I spend a lot of time at my “desk” and it certainly doesn’t look like this one. My working environment is anywhere I happen to be at the moment an idea strikes. My desk is defined by where my iPad, iPhone, or iMac is located at the moment. I guess you’d call that “flexible.” I call it convenient. Here is where it all comes together and I will share what I’m up to and the progress I’m making on various projects. This spot is where my readers and friends should be able to catch up with me… occasionally… maybe.

What’s New?

The Feather Bed has been reissued as a new edition and The Ship Brooklyn Saga is the new name of the series. We are on a roll again!

I am still working on getting this website renewed with a better look. Thank you for your patience, those of you who are still hanging in there with me.

Stained Brass and Stained Brass Retribution are both out there on Amazon. A couple of great reviews and some happy readers. The sequel to Feather Bed, titled “Gold Rush,” is progressing toward a September release. The delay in getting it written has resulted in a lot of new information getting included. It seems that writing two detective novels has widened my perspectives in regard to the limited information I received in the beginning. Cousin Shirley will be surprised and happy, I’m sure. Turns out, my protagonists were way closer to some major events in history than I anticipated.

So, that’s what’s on my desk right now. One more book and anticipating writing another thriller by the end of 2024. Thanks for coming by and thanks for being faithful!

Durrone

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME

I didn’t mean to leave you all drifting while I’ve been pursuing multiple projects and household duties. It’s seems that’s what I’ve done though. Forgot all about you? No, just been getting re-organized. Stained Brass is finished with a complete rewrite and Stained Brass Retribution is past the 3/4 mark. SB is with the editor preparing for publication as soon as it’s ready – this year! SB Retribution will follow soon after and be published later this year. Feather Bed Part II is progressing (albeit slowly) and the plan is to have it ready for publication as well.

This writing stuff is hard work sometimes. Never goes the way you want it too. I’ve taken on the position of Treasurer for the Northwest Christian Writers Association and that has taken up a bit of my time as well.

Enough of the excuses. Just letting you know what’s on my desk.

While recovering from Covid recently, a fresh approach to the Feather Bed sequel started me on a major new and exciting vision. I have been writing furiously and have not lost my enthusiasm for this approach. I expect I will finally complete this epic within a few months, then off to a publisher.

I am still trying to find a publisher for Stained Brass, but find I love writing more than selling. That is, of course, typical for most authors. Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and do what has to be done, whether you like it or not. Any suggestions from other writers are welcome.

Another idea popped into my head uninvited in the middle of the night a few weeks ago. It had to be written. I had avoided the temptation to write a short story (1500 words or less) for the Writers Digest Short Story competition for quite some time. It caught up with me, as I indicated, in the middle of the night. After relentless pressure (internal, of course) the story came out in a marathon writing session and managed to be completed under the word limit and submitted five days before the deadline. It now is pushing at me to convert into a book! What do I need with another book to write?

It is devilishly hard to control these urges! The title of the short story is the Quinceañera and I believe I’ll keep that title. I will know February 28, if anything is coming of this, contest wise. I will be working on at least four other short stories that will go with it for publication in book form.

Some think I’m crazy. Some think I’m old and crazy. They’d be correct in all cases. I will be celebrating my eightieth birthday on Sunday the ninth of January. Praise God I am still able to be active and engaged and feeling younger than 60!

Have begun another mystery! Still composing a historical fiction sequel and am being drawn to pick up the reins again on my mother’s biography. Am I crazy, ambitious, bored, or driven? A little of each, I suppose. I especially think I tend toward insanity as I’ve tackled the art of writing Book Proposals to Publishers on top of it all. Then I’ve added this website and know beyond a doubt, I’ve lost my mind (which some see as having left me long ago).

Still, here I am doing what I love to do in the comfort of my red velvet throne, with my well bitten Apple perched in front of me, dog beside me, keyboard and mouse on my lap, dithering. Yes, I am quite nutty.

For those who love crime novels, Stained Brass is just that. David Marshall and I have been collaborating on this story. It’s about a police officer caught in the revolving door of injustice with druggies, traffickers, gang bangers, prostitutes, crooked lawyers, and the Cartel. The first book is complete and the second is fully outlined and into the fourth chapter, flowing nicely. The third book is sketched out and will complete the series. I’ll let you know when they get published and where.

How does a Christian author write a crime novel? (refer to first paragraph) He writes it without explicit scenes and language. It’s amazing how much more can be communicated with “clean” words than with the ubiquitous four letter ones foisted on us by the “modern” media. I have discovered, I am in good company. Check out Tom Threadgill, Terry Blackstock, Lynette Eason. You can find them and many more easily under clean fiction, or clean suspense fiction on Amazon.

Find a good book and go read it with joy!

The dreaded invader has landed upon a foreign planet covered in words without order. The control desk is sparking and lightning bolts emanate from it’s interior electronic components. An idea is being conceived and only moments ago, the brain was silent, barely functioning, nearly dead.

Writer’s block breakthrough!!

Aaaaah, sweet relief, the words are forming a picture, a rough draft of a new novel! Miles Stevenson lives again, as an eerie light permeates the dark soul ol Darth Durrone. The interplanetary council of the Empire quiets as he strides confidently to the control desk, grasps the mouse firmly and begins pounding mercilessly upon the defenseless keys. A gasp is heard flashing through the council chamber and dies away instantly as Darth looks up disapprovingly. Silence!

“What news, my Lord?” Saith the sentry dressed in black and purple uniform.

Darth does not even look up, but stretches out his hand propelling the poor soul into outer space. No interruptions! Stained Brass Retribution is priority one on the Emperor’s desk today… next to posting this on the Web page and a cold Coke Zero… and maybe a bag of chips.