Mark Noce's Blog, page 19

2 Book Deal and Publishers Weekly!!!!

Today, I can officially share the big news! I’ve just inked a two-book deal with Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan). That’s right, I’m going to be a genuine, bona fide published author with a big New York Publishing House. Sweet!
I’m currently working with the head editor at Thomas Dunne Books on my historical novel Between Two Fires. My agent also let me know that Publishers Weekly mentioned me and the new book deal here(see bottom of the Publishers Weekly page). Needless to say, there will be lots of work ahead, but for today I’m just soaking up the celebration. Yes, that's a picture of me enjoying some celebratory absinthe...because that's what writers do, right? ;) 
A huge thank you to my agent, to Thomas Dunne Books, and to all my awesome friends, family, and fellow writers who have inspired and supported me. Thank you!

On another note, I’m also participating in the #LifeisGood tribute to Tina Downey today. I’ll repost my sunflower pic on Twitter in memoriam. May all be well with you and yours today.

Very Inspiring and Versatile Blogger Awards

Big thanks to Elizabeth Varadanand Kristin Smith for nominating me for the Very Inspiring and Versatile Blogger Awards! I’ve combined my answers for both awards below and have nominated some of my awesome fellow bloggers. Thanks again!


Very Inspiring Blogger Award and Versatile Blogger Award (List 7 Random Facts About Yourself)
1.       I love gardening (especially growing things I can eat).2.       I try to read 3-4 books per week (and always carry a book with me).3.       My dad and I enjoy sailing on San Francisco Bay (when I have the chance to join him).4.       My aunt first took me backpacking in Europe when I was 15, and I’ve been an avid traveler ever since.5.       London Bound was my first published short story in college, based on my firsthand experiences during the 2005 London Bombings.6.       At age 3, I wanted to be a Ghostbuster (and have never entirely given up on the dream). ;)7.       My wife and son are the two best reasons why I wake up each morning to another awesome day!
Now go checkout some of these other terrific bloggers/writers!
Nominees for Very Inspiring Blogger Award: Rachna’s Scriptorium and Milo’s In Medias Res.
Nominees for Versatile Blogger Award: Alex J. Cavanaugh and Lynda’s W.I.P.

Newest Short Story Published Today!!!

Checkout my newest publication on Every Day Fiction, my short story entitled Disturbance at Apartment 408. Let me know if you like it! Any stars or comments you could leave on Every Day Fiction’s website would be most appreciated.
In other news, things are going very well with my novel Between Two Fires, but I can’t talk too much about it just yet. My agent has been shopping around my manuscript with various publishing houses, and things have been going quite well. Hopefully, I can tell you more about it in another week or two.
Keep your fingers crossed! Thanks!

2Cellos Friday

Happy Friday, everyone! I’ve been posting my eclectic musical moods each Friday, and have been pleasantly surprised by how many of you share my tastes. Here’s one of my favorites by the Croatian duo, 2 Cellos, who became an instant sensation a few years back with this familiar hit. Enjoy and happy weekend! 

Purple Sunflowers

Mother Nature is full of surprises. I’m big on growing my garden from seed year after year, and each summer the bees mix things up a little differently. Six years ago I planted mammoth, white seed sunflowers. Two years ago, the bees mixed it with something and the seeds turned black. This year those same seeds now come up purple and have a nice floral fragrance. Go figure.
But I enjoy the curveballs Nature throws me, and each year it makes my garden a little more unique. I have purple sunflowers, red corn, and some pretty tasty tomatoes. I should have more pumpkins, but the gofers have been unforgiving this season.
What types of plants to you like to grow in your garden? Do you enjoy harvesting your own fresh food? Or perhaps you enjoy herbs and flowers? How do you enjoy summer in your backyard?  

Welsh Folk Song

Happy Friday, everyone! This Welsh folk song has been in my head lately, probably because I’m working on the sequel to my Medieval Welsh novel, Between Two Fires. You can certainly look up the translated lyrics to this song, but it’s amazing how a piece of music can touch you even if you don’t know the words. It seems that the most essential human emotions transcend language.
Close your eyes when you listen to this song, it brings it to life. Happy weekend!  

New Short Story Comes Out This Month!

My third short story with Every Day Fiction gets published later this month! Disturbance at Apartment 408 is another of my San Francisco noir pieces, and will be released on Tuesday, August 26. Please check it out in a few weeks and enjoy!
I’d also like to give a shout out to fellow author Milo Fowler, who also has one of his latest flash fiction pieces coming out at Every Day Fiction this month. Checkout his story, Captain Bartholomew Quasar and the Bandits on Consortium Moon Prime, which comes out this Thursday, August 7th. I know I’ll be looking forward to it.
Whew, lots of good stuff happening in writing this month! In other news, my agent is currently shopping my novel around to editors at several publishing houses, but the process can be pretty slow, so it’ll probably be a while before I have any updates for you. But if anything good happens, you’ll be the first to know!

West Coast

This song has been in my head for the past few weeks, so I simply had to share. I’m actually pretty impressed by Lana Del Rey’s latest album, a truly unique mix of familiar themes combined with some nicely original lyrics. Plus I live on the West Coast, so it's doubly intriguing for me. Enjoy!

1,000 Books Read!

Today, I’m officially one-tenth of the way toward my goal of reading 10,000 books in my lifetime. That’s right, thus far I’ve read 1,000 books…and counting. Needless to say, I’ve got a long, long way to go, but it’s still a milestone nonetheless.
Of course, quality matters over quantity, and I frequently reread my favorite novels every summer. However, thanks to Goodreads, I’ve been able to keep track of all my read books over the years. Now if only they would let me go over that pesky 5,000 friend-limit, then Goodreads would be awesome…but that’s another discussion altogether. But look at the bright side, so long as I read 3-4 books per week for the next four to six decades, I’ve got a shot of hitting my goal, slim though it may seem. 
So what are you reading right now? What books do you hope to tackle this year? 

Writers' Days Jobs

I often think about all the writers who have had to manage a day job along with their writing career (in other words virtually all authors). I myself work as a Technical Writer, so whether at home or work I write to earn my bread. What surprised me recently was learning about other authors like me who also worked as Tech Writers by day.
Kurt Vonnegut. Ben Bova. Philip Jose Farmer. Just to name a few. I particularly like Vonnegut’s quote regarding Tech Writers and their oddities. Of course my fiction writing is very different from my writing at work, but it makes me wonder how our own work experiences influence our artistic endeavors.
So how do you balance work and play? How do you make room for art while still keeping a roof over your head? How have your own work experiences influenced your writing?