hit tracker Dave Shields Author Blog: September 2005

A journal detailing my efforts to launch my career as a novelist. The goals are to share info about succeeding in this field with other aspiring authors, to provide updates to the many supporters who have asked me for them, and ultimately to build the momentum necessary to assure success in this venture.

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Dorthy, we're not in Kansas anymore.

Wait a second. Yes we are! The Wichita Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society called recently and asked if I'd be interested in speaking at their MS 150 ride. Since I'd mentioned Kansas in The Race, and since I'd never been there before, and since I'm interested in the fight against MS because of my sister-in-law and also a friend who have the disease, and since I never want to pass up an excuse to turn the pedals, and since I just finished the manuscript for The Tour and need a breather, and since... well, you get the idea. I went.

Contrary to my preconceptions, we did't ride between endless walls of corn stalks. In fact, I only saw one small field of corn the whole ride. I see more corn on a typical ride in Utah. The weather was great and the scenery was gorgeous. Two of the individual fund raisers topped $10,000 as well as at least one team. What an accomplishment!

Michelle Masood, the organizer, should be very proud of herself for an incredibly well run event. I want to give special thanks also to Dr. Glen Patton and his family who found a bicycle for me to ride and transported me to and from the event. It was a great weekend and I'm grateful that they allowed me to be a part of it. If you live anywhere near Wichita I strongly encourage you to get involved in this event next year.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

The Pieces are Coming Together

It's a complex job putting a book together. We're nearing completion on the cover design. I'm getting closer on the manuscript with the help of my friends at NovelPro.com. As a matter of fact, the first half is already in line editing. I'm working with another artist on creating course maps which will go in the text. I've just received a new author photo for the back cover. I've just assigned an ISBN and had the bar code printed. Yesterday I submitted all of the sales info to my distributor for their spring catalogue. I've got a typesetter and a printer standing by. And there are dozens of other details that are nearly finalized. A month ago I was very nervous about getting this project done in time. Today, although there's still a lot to do, I'm feeling confident that I'm going to be able to get this done in time. That's a good feeling.