Launching my River

Although local media ignored it, and the masses stayed away, Monday night's official launch of my latest novel, A Muddy Red River, was a blast. Dapto Library hosted the event which was my first official book launch. I entertained the audience with a talk titled Why Aussie Men Love Asian Women.

The talk included two selected readings from A Muddy Red River. It was the first time I had read my work out loud to an audience, and I liked it. The talk was followed by a discussion, and some selling and signing of the aforementioned and perhaps one day best selling novel.

I dream. I dream of big things. I dream of success. I dream of many, many, many people reading my work. I dream of touching people with my words. I dream therefore I write. I've nearly finished the first draft of my next novel, Lovesick. I have big dreams about it as well.

What do you dream of?

P.S. I'd like to have more members in my group:Aussie Blokes who love and marry Asian Girls  If you know anyone who might be interested please let them know.

Building a River: Part 1

A Muddy Red River was originally inspired by a chance meeting which in fact was barely worthy to be called such. In 1990 I was working with a volunteer missionary group called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). I was in Thailand where my team visited a high school in a province whose name I can no longer recall. I may have forgotten that name, but I have never forgotten the name of Jam, a beautiful young student to whom I was briefly and perfunctorily introduced.

Her name, her pretty face and her slender feminine body became the inspiration for A Muddy Red River. I never saw her again, and it was not until ten years had passed that I began to write the story: a handwritten draft about an Australian man who falls in love at first sight with a Thai women after a chance meeting. As most romances are, this tale would be full of drama and difficulty. Chris Cornell's lyrics sum it up nicely. "You fall in love from a great height, now the easy part's over."

The manuscript ran out of steam after four chapters so I shelved it. At that time, I was concentrating on short stories, believing I was too busy to attempt a novel, and very uncertain about my ability. The very short life of A Muddy Red River proved the point, and those first four chapters remained hidden away in a drawer for more than ten years. Until...

Celebrate the Small Things: Words

Today's blog is brought to you by the letter 'F'. (Hats off to Sesame Street - what a great show!) In the A-Z Blogging Challenge, each day began with a letter and the opportunity to choose any word beginning with that letter, or any theme, and write about it.

In language, the smallest units are called graphemes, and these combine to make phonemes which in turn unite to form morphemes, and morphemes collaborate to form words. And words, as we know, are put together in such a way as to communicate a meaningful message which we call a sentence. It's beautiful, isn't it?

Most people take words for granted. Not me. I love them. I like playing with them, using them, and discovering new ones. I love putting them together. I get excited when I hear or read others do it well. I feel proud when I do it.

Yesterday I wrote another chapter in the first draft of what will be my fifth novel. Chapter 37 contains these words: Did she love Angus? Did she want him back? Forgiveness. Easy to say, hard to do. Nice word. Potent word. Terrifying word. The last adjective in that triplet did not come to me immediately, but when it did, I stared at it with a big smile on my face. Forgiveness is a terrifying word.

Today I give thanks for words. Do you have any favourites? I still get a thrill when I hear someone say pulchritude.

W.A.S. A Muddy Red River cover reveal

Here is the cover for my new novel, A Muddy Red River which is coming soon from Rogue Phoenix Press

The madness of the A to Z Blogging Challenge is over, and now I have returned to my normal writing activities-almost. I say almost because, I have not as yet resumed work on my WIP, Lovesick. I have, however, submitted a number of short stories, and one of them has been accepted for publication. Two rejections and one acceptance. Not bad. Acceptances now stand at 43. My goal is to hit 50 in 2015.

I also entered one of my favourite stories, Still It Bleeds in the Alfie Dog Fiction International Short Story Competition Incidentally, you can find a number of my short stories there at Alfie Dog short stories by D.A.Cairns at Alfie Dog Fiction

The new cover for Devolution is in its final stages and I hope to be able to reveal that to you soon, as well as details of its release.

And lastly, a daft scots lass gave me Bloggin Award for making her smile. Thanks very much for that. It's nice to be appreciated.

Exciting times!

W.A.S.

Work is under way on the cover and layout for my novel Devolution which Dream House will deliver into the heart of the huge Indian market. Novel number four, A Muddy Red River will be published by Rogue Phoenix Press, and my W.I.P, Lovesick is now 32 chapters strong (albeit first draft).

At the 28 chapter mark, I reached a crossroads with Lovesick, and felt that the story was running out of steam. I had to pause and wait for some inspiration. The first spark came while I was out on my early morning road run. The second, in the bathroom several days later. I am surprised that I did not think of these major plot developments and structural deviations earlier, but that is the craft of writing: sometimes you know where you are going, and sometimes you get lost and have to wait until the rescue party appears.

