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Friday, December 30, 2011

A Writer's Resolutions

 I can almost hear the collective groans coming from all of you as you read the question, "Are you making any New Year's resolutions?"  It seems like this annual ritual is more known for the jokes concerning how quickly we break them rather than the genuine intent with which these promises to ourselves are made.  But, we can't help but try again every year.  This time we'll really stick to it!

Whether or not you maintain that resolution to lose fifteen pounds or spend more time doing charity work or pay off your debt, there is something wonderful about taking a time for reflection . . . to think about what has happened over the year that is ending and what you hope for the year to come.

With this post, I would like to look at resolutions through my lens as a writer.  What are some things that those of us who put pen to paper (or more likely fingers to keyboard) for a living hope to do in 2012?

I will be releasing my next book, Pabby's Score, in early 2012.  So, on a personal note, I certainly hope that this work reaches many people and is well received.  Those of you who are putting new work out there for consumption next year I'm sure share my anticipation.

I would love to discover a couple new great authors in 2012.  We all know that writers are also avid readers.  I love finding other writers whose work I admire, not only just to enjoy a good novel but also perhaps to learn from their craft.

Finally, I hope to continue to work on finding balance.  How many of you wake up in the middle of the night with a story idea and rush to your computer or a notepad before the details leave your mind?  How many of you feel pressure to complete five more pages or send out one more marketing piece before you allow yourself a walk in the park or, in my case, a round of golf?  Writing is our passion and it is going to be a part of everything we do, but we need to give ourselves a break sometimes as well.

So, what are your resolutions as a writer?  What are your plans for making 2012 the most successful and fulfilling year yet?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Illinois, Corruption, and My Setting


Anyone who has read my stories realizes that the main setting is fictitious Prairie Winds Golf Course, high atop the Mississippi river bluffs east of St. Louis. Even though most of the metro area is located in Missouri the river divides the population and the golf course is located in the neighboring state of Illinois.

Many of the characters of my stories are the unscrupulous businessmen, unethical lawyers, dishonest law enforcement personnel and corrupt politicians.  Those personalities always make for good reading!  So, naturally I took great interest in the recent sentencing of former Governor Rod Blagojevich. He was convicted of attempting to sell the vacant Senate seat of Barack Obama. That’s called “business as usual” in Illinois. You know, line your pockets while you’re in office. The trouble was he wasn’t too smart about it and he didn't cover his tracks. He was convicted on seventeen counts of fraud and lying to the FBI in the “pay to play” scheme.

What really surprised me was that U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel didn’t play politics. Blagojevich received fourteen years in prison. With the guidelines established he has to serve 85% of that sentence. That’s about twelve years of hard time which will make him 67 years old when he gets out. Pow!

Isn’t it about time the courts and our judicial system starts coming down hard on the white-collar slime that violates the public trust? Maybe this will be the beginning of tough sentencing to those politicians who think they are immune to the very laws they create. It should not be acceptable to get elected and a few years later leave office a multi-millionaire.

It’s hard to pinpoint when it all started in Illinois. Bribery, misuse of public funds for private benefit and payoffs for the awarding of contracts seem to run rampant there. Of course the happenings in the southern part of the state are nothing compared to what happens in Chicago.

Does it go back to the bootlegging of Al Capone during Prohibition? Or did it start way before that? What role does former Mayor Daley play? How about the Board of Trade? Is President Barack Obama a benefactor? Maybe it is best for all of us to stay stupid.

Before Blagojevich, former Governor George Ryan was convicted for taking bribes allowing truckers to receive commercial hauling licenses. Ryan served as lieutenant governor when Governor Jim Thompson served the office. Was it a coincidence that Thompson was the manager of the law firm that defended Ryan? How do they explain the deaths of six people that were killed at the hands of an unqualified driver? Do these elected officials have no remorse?

Prior to that, Governor Dan Walker was involved in the savings and loan scandals of the 70s and was convicted for making fraudulent loans to himself. Before him, Governor Otto Kerner, Jr. was convicted of double digit counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury and income tax evasion.  The list of criminal offenses from the Illinois governor's office is quite amazing. It looks like the FBI should set up an office across the street from the Capitol building in Springfield.

The state of Illinois certainly has provided an opportunity to create unforgettable characters with questionable reputations. You’ll have to pick up one of my books to see if they land in prison like their real-life counterparts!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Tim Tebow Would Make a Wonderful Literary Character


I realize that I'm not exactly the first writer to share my take on the Tim Tebow phenomenon that is sweeping the nation, but I think I bring a unique perspective to the conversation -- I wish I had thought of him as a character for my books!

