I apologize for being a couple of days late with this blog post. Friday night, my parents, sister and her children met my niece and her family at the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Two of my nieces are in the play, and it was wonderful to see them.
I continue to try and get my story published. It is currently in the hands of a publisher. Their submission process takes eight to ten weeks. I won’t know anything definitive until mid-August. I continue to revise my manuscript and write flash fiction and short stories for the 2016 Ozark Creative Writers’ Conference in October in Eureka Springs. I’m also looking into attending a WordPress one day conference in July in Fayetteville, Arkansas. My website, www.alanlampeauthor.com, is a WordPress template. I am happy with the look and content of the site. I believe it would be beneficial to learn more about the software that runs it so that I could make changes as needed.
I have ideas for my next story, most of which are written down. I’m working on my schedule to carve out quality writing time. After all, history doesn’t write itself. The previous sentence will become my unique sales proposition or USP. My story takes place between 1939 and 1969. I mention a great amount of historical events during my romp in the swamp. My next book, although taking place on a fictional planet, will be based in the European Renaissance era. A lot of research to do. I enjoy incorporating history into my story. If I can educate one reader to look up a historical fact from my story and learn something, then all of this will be worth it.
In closing, be a historical fiction writer. You’ll learn a lot of what happened in the past. It’s a great feeling to share your knowledge. Just remember, history doesn’t write itself.
What I’m Reading – Many readers I know like to inquire what their favorite author is reading. At the end of each blog post, I’ll let you know what I’m reading. I may not be a published author yet, but I hope my choice of reading material inspires you to read. I finished Oh, for the Love of God last week. My review is on Good Reads. While at the lake yesterday, I read most of The Last Raid of the Daltons by David Stewart Elliott. This short book, 66 pages, recounts the Dalton Gang’s attempted dual bank robbery in Coffeyville, Kansas on October 5, 1892. I visited the town last summer and picked up the book at the Dalton Defenders Museum. I’ll finish the book tomorrow and start The Branches of Time by Luca Rossi. I encourage you to read a variety of topics.