Been busy. Sorry.

Skipped writers group again for an auction. Got a fiber optic tree with color wheel, a kerosene lamp, and about 100 music cassettes (listening to Springsteen Live now).

The how to write a novel class is half over and I have a lot of info on the book I intend to write. This Saturday is the 2nd and final class. I should be writing but I'm not. It's easier to get involved with other things.

Have to win our shuffleboard game Tuesday to remain in contention.

Don't get lost in life...just write.
JH

I am captain of the shuffleboard team. Tuesday is our regular day to play, but it never got out of the forties. We made up the match up on Saturday and won 26-6 which put us in sole 1st place.

Had to skip my writers group in order to shuffle. There are two more weeks before the novel writing class. I have done some of the homework and am now at the point where I must write a one or two page description of what my novel is about. I have a general idea of that. I wonder if it will fill a page or two. There is more homework after that, so the sooner I start the better.

Hope you readers are also writing!
JH

I read the beginning of Snowcrypt at my writers group yesterday. Got some good feedback. Two more weeks of reading to finish it.

Got the packet of homework for the novel class which starts Jan 25. Looks like it will keep me too busy to do much short story writing. I've been wanting to write book-length stories and this appears to be that opportunity.

Glimmer Train is accepting stories with $0 reading fees this month. I'll send in my Small Help.

Write. Then write some more.
JH

I read the end of Hired/Fired at my writers group yesterday. I got a good amount of feedback as I usually do, and some thought my portrayal of the FBI agents was unrealistic. I have rewritten the beginning and will look at the ending to see if I can incorporate some of the suggestions into the story.

Next week I will start reading Snowcrypt, which is a little away from my norm. I look forward to the groups comments.

A senior member of the group, who has two published novels, has consented to teach a two day class on novel writing. I signed up immediately and hope to learn some good things.

Happy New Year to all!
and...Write!
JH

Ok, I'll provide links to make it easy for you.

Southern Cal is free today, Monday, and Tuesday:  http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Cal-Jack-Haller-ebook/dp/B00B2E2268

A Scary Vacation is always free:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303660

If you like those, the other stories are available at $.99 each.
 Reviews are always welcome.

Merry Christmas and
Write!
JH

Shameless promotion. Ebooks make wonderful stocking stuffers and you don't have to fight the crowds or burn your precious gasoline. For $.99 you can't go wrong!

I have 3 short estories on Amazon and 3 on Smashwords.com. Click on the story and then click "gift". Enter the email of the giftee.

A Scary Vacation is free on Smashwords. You could gift it by cutting and pasting the www address in an email to the giftee.
Also, Southern Cal will be free on Amazon on Sun, Mon, Tues Dec. 22-24

Be sure to make time during this busy season to write.
JH

Got my Sony dvd player with wifi. Now I can sell my Wii which I was using as a Netflix interface. I haven't used it since I bowled a 300 game.

Got another rejection this week, twelve for the year.

Saturday was the writers Christmas Party. I tried to write humor and I did get one laugh and some nice applause. The food was great and since I was in Arizona last Christmas I wore my Sedona tshirt, the closest thing to festive that I own.

Am rewriting Lt. Pedro Leon using the advice I got from Saw Palm Magazine. Originally it had to be less than 1,500 words for the library contest. With those restrictions gone the story is at 1,900 and growing.

I feel I'm getting close to beginning work on a novel, at least on the synopsis which I intend to write first.

Write today!
JH