could be about why I didn't discuss specific sin in my book or about sin in my life, someone else's sin, or any number of diff...

Reading

As if my schedule isn't slam-packed with obligations enough, I've put a reading load on myself that's quite ridiculous. On top of that - quite literally, in this case - is a new addition to my mug collection given to me by a very sweet friend of mine. Just yesterday, in fact. And when I say mug collection, I mean it. I have a personal collection of twenty-seven completely different mugs. And the collection won't stop growing. This is in addendum to the sets we have in our cabinets in the kitc...

Read Something Today

Love her, love her.  Eyes on fire.

Being Told You Can't

How do you become successful? Do you follow the path of that barista that's been building her career as a model all by herself, then finally makes it onto the runway at Charleston Fashion Week? Is it that guy that left his adventurous ways of climbing the highest peaks to start a family? What's the best way to the top of the food chain? How do you live life to the utmost when you are told that it's not possible for someone like you?

You find the key to everything positive in the world. You fin...