Ray Wenck's Blog
October 31, 2025
Oct 2025
It’s been a while. Sorry. Happy Halloween. Boy, do I have a lot to tell you.
Let’s go back a few months. The release of The Old Couple was big. It continues to be my best-selling book in all formats, Print, eBook, and Kindle unlimited. The big new addition is audio book. It is finished and being reviewed for release right now. Look for it to launch within days.
The book has been so popular and the source of my first Kickstarter that I have been swamped with requests for a sequel which hadn’t been in the plans. It is now. By the time you read this the rough draft for book two will be done and going through its second round. I anticipate a release possibly in January.
First book The Old Couple – Never Underestimate Old People
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Couple-Nev...
Working title for Book 2 The Old Couple Road Trip – Even Old Dogs Have Teeth.
Next, I took a gamble and combined the two Random Survival series. They were always meant to come together at some point I was never sure when, then it all came together. If you missed it Random Survival 10 The Truth About the Lies and Random Survival: The Road 15 Battlelines are combined in one book. The crossover brings together the two factions in an amazing joint story.
https://www.amazon.com/Random-Surviva...
The editor has four books she’s working on.
Book 4 in the Brigett Conroy mystery series. So far, it’s untitled.
Book 16 in the Random Survival: The Road Diseased
The Resurrection Project. Survivor Town a new book 1 in the expansive series
The Resurrection project: Resurrection One book 2
With luck at least the first two, possibly one more will be out before Christmas.
In case you haven’t heard or seen.
All the first books in the Resurrection project are now available in print, eBook, and Kindle Unlimited. They include:
The Resurrection Project
Site 101
Resurrection One
Site 57
Surface Survivor
Site 78
https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-P...
Also, I just learned that Audible has a lot of my titles on sale for as little as .99 Not sure for how long so take advantage while you can.
Upcoming shows. I’ll be in Vegas in November for the Author Nation conference. I won’t be online much, but I will still be working.
First weekend in December I’ll be in Columbus, Ohio for Galaxy Con
December 13th I’ll be signing at the half-price books on Broad Street, in Reynoldsburg.
Writing schedule. Currently. The Old Couple 2
Book 3s in the Resurrection Project series
Random Survival: The Road book 16
Random Survival: The Wanderer Book 1
Yep, I’ll be busy keeping you in reading material.
I want to thank Brittany for her work updating my website.
If you’re looking for extra material to read including pages from unpublished works and unedited works in progress check out my Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/AuthorRay
Until next time.
Read all you want, I’m obviously writing more.
Ray
July 19, 2025
Work on your dreams
When you stop working toward achieving your dream, it becomes nothing more than that--a dream. To make that dream a reality takes honest effort and time. I've been writing for twelve years now and have nearly a hundred published novels. I guess I'm making up for lost time, but I can only imagine what my career might be had I started back when I first caught the bug.
Where could you be now? Dream big. Work hard. Live satisfied you achieved what you set out to do. Good luck.
April 22, 2012
Current News
Feb. 13, 2014
Hello friends, old and new.
2013 was a good beginning. Teammates was released in January, Random Survival in August and Teamwork in October. With the success of Random Survival leading the way 2014 looks to be the start of big things.
Home Team, the third book in the Danny Roth series, is in final edits. Danny and Tony find themselves in their darkest situation ever.
Random Survival 2: The Search For Home has just been accepted by MUSA and hopefully will see release this year. The tagline for Random Survival, “If the world as you know it ended today how would you survive?” has caught on and spurred much debate about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world.
The Warriors, a young adult fantasy, may also see release this year from Rebel e Publishing. The story takes a dysfunctional high school basketball team back in time where survival depends on teamwork and friendship. I have to admit, even though I wrote it, it’s some really funny sh-stuff.
Current submissions to agents and publishers include Chef’s Choice, the first of a new series. Ghost of a Chance, a paranormal thriller. Live To Die Again, (The Vigilante), a thriller. And Mischief Magic, an urban fantasy. I hope to find a home for each of these great stories this year.
