Not Exactly a Redesign

I finally started tinkering with my main site again, removing links that were never going to be used and updating the status information for both To Everything a Purpose and Fallen Sparrows. I removed all links and references to the hacked-and-therefore-defunct feedback forums. I redirected the latest news link to this blog and added a direct link to my Flickr site so they can view any photos I post.

So far, there is nothing on the main page that even mentions Knights of the Blood or 411-SINGLES. Because of the way the site is currently laid out, this is where a redesign becomes necessary. Most likely, I expect to center the redesing around 411-SINGLES as that is my main focus at this point. The two current novels will keep there own sections, which will probably stay as they are now. Knights of the Blood may get set up with a similar section, but it’s not a priority. This blog will still be the best source of updates for anything I do, mainly since I can update it from anywhere.

The main holdup for a complete redesign is coming up with some graphics I can use for 411-SINGLES and deciding what the new layout should be. The graphics will be the harder part, as I have not really toyed around with Paint Shop Pro since I did the cover art for Fallen Sparrows. It shouldn’t be too hard once I come up with an overall graphic theme for it. I’ve got ideas, but none of them are rising head and tails above the others yet. Keep your eyes open, though. This is my second update in as many days. That’s gotta be a good sign.

The New Project

Other than fiction and the occasional poem, I’ve never really been interested in writing anything else. Even though I’ve been told several times that it’s harder for an unpublished author to publish a novel than a nonfiction work, my heart has always been in telling a good story. Even though finishing Fallen Sparrows got to be a bit of a chore because of not being able to consistently keep writing it, I knew if I started writing something new I wanted it to be a novel.

Knights of the Blood is still very much alive as an idea, but it is more of a backburner idea now. That’s actually a good thing, since the research for the historical aspects of the novel are going to take a lot of time and taking more time will allow me to develop the story better before I start writing in earnest. What’s surprised me is the book that I am now hard at work on, because it is not only nonfiction but it also has the potential to completely upend my life in very exciting ways.

But first, a little background info. Over the holidays, I experimented with a very popular online matchmaking service that you may have heard of: eHarmony. I must say that the matches that I was notified of were by and large pretty good. The problem was that I couldn’t get any of them to talk to me. The guided communication process eHarmony uses is sound, but I could never get to a point where any of the young ladies I was matched with were willing to communicate openly, as opposed to the canned questions and responses that start the process. It was very frustrating. I knew that if I gave it more time, this would improve, but my finances were such that I could not renew my subscription for awhile. Then, as I thought about it more, I realized that any time that I have ever tried to make something happen for myself in this area, it never worked. I decided that if I got the money to renew my subscription again, I would instead give that amount to God in the form of an offering at my local church. I did that, and I haven’t looked back.

You see, this particular decision was a turning point for me. An epiphany, if you will. I realized that if it was in God’s plan for me to get married someday, He wanted to be the one to orchestrate it. What surprised me was that once I accepted this, I was perfectly content with it. What encouraged me in this was also realizing that being content as a single by no means meant that I had to give up my desire to be married someday.

It was from this realization that I started analyzing some other thoughts I had about being single. When I started putting them all together I realized I had enough material to write a book, and a book that would approach this material from a different perspective than any other book I had seen to date. That meant the book would not only sell, but help other people who have struggled with singleness like I have.

The theme is simple: Contentment in singleness without giving up. The premise: As singles, we set up mental roadblocks or attitudes that prevent us from serving God in our current circumstances. We need to learn to get past these roadblocks and change these attitudes and start serving God now, start serving each other now, rather than waiting for a life milestone that may come later rather than sooner, if at all. We need not give up looking for marriage, but it should not be our focus, else we will miss the blessings and opportunites that God wants to give us while we are single.

My current working title is 411-SINGLES: Contentment in Any Circumstance. The 411 is a reference to Philippians 4:11 where the Apostle Paul, himself a single, tells how he has learned to be content in any circumstance. The research and preparation is going so well, I’m getting ideas faster than I can write them down. I currently have three sets of surveys nearly ready (one for singles, one for married persons, and one for pastors/singles workers) that I hope to distribute in an effort to expand my research past my own experiences and make sure that the unique needs of other singles are being addressed also.

