Taking a Step Back

Well, let's go ahead and chalk that up to a failed experiment.

It turns out that instead of spurring my creativity by setting a release date for Stories from the Forester: Volume 1, it apparently drove my writer's block to the point where I wasn't even adding blog posts on a regular basis...anywhere!

Well, hopefully, this wave has stopped. I have been adding blog posts for the TOG Solutions site. And with the recent release of the Welcome to Social Media ebook for Social Media Club Cleveland, I think I'm getting out of this non-writing funk.

But it's obvious that Volume 1 won't be coming out on July 25th. Let's just consider it an open-ended.

In the meantime, while I try to figure out how to get back on track with Unwritten, I'm taking a look at some of my other ongoing writing. As the saying goes, you always seem to find something when you stop looking for it.

Quest for an ISBN? More Like Quest for a Job!

Publishing, especially self-publishing, is a brutal business. And despite my best-case scenario hopes, I was realistic that I probably wouldn't sell enough books or get a good enough deal to be able to quit my job.

Of course, I wasn't banking on having to try and find another job, either. But here we are. Almost a year into the Quest, and the books have barely gotten noticed...

...and I'm looking for a job...

Yes, in a series of events that combine equal parts of hubris, Luddism (is that the ism for Luddite?), cutbacks and complete stupidity, I've been in the unenviable position in recent months of being unemployed. My situation makes even less sense when you consider that I spent years working in career development and recently published articles on the subject.

At this point, I'll go ahead and go with the "doctors make the worst patients" defense. Not a valid excuse, but the only one I can come up with at the moment.

You would also think that my joblessness would have given me plenty of time to get back to the task of completing Stories from the Forester: Volume 1 (Still, theoretically, slated for release June 21st). Well, I've found that apparently the soul-sucking experience of being unemployed also has left me devoid of the inspiration to finish the second story, Unwritten.

Undoubtedly, there are times where you feel like you've been knocked down so many times, you just want to stay down...

But this is me we're talking about. I figure if I can at least finish writing a full-length novel, I can get through this.

And I promise, I'll get back to writing!

Stories From the Forester - Volume 1 Drops June 20th

The Quest has begun anew...

In connection with my 1,000th update on Twitter, I thought I'd add a little spice to the occasion by throwing in this major (well, at least for me) announcement:

Stories From the Forester - Volume 1, which includes the stories Dilemma and Unwritten, will be released on June 20, 2009, first exclusively on my Web site, www.flagrantfoul.com, then to bookstores everywhere!

For those of you scoring at home, Dilemma is the first story of the series, in which Reggie McCaffrey, fresh from a full-time newspaper gig, returns to Forest State University and the school paper defeated, down-trodden, but hopeful of winning the affection of Brenda Alvarez, the Forester's News Editor. The second story, Unwritten, centers around the inevitably of graduation for Reggie and Editor-in-Chief Jim Case, and their uncertain futures.

But there's more! Because Dilemma has been finished for some time, I am giving it away as a PDF e-book absolutely FREE and as a Kindle Book for only $0.99! Apparently, Amazon doesn't want me giving stuff away, so I apologize in advance!

So, with four months until the release, there's plenty of time to get ready, as opposed to the rushed approach taken with Flagrant Foul. Maybe I can avoid repeating the same mistakes twice!

On thing's for certain, I will be doing some promotions, which I will announce in the coming weeks. Two events I know for sure will be happening, with more on the way. And the more the merrier! Advance copies of the entire book will be available in early May, so anyone interested in reviewing can go ahead and drop me a line, and I'll have you on the mailing list!

And with that, off we go!!!

Identity Crisis

For about the last eight months of so, I have been trying to figure out the best ways to market the Stories from the Forester, particularly the completed Flagrant Foul, online. And yet, I have come to it with very little success (i.e. Zero sales in any format).

So, while I'm in back-to-the-drawing board mode. It makes sense, since the entire series is, at the present, incomplete, with the second story in Volume I, Unwritten, still in the works.

Even with that, Flagrant Foul still is available and is now on Amazon. I've given thought to abandoning the series, but that makes no sense whatsoever. The groundwork has already been laid. To quit now would be, at the least, lazy, and, at most, defeatist. And I don't like to lose.

However, the issue I have with Flagrant Foul that has dogged me since I finished it is one of identity...

What is it?

I can say for sure that Flagrant Foul is, first and foremost, NOT a sports book. However, that has not prevented a number of potential readers and even reviewers from making at assumption, and therefore not taking a look.

