Post 16 - First of the Month

Today is June 1st, the first of the month!

What does that mean? Well, for starters it means that summer is approaching and with it blistering hot weather that has already started melting my brain. Seriously, it's broken 100° F the last several days and it's only getting started. I'm not a big fan of Las Vegas during summer. For me my AC struggles to keep up, I rarely want to go outside because it feels like a slow hellish death, and if you try cooling down by going into a pool, you'll eventually have to get back out, right back into the frying pan. Ugh.

Since it's the first of the month I like to try and start strong and line up a few projects that are writing/personal works so I have some direction and a constant goal to work towards. I was able to connect with an editor in Seattle through a friend who is accepting my manuscript Inkwell to be worked on/evaluated for content and feedback. It's the same manuscript that is currently out to dozens of agents. There's a small amount of trepidation within me in regards to the timing of things. Did I send out the manuscript too early? Will this editor tear into my work and point out how foolish I was to think their had ant value? It's the troubling thoughts of any unproven writer. I stand by what I wrote and believe that as far as story, structure, content, style, and characters it is a solid piece of work. There, however, is always room for improvement, so it will be great to see what the eyes and mind of a professional in the business. I'll keep you guys posted.

I just finished the book Tom Clancy's Oath of Office by Marc Cameron. It was a solid Jack Ryan book that I am happy has continued on even after Mr. Clancy's death. I find it very interesting that there are several authors that I will refer to as "legacy authors" since their work has been branded through the use of their name and persisted after either their passing or after they've stepped away from the series. Tom Clancy is one example, James Patterson is another. I thought it curious that a majority of JAMES PATTERSON'S (his name is always in large font on the cover) are written by other authors (which much smaller names on the cover). It reminded me that a lot of commercialism and sales aren't done based off the merit of the work itself but by recognition and likeability. This is an exception because you will more often find authors writing for a series where the series itself is getting the recognition: I.E. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series. I would love to be able to create something so well regarded that people wanted to continue my work after I stepped away. <-- New Goal.

Till next time, take care.

-Denis Baldwin

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