Still finishing the first revision of Totem. I had a goal of the end of May, but, alas, it is now June…and it’s still not done. I’m learning a lot during the writing of my debut novel, not the least of which is maybe I should stop setting deadlines! Just write until it’s done?!? That being said, I’m hoping to finish it in another week, send it out to my beta readers, get it back for another quick revision, and upload it to Kindle. Hang in there patient people, it’s coming!

Original Post:

Well, my first (albeit self-imposed) publication deadline for Totem has arrived and I am not ready to publish the book yet. It needs more work, so as much as it pains me to do this, I am pushing back the deadline for publication. I will post an update in a week or so to give you a better idea of when Totem will be published. Thank you for your patience. I believe the book will be worth the wait for you. At least, it will be for me. Ha!

All That Lives Must Die–Eric Nylund

Watchers–Dean Koontz

Mere Christianity–C. S. Lewis

The Mistborn Trilogy–Brandon Sanderson

Elantris–Brandon Sanderson

Shadowland–Peter Straub

Ghost Story–Peter Straub

Boy’s Life–Robert R. McCammon

Stinger–Robert R. McCammon

They Thirst–Robert R. McCammon

Ender’s Game–Orson Scott Card

Lost Boys–Orson Scott Card

Running with the Demon–Terry Brooks

The Rainy Season–James P. Blaylock

The Keep–F. Paul Wilson

On Writing–Stephen King

The Dead Zone–Stephen King

The Stand–Stephen King

Firestarter–Stephen King

The Science of God–Gerald R. Schroeder

The Bourne Identity–Robert Ludlum

The Gemini Contenders–Robert Ludlum

The Hunt for Red October–Tom Clancy

Debt of Honor–Tom Clancy

A Fire Upon the Deep–Vernor Vinge

A Deepness in the Sky–Vernor Vinge

Dragon Weather (Obsidian Chronicles)–Lawrence Watt-Evans

Vertical Run–Joseph R. Garber

Alone.

Alone at night.

No lights.

Blackout. You have no flashlights or candles.

You hear a noise.

As the night goes on it gets louder.

You try to call someone but the phone is dead.

The noise is now coming from within the next room.

You close the door.

You sit in the far corner of the room.

The doorknob turns.

Oh no!

You forgot to lock the door.

The door opens.

All you see is a huge shadow.

An awful stench fills the room.

It smells like burnt flesh.

What is this thing?

Then you remember.

There was a fire in the house next door yesterday.

Only one person came out of the house.

He came running out.

He had been on fire.

Nobody saw him fall into the open manhole.

Nobody except you.

But you didn’t say anything.

You thought he was dead.

You wanted him to be dead.

You had started that fire in the house.

Nobody saw you put the manhole cover back on.

Now he has come back for revenge.

But it can’t be.

It just can’t be.

Can it?

You look out the window and into the street.

You gasp in horror.

The manhole cover is not on the manhole.

It is smashed to pieces in the middle of the street.

The shadow is now moving closer.

You try to open the window.

It’s stuck!

You rip down one of the curtains and wrap it around your hand.

You smash the window with your fist.

It’s coming closer!

As you jump out the window it grabs you by the ankle.

It tries to pull you back in but you grab hold of the windowsill

Shards of glass are grinding themselves into your chest and arms

It pulls harder.

You are slipping from the windowsill.

Pain shoots through your leg as the creature yanks on it.

You scream in pain.

No one hears you.

Suddenly you feel a new and more excruciating pain in you leg.

As you look at you leg you realize it is on fire.

With one last effort you free yourself.

You jump out the window and run across your front lawn.

The fire is now up to your chest.

You run into the street.

No one sees you fall into the manhole.

Revelation: A New Covenant Commentary–Gordon D. Fee (currently reading)

The Breach–Patrick Lee

Ghost Country–Patrick Lee

Deep Sky–Patrick Lee

The Dead Zone–Stephen King (second time, first time back in the early ’80s)

Bag of Bones—Stephen King

From a Buick 8–Stephen King

A Dark Matter—Peter Straub

The Pearl—John Steinbeck

Showdown—Ted Dekker

Darkest Fear–Harlan Coben

Never Look Away–Linwood Barclay

The Keeper’s Son–Homer Hickam

Broken–Karin Slaughter

Totem release date is March 20, 2012

I’m almost done writing the first revision of my debut novel, Totem. After another week or two, I’ll send it out to a few friends and relatives who’ve agreed to read it before it goes public. After that, I’ll revise it a second time, and then it’ll be ready. I’ll upload it to Kindle on March 20. The good folks at Amazon will then do some checking of it to make sure it’s OK for publication, and that may take a day or two.

Check it out, as it’ll be real cheap! I mean, dirt cheap, as in you could buy numerous copies for your family and friends. Haha!!

So, there you go. Leave a comment, email me, like me on Facebook, and let me know your thoughts.