Gregory Stout's Blog, page 3
January 23, 2020
IT'S ALIVE
Last time I wrote about a zombie book, that is, I wanted to bring back to life a book I started to write more than 30 years ago. I did it! Right now the working title is Little Boy Blue, and its a detective novel about a boy who goes missing and whose family hires a private investigator to bring him back. At the moment, I have three novels in this series (serial detective fiction), and now the trick is, as it always is, to find a publisher. I'm also busy editing a novel written by a member of my writers guild and outlining the plot for a new young adult novel. in addition, I'm finishing up the manuscript for what will probably the the last book I write on the subject of railroads. I guess for someone who lives to write, things couldn't get much better. Now if I can just get these detective novels sold....
December 12, 2019
ON RAISING THE DEAD
In the late 1970s I was living in the Chicago area and working in the Loop. In order to avoid taking 20 years off the back end of my life by driving, I rode a commuter train to work, about an hour each way. I used my commute time to read the newspaper and whatever mystery novels I could find at our public library. After a while, I decided that some of the books I was reading weren’t that good, and that I could do better, so then I devoted my train-time to writing a mystery novel (in longhand, no laptops in 1979). What I ended up with may or may not have been better than what I was reading, but despite having an agent (more on that in a future post), it did not find a publisher, and so I put it away in a drawer and there it sat…until this year.
Recently I was between projects, having just sent off a finished manuscript to my publisher, and was looking for something else to do when I ran across my old private eye novel from 1979. Thinking that, in the manner of Dr. Frankenstein raising the dead, I might be able to inject new life in an old manuscript, I retrieved it from the bottom of my desk drawer and read by through it. Turned out, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly good, either, at least not by my current standards (back then I wasn’t published; these days I am). Anyhow, I decided to see whether I could whip into commercial shape, and have spent the last several months doing just that. Setting aside the electronic sleight-of-hand needed to convert the text from Lotus Word Pro to MS Word, I’m now about 75% through bringing the corpse back to life. Some of changes are related to writing style. Others involve getting rid of fax machines, pay phones, 50-cent gas and temporal references that no longer have any currency. I will post again when I have more to report.
Meantime, my 18th title for Morning Sun Books, Louisville & Nashville Through Passenger Service, will be available January 3, 2020. Not as compelling for most, perhaps, as a good piece of detective fiction, but, hey, railroad buffs just eat these books up, and the pay is pretty good.
Recently I was between projects, having just sent off a finished manuscript to my publisher, and was looking for something else to do when I ran across my old private eye novel from 1979. Thinking that, in the manner of Dr. Frankenstein raising the dead, I might be able to inject new life in an old manuscript, I retrieved it from the bottom of my desk drawer and read by through it. Turned out, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly good, either, at least not by my current standards (back then I wasn’t published; these days I am). Anyhow, I decided to see whether I could whip into commercial shape, and have spent the last several months doing just that. Setting aside the electronic sleight-of-hand needed to convert the text from Lotus Word Pro to MS Word, I’m now about 75% through bringing the corpse back to life. Some of changes are related to writing style. Others involve getting rid of fax machines, pay phones, 50-cent gas and temporal references that no longer have any currency. I will post again when I have more to report.
Meantime, my 18th title for Morning Sun Books, Louisville & Nashville Through Passenger Service, will be available January 3, 2020. Not as compelling for most, perhaps, as a good piece of detective fiction, but, hey, railroad buffs just eat these books up, and the pay is pretty good.
November 20, 2019
WHO NEEDS AN AGENT?
So now we come to a question: who needs an agent? A writer friend (also published) and I were discussing this question last week. He, like me, has gotten as far as being published, getting a web site, etc., without third-party representation, and, like me, is happy with the way his publisher, which I share, has treated him. But as his career (and hopefully my own) as a writer advances, at what point does it become prudent to have an agent whose primary interest is in the writer's success FIRST and the publisher SECOND? A primary question might be, is the contract I now have, or that has been presented to me, a fair one, or is this just the best I can expect to get as an unknown author? Am I expected to take on promotional responsibilities that I am not equipped to assume, oar that can and should be handled by the publisher (who, after all, benefits more than I do if the book succeeds)?
