Changing Times

As a writer, my methods may seem outdated and archaic. I still write the bulk of each book on yellow legal pads. I do my first edit when I transcribe the words into my computer. My second edit is done from a hard copy, not the computer screen.

But times change, as I sit here looking fondly at a fountain pen and bottle of ink next to my 1930’s Remington typewriter, and I must change with them. I still may not use my cell phone to text message, or have a clue how RSS can benefit me, but I do know that words are still the way we communicate our ideas.

Words can fascinate, enthrall, terrify, uplift, and devastate. Words express our hopes, fears, desires, passions, hatreds. I now turn to the medium of social networking and blogs, as a writer, to inform and entertain.

I have contracted my third book, Egyptian Prosperity Magic, with Llewellyn Worldwide. The release date is scheduled for July 2011. I hope to enlighten new and struggling would-be authors about the steps a book goes through from manuscript to finished book.

When things go into production, I will provide weekly posts on the progress of the book, updates on current projects, and reflections on the process of writing. My first three books were non-fiction; the project I have just completed is a historical mystery, giving me the opportunity to plot, build characters, create dialogue, and bring history to life.

Please feel free to post comments and ask questions about writing. My subject matter may not appeal to all, as I am a niche author, but writing is writing. All writers struggle with the same issues and feel the same angst. It is nice to know you are not alone.