Thankfully, once more parts of the series are released, readers and reviewers alike will see the whole picture. Understandably, it's not helpful that I finished Flagrant Foul first. Of course, I hadn't intended for it to mutate into the series of stories as it has.

But then, I get past that, the issue of genre comes up. Who am I targetting?

In an ideal world, the obvious demographic would be the same demographic as the characters - college-aged. But does it mean these are young adult books? Looking around, the bulk of the YA titles I've seen are set in high school and seem to cater to a much younger crowd.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm clearly in need of some help. If you're someone who's written or reviewed books like this or, even better, someone who's a YA book reader, drop me a line at bobmc@togsolutions.com. No advice will be turned down!

The Long Road Back

Can I explain why I've been gone so long?

Well, there's not real explanation, likely a combination of the holidays and non-writing distractions that have hampered my ability to get my butt back on here and post something on a regular basis (and I was doing so well!).

In my semi-absence, unfortunately, I have found that the news on my site has become overrun with spammers. Oh joy. Plus, I keep getting nagging e-mail form responses from presumably same spammers.

So, I guess it's time for a reboot, huh?

First, The news on the front is gone. In its place will be the Quest for an ISBN RSS feed. You're more interested in that anyway.

Second, keep moving on with the story. In this case, the story is Unwritten, which has been living up to its name, hasn't it?

Finally, try way better to keep the Quest updated. Sure, I haven't sold one book. But that's not to mean it's time to stop trying!

Chapter 1 of the New Book, Unwritten!

As I start getting back into the swing of promoting Flagrant Foul, I thought it might be good to start putting up some previews of the future of the Stories from the Forester series. With Dilemma also written (and also available for sale, I might add, goofy picture or not), I'm moving on to the next book in the series, Unwritten. Set in early 2001, it picks up where Dilemma left off. When finished, Dilemma and Unwritten will comprise Volume I of the series that will be available in one book, which had been my original plan.

Here's the first of four chapters that I will be posting here, a chapter every Friday. Feel free to post up your comments. I'm always looking for feedback!

Chapter 1 - Business As Usual

CRASH!

The thundering sound of chairs being thrown around the Forester offices could only mean one thing: Production Night was in full swing. On this cold Sunday night in the middle of February, it was the same problems Editor-in-Chief Jim Case had constantly run into, which were computer problems and more computer problems.

“Why is it every time I turn around, this damned scanner freezes!?!” Jim bellowed. “How am I supposed to get anything done around here?”

As had been the case then entire school year, there was only one true voice of sanity in these situations, and it came from Jim’s right-hand man and Sports Editor, Reggie McCaffrey. However, it was nights like this that made him wonder why he ever thought it was a good idea to come back to Forest State.

“Jim, how many times do I have to tell you that you have to let this equipment warm up before you start getting all angry at it?” Reggie said in a vain attempt to try and calm his friend and boss down.

“Reg, how can you stay calm in all of this?” Jim boomed. “The driver’s going to be here any minute now to pick up the print, and we still don’t have a front-page graphic!”

This prompted another voice in the office, Brenda Alvarez, the News Editor, who said, as she had been the entire school year, “Jim, we really could have solved this problem a long time ago by putting articles on the front page, like a real newspaper?”

A statement like this that was intended to create a solution always ended up causing more problems.

“Are you telling me that we’re not a real newspaper, Alvarez?” Jim thundered.

“Once again, you’re reading too much into what I’m saying,” Brenda shouted back. “I’m saying that if you got your head out of your ass and listened to what I had to say once in a while, you wouldn’t be screwed like you are now!”

“Are you trying to get yourself fired?” Jim screamed.

“Now, you know that’s never going to happen, right,” Reggie chimed in. “Brenda’s the best journalist you’ve got in the outfit, and that includes both you and me.”

“Is that so?” Jim demanded.

“Hey, neither of us are up for Society of College Journalists awards this year, are we?”

As much as he tried to come up with a good counter-argument, Jim knew that Reggie was right. It wasn’t surprising to Reggie, of course. He knew that writing was in Brenda’s DNA, given that her mother, Lucinda, had been a Forester contributor back in the 70s.

None of his opinions, of course, had anything to do with the fact that he had been in a serious relationship with Brenda for more than six months.

By the time Jim had relented that he once again flew off the handle, as Reggie had predicted, the scanner was warm enough to starting working again, and as had been the case all year, the paper was ready for the driver to pick it up and deliver it to the printer.

