My new book “Finding the Goddess” is now live on Amazon!

a reply to: JustMike

I'm so proud of you Mike!



I need to get a pen name...I mean actors change their names, right?

I have two candidates:

1. Max Powers

2. Trent Steel

a reply to: MystikMushroom
Trent Steel, love it.

a reply to: MystikMushroom
I 2nd Quant's choice. Trent Steele is Bad A$$

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Mystik Iceberg

You live in Alaska and can be Jewish too!!

a reply to: MystikMushroom
You thread derailer, you! But thanks for the kudos. I appreciate it.

Okay, just my opinion: I'd go with Trent Steele. With the extra "e" on the end.


Now, back on subject: planning is going well for Book II, but I'm still hoping for more reviews for "Finding the Goddess". They do help, and it's greater motivation for me to put in the many hours required to write the second book if I can get a few more readers, reviewers (and buyers) for the first one.

a reply to: JustMike

Mike, do you have a "grand scheme" or "over-arching path" for your books?

A series I finished a while ago was actually not intended by the author. The author did a series of three books, but demand from his readers caused him to go back and write a series of three prequels. He decided on prequels because, as he put it, "I ended the story the right way, and I didn't want to cheapen or ruin how the series ended".

They (the prequels) actually were my (and fan) favorites. We already were in love with the characters, and the author was writing these with the knowledge that most of those reading would have already read the three initial books. So...the author peppered in LOTS of insider-only "gems" that longtime fans would appreciate. Little details from the first three books were a bit fleshed out here and there, and I'd find myself smiling and nodding, or having an "ah ha! So that's why!" moment. Things only mentioned in passing in the original trilogy were detailed more for example.

He also was clever with the prequels and did them in such a way chronologically that he has room to write more, if the interest and fans keep demanding them -- they don't butt up right against the three original books. Also, you don't NEED (or should) read the prequels first. In fact, the author recommends you read the originals first. You can read them first, and in a way you'll get a reverse Easter egg "ah ha!" feeling...but they don't really help you understand later books better. The prequels are, for the most part stand-alone adventures, so he can keep putting one out every year or two in order to keep his fans happy.

a reply to: MystikMushroom
Well, before I finished Finding the Goddess I felt I needed to do a series of stories, even though I had nothing concrete worked out for the following books at the time. I just felt that there were so many possible directions open that I could develop and build the story through multiple books.

I was doing more work on Book II (The Secret Diaries) this evening and I already have some plans for Book III, whose working title is Beyond the Diaries. That is, I know what kind of direction I want it to go. It will be quite a surprise for many, I hope. Similar in some ways to Books I & II, but vastly different in other ways.

Its differences are what will make it special. I hope!

There could be room for a book before Finding the Goddess, but I'll worry about that later. Right now, my aim is to get Book II finished and hopefully by then have some of Book III worked out in greater detail. I'm so looking forward to Beyond the Diaries, because I already have a couple of its scenes. That is, I've watched them play out (so to speak) and I really love what happens in them.

Something like you mentioned, I'm writing Book II on the assumption that most readers will hopefully have read Book I. So, there will be references back to some events within it. In fact, the scene I've been writing tonight does just that. When writing a series, I think it's reasonable to work on that kind of assumption. Otherwise there is no real point in calling them a series. Not that it means there has to be a given predictability, or even an assumption that "this follows that". I like some unpredictability and there will be plenty in Book II and probably even more in Book III.

There might be a Book IV, but right now I have no inkling what it would be about. The goddess in Book I lives a very long life, so there is plenty of room to tell more about what she experiences, but I think after Book II is done and I'm working on Book III, then maybe I'll get some insights into that.

Sorry if this post is a bit haphazard. It's heading towards 2 a.m. here and I'm beat.

Just a little update.

There were some good sales for the print version of the book in May, but it was relatively quiet on the e-Book front last month. Even so, I feel very honored by the response to date and hope everyone who has obtained a copy has enjoyed it.

Remember you can download the e-Book free if you are in the Kindle Unlimited program.

I'd also really appreciate some more reviews. Having good reviews always helps a book to get noticed. So, if you can find a few minutes to contribute a review, that would be great!