My current work-in-progress has the working title of What Do You Do When the Applause Stops? Bulky, I know, but there it is for now. This story is about a major league baseball player who walks away from the game while still in his prime amidst mysterious circumstances revolving around the death of a former teammate.
I wish to thank all of you who have taken a chance on stories by a new author. A special thanks to those who have taken the time to write reviews.
Keep reading and spread the word. Please.
Reader’s Treasure Blog Hop
I am very excited about the release of my second Danny Roth novel and to be involved in a blog hop with such wonderfully talented authors. Teamwork will be released soon. Check back here for the actual date.
Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. The decorations, the parties, the candy, the kids in costume, the adults in costume, the parties with adults in costume—hmm, nuff said.
Not only is Halloween fun it is also the kick-off to the holiday season; a time of great excitement, happy times and warm feelings. However, it can also be a time of great stress. What better way to relax and ease some of that stress than to kick back with a great book—and surprise, just look at that awesome list of stress relievers in this blog hop. And hey, the price of a book is a lot less than a session with a shrink—just saying.
Anyway, welcome to my page and I hope this blog hop will be an entertaining journey for you. Happy Holidays.
Teamwork
When a case of road rage turns violent Danny Roth steps in to save his friend, Tony, from a deadly knife attack. However, when his quick response proves fatal, Danny not only faces charges from the police, but must face the dead man’s family, the Millers, who are intent on delivering a more decisive and permanent justice of their own.
As Danny fights back against the Miller’s assassination attempts he discovers the family’s automotive business is a front for illegal activities, including auto theft and murder. The knowledge makes Danny a threat to the family and their business, but when their attempts at silencing Danny fail they resort to kidnapping first Tony, then Danny’s mother, to draw Danny out.
Knowing the only way to save his mother and his best friend is to sacrifice himself, Danny joins with Detective Morrisey and Tony’s ex-special forces friends to form an unlikely team of rescuers. Realizing the confrontation could turn into a fierce and lethal gunfight, Danny can only hope his new team will be in time to save his mother and Tony, even though it may be too late to save him.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Other Blogs Participating in the Hop: Constance Phillips Kristina Knight Susana Ellis Jayne Kingston Shay Lacy Rue Allyn Ray Wenck The new cover for book 2 of the Danny Roth series to be released soon. Nov. 2013 Teamwork will be released this month. It is book 2 in the Teammates or what is now being called the Danny Roth series. On the heels of Random Survival’s great success I’m hoping it will carry over to this series. Danny was my first character and continues to be my favorite. Random Survival at this moment is still in Amazon’s top 100. It has been there, as of this posting, in one category or another for about eight weeks. Teamwork takes Danny and Tony into more danger as the two continue to stumble into deadly confrontations. In Teamwork, a case of road rage starts a chain reaction that escalates at an ever increasing pace throughout the story. Baseball, muscle cars and fast paced action—what more could a reader want? October Random Survival was released and hit the charts running. It made Amazon’s top 100 in two separate categories. Thank you for all your support and reviews. I’m currently considering a sequel. November 1st is the scheduled release date for Teamwork, book two in the Teammates or Danny Roth series. I know it took longer than we all hoped, but book 3, Home Team, may have an early 2014 release. Recent completions include Chef’s Choice, a suspense thriller set in Lubec, Maine and the paranormal thriller, Ghost of a Chance. Look for samples here in the near future. June Well, it looks as though the long wait for Random Survival might be coming to an end. The new projected release date is July 5th. The end-of-the-world scenario is a very hot genre right now. Random Survival is the story of a man trying to survive and make sense of a world beyond comprehension. It’s written from an average person’s point of view using the the tag line “If the world as you know it ended today how would you survive? The edits for Teamwork, book 2 in the Danny Roth series, is progressing rather quickly. There’s a chance it will be released in July as well. The Wrath of Roth strikes again as a case of road rage ends with Tony bleeding from a knife wound and Danny standing over the dead body of the assailant. In other news, Mischief Magic, The Vigilante, The Warriors and Chef’s Choice are all being considered by various publishers. Keep your fingers crossed. And, as always, thanks for your continued support. Teammates book giveaway on Goodreads. It will run for a month. Stop by and enter.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Teammates
by Ray Wenck
Giveaway ends April 03, 2013. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Jan. 20, 2013 I’m very excited to announce that Teammates is now available in paperback. For you purists, (like me) who like the feel of a book in your hands, you can find Teammates on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Teammates-Volume-1-Ray-Wenck/dp/0615746314/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358701728&sr=8-2&keywords=teammates+by+ray+wenck Check it out and remember to like the page and leave a review. I appreciate your support. Show more Show less
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Teammates has just been released on Amazon. Please check it out. Currently it is only available in Kindle format, but should be ready in print and for the Nook in a few weeks. Thanks to all for your encouragement and support. Don’t forget to write reviews and let me know how you like the story. Enjoy.
