Okay so here I am starting over – a year older – somewhat poorer and (I hope) much wiser.   I had a great book.  I knew that for sure.  But I needed to market it properly this time around. So here is the game plan:   First – it is now only one book.  Not […]

Faythe of North Hinkapee is a saga.  And it hits the following themes:   Historical fiction set in Colonial Times A young woman protagonist who triumphs against adversity Women being the key players – protagonists, ruthless enemies, close friends with deep inter-woman bonds and relationships – and all having travails and triumphs against ruthless men […]

You probably know by now that I love Ken Follett’s writings more than anything, and I have tried to emulate him in what I have written so far.  But I have to wonder about Mr. Zafon as a special inspiration.  Unlike Ken Follett – and me, so far – every paragraph of Zafon’s books are […]

As you know, I am a first time (published) fiction author, and this book took a lot of time – and incredible effort – to raise back up the creative writing skills that smoldered when I was a school-age kid.  In my youth, I was really good at making up stories and writing them.  My […]

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I thought my audience was supposed to be a type of person, such as:   Women Men Kids Adults Older people Younger people Historical fiction aficionados Yada yada yada   But being honest that isn’t it at all.   Instead, I have concluded that my audience is people who love to get sucked into page-turning […]

After thinking about it, I am becoming The World’s (Second) Most Interesting Man.  I didn’t plan it that way, but that is what seems to be happening.  And the more things I start to do, the more it gives rise to still more things.   I have so many hobbies and things going on now […]

So where did James Tobias Hogg come from?  Here is the background:   To start out, I don’t really like my (real) name that much.  There is nothing wrong with it, but it just isn’t that interesting a name.  If only I could be James Bond, and say when people asked my name:   “The […]

I apologize if I sound like kind of, well, a bit of a jerk, but I guess sometimes that is what I am.  Here goes…..   It was about twenty years ago – probably around the year 2000.   I had just read a fiction book that was a Best Seller.  I don’t remember the […]

Ken Follett has been an inspiration to me.  I find myself continuously wrapped up in his books, whether super long or short – and eagerly awaiting his next book.  The characters I root for wholeheartedly – and I thoroughly hate the bad evil characters.  Plus the plots are incredibly interesting, creative and suspenseful.  How many […]