Certainly a question worth considering.
Certainly a question worth considering.
October 18, 2019
BOOK SIGNING
No, not me, but earlier this month a friend was presented with the opportunity to do a book signing at our local Barnes & Noble. She is a Christian writer who had worked hard for her success and who now appears on the verge of a breakthrough with her career.
Of course, I would like to be in her situation, although I could not begin to write what she writes, but it must be a genuine thrill to reach that level of recognition. So I will just say to that person who knows who I am talking about, my sincerest congratulations, and best wishes for your future success. You earned it!
Of course, I would like to be in her situation, although I could not begin to write what she writes, but it must be a genuine thrill to reach that level of recognition. So I will just say to that person who knows who I am talking about, my sincerest congratulations, and best wishes for your future success. You earned it!
September 30, 2019
SO HERE'S A QUESTION
Many years ago I wrote a detective novel. At the time I wrote it, I set it in what was at the time the present day (the early 1980's). Although I had an agent to represent it, it did not sell and so after a while I moved on to other projects. Many years later, my first novel, Gideon's Ghost, was published, giving me at least a little cred.
With that behind me I decided to revisit that old novel and see whether there was anything I could do with it. What I determined was that the plot is pretty strong, but the writing style needs some work (read: complete overhaul). So as long as I am doing that, should I leave the story in the 1980.s, bring it forward into the present or take it back to, say, the 1950's or 1960's? I guess the question is, for detective fiction, which time period seems more attractive to readers?
I'd be interested in comments from anyone who cares to do so.
With that behind me I decided to revisit that old novel and see whether there was anything I could do with it. What I determined was that the plot is pretty strong, but the writing style needs some work (read: complete overhaul). So as long as I am doing that, should I leave the story in the 1980.s, bring it forward into the present or take it back to, say, the 1950's or 1960's? I guess the question is, for detective fiction, which time period seems more attractive to readers?
I'd be interested in comments from anyone who cares to do so.
September 15, 2019
ON GETTING PAID
My debut novel, Gideon's Ghost, was released at the beginning of the summer, and not long ago I received my first royalty payment from my publisher, Beacon Publishing Group. The payment reflected the short time the book has been available, and so wasn't very large at all, but just the same it was cool to receive the payment. I have written twenty-odd nonfiction volumes over the past twenty years, but, for me at least, having a work of fiction published is a "bucket list" item for me. The money isn't important, but the payment is tangible proof that I accomplished my goal.
What a thrill!
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What a thrill!
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June 16, 2019
Good Review
Below is a review of my book, Gideon's Ghost, posted on Amazon a short time ago. I feel pretty good about this and I am glad the reader appreciated it. Perhaps others will, too.
You might think you would not be interested in small town life in Oklahoma in 1965, but “Gideon’s Ghost” may change your mind. Stout’s novel unfolds with a lot of local color and quaint bygone customs such as threatening to wash out someone’s mouth with soap for having used an inappropriate word. There are plenty of historical artifacts like white Levi’s, penny loafers, the tilt-a-whirl, Western Auto, and typical Oklahoma/Missouri argot like shebang, “done good,” washtub etc.. The dialog has the sardonic ring of the “Show Me” State, as in ‘“Granddad, why do you have a gun in your tackle box?” “Thought you were looking for a hook,” he said.”’ By the middle of the book the reader reaches the “can’t put it down” stage as a result of some mysterious events. Stout skillfully weaves together several plot lines in a wholesome tale where good behavior pays off.
You might think you would not be interested in small town life in Oklahoma in 1965, but “Gideon’s Ghost” may change your mind. Stout’s novel unfolds with a lot of local color and quaint bygone customs such as threatening to wash out someone’s mouth with soap for having used an inappropriate word. There are plenty of historical artifacts like white Levi’s, penny loafers, the tilt-a-whirl, Western Auto, and typical Oklahoma/Missouri argot like shebang, “done good,” washtub etc.. The dialog has the sardonic ring of the “Show Me” State, as in ‘“Granddad, why do you have a gun in your tackle box?” “Thought you were looking for a hook,” he said.”’ By the middle of the book the reader reaches the “can’t put it down” stage as a result of some mysterious events. Stout skillfully weaves together several plot lines in a wholesome tale where good behavior pays off.