I’m excited. Potentially, this could turn into a Bible study series with video lessons, speaking opportunities, and who knows what else. My youth pastor friend, Bob Johnson likes to say, “See it big, keep it simple.” I’m starting with the book, and trusting God to do wonderful things with it. I personally can’t wait to see what happens.

The story grows

I have finally written a few more paragraphs for Fallen Sparrows, and hope to finish the scene soon. One more scene after this one should finish the chapter, followed by one more to tie up the loose ends.

As I hoped, Shark starring James Woods did indeed get better. Some of the supporting cast needs to do better at standing out, but the story was better by far. Sebastian Stark is a very flawed protagonist, which heightens the conflicts already inherent in the story. What I thought was the best guest actor of the episode is apparently going to be a series regular. Another for the plus column. CSI had more than a few interesting twists which will be affecting future episodes. The unresolved murder harkens back to the Paul Milander storyline from the first couple seasons, which I welcome. Murders don’t get solved in an hour, and stories like this one deserve to have more time devoted to them. The Sam Braun twist was one I did not see coming, but fits extremely well. All in all, a good week of crime show TV.

What a weekend

Who dey? Not Pittsburgh. Justice was served in the nail-biting rematch of the Bengals-Steelers playoff game from last season when the Bengals managed to hold on to their 28-20 lead. Counting the preseason, this is seven straight wins for Cincinnati. Our offense needs some work, as pass protection on Carson Palmer was severely lacking, but the defense was patient and got the job done. Poor Ben should have waited til after their bye week to start. At least he kept his helmet on…

The CSI’s got themselves off to a good start. CSI:Miami was more of a cap on last season’s cliffhanger ending than it was a premiere for this season. Last night’s was a much better episode, though the premiere did set it up for Yelena to come back, and that’s not a bad thing. NY started reliably, but the Vegas edition showed why it has always will be the best of the bunch. Shark was okay, but suffered from usual pilot problems in that it had to spend so much time setting things up to give its story enough attention. It still has a lot of potential, though, and James Woods is showing pretty decent range in his acting abilities. Without a Trace started off good. Not a standout episode, though that’s hardly a knock for this series.

Sunday morning was a blessing at my church. We had Robert Rogers as a guest speaker. He lost his wife and 4 children in a flash flood in Kansas a few years ago, and his testimony is extremely touching. After listening to him, I couldn’t help but think how good God has been to me and how little reason I have to complain about anything. One of my brothers went through a divorce a few years ago. The other had to pull his fellow soldiers’ bodies out of the water after a helicopter accident. My grandfather was squeezed out of business by streamlined franchises like Lenscrafters. The worst thing that ever happened to me was a broken engagement. I’ve seen God work through all of these situations, and awesome is too understated a word to describe Him.

Nothing new on the novel front, for now.

Last of the old posts

So much for soon, but it is down. There really wasn’t much point in having a guestbook anyway. Even if this site at some point does generate some real traffic, the forum is more than sufficient to make up for it.

Also, because I could, I added my Xbox LIVE gamercard info on the front page. It’s a way for anyone interested to see what games I’ve played on my Xbox360 (when it comes in–I’m still on backorder) and what I’ve accomplished in them. The icon I currently use is a character from the popular Halo games with a black/orange swirl in the background. Bengal colors. Who Dey?! (Here’s hoping for a 13-3 season).

I’ve taken out the placeholders for Deleted scenes links on my books. Aside from the fact that I just don’t get the time to update this site like I’d like, that particular feature would really never be that much of a draw. Again, if someone should be interested, the forum is the best place for something like that.

I really do intend to be more vigilant on updating this site, but who knows when that will be? I’m on Chapter 9 currently in Fallen Sparrows and only have about 2 more chapters after that before I finish my first draft. That’s my top priority, but even finding time for that is difficult. Thanks to those of you who have stopped by and looked around. I really hope you’re enjoying it. Your prayer and support is invaluable. Until next time…

Edit: The gamerpic for my Xbox Live card is (as of this post) Gimli from Lord of the Rings. It may or may not have changed by the time you see it.

Site updates and a conference

Time for another update. Fallen Sparrows is complete up to chapter 4 now. I’ve updated some of the pages for its section of the site, repairing a few incorrect links in the process. I hope to get a couple more pages up for it soon, meaning some time this month.

