The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 31

Sex, violence and a naked blond girl...Chapter Thirty One is now on line. No, it is not x-rated.
The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 31

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 30

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The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 30

Blood Trail

Jon woke with his stomach clenched from hunger, his body aching from half-healed wounds. The dawn was just a glow through the trees, and the last, brightest stars were peering through clouds. He looked over at Max, still asleep curled up inside Jon’s cloak. The nights were warm, but Max always felt cold. He hardly slept, the pain from his burns kept him awake.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 29

Alelu Miami On The Run

Alelu Miami stared down into the black pit at her toes. A knotted rope fashioned from fine silk clothing ran from the door handle, across the floor and down into the darkness, the lower end out of sight even with the lamp lit. Alelu got down on her knees and held the lamp down as far as she could. The lower end of the rope was still out of sight.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 29

Why Post Your Fiction On Line?

I have been doing an experiment, posting a new novel on line as a serial. The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Every few days I post a new chapter. To date I have 28 chapters posted. Why? Isn't the book good enough to get published?

I think it is, or, it could become good enough. Most of my publishing efforts right now are concentrated on another novel, and I don't really want to be caught up in the query process hell with two novels. Besides, the novel going on line isn't really ready for that yet. It still needs at least a few more chapters written cold, and the chapters that are done are not in a final order yet. I am even considering eliminating some and seriously revising others. No publisher would pick up a novel in this state from an unknown writer.

So, why is it ready for on line if it isn't good enough for publishing?

It is good enough, it just isn't ready, and won't be without a lot of work. Publishing it on line is forcing me to do the work. I have readers now. Real readers, who e-mail and facebook me, prodding me to get that next chapter up. So I sit down and write, edit, proofread, and post.

Each chapter takes a couple of days from the raw state to good enough to post. I have to choose when to publish, which chapter to place next, which characters to emphasize. All of the decisions I would normally do over the course of months, with advice from test readers and an editor.

There are other worries. Some of this story was written ten years ago. My style was very different then. How much do I adapt the old style to my new? How hard do I push the religious theme? Publishing it on line is forcing me to deal with the story on a day to day basis, at what is for me very high speed. It is like the difference between speed chess and chess. Different skills are in play. If I make a mistake it is a lot harder to go back and correct. My readers will react, and I don't want them to react by leaving!

Discipline. Writing on line is disciplining me to write every day, something I have always been weak at. I have often gone months without writing a word, then sat down and ripped out three convoluted chapters in a day. It has worked for me. But it doesn't get the job done very fast. Since I have this story well on the way towards the finish, and I know where I want to go with it, I should be able to write diligently and get it finished in a few months. With my old writing style that just wouldn't happen. Now, I think it will. I have broken the goal down to one chapter at a time, of a thousand to two thousand words per chapter. I can do that. A chapter in a day, then a few days to let it work in my subconscious, a few days to play around with it, revising. A day to proofread, eliminating most of my stock phrases and the typos. And done. Bite the bullet and publish.

Can I keep it up and publish two chapters a week? I will see. It will probably end up being one per week, when I get to the point of writing the final new material.

I wonder, though, if I am losing something. Certainly any chance of ever getting this book in print with a traditional publisher. I plan to finish this on line effort, then put it all together and self publish, an e-book with Amazon or one of the other e-book publishers. Perhaps I can even make a few dollars off of it. I have already gotten a few bucks from Google AdSense click-throughs. Time will tell.

What I really hope to accomplish is to get my name in front of real readers, who are reading because they want to find out how it ends. That, I am accomplishing, though still not in the numbers I would like (millions). Later, they might just buy some other book with my name on it.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 28

The latest installment of my sci-fi/fantasy novel is now posted. Click the link to read. Links to all chapters are on my profile page there.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 28

Blood Ties

Jon stood before the door and listened carefully for any reaction from inside the house. All was quiet. He felt cold, though the night was warm early summer. Sweat drenched his body and his breath was still coming in gasps. One down and four to go.

The first had gone according to plan.Almost too easy. Jon tried to bring his breathing under control, and nearly succeeded, though his heart was hammering.I killed a man.

Food That Causes Farts

Food That Causes Farts

How to avoid farting.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker, Index Of Chapters

A reader suggested that I make it easier to navigate the story on line, so I made this index of the chapters, with a separate link to each. Thanks.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker, Index Of Chapters

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 27

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 27

Jon confronts the murderers. Click the link above to read my SF novel on line.

Food Shortages And Higher Food Prices

Food Shortages And Higher Food Prices

What is causing the current round of food price inflation? Learn here, and learn how we can avoid this the next time.

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

An article on the relationship between the US military and our two political parties.

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

An article on the relationship between the US military and our two political parties.

Population Bomb, Teen Pregnancy. Oh No! My Kid Just Had A Kid!

Population Bomb, Teen Pregnancy. Oh No! My Kid Just Had A Kid!

Teen pregnancy is bad, right? Click the link above to read an alternative view.