#1
Well, the long wait has been worth it. I have been offered a contract to publish Teammates, the first book in the series, with Rebel e Publishers. Needless to say I am very excited. Now comes the long process of editing and rewrites. I will let you know when it is released. Thank you to all those who have visited this site and left supportive and complimentary remarks.
On other fronts the rewrites on The Vigilante and The Eliminator are still in progress. Random Survival is still being reviewed by publishers. Hopefully, I will have more good news soon. Til next time.
#2
Well I’ve been negligent in my task of keeping this blog updated. Now I have good reason to be more attentive. As previously announced I sold Teammates, book 1 of the series, to Rebel e Publishers, but what I failed to announce was that less than a week later I was offered and accepted a contract for Random Survival from MUSA. The editing process should begin shortly for Teammates. Needless to say I’m very excited. I will keep this site updated on a more regular basis to keep everyone informed of the progress.
Because of my initial success my next projects will be to follow up on those two releases. I am beginning the rewrite on Teamwork, book 2 in the series and have a started a sequel to Random Survival. There is so much to do and, as always, so little time. Check back and hopefully I will have more to tell. Thank you all for your support. Ray[image error]
#3
With the release of Teammates I would also like to announce that Rebel ePublishers has agreed to purchase the next two stories in the series. Now you’ll have a good opportunity to follow Danny and Tony on further adventures as they continue to stumble into crazy situations. Look for them sometime in 2013.
May 24, 2011
A Writer’s Journey
Feb. 2014
Recently, I’ve had reminders of both the good and bad of my writing and the direction of my career. As stated in past blogs my journey into writing never started with the intent to be published attached to it. I wrote for fun and for myself. Upon learning I am a published author many people will say ‘I always wanted to be a writer.’ Every writer and writer’s blog will tell you the same thing I tell those people, “Writers Write.” It’s that simple, at least at the beginning. But the other piece of advice I give, as do other authors, is dont’ write to be published, write for yourself. Have fun. It is the best way to get through the process and improve your skills.
Again, as stated in previous posts, it took a long time for me to understand I wasn’t ready to be published. But I learned, I wrote and, I improved. The result has been three books released last year and at least that many this year. Okay, good for me. But where is this going?
That’s where the good and bad come in. The good is simple. I am having some success. Because of that success I have been holding back several good novels with the idea that the best way to get into bigger publishing houses was to find an agent. Here comes the bad.
I went to the James River Writer’s Conference back in October. I’ve talked about this conference before. It is very good and I highly recommend it, especially to new writers. But this year I attended for the sole reason of pitching to a very big time agent. With my recent success I was full of confidence. I mean, who wouldn’t want to sign me, right? I pitched in a not so great environment and it was obvious that the noise was distracting her and she kept rubbing her head. (No, I’m not making excuses, just telling the facts). I pitched myself first then the story. She was interested and we had a nice discussion. I submitted with high hopes. The submission went out at night, by 9:15 the next morning I had my nice personal rejection. It was a rejection record for me. Yes, I was disappointed, but not at her. It was a reality slap, that made me understand, that although I’d had some success in the minor leagues, I wasn’t ready for the big time. Yet!