Lord willing, I have a one day Christian Writers’ Conference to attend on April 16th in Columbus (just two days after my birthday). Some of you may remember that I tried to attend a couple of them two years ago when some unexpected car trouble came up. Thankfully, with the car I have now, that is not expected to be a problem. I am looking forward to the learning experience as well as the opportunities it may present. Please pray that this will not only be possible, but aid in getting my stories into the hands of people who need them.

The site itself has been getting some notice, as you’ll see from the Guestbook page. It is always encouraging for me to receive feedback like that. It makes the costs of maintaining a low traffic web site worth it. Every life touched confirms that this is what God wants me to do, and I am thrilled to be able to do it.

I have begun submitting pieces of Fallen Sparrows to a critique circle on Faithwriters.com. An early response has already confirmed that the first chapter sets up the pacing perfectly. As I get more critiques in, excerpts will appear on the appropriate Reviews page. I also have the option of posting To Every Thing a Purpose as a rudimentary e-book, as well. It will be interesting to see how that goes.

Hopefully, I’ll get another site update soon, so if any of you out there are keeping up with me, you’ll have a reason to come back. Thanks for stopping by. God bless.

Edit: I did get to go to that conference and it was both educational and a blessing. It’ll be awhile before I can do another one, but I absolutely intend to.

A much longer update

This has been the first update in exactly seven months, but it has been quite a busy seven months. Unless this is your first visit, chances are you’ve already noticed the biggest change. The format of the site has changed, including new custom-made graphics. Some pages now no longer use frames, but they never really needed them, anyway. The Feedback section still sports the old color scheme, but changing that involves more work and time than I can give it. Since it works well enough on its own, I’m just going to leave it for the time being.

Another huge update lies in a whole new section based on my new work-in-progress, the novel “Fallen Sparrows”. Work has actually begun on it, and it is the main reason a major site overhaul was necessary. As of today, I have almost two chapters completed. The portion of the site for this novel hasn’t been built yet, but you should be seeing it fairly soon. The hardest work was converting the rest of the site, including checking all the links, and most of that is done now. Of course, work on the novel is top priority, but updates are a lot easier and more convenient to do than redesigning a web site.

The “To Every Thing a Purpose” portion of the website is down for the moment, but that is coming next. My apologies to anyone visiting the site wishing to download the novel to read. It will be back up very soon, I promise. It is people like you who keep me encouraged and excited about writing. Trust me, this newest story is going to be awesome.

I’m also going to be expanding each of the novel sections a little bit. Each will have a page talking about the various main and supporting characters. These pages won’t contain any spoiler information, but if anyone’s wondering who some of the real life people are that inspired certain characters, this is where you will find it. There is also going to be a “Deleted Scenes” page for each book. Usually a feature you see on DVDs, I do have a couple scenes from each novel so far that have been scrapped entirely. In the case of “Fallen Sparrows” they have been completely rewritten. These pages are where you will see what was originally written and be able to judge for yourself if I made the right choice in tossing them. They’re more curiosity pages than anything, but someone may be interested.

The most subtle update to the site is an icon with a link in support of the reelection of our President George W. Bush and our vice President Dick Cheney. This is not a political site, so I won’t debate why Bush is the right choice and Kerry isn’t. There are plenty of sites for that, and that is not the purpose for this one. This is a personal site, so I limit my politics here to simply stating that George W. Bush is the candidate I support.

Anyway, keep checking back for all the updates and news regarding my writing and efforts to publish it. God Bless!

Edit: The deleted pages wasn’t so great an idea in retrospect and was just too much in light of everything else I want and wanted to do. Fallen Sparrows is still a great story in my opinion. I haven’t finished because I haven’t been able to get the creative juices flowing at the same time that I’ve had time to write. That and ideas have been coming fast and heavy for the next story.

Also, now that this is a blog, I won’t mind posting political items from time to time and maybe even allowing comments for them (moderated, of course).

