Dick’s Comments (group member since Dec 28, 2011)

Dick’s comments from the Q&A with Chris Orcutt group.

I'm Dick Peterson, author of By the Light: A Novel of Serial Homicide. I call myself a Kansan by residence, a Missourian by employment, a Louisianan by birth, a Southerner by the grace of God, and a Tybee Islander at heart.

My dream of writing a novel started in childhood when my very smart cousin, who was two years my senior, showed me his WIP, a sequel to Baum's Oz books. When I finally completed my manuscript, I sent an e-mail to Richard inviting him to be one of my beta readers. Before he responded, he was killed in a house fire. My aunt told me he had mentioned to her that he was touched that his inspiration got me there and that I wanted to share the process with him.

The experience of writing my book, seeking representation from literary agents, discovering the e-book explosion through my Kindle, and finally publishing By the Light through Amazon Digital Services has been, and I know this dates me, like an E-ticket ride at Disneyland. One of the highpoints of that journey was a chance encounter with Chris Orcutt on the web a few years back. His blogs and the traffic of messages that have flowed between us have been enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring.

To Chris' credit, his Nick Chase's Great Escape is the only print book I've read since getting my Kindle two Februaries ago. Now, I'm in the middle of the pleasurable experience of enjoying A Real Piece of Work on my Kindle. As a bonus, he's blogging again, so the enlightenment and entertainment is back on track.

I look forward to meeting and commenting with other Orcutt readers here. I also look forward to the next Dakota Stevens release. And finally, I must say that it improves my looks being pictured next to the lovely and brilliant Alexas in the Q&A membership mug shots ... nice pose.