At 60 I'm just beginning to hit my stride!

Having reached a milestone in my relatively short writing career, I take pause between books to recount just what has been keeping my attention as of late. It all began with my introductory novel, From Whence They Came, whose first draft had been completed by the time I turned 22. The novel was spawned by my desires to have a science fiction story that incorporated many of the world’s mysteries. Strangely, all of this occurred before I had ever learned of Zecharia Stichen—though I’d been exposed to Von Daniken’s masterpiece, Chariots of the Gods some years earlier. Back in the 80’s, it took me near 3 years to develop the manuscript so that it was at least in some sort of comprehendible form, though it never found its way into print. Back then I knew nothing of character development, let along advancement of plot; it was simply a rambling account straight from the pages of a bedazzled explorer.

Despite my repeated attempts to secure an agent/publisher, mailing off pounds of manuscript at a time, there existing no affordable electronic transference of files back then, I’d tenaciously await that ever-dreadful rejection letter, taking some three months at a time. In all honesty, those around me suffered most, my loved ones, for I would expect them to read the story and comment positively upon it every time I’d rewritten it. How primitive: how crass. All this occurred back in the days of electric typewriters and reams and reams of paper (thus the pounds of manuscript) typewriter ribbon, and of course white out—plenty of that. Along with my writing necessities, there too was the bulky dictionary and it’s companion, Thesaurus. How anything was ever accomplished back then was far beyond me. It was a totally different era!

Fast forward to now, when anyone can have their novels published for free, compliments of Amazon. Having removed myself from the working world at the age of 55, I decided to once again take up my passion, and write. And so I did. Beginning with my novel, rewriting it in its entirety, and several sub sequential rounds of editing, it finally became the finished product you see today. The book met its critical demise in every imaginable aspect. Undaunted, however, I took to re-writing it a fourth time, had several others give it a beta-read, and of course more editing. It sold fairly well. Though I actually gave away more copies than were sold, but none-the-less it was out there for the entire world to hopefully enjoy. Over time, I came to receive many positive reviews, though still the nagging corrective ones remained ensconced upon its details page, irremovable, thus a blaring alarm as to my ineptitude when it came to editing.

I always find it amazing when the reader has such gall, such a loathing self esteem as to select a word or a strange twist in sentence structure to harp upon, overtly making an example of it. Before I ever choose a book, I will read the reviews, taking particular interest in the single star one’s, which books in my opinion never deserve, else they wouldn’t be in print. Now I feel that if something is lacking so drastically in mechanics, then perhaps the reader should offer constructive criticism, not blatant insults. In this day and age of “sensitivity” I should think readers would be more obliging. As for myself, often times, the strange twists I sprinkle about my works were to add an essence of ethereality to a scene; though perhaps sometimes they may have even been a literal pho pa. But, then again, that’s just part of being a writer. I need to use their negativity to better my art.

In the meantime, as to this first book’s release, I’d written a follow up novella to it, which I tapped out on my computer in only a matter of months, the ideas coming in “Twilight Zone format.” I was inspired to write such while putting together a Captain’s Bed for my youngest son; the idea of a secret stairway built below it, leading through an old house into an underground time warp was an utterly fascinating concept to me. The characters within were all totally believable, inspired by some of my very own family members, giving the story a close-knit, intimate appeal. The story was a fun one, though in hindsight I realized I’d written something that could very well have been lifted from the New World Order doctrine. The novella complimented From Whence They Came; it taking place during the same time period, though with no overlapping characters, only plotline.

I fancy my writings on repeating characters that can be seen throughout my stories in different settings, yet all playing the same role of importance, adding an air of phantasmal eeriness throughout the Series, which I’d come to name Neuphobes. It was too while developing these first books that I’d circled back and re-wrote several of my short stories from earlier years, combining 4 of them into a loosely conceived novella, The Man Who Carried Guilt; it containing several of my Series characters within its pages. Sort of a “before they were them” aspect. Two of my other, earlier short stories, Genesis (not included in my novella), and Overload (which had been), went on to be performed on Tall Tale TV, by the exceptionally talented Chris Herron. Another of my favorite short stories, Exodus, I used as the beginning chapter of my most renowned work of fiction, Before it Began. Then finally, of my years ago works, The Final Chapter, (A day at the Beach), which I had originally ended my first book with, subsequently realizing it had no business in being there, was developed years later as a stand alone short story, I having placed it on my blog inside my web page.

I’d come to publish the complimentary novella, Beyond Imagination only months after the release of my first book. That then was followed up by the short story compilation The Man Who Carried Guilt merely a couple months later. And it was at this time that I came to discover the television series, Ancient Aliens. It only took the watching of a couple episode of this series to where I’d conceived of the premise that I needed to write another story linking my first book with the great many more unexplained events, both historical and Biblical, throughout human history.