Well, it’s pretty obvious I haven’t been updating as often as I had planned, but between a dead car transmission, a kidney stone, a full schedule, and an auto accident about a week and a half ago, you can understand how some things tend to fall a little prioritywise. Yet I must say that through it all God has been faithful in all of these areas, including the book. People are still asking me how the book is progressing, and I am still finding people who are interested in reading it and giving me feedback. What’s even more incredible about that is that most of them are people who have approached me, both personally and via email, asking for a copy. One of them was responding to a post I had made on a Christian writers’ website back in May. May. For what precious little work has been done with the novel these past few months, our awesome God has not let the project fade away or die. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am richly and undeservedly blessed.

Ideas are still gelling for the next novel, and the main storyline is coming into focus. The next thing I write will be a short story entitled “Christmas Eve Mary”. Granted, it won’t be finished before December 25th, but I’ve been wanting to do a good Christmas story for a long time, and this idea even incorporates another idea I had come up with awhile back as well It will have a unique structure to it in that it takes place solely in one location with each of its scenes taking place on Christmas Eve of different years. I’ve already started a rough story sketch, which should hopefully give me a good idea how long it will end up being. The idea is to have something that, with little difficulty, should be adaptable into some kind of play. Whether or not it ever ends up being performed by anyone, I have no idea. It would be nice, but the biggest priority is fashioning a compelling story. Time will tell.

After the holidays and after things settle down a little bit, I hope to begin a redesign of the site and have everything in frames, much like the poetry section. That will enable the site to grow better as more stories are written so that it won’t be centered around one story. The old pages will stay up as a non-frames version of the site, should there be anyone who might prefer to view them that way. Granted, if you’re reading this, it’s probably as an archived update, as traffic is minimal at best right now. (That’s one reason I’m not concerned with frequent updates lately.) Traffic will definitely increase when I finally get published, and it’s better to have the site in place when that happens as opposed to having to come up with something afterwards and having no time to do it. The hosting rate is more than reasonable, and it provides a place for those interested in reading the book to download it. You can imagine how much paper and toner I’ve gone through giving out as many copies as I have already. I do have a couple really short stories I hope to post eventually, but I honestly don’t expect any more site updates until after the holidays. There’s just too many things going on right now.

Finally, Happy Birthday to my adorable niece, Callie, who is two years old tomorrow. The picture below is her “frownie face”. Quite the cutie, don’tcha think? Until next update, Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Edit: The Mary story also became part of Fallen Sparrows.

Old novel, New (old) revision

A revision history for the novel has been posted on the Feedback forum. The contest is active, as well. It’s a topic under the To Every Thing a Purpose category. The fourth draft (revision 3) is complete, and the Status page has been updated to reflect this. I’m holding off on posting this as a download, as it may not be too long before the next (and hopefully final) revision is complete. For those of you wondering how the next story is progressing, the ideas are definitely starting to coalesce. It’s a low priority right now, as I really need to finish TETaP and start sending it out to publishers. I must say it seems the devil is doing all he can to distract me from doing this, which tells me he has to be scared of something or else he wouldn’t bother. Please continue to keep this book in your prayers, as well as its author. Thanks, and God bless.

Edit: As said in the previous post, there is no contest now, nor a Feedback forum.

Not just one novel anymore

Finished the About Me page, which effectively completes the site. All that remains is to assign some search keywords to each of the pages so that people using Yahoo, Google, HotBot and other search engines can find my site. Since the Poetry section turned out so well, it’s likely I’ll eventually redesign the rest of the site in frames, though that will be after I’ve finalized the draft of the novel and started sending it out to publishers. I’ve also dug out a couple of my earlier short stories that are good enough to post on the site, so you’ll probably see those fairly soon.

Other than that, the only other news is that I’m over 90% certain what my next novel is going to be. The tentative title is Single Impact, since it will involve a singles Sunday School class like the one featured in To Every Thing a Purpose. Several characters may reappear in this new story, though that hasn’t been decided yet. While this is not intended to be a direct sequel to TETaP, this new story has the potential to be the beginning of a series. The only character name I’ve settled on is Holly Nichols, and her story has been lifted out of a previous story I wrote called The Avalon Brigade and will be retooled slightly for the Christian atmosphere of the new book. Not much more has been decided yet, and like any site redesigns, my current novel will remain my top priority. As always, keep this page bookmarked for any updates. I’m really excited about this one!

Edit: Wow. I hadn’t realized how long I’d been working on Fallen Sparrows. (What Single Impact had become.) I really should finish that.