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Here we are, already racing through another month. Hopefully Spring has made a welcome
appearance in your part of the globe. It
seems like Michigan has experienced snow, rain, sunshine and gusty breezes all
within the same day. Or two. But that’s
not uncommon for the Mitten State.
This month I’ll continue to share details about the creative
process of writing, talk a little about my latest work in progress, introduce
you to an incredibly talented writer and artist and rock out with a song or
two. So let’s get it started.
Writing
This semester I discovered one of my students enjoys writing fiction
and has been at it for a while. She was
anxious about the idea of having her work published and asked for my experience
with book publishers.
We talked at length about the options and different resources
for finding out what genres different publishers are looking for. She asked about my own experience. I described a couple of early publishers who
failed to deliver on promises made or even return emails. One of those made it known that they expected
the authors to pay for copies of printed books so they (the publisher) could
then donate the books to certain charities they supported.
I explained that the Jamie Richmond mystery/romance series is
with Inkspell Publishing and the Jefferson Chene mystery series is with The
Wild Rose Press. Both houses strive to
provide the very best for their authors, through the selection process,
editing, artwork and marketing efforts. There is a great deal of support from
the authors in each house, with many willing to help promote their colleague’s
work.
Bestsellers may have the big publishing houses competing for
their books, but those opportunities are dwindling. Some authors prefer the
self-publishing route. For me, I have
neither the time nor inclination to take on all those additional duties
including the editing, the artwork, the marketing, the promotion all on my own.
Don’t get me wrong. Promoting by the authors is still expected. I do my best to
help get the word out to the readers about my stories.
These two publishers
continue to support my efforts. Which frees
me up to focus on crafting the next story.
So if you’re looking for a quality publisher for your own stories, I’d
encourage you to check the links below.
http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/
https://www.thewildrosepress.com/
Work In Progress
After countless revisions, edits and feedback from my
illustrious team of beta readers and Ally, the editor at The Wild Rose Press,
everything is done. “The Wayward Path” has been finalized. The cover art rocks (in my humble opinion). Now it’s hurry up and wait for the release
date, which is looking like early August.
So you might ask ‘what’s next?’
Well, there’s a persistent redhead who has been impatiently
hovering in the background, anxious for me to return my efforts to her latest
adventure. Jamie and I have agreed that
‘patience is not one our virtues.’ I
will be turning my energies back to the currently untitled fourth book in her
series. With 34,000 words written, I’m
also to a halfway point. There are many
new scenes to write and more ideas to elaborate on.
Here's Jamie trying to be patient.
Author Interview
A few years ago, I participated in an author event in one of
the Detroit suburbs. It’s always a game of chance at these showings. You just
never know what kind of crowd the festivities will draw and if they are in a
buying mood for your books. After getting my table set up in the designated
spot, I looked around to check out the other authors. Turned out that the guy
next to me was more than just a writer. He was an illustrator as well.
Clay Boura and I passed the slow times during the event
sharing stories and learning more about each other’s work. Prior to the pandemic, we ended up at a few
other festivals together. Clay has carved out a great niche for his “Leave it
to Beamer” children’s book series.
Welcome, Clay. Where are you from?
I was born at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI and I
grew up in Ferndale, MI.
What’s your ‘someday’
or dream vacation spot and why?
I am a lover of wildlife, especially aquatic wildlife.
So my dream vacation would be to fly to Australia and scuba dive in the Great
Barrier Reef.
What’s your favorite
thing to do for relaxation?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and 3 kids: playing
games, going camping and hiking, cruising in our classic Mustang convertible
and hanging out by the water.
Any favorite hobbies?
Drawing, playing video games, hiking, working on my
classic Mustang
How long have you been writing?
I published my very first children’s book in January of
2015. However, I have been writing for as long as I can remember, ever since I
was a young child.
Are you able to write
full time or do you also have a job/career?
My dream and my long-term goal is to become a full-time
children’s author. However, as of right now I have another full-time job doing
web design and marketing.
