Trying New Things

As the publication of the third and final book in the ESCAPE FROM THE PAST trilogy approaches and I’m completing the Civil War adventure, BROKEN JOURNEY, I’m launching into a couple of new endeavors. Until now I’ve mostly focused on writing and studying craft, reading, editing and revising.

Author Fairs

Here I’m all dressed up in a medieval costume. I really need some dirt on my face to make it more authentic.

So, now that I have four novels to show, I’ve signed up for a mad dash of author fairs around Indiana and Ohio. I have no idea what to expect, but I look forward to meeting new readers and fellow authors. Just take a look at the News/Events section on my homepage to see the author fair listings for this fall. I hope to meet you at one of them.

Teaching Writing Workshops

I’ve been writing since the late 1990s and been at it in earnest since 2009. I’ve learned a number of things about fiction and for the first time this summer taught a workshop on “Writing Compelling Beginnings” at the local Monroe County Public Library (MCPL). Seventeen students attended and we shared a lot of interesting information. Feedback was excellent and positive, so I’m encouraged to continue. In November I’ll be teaching a FREE class on “Dialogue” and in the spring I’ll teach three four-week sessions on craft, beginnings and publishing at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington.

Cool Flyer from MCPL

One thing I’ve already learned. My students teach me as much as I teach them. It’s a great synergy we all benefit from and I derive great pleasure from sharing some of the things I’ve studied and learned in the thousands of hours at my desk.

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