As of this entry, I have begun the second draft of the Seigi origin novel, tentatively titled I AM JUSTICE.  Chronologically, the story takes place in May of 1999 and is centered around Jamie and Yoshi’s wedding.  Book Eight of THE ADVENTURE CHRONICLES will take place in October of 1999 and will center on an archaeological dig in Romania.  Then, Book Nine will take place the last week of 1999.

I finished the first draft of the Seigi novel in September of 2022, so three-and-a-half months ago, as of this writing.  I had intended to write the first draft of Book Eight in October, then do the second draft of I AM JUSTICE in November . . . or maybe even write the first draft of Book Nine that month.  Unfortunately, my mental state just couldn’t work that out.

And so I find myself in January of 2023, plugging away on the second draft of my superhero novel.  Frankly, I’m not sure what’s been wrong with me.  Once I’m in front of the computer each day, I’m fine.  It’s just the process of putting my butt in the chair and my fingers on the keys that gives me so much trouble.

I did come up with a marketing plan that I want to try.  I came up with the idea last year.  My plan is to donate a copy of at least INVASION OF THE NINJA to one library in every state in the country . . . eventually.  I’m hoping that this will prompt those libraries to buy the rest of the series.  Also, I’m hoping that having a copy of the book on library will make it searchable throughout the state.  The plan is to donate it to a small enough library that they won’t immediately disregard it, out of hand, given a small enough budget to happily take unsolicited donations.  Honestly, I don’t know how well this will work out.  But at least it is a plan.

I picked one small town in each state (with more than one in my home state of Missouri).  Many of them were just picked randomly due to weird names.  I chose the Arkansas library due to having lived in that particular town for six months in 1989.

I began the process with Palmer Library in Elsberry, MO, yesterday.  The librarian was delighted to have an author donate his book to them directly and even requested that I sign them.  She showed me the two sections where my books would be kept (LILY’S REDEMPTION in Christian Fiction and INVASION OF THE NINJA in YA).  I gave them fliers for the other books in hopes that it will lead them to order the rest of the series.  As I begin mailing the copies out of state, I intend to create a sell sheet to send with them—one that will give them the necessary info on the other books without needing to send multiple pages.

So I’m still working.  Keep me in your prayers and, if you’ve read my books, be sure to leave honest reviews on your favorites sites.

Until next time, God Bless.