Steve Patton's Blog: Mepho Press - Posts Tagged "message"

I am truly jumping the gun here, making a Book Trailer for a book I may squeeze out by Christmas, but it will be a stretch. The book has already been written (it was one of the original three books I wrote for my son), but there is of course one book ahead of it going through editing (The Sun Also Sets), plus I think The Message (the name of the book) will flush out to be my longest book yet...hence more editing.

All that said, I had a concept video and ran with it, and was very pleased with it. The Message, in short, is about a high school girl on a STEM tour when there is an explosion and a dying man gives her a message that can only be delivered to the President of the United States. The rest of the book is her journey to complete the mission while everyone else is pretty much trying to stop her. She goes to school with three boys who throw in with her, more by circumstances than choice, but none of them are friends and barely acquaintances.

So the trailer is there, at the link below. More on this book and others, and how to purchase my books can be found on my Author's Website: www.ridgewriters.com

Video Trailer: The Message

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9jIu...

I really should figure out how to link my website blog to here, so I am not doing two posts almost alike!

I have switched out the order of my upcoming books, and for my fans, wanted to clarify what is upcoming and what has been moved.

1. A Band of Dogs (Christmas 2025)
2. TMA: Generations Lost (early 2025)
3. The Message (Summer 2025)
4. Naploeon and Elizabeth (2025?)
5. Mirror Friend (2025?)
6. RS: The Last of the Lion Hunters (2026)

I have not written much on Mirror Friend, but it is one moving up in my list. I like the concept and Idea and have enough notes on it to start writing. It may be a 2025 release, not sure yet. It is not a kids book, but would be for 18 and above. As well Napoleon and Elizabeth. Where I see Napoleon and Elizabeth as a fantasy/thriller, I see Mirror Friend as Horror/Fiction, but Horror is really too strong of a word because it's really not.

A couple of changes since I last posted. I want to try to work in a true children's book this year. My son during the summer rescued a tadpole that only had two front legs - it never grew the hind legs. It is now a small tree frog that has connected with my son and lives a very happy life. It is a story I would like to tell of their bond, but also about the frog's amazing ability to overcome.

Also, I am getting a lot more positive feedback on The Sun Also Sets than I did on Of Times and Places compared to the same time period. I have all my thoughts and notes ready to go for book two, which will be The Last of the Lion Hunters. This may get bumped up as well.

So for those interested...here is the new order (which will probably change again : ):

1. A Band of Dogs (Christmas 2024)
2. Climber Jr. (New Year 2024/2025)
3. The Message (Early 2025)
4. TMA: Generations Lost (2025)
5. RS: The Last of the Lion Hunters (2025)

The drafts are done and submitted. Now it is just a waiting game of anticipation. A Band of Dogs: Foundations releases on February 2.

But what's next for me?

That is a big question. There are so many directions I could go, and so many manuscripts I have ideas for. So for now...

I am going to step back and take a breather. I need to shore up some Library of Congress stuff on my books and other things, and follow through on some things I've neglected along the way. In doing that, I'm taking a low-profile stance...

I will be working on the two companion books to The Marsh Adventures and The Sun Also Sets, as well the accompanying coloring book for The Marsh Adventures. While doing all this, I will be working on The Message.

The Message was the third story I had written for my son and my longest (non-published) story for him. It is a story of espionage, friendships, plots and twists, and I promise anyone who reads this will not see the end coming. I will hope to have it ready by Christmas 2025 or before.

I would like to get the next book in the Marsh Adventures out this year, the prequal, if doable.

Doesn't sound like much does it?

Whew! Wow! I finished my third round of edits on The Message. Round three is usually the most intense and time consuming - it is where I focus mainly on grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc. From here it is all down hill and things will start moving faster on the book. Still more to do, but an end is in sight!

A release in August...no too close. September? Maybe. October or November though is what I still see happening. As I always state, I will never rush a book or release a book before its time.

In the meantime, check out some of my prior books: The Marsh Adventures Book One and Two, A Band of Dogs: Foundations, or the great African adventure, The Sun Also Sets.

Thank you to all my loyal fans, friends and followers!

www.ridgewriter.com