It was depressing, but realistic. It became much more obvious when I was editing Home Team, the third story in the Danny Roth series. I had written that four years ago. Reading it now made me cringe. The writing was horrible. In the short years since I’d been writing, my craft had improved tremendously, to the point I recognized weak writing when I saw it. Yes, I fixed it, but it made me realize how that agent saw me. Her experience and knowledge was far greater than mine. Understanding that will only make me better.
I am submitting to other agents now. I will succeed. I will reach the majors. It may take longer than anticipated, but with every novel I write my writing improves. It is all part of the writer’s journey. There are plenty of downs, but when the ups come it’s all worthwhile. But it all starts with butt in chair – write.
Good luck and keep your dream alive.
Nov. 2013
There are four awesome moments in an authors journey from start to finish.
1st is when the story is just flowing like water building an excitement within you that transfers to the story. Each day becomes a renewed celebration.
2nd is the moment when you type the final word and sit back satisfied knowing it was a job well done. It’s time to celebrate.
3rd and most important is when that publisher offers a contract that will bring your story to life. It’s time to celebrate.
4th and maybe the best, is when you hold that first copy in your hands. It’s like holding your newborn, except without the crying pooping and puking. It’s time to reflect on your accomplishment and be thankful. (Hey, if I celebrated after each event I’d never be sober enough to start the next one.)
TEAMWORK–book 2 in the Danny Roth series. What a fabulous sensation when it all works out.
Oct. 2013
I just returned from the James River Writer’s Conference. It is my fourth year attending and each year I find something new that either improves me as a writer or motivates me to continue my journey.
It was at this conference 4 years previous that my writing career was born. I will never forget that and it is one of the reasons I tell new writers to attend a conference. There is no doubt in my mind that if I hadn’t attended that first year I would not be published now.
Each year I meet new friends and reattach to old ones. It’s a chance to network and hear other’s success stories from the previous year. It’s an opportunity to talk with national award winning authors and to pitch your latest manuscript to an agent, (which I did—now I wait for her answer.)
This year had the added pleasure of meeting a friend who is attempting to publish her first novel. Through her eyes I got the opportunity to see what I looked like at my first conference, although she had much better luck at her first than I did at mine.
Keep writing people. You never know where the journey may lead you.
#10 June 26, 2013
Edits were an eye-opening experience. My jaw dropped when I opened the first round edits on Teammates. The entire page was lit up like Christmas lights with red and blue bubbles. I had to get up and walk away from the computer. I couldn’t believe my story needed that much work. It became very obvious that I still had a lot to learn about writing.
After being assured by the editor that full page edits, one page after the next, was common for newby authors, I sat down and tried to work through the endless corrections. It was depressing, to say the least. I was completely overwhelmed. My confidence was shaken.
Thoughts like “why would this publisher want my book if it needed this much work?” began running through my head. When I posed that question to the editor she replied the story was very good, but it needed some cleaning up. To me that was as great an understatement as it would be to say cleaning up after a tornado would just take a broom and dustpan. But she was very encouraging, so I sat my shocked body down and got to work.
Many of the little red bubbles were simple punctuation fixes, which I admit to being very poor with. Others required scene deletions while some took massive rewrites. It was a long slow process, but it was an important learning experience as well.
I learned what not to do and how to correct problems that existed regularly. Working with two different editors at the same time I also learned that each one has certain areas they are sticklers about. One highlighted every ly word in the entire manuscript, wanting me to change eighty percent of them. The other taught me about filtering and demanded I eliminate every sentence where it occurred.
Despite the two different approaches I made it through and learned a lot. The changes weren’t always easy and several times I had to defend a certain scene, but in the end I came away with the knowledge to make me a better writer.
I think it’s important that we never stop trying to learn new things. I will continue to grow as an author and hopefully you will be along for the journey.
Till next time, challenge yourself. I’m a perfect example of you’re never too old to learn something new.
#9 Mar. 17th, 2013
Happy St.Patrick’s Day.
St.Paddy’s Day this year has multiple reasons for celebration. I just finished the rough draft on my new mystery series. There is nothing more satisfying than that feeling when the first draft of a new story is completed. It’s worthy of cracking a beer and sitting down to enjoy it.