Before it Began was by far my most acclaimed novel—though again the dissenters focused on my editing ineptitude. Regardless, I was compelled to take the book from publication twice to re-write and edit it, trying my hardest to produce the perfect product. But still, those initial reviews pointing out the editing errors stung me again and again, their never leaving the reviews section of Amazon. Yet by this time, I’d come to use the services of a professional beta reader, and editing software, which between the two had seriously advanced the quality of my works. The idea of a high-quality professional editing and proof reading were financially beyond grasp. The Internet, however, rife with purveyors of such, guaranteeing your book will turn out being of “Professional grade!” Not worth the multiple thousands of dollars of expense, I surmised. One needs an agent, someone to promote their talents, and agents were impossible if one’s writings were sub-standard. It was definitely a catch-22 situation. In all, this novel took me just over 9 months to prepare.

I then came to write a short book on investing in real estate. Using your own house as a means by which to purchase rental property. The book was filled with warnings and disclaimers, telling the reader that by only strict circumstances should anyone ever use their primary residence to purchase rental property. In my perusing’s of the Internet, trying to discover just what types of books sold, I was informed of these “self-help” investment books were best sellers. So I tried it. No one cared. Despite what claims any of these so called experts on the computer said, how to books did nothing for me. It must be in how you promote your books, and again all those claims may raise your presence on the web, but whether it would actually sell more books, who knows. I never saw any movement of the book and subsequently removed it from sale.

It was at this time I secured the talents of John McLoughlin, who began bringing my books to life via Audible. Sold a few of Before it Began, fewer still of From Whence They Came, and none of the others. So much for Audible being a ticket to success.

I then began work on my 4th book in the Neuphobes Series entitled Mind of a Madman. It was a difficult book to write in that it had several POVs from the various characters and narrator, plus the constant flashbacks and scene changes. It was quite the complicated story to tell. One marvelously cool thing to me was that the entire novel took place in real time—inside the main character’s head—in a single day, though the story itself spanned years. It was welcomed by my readership with cheers and pomposity, though of course the few disgruntles never satisfied lest they make issue of the editorial errors. Always the edits. When a story is made audible, there are no more editing issues, only narrative, I would assume. This book took close to 8 months to complete, but I was satisfied with the work, my first of the Neuphobes Series books that I didn’t temporarily take off sale to rewrite and further edit. It appeared to have been good enough!

That brings me to my last book in the Series, The Living Reminder, which happened to be my most spiritual, introspective novel to date. It has heavy religious intonations with much of the country life incorporated within it. In all my novels, I tend to stage them in different areas of the country, this one having been placed right smack dab in the center of the lower 48, Oklahoma. It also began to thread in a more social aspect within its story, the characters’ backgrounds, the backstory itself, as well as religious overtones, morality, especially on that of abortion. It was a far-reaching tale, one that extended far out into the universe after having started off in a dusty little farm outside Oklahoma City. My characters were real people with real problems. It was written during the time when our own country was really starting to act out against one another, with covid having just been identified in China.

I left my Neuphobes Series off there; 5 books more than sufficient to paint a picture of alien influence upon this world and human history. I then continued in the vein of this socialist movement, stirred up by The New World Order. Having been loosely following politics for the past couple years, it didn’t take me long to figure out things in this country and around the world for that matter were drastically in decline. That forces beyond simple politics were at play, shaping humanity into a terrified little entity that could be controlled while the elite glommed the world for themselves. It all came to a head with the 2020 election, and socialism was thrust upon our great democracy.

My political satire, 2025: The Divided States of America was a hot button issue. The country was strongly divided, deathly so. My depiction of our country being split into different Regions has long been the talk around the water cooler. But I took it many steps further. The book was received with split reviews. The conservatives loved it. The liberals sought to disband it through the usual editorializing of editing errors. I didn’t care. I had to write it. The politics were eating me alive. The lying, the criminality, the horrors of it all. Yet it concerned me so that I penned the story under a pseudonym, Oliver Cash. I was actually afraid for my own safety, not to mention my family’s. Thank God nothing happened. Yet during that state if trepidation, I had the beginning for my next book, What is to Come, where the author, Oliver Cash is actually attacked and burned out of his own home. The novel begins at that point, following this victimized man as he rises to prominence, though on the wrong side of his political liking. He and his family were trapped to staying in the liberal Regions due to Oliver’s astronomical hospital bills. The irony of that! Oliver, however, rises to stardom by writing propaganda for the Powers That Be and is pampered by them, living the good life, as are all the One Percenters while the majority of the population in these Regions wallow in squalor.

These two novels can be loosely affiliated with the Neuphobes Series, but I refrain from such, save for quick mentions of UFOs and some lost time and gained information. I wanted these2 books to be a clean break from my little grey friends, while in the same instance shedding light upon the horrors facing our world at this very moment. I guess I also was hoping that the liberals (“liberputions” as I refer to them in my last novel) would some how come to open their eyes and see the evil that controls them and why that is. I was hoping the “WOKE” would awaken to reality—though as I have pointed out on many occasions, “the stubbornness of a defective soul shall never see the light of reason”.

And so that is where I stand at this point on my 60th birthday. I thank God for my wonderful wife and loving children. He has truly blessed me in them, and through the many magnificent imaginings I am able to put down on paper. In my writings I never forget to place God at the front of it all, for without Him we are all just dust!