June 2, 2019
ON GETTING PUBLISHED
Over the last quarter century I have written more than twenty books on the history of American railroads, all of which were commercially published, so the heart-pounding excitement that comes with seeing my name in print became tempered some time ago. Last week my first novel, called Gideon’s Ghost was released by Beacon Publishing Group, and, whaddya know, the thrill is back, this time in larger measure than ever. I think I know why. To a great degree, writing a nonfiction book is comparable to writing a master’s thesis or a doctoral dissertation. The emphasis is on getting the facts right and hoping that your peers will recognize the value of what you’ve achieved. Getting a novel published is like getting a record on the radio or a painting hung in a gallery. It’s art, and its success is a function of subjective appraisal from people (publishers) who know good from bad.
Gideon’s Ghost is a young adult novel. The story is based on my own experiences as a teenager “way back when,” and was inspired by the dozen years I spent as a teacher in a middle school in Illinois. For those interested, a synopsis is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM! (Books-a-Million) and Kobo, where the book can be obtained in both paperback and e-book form.
For those still waiting for that first acceptance, remember: For every writer who catches lightning in a bottle, there are thousands more who succeed through sheer perseverance and continuing efforts to hone their craft. Never give up!
Gideon’s Ghost is a young adult novel. The story is based on my own experiences as a teenager “way back when,” and was inspired by the dozen years I spent as a teacher in a middle school in Illinois. For those interested, a synopsis is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM! (Books-a-Million) and Kobo, where the book can be obtained in both paperback and e-book form.
For those still waiting for that first acceptance, remember: For every writer who catches lightning in a bottle, there are thousands more who succeed through sheer perseverance and continuing efforts to hone their craft. Never give up!
May 17, 2019
Want to write or have to write?
By the time one reaches a certain age, he or she is likely to have met more than a few people who have said, "I'd like to write a book. I think I have a book in me," and, of course the right response is, "I am sure you do, and I look forward to reading it."
We all have a book in us. All of us. We have all lived lives that have experienced births and deaths, loves gained and lost, illnesses survived, bad breakups endured, and so on. We have also been inspired by films, other books, etc., and feel we have a story to tell. But here's the thing.
I wrote my first book in 1995. It was called Route of the Eagles and it was about passenger trains on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, a topic that would seem to have limited appeal (though it did sell pretty well). If this makes sense, I wrote the book because I was greatly interested in the subject (railroad buffs can be like that), but I could not buy it, because no one else had written it. In other words, I wanted it, but I couldn't have it unless I wrote it myself, so I had to write it. Since then I've written 20 or so other similar books, but none of them means as much to me as that first one.
What I am try to say is that it seems reasonable to me that the best books are the ones the author had to write, because the story, whatever it was, was just too powerful, compelling and personal, to be left. Aren’t those the stories that touch us most?
We all have a book in us. All of us. We have all lived lives that have experienced births and deaths, loves gained and lost, illnesses survived, bad breakups endured, and so on. We have also been inspired by films, other books, etc., and feel we have a story to tell. But here's the thing.
I wrote my first book in 1995. It was called Route of the Eagles and it was about passenger trains on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, a topic that would seem to have limited appeal (though it did sell pretty well). If this makes sense, I wrote the book because I was greatly interested in the subject (railroad buffs can be like that), but I could not buy it, because no one else had written it. In other words, I wanted it, but I couldn't have it unless I wrote it myself, so I had to write it. Since then I've written 20 or so other similar books, but none of them means as much to me as that first one.
What I am try to say is that it seems reasonable to me that the best books are the ones the author had to write, because the story, whatever it was, was just too powerful, compelling and personal, to be left. Aren’t those the stories that touch us most?
