The Posts

Some Success – Notes by Hand – Mar 13

Pulling the guitar string through the tuner, wrapping a few times then a luthier’s knot, I twisted to tighten and –snap—it popped. The high E string. A fresh set. The other five ready to go. Sparkling, beautiful. New. An inauspicious start.

Not how I planned it.

I wanted to play, not do maintenance.

This scenario, though, is often how my writing starts. I begin any sort of way, discarding each as boring, base or unworthy, until finally landing on a sentence to entice the reader.

Probably a lot closer to how marketing for publishing works. The one idea I’m sure will launch my book inevitably fails. The iterations eventually reveal a working approach.

Writing teaches one thing over all others, the power of perseverance. 70,000 words don’t happen by accident. Particularly when each of those words have been touched more than a baker’s dozen on the way to you, dear reader.

My latest example is the re-release of an audiobook. In a day I sold and distributed as many of them as I did in the first year of print publication. There is an audience and that audience is not always readily apparent.

What does show up? Me. I appear and continue to chip away because if I tell my story and just one of you is relieved of your worry and pain for the shortest time, I am a success.

That’s what the story is for. That’s what all of them are for.

Be well ~ jefe

Catch What I’m Reading This Week

Finished

He does some cool stuff with timelines and structure in here. Just be sure to wash your hands! (You’ll know once you’ve read it.)

Started

The prologue is chilling and opening chapters enticing. Always wanted to read this after I heard him interviewed on Book Worm when it came out. (Rest in Peace, Michael Silverblatt.)

Blooming or Withered? Notes By Hand – Feb 27

If you’re the squeamish type, or run into the idea of too much information, skip the next paragraph.

Something we don’t talk about a bunch, or don’t remember to keep top of mind, as a wheelchair user, a male wheelchair user, is to mind your balls. I tore my scrotum the other day transferring. Simply moving from chair to bed or back or onto the commode, not sure – didn’t feel it, but I did see the blood on my chair when I hopped on the shower chair. Clean up ensued and then I could’ve gone my entire life without seeing the inside of my sack. The tear was about an inch so don’t imagine a loose sail flapping in the trade winds but I still required a trip to the hospital to discuss and acquire care for my fragile satchel, somewhere close between my scrotum and taint. Seven stitches later I’m taking a week off from swimming (no soaking) and HAL PT (no harnesses pulling on my groin).

Have I mentioned it’s important to give yourself grace? And laugh.

Always laugh.

I once had a nurse tell me very near the beginning of this section of my journey (still in the hospital) that I was the type he’d want to go to battle with. How’s that? I thought.

His good friend was a Navy Seal. The people who graduated the program and tended to survive the ensuing difficulties weren’t the most physically gifted. Those who thrived were able to literally laugh in the face of adversity. Able to keep a good attitude when it doesn’t go your way because oftentimes it won’t.

We can’t choose our circumstances, but we can choose our attitude. We also can’t choose our psychobiology. If you can’t pick up – get help. And meds.

I don’t mean ignore the sad, bad stuff. Feel it, acknowledge it and keep moving.

Resilience will improve your life. Resilience is also a skill. Some of us come to it easier than others. However, some of us have had to practice the bounce-back more than others.

This isn’t a competition. Travel your journey and remember your hard time and mine are hard for both of us.

Be mindful of your thoughts. Those thoughts are your reality. Choose to move in positivity.

Or don’t.

But don’t bitch to me about it.

I sold a rash of books last week. Quite a welcome occurrence.

California Hustle leads the pack, as in the past.

I’m still pushing the stories forward in various ways. I also had a few good ideas that could make great books, hooky and heartfelt. It’s not necessarily finding ideas – it’s finding the right ideas.

I was reading a book two nights ago and the chapter was reminiscent of one of my own. Like really close in some ways of thinking and detail.

What I’m saying is: those ideas are in the universe all the time. The important thing is to use one that best fits your ability to tell more-than-well but extraordinarily.

Here are a few books that are churning through my imagination. One for each series if you are familiar and may be able to guess.

Be well ~ jefe

RECENT READS

If you’re a fan of FFC, you’ll love this deep dive. (Also, Megalopolis was amazing.

Fight me.)

How are we going to handle our changing planet? This is a thought provoking view from the local view.

Heard of a Zero Day? Wonder what’s going on with our computer networks? This is from before AI and Federal Cyber Protection cuts. You may lose sleep.

Notes By Hand – Feb 20

Ya, I write a lot of these things by hand.

Particularly when I’m stuck. And I have been stuck. On my books. On my bony little ass. Like a stick in the mud…

Ya, I write a lot of these things by hand.

Particularly when I’m stuck. And I have been stuck. On my books. On my bony little ass. Like a stick in the mud.

But I’m learning to give myself grace.

I make progress every single day on the health front.  However, the writing hasn’t been robust as I’d like. I’m tumbing around the ideas for Grigsby, Mac – even Kwynn – but pushing each forward a little leaves few measurable pages for you to read.

I did write a great scene with Grigsby but I don’t think it will make the cut. Maybe I’ll spruce it up and release it for you. In the meantime, here’s a link to a short story.

Also, figured I’d share some of what I’ve been putting in my head. It’s both research and fun. If you’re looking for ideas, maybe try one.

Feel free to reach out – It’s grand to hear from readers. It’s proof you aren’t figments of my imagination.

Be well ~ jefe

RECENT READS

For me, the boulder didn’t start rolling until the mid-point but once it starts, you are in for a ride.

Written under a pseudonym, this book does some amazing second act wizardry. A great book.

I was curious about the book that started it all for Lehane and he does not disappoint.