Writing and Scammers

The other day I was chatting with my writing partner, Beauford, and one topic we almost always start with is "How many scammers called you this week?" My friend is typically getting several calls a day from agents, editors, promoters all trying to get him to part with his money and identity. Now, I don't often get called. I get e-mailed. Lately the e-mails have been getting more interesting and more helpful. Honestly, I read them, and all the compliments they toss out about my books, and begin to think that would make a great back jacket blurb or work well in a letter to an agent of an editor. So if I decide to use what they write is that stealing? I mean can you actually steal from a thief (scammer), who is trying to steal from you? For all I know they found an illegal download of my book and got an AI to write something catchy. Usually the book I get hit up for the most is Unicorn's Milk. I'm not sure if it is because of the title or the way I registered it with the Library of Congress. But with 14 books in print, that's the one that is usually singled out. Until this week . . . This week someone actually contact me about The Conrad Chronicles. That was a bit of a surprise for sure. I did give them a bit of the benefit of the doubt about being real (1%) and told them if they wanted to meet in person in a coffee house and have their ID on them to prove who they were, I'd listen to their proposal. They had no response to that. Anyway, I want to share what they wrote about the Conrads. It was very nice, though they said there were 8 books in the series, and there are actually 9. Here's part of the e-mail: Twenty years. Eight novels. A universe spanning multiple planets, generations-long storylines, soul mate arcs across lifetimes, and a spiritual undertone that clearly reflects your love of C.S. Lewis. That is not a hobby project. That is a life's work, and it deserves to be found. Here is the honest truth I have to share with you. The readers who would absolutely love the Conrad Chronicles are out there right now. Fans of C.S. Lewis who want science fiction with spiritual depth. Epic fantasy readers who want world-building that spans millennia. Readers of Brandon Sanderson, N.K. Jemisin, and Anne McCaffrey who are always hungry for more. They are searching and they have not found your series yet. That is not a writing problem. It is purely a discoverability problem. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world were a writer (or any artist) could believe people were actually randomly out there and would randomly contact them and wanted to support them and help make them rich? Isn't that why fiction is so great?

My Books and I Will Be at an Event!

This year is the year I am determined to do more out in the world projects with my writing and not just in my head imagining and writing in the corner of my favorite coffee house. So, to go along with this I will be working an event at the NIWA table on April 18, 2026. The event is The Salem Paper Arts Festival in Salem, Oregon. The day fair runs from 11 am to 5 p.m. and is free to attend. At that time you'll be able to find some of novels for sale. Then the great event, the one I'm looking forward to, is The Evening Ball (runs 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.). This ticket event ($45 a ticket) allows you to attend this costume/formal ball. That is the part of the day you will find me at the NIWA table, and of course I will be dressed up. These book experiences are being held at The Grand Ballroom and Lodge located at 187 High Stree NE, Salem, Oregon. I hope to see you there!

It's been forever . . .

My blog! I have finally found my way back to it. Ideas have not been lacking, but when Google changed its format, I couldn't figure out how to post to my blog. Tonight I finally found the magic button to allow me to return and post again. Yeah! Since my last post, Konrad Reichenberger is still a missing persons. As he has now been gone seven years, last spring his family decided to hold a memorial service for him in Coloma, California, one of his favorite places. I was fortunate enough to attend this beautiful outdoor ceremony celebrating Konrad's life. Even know the family and all his friends are still seeking him or information to his whereabouts. As a reminder he disappeared in the California Pine area of Alturas County California. Meanwhile I have been writing. It's been so long that I don't remember if I wrote about the last two books of mine to be published. The first is the last in The Conrad Chronicles series and is titled Resolution. As with all my books it is available at . The book is only available through Lulu or via me if you see me at some fair. By doing this I can keep the price down. If I made it available everywhere I'd be force to accomadate Amazon's pricing and that would mean I'd need to sell the book for more than $20 just to make a quarter. The other book is in a different genre. Years ago I connected with a publisher to write this book, but the press never came through in the end, so I decided to make it available on Lulu.com as well. This book I chose to create a hardback edition first. It is Ghost Tales from Northern California's Highway 101. The link to purchase it is . Ghost Tales is not connected to any of my other books and involved me dusting off my history degree and doing some research. The tales inside are spooky, but not horrifying. As the back reads Welcome to chilling stories from Northern California's Highway 101. Ghosts, spooks, and other supernatural creatures hide within these pages. Spine tingling tales from behind the Redwood curtain will send you exploring ship wrecks, haunted houses, and up the old Highway 101 now known as Bell Springs Road. Enjoy. Happy Reading! I'm back!