Ask anyone in their right mind and they’ll tell you that 2017 was a pretty interesting year. From the changing political landscape to the Astros winning the World Series (word), there hasn’t been a dull moment.
Over the course of the last year, I did my best to write about the things that interested me, whether they be negative or positive. I’m not exactly certain how this 2018 will go for me when it concerns writing. Some of my best ideas came from the writers group I was involved in for the past three plus years. When I joined the Writers of The Woodlands, I had just finished my debut novel, Fight. When it was released, I was thrilled to have so many of my writer friends from the group attend the book launch.
From the platform of this group, I would write many short stories, conduct several presentations, manage the social media and website posting, and begin my trek to writing another novel.
My most recent finished work, The Hostile Light, which is based on the Korean War (and has not been picked up by an agency as of yet), stemmed from a monthly writing competition. Without that initiative, I wouldn’t have started on the work. In fact, I knew next to nothing about the Korean War. The writers group contest led me to interview numerous war veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam; read countless books; watch documentaries; spend endless hours in research; and even take a trip to South Korea to complete my research. All of that from a monthly writing contest.
So I take this moment to thank the Writers of The Woodlands. You all were very good to me; in particular, the group’s fearless leader and all-around wonderful lady, Ms. Sam.
MORE WORK FROM 2017
I left the writers group at the end of summer to join Young Life, a Christian organization that reaches out to local public high schools. But before I left, I found myself delving deeper into small pieces I had written in the group. These included my piece on the Russian dossier concerning President Trump and a piece on my perspective of good and evil (which grew from the required maximum five pages to about 25 pages when I finished it). Both of these were placed in my collection of 2017 articles I published this year called My Best of 2017: God to Trump to Communism. That can be purchased on Amazon as an ebook (go ahead and get it).
Another published item, which was very exciting to write and was picked up by a publisher, was my fan fiction piece on Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Man. The maximum amount of pages allowed was five. Once I read it to the group, it was agreed I should continue it to completion. Forty-seven pages later, it was complete and published in November of last year. The paperback and ebook versions can also be purchased on Amazon (yes, go ahead and get that too).
WHAT WILL 2018 BRING?
I’m not certain what this year will bring. I have been spending way more time reading than writing, hence my last post being Nov. 30 regarding my trip to Scotland. But I feel the urge to write more about some disturbing topics I see in the political and social landscape. I am also being drawn to write more fiction, though of what I am not sure.
It’s no New Year’s Resolution (although I have written on that subject before), but I agree that I need to get my year going with the writing. It’s still January, so it’s not too late to start. I hope you’ll join me in my investigative and travel adventures this 2018 just as you did in 2017.