Well, let me clarify, there are two more satisfying moments, each beer worthy; one, is when the final version is put to bed. The second is when a publisher says, “Hell, yeah, we’ll publish that story.” But for now, finishing the rough is the most satisfying. My beer is already at my lips.
I have to say I really love these characters. I think readers will enjoy them too. They are so broken you can’t help but root for them as they fight their way to some semblance of normalcy.
Anyway, I’m going to enjoy the moment, and the beer, then begin the rewrite.
Have a great St.Patrick’s Day.
#8 Feb.
The next step after getting my offers from two different publishers was to examine and sign the contracts. Each publisher had their own form of a standard contract. I’ve dealt with contracts before in different work areas, most notably in real estate, but after almost making a big mistake signing a very author unfriendly contract the year previous, I was determined not to make the same mistake again.
That’s where having experienced published authors in our writer’s group came in handy. I asked questions and was given a lot of very sound advice. One publisher’s contract needed some negotiating. They were very easy to deal with and after some back and forth and some explanations the contract was done and signed.
The second contract really held no problems and I thought was very fair and balanced for both parties.
My recommendation upon receiving a contract is to always have someone check it out for you before you sign away a lot of rights. You want to enjoy your publishing experience, not regret it.
From that point, with both contracts signed and delivered it became a waiting game until my books reached the front of the line. While you wait you’d better find a new project to work on or you will drive yourself crazy wondering when it will be your time to begin edits.
And if you’re not ready for edits, oh boy, are you in for a big surprise.
Later.
#7 Jan. 4, 2013
Sales are steady for Teammates in both versions. The reviews I have received from different sites have been positive and encouraging.
Random Survival is still plugging along in edits. The release date is still to be determined.
My writer’s journey continued when I searched for a writer’s group. In the Toledo area I found two. One, a group of various writers, was very loosely organized and didn’t seem to offer what I was looking for.
At that time I was invited by a friend to attend a Spring Book Lover’s event hosted by the Maumee Valley Romance Writers of America. I went hoping to meet published authors who could help give me some direction. They did not disappoint.
The members I met were only too willing to give me advice. They were friendly, welcoming and most importantly passionate about their writing.
I joined and it became the best decision I made concerning my writing. With the knowledge and support, coupled with what I learned from the conference I attended, I found my voice and my writing began to take shape.
A small group met on the weekends at Panera’s to write and talk about writing. It quickly earned the name Panera Prison, because if you attended you were expected to work. It was there that I developed enough confidence to begin submitting already completed work.
For the next several months I worked, studied, researched and submitted with little success. Then I set myself a deadline. (Big mistake. Never do that to yourself) If I hadn’t received an offer to publish by Dec. 31, 2011, I was done writing.
I sent out my final submissions and waited. When they came back rejected I was through. I made the announcement to the group at prison. But they would hear none of my whining. Instead, they banded together, encouraged and praised. It was a full team effort.
Three months later I was offered my first contract, for Teammates. A week later, a second contract came in for Random Survival.
If it wasn’t for the wonderful ladies of the MVRWA I would have missed out.
The journey may sometimes be difficult. It may be maddening, frustrating and depressing, but it is the writer’s journey and I’m proof positive that if you really enjoy writing, the journey should never be abandoned.
#6 December 28, 2012
Well, it’s been a long week since my last post. I apologize and will be more consistent from here out. I got lost in my edits and had little time for anything else. Writing is work, but it’s enjoyable work. Editing, eh, not so much.
As you may have heard, my first book, Teammates, was released on the 26th. Of course I am very excited, but nervous too. As a writer you want people to like your work. I’m anxious to see the reviews from various sites and from the readers. So far the few that I’ve received have been good.
I’m still working on edits for Random Survival. For a while it looked like that one would be published first, but it’s fitting that Teammates was my debut since it was the first story I ever wrote.
But enough of that. Where was I? Oh yes, on a journey.
When I last posted, (no, don’t look at the date), I was about to tell you the two most important events that changed my writing for the better. I was about to give up, but decided to give myself one more year. During that year I did less writing and more studying.
One of the online chat groups I followed recommended two things to improve ones writing. Join a writer’s group and go to a writer’s conference.
