PREPARING TO WRITE THE WORLD’S GREATEST NOVEL… OR NOVELLA?

Currently, I’m wrapped up in writing my latest Small Brand America book. This fifth edition from the series is focusing solely on craft bourbon distilleries. It’s really coming together nicely and I can’t wait for it to be printed. Also, because I can never work without challenging myself, I’ve also taken on  a companion piece. A cocktail book featuring all bourbon cocktails from the companies featured. I just came up with the idea this week, but I think it’s a pretty awesome one. I’m in the process of reaching out to all 20 companies featured in the book to see if they are interested in participating in this second book.

Look for both of these books in March or April depending on how quickly I can get them turned around.

Out in the horizon is really a pet project for me. A personal “bucket list” of writing. Creating my first novel… or perhaps novella. The actual distinction between the two is a little murky. I know that every fiction piece I’ve created thus far has either been a children’s book (pretty clearly defined) or a short story (also pretty easy to figure out based on the length of the pieces).

For sanity purposes I’m going to land on 15,000 – 30,000 words as a novella. Shorter than that is a short story. Longer is a novel.

Having never written anything beyond a short story, I don’t know where the buddy tale I’m working on is going to fall. I haven’t yet written a single word of it. I’ve been researching some of the information I need for the story (it has a backdrop of Kauai so I want actual restaurants/beaches/etc. to be in the book). I’ve even put together a detailed outline (number 11 pages currently) of the story. In my head I would say I’ve got the whole story down and I’m incredibly pleased with like 7/8 of it. That number might not seem bad, but I won’t settle for a story I’m 7/8 pleased with. I need to keep working through it in my mind until I am completely satisfied with my work or I won’t release it.

Once the bourbon books are done, my focus is going to turn to this book and I’m not planning on working on any writing other than a couple of books for my Coffeehouse Jazz series. Those are fun and shouldn’t be a distraction from what I’m trying to accomplish with my novel… or novella. I won’t actually have a clue which it ultimately is until I’m done writing, I guess.

I suppose that’s part of the fun here. Just start writing and see what happens. I’ve got the infrastructure of a story in my outline, but it will all come together when I start putting the words on the page.

I can’t wait!

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MY JUGGLING ACT

No, I haven’t joined the circus. I’ve been busy writing. I am juggling three projects right now, though.

Here is an update on each:

My next Small Brand America Book – The next edition of this series focuses on bourbon. I figured I would go back to why I started writing… write about what interests me.

Bourbon certainly fits the bill.

I have seven companies already onboard to participate. My first two interviews are this week so I am rolling with this one. I am enthused about telling the stories of these small brands and the people behind them.

My Buddy Book – My first foray into fiction beyond short stories and children’s books focuses on two friends living on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. This one is starting to take shape and I really like the idea of transitioning into writing a real book with the character development and storytelling it represents. Right now I’m in the process of taking the outline I developed for the story and expanding upon it. Each chapter is getting a full page outline where I am filling in the details. I believe I should begin writing the actual story some time later this month.

Coffeehouse Jazz 2 – I’ve done just a little bit of work on my follow-up to this first book in this series. I’ve identified a handful of songs which will be included in the second offering. Still, this represents only a small amount of the actual work I will need to do to complete this one. Even though I’m light on content, I have already completed the cover design and I have to say it’s a dandy. My best cover work to date (I design my own covers for my eBooks). I’ve included a preview of the cover here so you can check it out. Look for Coffeehouse Jazz 2, the eBook, to hit the virtual shelves sometime the first half of next year.

So it’s true. I am doing some real juggling right now, but so far I’ve managed to not drop the ball on anything yet!

A WRITING FLURRY OF ACTIVITY

I started this blog to allow individuals to keep up on what’s going on with my writing. Well, right now there is a lot to keep up with. Let me explain…

I have to books getting edited right now. My books Coffeehouse Jazz (a reference list to develop the ultimate playlist of instrumental jazz songs) and Bigfoot vs. Paul Bunyan (a short story). Both of those will be available later in October.

I also did something I had overlooked for quite a while. I published Leo the Coffee Drinking Cat Moves to Hawaii on Kindle. That particular offering hadn’t been available electronically so I’m pleased to have it out there now.

My next project is a third offering in my Leo series. I’ve got a great idea for my buddy Leo. In fact, I had outlined the entire story but have seemingly lost my notes. I guess I’m starting over. That’s kind of a bummer but I guess those things happen. My goal is to have Leo’s next adventure out in late November or early December.

My third Leo book should finish off my published books in 2014. I will be starting on my next Small Brand America book in the fourth quarter for release in the first or second quarter 2015. I’ve been toying with different types of companies to focus on with this latest edition. Ultimately, my decision came from the notion I’m going to focus my writing on simply what I like to write about. With that in mind, I’m pleased to announce, right here and right now, the sixth edition of Small Brand America is going to focus on bourbon! I can’t imagine anything more interesting to write about than small distilleries competing side-by-side on retailers shelves against the large megabrands in the whiskey category of the distilled spirits industry.

I’m planning on releasing my second jazz book in the first quarter of 2015 as well so this hectic pace isn’t slowing down for a while.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way!