A novel is a living thing, infused with life by the imagination and skill of the author who finds strength in the support and encouragement of other writers, and friends and family. A writing friend gave me some good advice recently which I initially rejected out of pride. I have since contemplated her words and allowed them to permeate my thinking.

The advice was to think less about sales and more about writing. Thanks Rebecca.Rebecca's website 

W.A.S.

Lovesick is proving a difficult creature to handle. I finished chapter 15 this morning and chapter 16 is already complete, but it really isn't flowing. I'm attempting something different with this, my fifth novel, experimenting a little with structure, and while I have a strong overall sense of the narrative and a very strong main character (in my humble opinion), it has been tricky to assemble the pieces. I'm enjoying the challenge but it's taking longer than I anticipated. A Muddy Red River which will be available from Rogue Phoenix Press in 2015, was easy to write.

I'm excited to see how Lovesick will develop. I'm also excited to see how readers react. I don't know how much more I have to write. Despite having a chapter outline, my novel, like all novels, is a living thing so it grows and changes, and I go with it. In that way it resembles its author: a work in progress.

Premature reflection

It troubles me that I have not had a novel released this year, and will not. A Muddy Red River will be released next year, and my previous two novels were released in 2013, in January and September respectively. When I go full time I won't let that happen again. In fact I would like to release two books each year: one novel and one work of non fiction.

I've only had 8 short stories published this year so far, which although better than the 6 which were published in 2013, is still less than the glorious 18 in 2012. Mind you, I have not written a new short story since the as yet unpublished Dry Reach in December 2012. Maybe I should.

2014 has been a relatively quiet year for me as a writer so far, although personally it has been anything but quiet. Turbulent and intense. Maybe next year the tables will turn. Maybe they'll turn next month. Perhaps even today. Let's see.

On to other things

I finally managed to work through the list of publishers to whom I submitted A Muddy Red River, to inform them that I had signed with another publisher.

The tale of the tape: 66 queries submitted. 12 rejections. 46 no replies. 6 joint venture offers. 2 traditional press offers. 1 contract signed with Rogue Phoenix Press.

Now on to the next project, or should I say back to it. I've had a bit of a change of heart and now I know exactly what to do now.

A Muddy Red River

More rejections

I received two more rejections this week. Although rejections are unwelcome and often unpleasant reminders of how hard it can be to find a publisher, I already have one so I don't really care. In case you missed the news, I signed with Rogue Phoenix Press.

preview my forthcoming novel here  A Muddy Red River

I still have 13 more emails to write to publishers from whom I have not heard.

A Few Irons

The good news about the offer of a publishing contract for A Muddy Red River, is still being diluted by ongoing struggles in my personal life. I'm also supposed to resume my studies this semester but I have no appetite for further dull academic instruction. I should begin my next novel, after deciding to shelve the one I had already begun, but I can't seem to find my way to that particular door. At least I know where the room is, and I know what's in there. I wish there was a much certainty in my life as there is in my writing. If only it was as easy to do as it was to know.

A Muddy Red River chapter 1

Delightful Deliberations

I'm a creative and passionate person. I've been called a dreamer but I know, with apologies to John Lennon, that I am not the only one. I have tended to make things hard for myself throughout my life while simultaneously wishing for and espousing the virtues of simplicity. I may complain about problems, rail against the onslaught of various tribulations, but that is life, and I love life.

I'm on the verge of signing a contract for the publication of my fourth novel, A Muddy Red River. I don't like details and fine print because I'm a big picture kind of person but am I unhappy about having to go over the fine print of a publishing contract? Hell no!

Preview A Muddy Red River here

A Pleasing Dilemma

Square Pegs will from now on feature much more regular updates. I plan to post new content every day, but apart from the usual big Sunday post, the entries will be small. As a writer, much of my life is consumed with writing related activities. Most, though not all of my daily updates will be writing related. I will essentially write about whatever I want to because it's my blog.

I have received a contract offer with a traditional small press publisher. I have also received five offers from subsidy publishers. My manuscript, A Muddy Red River, will be my fourth published novel. I am still unknown and have not been able to break through yet, despite my best efforts. The attraction of the subsidy, or joint venture publishers, is the increased exposure through marketing and various listings. The downside is the risk. I may lose money for no discernible benefit in terms of exposure.

Any thoughts on which way I should go?