Immediately, I got online and checked for a conference that was coming up soon. The closest one was run by the James River Writers inRichmond,Virginia. It was a 9 hour drive, but that didn’t deter me. And was it ever worth the trip.
I learned so much at that first conference that when I got home I rewrote my entire first manuscript. One of the first sessions I sat in on, the agent, (sorry, can’t remember her name) said one of her biggest turnoffs was when an author started a story with a dream. Well, of course, mine did. Oh, you won’t see it now, it’s been long deleted, but imagine my dismay when in fifteen minutes from her statement I was to pitch that story to an agent.
Then the presenting agent said the second thing that messed me up. Make sure you send your submissions to someone who likes what you write. I thought uh-oh.
With my mind reeling I went to meet my first real live agent and tell her how great my book was.
I didn’t have any idea what I was doing. I had no experience pitching a story. I just thought my excitement alone would persuade this highly intelligent person to want to offer me money on the spot for the right to represent me. I could already see my name at the top of the best seller’s list.
Instead what happened was the most embarrassing performance by an author in the history of embarrassing moments by authors.
I sat down introduced myself and asked, “Do you like sports?” Baseball is a running theme throughout Teammates. Of course the answer was, “No, I hate them.”
I slapped hand to face and might have let slip a “Doh!”
I then proceeded to ramble for the next five minutes until I felt a tap on my shoulder signifying an end to my time.
With head hung low I vowed it would never happen again. I learned a lot that year. It became the year of transition for me. I’ll tell you the second part next week. Promise.
Happy reading.
#5 August 31, 2012
When I had exhausted my list of agents with no success I was frustrated. With a bruised ego I was ready to pack it in and just write. However, I was encouraged to continue by friends and by the stories of many initial rejections by now published authors. It’s important to develop thick skin in this business and to not take the rejections personally. As I was reminded, it’s just business. And the submitting process is all subjective. What one person may hate another may love. The key is to find your perfect match.
With new determination I went to the next step. If all those agents who made their living selling good books to publishers didn’t know a good thing when they saw it [sarcasm] then I would just go to the source. I began researching publishers. My wonderful daughter, April, bought me a book of publishers for my birthday. I spent long hours reading about each one and then going to their website to study what genres they sold and what the submission requirements were. With a new list I set forth to counquer to publishing world.
I decided to stay with small press and e-publishers. My list contained twenty-five potential buyers. The first week I sent out ten then sat and waited. The next week ten more went out. Again I played the waiting game.
In the mean time, I discovered a host of helpful online writer’s communities. Query Tracker, Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write’s Water Cooler were three of the most helpful. On Absolute Write I was able to join discussions about writing with many published authors who were only too happy to share their wisdom and experiences with newbies. Preditors and Editors gave me a list of good and bad publishers. Query Tracker had their own lists and help tracking the submission process.
I dug deep and found the courage to submit my query letter to Query Letter Hell on Absolute Write for critique. There I rediscovered what I already knew. My queries sucked. No wonder I was getting rejections. But you have to be careful when you submit to sites like that. After three attempts to correct my mistakes using some initial sound advice, I began seeing contradictions. One person would tell me one thing and another would have a different opinion. In the end I withdrew my query.
Now, with more confidence I sent out my final batch of submissions. The rejections had been coming in and I kept adding them to my file. But some of the rejections were coming back with personal notes of encouragement that heartened my efforts. However, when there were only a few publishers left I hadn’t been rejected by the old feeling of discouragement began to sink back in. After all, no matter how they were worded a rejection was still a rejection.
Then, one day there was another response. I remember thinking, Do I really want to open this?
It took a while but I clicked on it and about went through the ceiling. It was an honest to God offer to publish. I looked around the room for someone to share the joy with but I was alone. With an excitement that caused my fingers to fumble on the keys I began to read the contract. I had never been offered one before so I was unsure of what I was reading, but most of it seemed to be common sense.
Then I came to the final paragraph. “Author will purchase X amount of books at X amount of dollars.” And my bubble burst. I came crashing back to earth. It was nothing more than a vanity press. They were willing to publish me as long as I paid for it.
