Showing posts with label Falling Down. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Falling Down. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Mission Accomplished (Partly)

I cannot believe it's actually happened, but I have completed the re-release of Falling Down and Mystery, Malevolence & Murder: Volume One. Both books have now successfully been released through my own press, as of yesterday. For some reason it continues to defy belief that I started this process a few years ago with a simple thought, a simple spark of inspiration. Now it's grown into this huge thing that I've been blessed to witness firsthand. God has really been very good to me on a number of levels and I'm glad that I was wise enough to slow down and accept his blessing.

This was one of a few things on my short list that I'm marking down. The next challenge will be to complete my thesis and graduate from CCNY this coming December. I'm so busy getting Lux ex Tenebris ready for evaluation and will be meeting with a faculty advisor, who will serve as a mentor to me through this process. It's not over by a long shot; there will be a lot of long nights ahead of me, but I can do it. If I can get my publishing company off the ground, and do so where it doesn't break the bank, I can do just about anything.

In the upcoming months I have a few other projects I'm working on. I have another short story collection that I'm putting together. Lux will be released through Another Shore Press, LLC sometime late next year or early 2013. MM&M Volume Two was completed a year ago and will enter the copy editing stage shortly. The Falling Down film project is moving forward. Lots of great things coming, so I'm looking forward to posting them here.

Stick with me. There's a lot more to come.

Special Thanks: Rolf Wolff, David P. Schafer.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

May 19th

The re-release of Falling Down and Mystery, Malevolence & Murder Volume One is on May 19th. I'm very excited, especially since this is the first pair of releases from my literary press. The books will come out on eBook first. The paperback releases are TBA!

Good times are ahead, so stay tuned!

Dave

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Time is On My Side! (Yes it is)

Sorry I've been away for a while, but I've managed to complete my fifth semester at City College in grand style. Now that I've got more time I can return my focus to working on a few projects. As of today, the second edition of Falling Down is now complete. My copy editor has given the thumbs up on my last submission, with some edits here and there on his own. My graphic artist has completed a strikingly beautiful cover. As for Mystery, Malevolence & Murder - Vol One, I've nearly completed my edits and will send that to the copy editor once they're done. The cover should be done soon as well.

As for school, 2011 will be the year I finish my Master's degree. I'm starting this year with a bit of sadness. I've really enjoyed my time at City College. For someone who didn't have a bachelor's degree back in 2006 to be looking at an MFA by the end of 2011 is really something. I've had a lot of hustle in me for the last four, going on five, years and my MFA will be the crown jewel of all my hard work. If you would've told me years ago that I would be in this position I probably wouldn't have believed you. But through the support of so many wonderful people who believed I could do it, I doubt if any of this would be possible. City College is such an underrated place. It's recognized as a great school, but I don't think it quite gets the respect it does. I subscribe to Poets and Writers Magazine and for the last two years they've done a ranking on the top MFA schools. In last year's edition CCNY finished 94th or 95th in the top 100. The latest P&W only did the top 50 and we didn't place. These rankings have been criticized heavily by magazines like The Writer's Chronicle and members of writing faculties across the country because it appears biased and incomplete. That's why I feel City is underrated. Every class has been chock full of talented writers who bring real live perspectives to their work. Many of us have careers that we tend to everyday and we bring that gift into our school and breathe life into it with each stroke of the keys. I've seen a lot of good people in my classes, all of whom could be very successful, and I feel blessed to be in their presence - learning and listening to them share such wonderful works of art. My last class in particular had several talented writers and I hope and wish the absolute best for all of them. While I'm looking forward to graduating next year, I will miss seeing them, as well as the beautiful campus of CCNY, which has become almost a home away from home for me.

I'll make sure I enjoy the remaining time I have. Meanwhile, it's back to work - writing, designing and managing my time so I can make my own way. One day at a time.

db

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Summer's here and there's lots of work to do!

Well, I've completed my second year of graduate studies on a high note. Now that the summer is here and things have settled down at my "day job" I'm able to focus more of my time and energy on various projects that I've been preparing for these last few months. By August I will have discontinued my contracts with iUniverse for Falling Down and Mystery, Malevolence & Murder - Volume One. I'm doing re-writes on both books and will re-release them through Another Shore Press, LLC. I've turned in all the legal paperwork to the state and have submitted notices of LLC formation (a requirement for New York State) to local newspapers. The IRS sent me information regarding taxes, which I've already completed. My fax and phone lines are done. I've got a working PO Box, business cards, etc. Things are moving along.

I have already completed Mystery, Malevolence & Murder - Volume Two. This will be the first original release of Another Shore Press, LLC sometime next year. I haven't determined the date yet, but will post it as soon as it's available. Based on the comments from people in my class, I will also be doing re-writes of Lux ex Tenebris as well. Thus far I'm quite satisfied with my progress on this novel and think it will do well.

I cannot say how blessed I feel right now for all the good things that have been happening lately. I've really worked hard at making all of this happen. I'm actually exhausted from work, school and writing non-stop since I went back to get my degree in 2006. I don't sleep as well as I did before this whirlwind started, but on the flip side I'm within a year and a half of having my MFA and am embarking on an interesting chapter of my life - writing and publishing my own work. Once all this is done, I'll make a little more time for sleep. :-)

Until next time....