Thursday, February 28, 2013

what the #@$% am I thinking?!?!

Two days ago I posted that my goal is to finish the Rainbow Plantation Blues trilogy in five years but-HELLO! Earth to Robert! Didn't I say it took me four years to write Rainbow Plantation Blues, let alone write, edit, publish and promote two new books! Who do I think I am, super queen! Nonetheless I have committed myself to this project, although part of me wonders if I should commit myself to the loony bin. No. At this point there is no turning back. I might as well put on my rainbow cape and lavender tights and get busy.
    I guess I can say I already have. I bought a copy of Blogging for Dummies. I'm a firm believer in on the job training and teaching myself the who, what, when, wheres and, in this case, the hows of doing something or finding something out. I just roll up my sleeves and put on some rubber gloves, to protect my nails, and dig in the dirt! The book is very helpful but it's a lot of information so it's on-going.
    I have also been re-reading Rainbow Plantation Blues. Look, I have not read it in over three years! I want to re-familiarize myself with the characters and their world. I spent so much time weaning and nurturing them from 2004 to 2008 that I knew them like the back of my hand. After I released them into the wild I focused on other things, but I kept getting royalty checks! So, I knew my creation must be doing okay in the world. I think of re-reading my own book as something like a class reunion. I want to see how everybody has aged! No, I'm kidding! Or maybe I'm not totally kidding. A fine wine or cheese gets better over time. So, in addition to re-familiarization I need to see if I still stand by my own work, if it still speaks to me. I'm happy to say that, although I'm only on chapter nine, I do and it does! I have only found one or two words and/or phrases I would change.
    As a writer I do not feel that I ''own'' my work. I feel like my work is it's own entity. I am in partnership with my characters and their world. A story is not being told by me but through me.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Rainbow Plantation what?

As I laid in bed last night, alone and unable to sleep, it dawned on me that some people might stumble upon this blog and wonder what the hell Rainbow Plantation Blues is about. So since I was alone and had nothing, or nobody, better to do I thought about today's post and decided to make it a summery of the novel. So here it is.
   In 1850, Jonathan Thomas, a young, personable and aristocratic Southern gentleman has returned to his antebellum home from an ivy league school in the North. His father is dying and Jonathan is sole heir to the families lavish, prosperous and renowned Rainbow Plantation. While up North, two major revelations had seriously shaken his self-image. Exposure to Northern abolitionism had permanently changed is out on slavery, the South's ''peculier institution.'' Worse, he began to believe he might be a sodomite, a most wretched creature reviled by the customs of nineteenth century American society.
   When he tours the plantation grounds for the first time in many years, he sees that his boyhood playmate, a slave named Kumi, has matured into a Black adonis. Jonathan is instantly captivated. Now he knows he is a sodomite and, even worse, he is hopelessly smitten over a slave.
    As he grapples with his sexual proclivity and the ''peculier institution,'' he befriends Stephen Wentworth, a social non-conformist living an esoteric life-style, who has a deep, hidden connection to him. Under Stephen's influence, and from another unlikely source- the Bible- Jonathan is able to unravel his demons and triumph in the end.
    Okay okay, I admit the summery is basically right off the back of the book. But I only said I thought about today's post last night. I didn't say I wrote it!
    My work may be of interest to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered and questioning people as well as progressives, history buffs, religious scholars, feminists and civil-libertarians. Social conservatives may proceed with caution!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

I got a new attitude!

Well here i am back in the saddle and ready to Begin anew. let me start by telling you a little about myself. I was born in Cleveland,OH and have lived most of my life in the northeast Ohio area.
   In 2000 I wrote the first page of what would become my novel Rainbow Plantation Blues. But due to my lack of confidence I stopped. In April of 2004 I started writing it again but this time I determined to finish it. By November of  2008 I published It and spent the next eight months promoting it and drafting a sequel.
   In April of 2009 my life veered into an intense area of spiritual study, reflection and personal transformation that took over and forced me to shelve my writing and self-promotion for over three years. Now I am back and ready to write again!
   This time, however, I've decided to do something different. I intend to chronicle my daily challenges, struggles, successes, failures and adventures in writing, editing, publishing and promoting my Rainbow Plantation Blues trilogy through this blog. Although I love to write, I find it to be a very  lonely and solitary endeavor. My blog will also be an exercise in discipline, consistency and determination that I welcome any and everyone to follow.
   My goal is to complete the trilogy in five years starting from today, February 26, 2013 to February 26,2018. Yes I am nervous, especially with people watching/following my project but what the hell, maybe they will motivate me to stop watching Frasier{ I'm a huge fan }and start writing! Besides,as far as I know, nobodies watching/following anyhow! At least not yet. So journey with me if you like and let the games begin!