I can’t begin to explain the depths of depression I sank to. I swore off ever submitting anything again. In fact, I was done writing. But the up and down emotions continued. The next day I recieved another acceptance. They wanted me to make some changes and resubmit, but when I did I discovered they had closed for business.
A third one came in the next day wanting me to send my full manuscript. That should have been exciting, but on one site I had read about an author who sent their manuscript and whoever it was sent to stole it and began selling it in the European markets. It was then I realized I was in over my head. I didn’t know enough to be able to protect myself so I withdrew my book and did not submit again for a year.
What changed in that time? I’ll tell you next week.
#4 August 24 Ray Wenck
First, let me apologize for the delay in writing this post. I have been doing a rewrite of the edits for Teammates. That took precedence. Now that I have sent it back to the editor I can catch up.
Once the getting published bug had bit I realized I had no idea what to do. So it was time to research. I went to the library and checked out books on how to publish. I did searches on the net and found loads of information, but most had to do with self-publishing. I understood then I had a lot to learn. Vanity presses, print-on-demand, e-pubs, I was confused early and often.
There also seemed to be much debate as to whether I needed an agent or not to submit my works. There was much feedback on certain writer’s chat sites that went both ways. Some publishers will not accept submissions without an agent. I decided finding an agent was the way to go and that’s where I started. First I had to learn to write a query letter which is like the tease on the back of a book cover that tries to hook you in to wanting to read it. You get one small chance to make an agent want to read your submission and in that one or two pragraphs you have to be able to sink the hook and make them want more. I was horrible at it. In fact I still hate it.
I found a list of agents on agent query and read through each listing to see what the agent accepted. No sense sending a thriller to someone who only handled romance. [and yes, I made that mistake, twice.] I clicked on each agent’s website and found their requirements for submitting. Each is a little different. Some want only a query; some a query letter, synopsis and first three chapters. Others have a special formula they want it presented in. It’s very important your submission match the agents requirements exactly or they may delete you without ever giving you a look. In truth I think they use that as a way of weeding out their slush piles, but hey, if you can’t follow directions then it’s on you.
I carefully worked on all my packages and each day I would submit to ten more agents on my list. Then the waiting began. Some say they will get back to you in 8-10 weeks. Some got back to me very quick. The worst are the agents who don’t get back to you at all. They say they are too busy to reply to everyone. Personally, I think that’s crap. How long does it take to send a form rejection, “Thanks, but no thanks.” That way the author isn’t sitting there waiting to hear. A rejection may not be good but it at least allows the author to move on. I got to the point where I stopped submitting to an agent who stated they did not respond back unless they wanted to accept your manuscript.
Within a two month span I recieved quite a few rejections I even created a folder for all of them, which I still have. It was very frustrating and was taking time away from what I liked best, writing. If you hate the way rejection make you feel, don’t submit to anyone. It took a long while for me to get over it and want to chance it again. With each attempt I learned more about the process. You just can’t give up. I mean, what do you really have to lose?
#3 August 17, 2012
For a little more than a year I wrote continuously. Within that time I completed the first four books in the Teammates series. With each one I learned something new and the writing became tighter, the stories had a better flow. It made the writing more fun although I still had a long way to go, even if at the time I was unaware of it.
It was when I finished the fourth book and having a celebratory beer in my restaurant that I was first asked by a friend to read one. To that moment I had not told anyone, other than Natalie, I was writing. My stories were never meant for anyone else. I was writing solely for my own pleasure. My writing was more like therapy to me and I’d never thought of letting someone else into my world. In a weak moment I told Sue and Rollie why I was celebrating. After some prodding (and probably another beer or two) Sue convinced me to let her read Teammates. I have to say those were long stressful days waiting for her to finish.
As each day passed I grew more anxious, sure that it had been a great mistake to give my work out. More than once I thought of calling her and asking for it back. I think my real concern was that if Sue came back with a negative review I might never write again. I enjoyed the stories because they were my creations. That didn’t mean they were good though.