After things had died down considerably, Jim retreated to his office, where he found solace in his Editor’s desk, his cigarettes and his bottle of Jim Beam, which had become tradition at the Forester since the summer. Reggie and Brenda, as they had as well, entered moments later for a post-mortem and a swig of booze.

“You’re going to work yourself into an early grave,” Reggie said as he put the paper cup of liquor to his lips. “Remember, Jim, you’re not a spring chicken anymore, man. What are you now, like 45?”

“And like you’re not getting out of here until you’re collecting Social Security,” Jim retorted.

“I’ll have you know, Case, that this is, in fact, my final semester,” Reggie proudly stated.
“After slacking off for far too many years, I am a mere 14 hours away from being all the way done!”

“And how, pray tell, do you plan to only take that many hours and proceed to return to slacking off?” Jim challenged.

“Well, I haven’t been able to in Dr. Gresh’s Political Communication,” Reggie admitted.
“However, since this is my last semester, it’s time for that five-semester Seminar, and guess who’s teaching it?”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Dr. Melch.”

“While certainly a good teacher, he is a, how shall I say this, lenient grader. I should also mention I am also enrolled in three credits of independent study with his guidance, of course.”

“That still leaves two hours left.”

“Four, as it turns out,” Reggie corrected. “And for that? I get Far Eastern Art.”

“Far Eastern what?”

“I need a non-Western civilization class, and Third World Politics was booked. Besides, I got a helluva study buddy out of it.”

“And who is that?”

Brenda slyly raised her hand. “I’m not ending up like Reggie. I plan to get out of here in four years.”

“Hey, thanks a lot,” Reggie grumbled mockingly.

Jim grabbed the bottle of Jim Beam and poured another cup. “You know, Reg, you really don’t drink as much as you used to.”

Reggie’s eyes narrowed. “Just because I’m not sucking down booze doesn’t make me a lightweight, pal! You know I’ve always been a beer drinker.”

“It’s true, Jim” Brenda affirmed. “As a matter of fact, I’d rather he not get too stuck in that liquor bottle. He’s got to get out of here.”

“Wow,” Jim said, surprised. “I’ve gotta admit, when you two first got together, I didn’t think it was going to work out very well. But look at you now. You’ve got a girlfriend, who also doubles as your conscience.”

“Don’t forget academic advisor,” Reggie added. “She is the one who came up with the Eastern Art idea.”

Jim rolled his eyes and took another drink. Reggie and Brenda excused themselves and left the office, walking towards Brenda’s multi-colored Ford Escort hand-in-hand. As they got to the car, Brenda wrapped her arms around Reggie.

“I really think Jim need to find a girlfriend,” Brenda said as she fiddled with the back of Reggie’s neck.

“That would be a rough gig,” he joked. “Can you imagine the kind of crap she’d have to put up with from him? I wonder if Cleveland’s got a roller derby team. Those chicks seem tough enough to take Jim on.”

“You know what I think? I think he’s freaked that he’s going to be graduating soon.”
Reggie nodded. “Yeah, I guess I would be, too, if I had to adjust my work habit to refrain from throwing chairs. Sure, there are a couple of jobs where he wouldn’t have to worry about it, but he’s too small to be a wrestler, and I really don’t think they pay extras on the Jerry Springer Show that much.”

Brenda laughed lightly, then looked Reggie directly in the eye. “What about you? Aren’t you a little worried about graduating?”

Reggie, who tried to keep from getting lost in Brenda’s deep, dark eyes, replied, “Not really. I left once already. I’m pretty sure I can do it again, except this time, I’m better the degree will help.”

“Do you even know what you’re going to do after school?” Brenda asked.

“Not in the slightest. Writing’s out of the question. I’ll tell you that much. No way I can find a writing job around here that would pay the bills, that’s for sure.”

“I thought we talked about this, Reggie. I don’t mind if you look for a writing job out of town. You know I’d follow you anywhere.”

Reggie smiled and shook his head. “I know you would. But you’ve got a bright enough future without me screwing it up. We can leave after you graduate. In the meantime, I’ll get a 9-to-5 somewhere around here.”

Brenda reached up to Reggie and kissed him. “Did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?”

“Don’t let that get out,” he dead-panned. “I do have a reputation to uphold.”

After five more minutes, Brenda took off for home, leaving Reggie standing in the parking lot unsure about a lot, but sure about at least one thing.