Is there a particular genre that you write?
Or more than one? What led you
there?
I write and illustrate children’s books. When I was 12 years
old, I created a cartoon character named Beamer. Originally my dream was to
become a cartoonist and have my very own comic strip in the newspapers. However,
after starting a family and having kids, I saw how much enjoyment they got out
of reading books. From that day forward, I decided that I wanted to become a
published children’s author.
Do you use friends or family as characters in your work?
I have a very large family and often use them as
characters in my stories. My wife and kids, my aunt, my cousins and my nieces
and nephews have all made appearances as characters in my first three books.
What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
When I first decided to
pursue my writing career, I joined a few writing forums online. When I asked
for advice on becoming a full-time author, I was surprised to receive a large
amount of negative feedback. Most people in the forums told me “not to quit my
day job” and that they all wrote as a hobby. However, Michigan author Lori
Taylor of the Holly Wild book series personally reached out to me and told me not to give up.
She also helped to coach me along in the beginning before I published my first
book. A few years later I got a chance to meet her in person and gave her a
great big hug!
Has anyone in your
life influenced you or encouraged you to pursue your interests of writing?
(teacher, family member, friend)
I am extremely lucky to have an amazingly supportive
family. As soon as I started on down the path to getting myself published, I
received nothing but encouragement and support from my wife, my kids, my
parents, my siblings and all the rest of my friends and family.
What is your favorite
aspect or writing? Your least favorite?
My favorite thing about writing, and the thing that I
tell kids when I do my school visits, is that you are only limited by your own
imagination.
Is there a common
theme or item that appears in each of your work?
My books are all about
English idioms and help to explain their meanings from a young child’s, or
Beamer’s perspective.
Tell us about your
latest work.
My next book is going to be titled Leave it to Beamer
Presents: Get The Ball Rolling and has Beamer dreaming up a story about
garden gnomes who get stuck with a giant ball in the middle of their town and
have to come together to figure out how to get the ball rolling!
How did you decide on
your story plot?
Most of my story ideas come to me organically. Since my
books are all about English idioms and we use idioms on an everyday basis, I
quite often hear someone use an idiom and it sparks an idea. From there, I jot
down the basic idea and then start fleshing it out into a full-fledged
story.
Here’s where you can
put an excerpt from the story, along with a back cover blurb.
Grown-ups sure do say some
confusing things sometimes! How can you have a chip on your shoulder
when there are no snacks anywhere around? Without a license or car,
how is it possible to drive someone up the wall? And could you
really break a camel’s back with a thin piece of straw? The Leave it
to Beamer series explores the wide world of English Idioms. And we'll
even Go Out on a Limb to say that you will enjoy these
stories Until the Cows Come Home! So grab a Leave it to
Beamer story today. You'll be Left in Stitches and
fall Head Over Heels in no time! Come along
with Beamer and learn the REAL meanings to some silly sayings!
Clay’s enthusiasm for sharing his stories and artistic
talents is contagious. He’s also created
a program where he can visit with elementary school students, either in person
or virtually, to inspire young minds. Clay
has even added a ‘padlet’ on his website, so students can show their own versions
of his Beamer character.
Here are some links
where you can learn more about Clay’s books.
Website: www.leaveittobeamer.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT_mR22i0J9iGK5p3WWXnug
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ClayBouraBooks
Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/ClayBoura
Music
Joe Cocker keeps popping up on the rotation lately. The late English singer, who passed away in
2014, made the most of his gravelly voice while recording music for over forty
years.
Here are five of my favorites from Joe
Cocker.
You are So
Beautiful: https://youtu.be/wlDmslyGmGI
With a Little Help: https://youtu.be/eXV4WyQMHFM
Came in Through the
Bathroom Window: https://youtu.be/TedvuER50Lk
Feeling Alright: https://youtu.be/-RK9NpGr2-s
Leave Your Hat On: https://youtu.be/hfgwrdYUQ2A
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