When Sue finished, in just three days. [remember, the original version was 167, 000 words,] I made her promise to give it to me straight. I didn’t want a sugar-coated critique. I wasn’t prepared for her glowing commentary, but yes it felt good to hear. It somehow justified the massive amount of time I dedicated to writing.
But it was Sue who first suggested the one thing I had not been interested in. It was her words, “You should get this published,” that changed my whole direction. And although the publishing aspect of writing is not nearly as fun as the writing. There were times when, with the agony of rejections echoing through my mind, I thought about calling Sue up and telling her off for ever putting the idea in my head. But now that I am months away from seeing the first one in print I publicly say, Thank you, Sue. This first one’s for you.
#2 August 10, 2012
For years I created stories in my mind with the idea that someday I would take the time to write them down. My most creative times were on long drives. I could see the story develop and play out before my inner eye as if I were watching a movie. It was a great way to pass the time. Unfortunately, it left me with huge backlog of potential story plots and no time to write them down. I was always too busy to take the notion of writing seriously.
When the time finally made itself available it came from a surprising source. It was the first time in thirty years as a teacher I was selected for a student teacher. I didn’t have plans to write, but when it was time for her to take over the class I was politely asked by her supervisor to leave the room and let her spread her wings.
Faced with the question, “What do I do now?” the answer came to me in a brilliant flash. Suddenly I had the time and no excuses. I opened my laptop, selected one of my plots and day after day sat in the school library pecking away happily. And pecking is quite accurate since I type with two fingers.
So my beginnings, a little more than four yearas ago, can be credited to my student teacher, Natalie. I had so much fun creating that story that I couldn’t stop. Every spare moment was dedicated to its expansion. When I got home I set up a card table and a desk lamp and typed late into the night. I finished the story the week after Natalie completed her requirements. Two months after I pushed down the first key Teammates was completed. Although I didn’t realize at the time how rough it was. As was my curse, wordiness, the final original copy was 167,000 words. Of course, back then I had no idea that was a lot. Don’t worry. It has since been cut by 40, 000 and if my editor has anything to say about it, and she will, the published edition will be even shorter.
Before I finished Teammates, the idea for Teamwork began forming in my mind. I literally took two minutes to celebrate the completion of Teammates before beginning work on its sequel.
To say thank you to my student teacher I offered to name a character after her. I gave her three options without telling her who was who. She selected the softball player and Danny Roth’s new girlfriend had a name, Natalie.
Since then I’ve gone on to write twelve more novels and have had a blast doing it. Thanks, Nat.
#1 August 1, 2012
I’ve always wanted to be a writer ever since I was a young boy, old enough to understand what I was reading. My one regret, especially now that I’ve sold two novels, is that I never followed up on that desire at an earlier age.
I remember as a boy in a junior high creative writing class being allowed to write a story of our own choosing for a final project. I still can recall the title, The Keepers of the Forest; and vaguely can picture the story. The main characters were Daniel Boone type frontiersmen and formed some alliance with an Indian tribe. I got so involved in the story that I wrote sixty pages, back and front, {remember, this was well before computers.} The rough draft was written in pencil with the final supposed to be typed.
I wrote and wrote, trying desperately to come to the end of the story, but whenever I got close some new vision would pop up before my eyes and off I would go. I finished the rough draft the night before it was due. I never bothered to try and type it. The teacher gave me a C+ because it wasn’t typed. I doubt he truly read it. After all, it was 60 pages.
The exhileration I felt writing that story was only a shadow of what I felt writing and completing Teammates. Yet, I took only a few precious moments to enjoy it before launching into the sequel. It’s been a glorious four years now, with many ups and downs along the way. {Mostly downs. I’ll tell you about them in future posts} But, like playing a slot machine, you only have to hit big once to make it worthwhile.
Yeah, if only I would have started sooner. What are you waiting for?
December 17, 2010
The Teammates Series
This is the site for the eight volume Teammates series and other assorted works of fiction. Some works are in various stages of completion. A few of the titles still need editing and some are works-in-progress and are posted to show things to come. The site itself is still being tweeked. Please feel free to browse and leave comments. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did creating them.
You can review Teammates at http://askdavid.com/