Just Gotta Love Them Tiny Feet

Just Gotta Love Them Tiny Feet

A link to the first little bit of fiction I ever finished, and the only short story I have written that wasn't a kid's story, or a class assignment. It held up better than I expected, when I went back and read it again. But it demonstrates the rule, show, don't tell. Too much telling, not enough showing. Still, I like the story, it catches some emotions.

Click the link to read.

Politicians Love Poverty And Debt.

Democrat politicians want us to be poor and in debt. Republican politicians don't much care one way or the other. Neither is on the side of the little guy.

Look at the facts. What does the government encourage, and what discourage? Debt is encouraged. What is most peoples' biggest tax deduction? The mortgage. We are encouraged to take on more and bigger debt, in order to qualify for a tax break. We wouldn't need that tax break if taxes weren't so damned high in the first place. Click the link to read the whole thing.
Politicians Love Poverty And Debt.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Six

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Six

Blood, gore and violence. Click to read.

A Good First Job For A Kid

A Good First Job For A Kid

In my writing I use memories of my past to bring life to my characters. One of my first jobs was baling hay on the farm. Low pay, hard work with a gang of teen guys. A lot of my characters go through similar experiences, and I try to keep the details realistic. Click the link to read more.

Is Dental Insurance A Scam?

Is Dental Insurance A Scam?

Read an article from a dental insurance insider. Evaluate your policy, cost vs. benefits for dental insurance. Sometimes dental insurance is a scam, sometimes not.

Stuck In Telephone Hell. How To Get Off The Customer Service Merry-Go-Round

Stuck In Telephone Hell. How To Get Off The Customer Service Merry-Go-Round

Some hints on how to avoid the customer service run-around, and get the results you want when you call the customer service line.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Five

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Five

This chapter begins a number of very grim and bloody chapters. Jon is confronted with some of the evil that has been pursuing him. They have finally caught up and are waiting...

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Four

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Four

Click the link to read more.

A Little Salt

The boy's name was Akio, it turned out, and Jon soon found himself overwhelmed by his nonstop, barely intelligible conversation. It wasn't long before he found himself invited to share the evening meal with the boy's father, he had no other family it seemed.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Four

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Four

Click the link above to read more.

A Little Salt

The boy's name was Akio, it turned out, and Jon soon found himself overwhelmed by his nonstop, barely intelligible conversation. It wasn't long before he found himself invited to share the evening meal with the boy's father, he had no other family it seemed.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Three

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Three

Click the link above to read.

Chapter Twenty Three

Alelu Miami And The Leather Pants

Alelu looked at herself critically in her small mirror. "It will do," she said as she admired her crude haircut and the other changes she had made. Her waist-length hair lay in a mass on the floor beside her stool. Her head felt strange, light, and cold. She had been born with a full head of hair, and had never had more than a trim in all her short life. She felt free.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Three

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Three

Click the link to read.

Chapter Twenty Three

Alelu Miami And The Leather Pants

Alelu looked at herself critically in her small mirror. "It will do," she said as she admired her crude haircut and the other changes she had made. Her waist-length hair lay in a mass on the floor beside her stool. Her head felt strange, light, and cold. She had been born with a full head of hair, and had never had more than a trim in all her short life. She felt free.

Find an Illustrator for your Cover Art

I had a good buddy back in high school that I lost track of. Then, the wonders of Facebook, and we got back in touch. He was an excellent artist then, and I checked out his work on his Facebook page and saw what he is up to now. He has been doing comic book art, including cover art, and he is pretty darned good.

We had a meeting today and discussed my new novel, Eden's Rat, and another novel I have in the works. We didn't talk price, but he is willing to do some sketches for me after he reads the stories. The final product I saw in his portfolio was thematically different from my type of story, but I am excited to see what he can do with science fiction/fantasy themes.

I'll be posting some of his work here over the next few weeks. Maybe if you see some potential there for your novel cover art, you can give him a try.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Two

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Two

Introducing a new character, Shan Shen. Click the link above to read.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

Alelu Miami In Hiding

"I'm bored," Alelu said to herself, for at least the hundredth time today. Or so she imagined. It was the one thing which she had not prepared for properly. How wonderfully it had all gone, everyone obeying her, falling in with her plans as if they were conscious partners.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Nineteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Nineteen

Here is the next installment of my on-line novel. Click the link above to read. There is a link on that page to chapter one.

The Bow

Jon Homeless had a problem. The day promised glories, hot sun splashed through high trees, casting shadows of oak and walnut leaf across his broad back, but Jon was sunk in thought. The fish in this little pool between twin riffles were playing hard to get. He had already taken, and eaten whole and raw a few small ones, but that was not what had him deep in a muse. The here and now was lost to him. He mechanically drew and cast his line with casual skill, trying first the bank edge, then the center, then the head or foot of the pool as the random urge took him.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter EIghteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter EIghteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Seventeen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Seventeen

Click the link above to read chapter seventeen or to find a link to the other chapters.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Sixteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen, with links to all other chapters, is now on line. Click the link above to read.