For those not familiar with Tebow, he is the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos who was a mid-season replacement for the struggling Kyle Orton.  Since taking over behind center, Tebow has led his team through mulitple comeback victories that would have seemed unlikely individually, but have become an outright sensation after occurring week after week.  He performs without any amazing skill for the first 50 minutes of the game, and then seems to turn on the magic

Some have wondered if God has His hand in the games, as Tebow is outspoken about his Christian faith, always thanking God after games and kneeling on the sidelines.  Others just think he is the type of quarterback who only has a few good drives in him a game.  And, there are those who simply blame the opposing teams for bad play. 

Whatever the case may be, Tebow is a fascinating person.  And, all of the news stories have me thinking about how Tim Tebow would be a great character for my novels.  I often pull inspiration from sports in general, not just golf, to explain the drive and the passion of the men and women I share on my pages.  How great would a professional athlete whose play may be inspired by God and who causes millions of people to discuss issues of faith and tenacity and dedication be in a novel?  I love the fact that the controversial issues I put front and center in all of my novels probably lead my readers into some heated discussions after they close my book, and I know that a "Tebow-like" character would have such an effect.

Have you been following the Tim Tebow story?  What do you think of his unlikely success and both the adoration and criticism that he has been receiving from both the fans and the media? 

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey  

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Writing Styles--Screenwriting Versus Prose

Here’s a confession. Before my first book, Lifetime Loser, was written I worked on the screenplay. Huh?

That’s right. My approach was opposite from the traditional "writer goes to Hollywood" story. I wrote the screenplay first. I had a wild story with outrageous characters floating around in my head. When I relayed it to a good friend, he said, “That would make a great movie!” The comment forever stuck in my mind.

Two years later, after a golf trip I said, “Today’s the day.”

He said, “For what?”

“Today’s the day I’m going to start that movie.”

That night I went home, joined an online screenwriting club and attempted to learn an art that is so much different than writing prose. It was suggested that I get Final Draft, a screenwriting program, which is a leader in the screenwriting industry. Done. Now what?

I stumbled . . . obviously. Learning the program and commands and format was an eye-opener. But, several months later, what I thought was a masterpiece was completed. The next step was to have it critiqued. That was followed by enough red ink to make two Sharpies proud.

It was time to go back to the drawing board. Two more rewrites followed. My reviewer agreed that I had a compelling story and characters, but my screenwriting left a lot to be desired. I’m sure it did. That style of writing is different than anything a person who sits down to write a novel can imagine.

My next step was to hook up with a professional screenwriter. We discussed everything under the sun and spent a great deal of time on character arcs and themes. We had a major chore before us. The story had approximately ninety characters and lasted fifteen years. It was a nightmare.

We persevered. My rewrites numbered ten. It got better, but was certainly not up to “Hollywood” standards. That adventure took the better part of two more years. What next? I’m stuck in the Midwest and safely tucked away from industry contacts. “How do I generate interest in this screenplay and sell this thing?”

“The book.”

“I don’t want to write a book.”

“You asked.”

After chewing on that for three months I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t doing anything else at the time and I did have quite a story to tell. There was a big need to fill in the blanks that were cut out of the “movie.” The screenplay provided a wonderful outline for my first novel.

What did I learn? Writing prose, although difficult, is much different and a whole lot easier for me. They both are tedious yet worlds apart in styles. One tells the story with words. The other tells the story through pictures. But they are the same in that both create visuals.

Eight months later the sense of accomplishment was unmatched after finishing Lifetime Loser, the book. My first novel was complete. I was hooked. In succeeding years, four additional novels were born. My writing has improved. My character base has grown to over two hundred. The setting has expanded.

What’s left on this journey? It might be time to take a short break. Marketing for five books is very time consuming and involves a great deal of effort. The online and eBook world has exploded. Coming up with a story, complete with plots and subplots and characters, taxes the mind.

But I’ll reveal a little secret that has been tucked away in my mind. I did revisit my screenplay, which has spent some time buried in a lot of files on my computer. It might be time to go back to work on that unique form of expression.

Can I tackle that challenge? You bet. Can I fix it to the standards that a screenplay requires? That remains to be determined. However my desire to take Lifetime Loser to the big screen was how this endeavor started. That’s a dream that I’d like to bring to fruition.

Will that happen? Who knows? It might. As any writer can tell you with the familiar cliché, “Keep writing.”

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey