Independence Day is Here!

Almost every Independence Day that rolls around, I usually -- strangely enough -- remember my childish mischief that occurred during this same time of year as a devilish child.  I remember when my cousin Larry Joe and I had come across some bottle rockets while staying with my aunt in an old Memphis neighborhood.

One of us (I cannot remember which) came up with the idea of shooting at cars as they came down the street that night.  We hid behind a car that had been parallel parked in the street.  And as soon as the passersby drove by, I came out with my bottle rocket aimed at it as it was climbing a small hill.  I launched the rocket way too low, however.  And it skidded across the pavement, down the street, and finally underneath the car where we suddenly saw a lot of sparks being emitted from the undercarriage.  Now that I think about it, I'm lucky we hadn't blown the damned thing up and killed the passengers!

We just laughed about it and headed back inside.  But before we got to the door leading into my aunt's house, Joe took the bottle from me, fed it a rocket, and aimed it across the yard and street at one of the other houses.  He launched it perfectly onto the porch where it discharged all of its bright and loud fiery effects.  We laughed before heading inside.

There is more to the Fourth of July than amazing firework effects, laughter, and mischief.  This is a day that we celebrate due to the fact that the Declaration of Independence was signed on this day in 1776.  Taxation without representation was only one of the main problems in the day when King George stated unfair claim over pioneers who had left his monarchy.  As a result, the very first American immigrants to this country were out of sight, but definitely not out of mind.

To this day, our independence is still under attack.  We have people trying to redefine the religious institution of marriage, we have people trying to ban gun ownership, we have corrupt politicians abusing their various powers while pretending to be true patriotic Americans.  

So I feel that Independence Day is the time to look not so much as to where we are today, but to look at where we were back in the colonial days, where we have come from and how we have come from there, and -- most importantly -- where we need to be.  We need to learn from history to better ourselves, maybe in ways that have worked in the past, maybe in fearless new ways that have yet to be tried.

No matter how you celebrate Independence Day, I feel it is important just to celebrate it.  God bless all of you.  And may you have a very happy, safe, and bright Fourth of July!

Bright Light at the End of the Tunnel!

I have finally made it to the Epilogue of my labor of love, the novel I've titled:  2018: An Uncivil War!  I started this story this past January.  And I have been more persistent than I have ever been before in any previous writing endeavor.

In the very beginning, I thought the task seemed quite daunting and would -- at the very least -- be extremely challenging.  And it has been.  But truth be known, when you -- as an artist or a writer -- come up with something that you truly feel so very strongly about, it gives you enough fuel to go the whole 10 yards.  In my case, I found many challenges and inconsistencies with the plot of my story, but I promptly addressed each one as I came to it.  And before long, the story started pretty much writing itself.  I'm not sure if this was God speaking through me or not, but I feel very satisfied with my story thus far, though I have made a list of extra things that need a tuneup.  And this is where revision and research come into play.  Of course, I have made numerous revisions and done plenty of research already, but -- being human -- I've found some flaws in my story that require me to do even more work in these areas.

As you read in one of my previous posts, I really wanted to publish the novel by the Fourth of July.  But I actually plan to pen the last chapter of my novel tonight.  But if I was to release 2018 in five days, I know in my own heart that I would not be releasing a finished product.

Would the story still be very engaging?  Perhaps.  Would it still pack a solid punch for action lovers?  Most definitely.  Does it have a definite beginning, middle, and end?  Of course.  So what is the problem?  The problem is that I have been influenced by several very popular and highly successful writers:  Ian Fleming, Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and Vince Flynn (just to name four!).  And none of these guys would have ever published an unpolished / unfinished product.  To me, if my story does not shine, then it is not finished.  So, I've decided to give myself a couple more months to add the much needed polish and fill in some of the remaining plot and research holes that need to be addressed before I upload my book to Amazon.

If a person sees my book on Amazon Kindle, I want them to know that if they pay the $2.99 asking price for it, this will be perhaps the best $2.99 they have ever spent.  Many people have asked me:  Why not charge more for your work?  Don't you feel that you have spent enough time writing it to do so?  The simple answer is that I am Phil Sanderson, not Tom Clancy or Stephen King.  The only people who have seen my name in print are Marines or Goldsboro, North Carolina residents, both who more than likely don't even remember it.  That is the cost of taking a super long hiatus from writing.  Therefore, I want to make my book even more attractive than it already is by making a very satisfying price that people will not even have to think twice about before shelling out their hard-earned money for my book.

So, in summary, I am very pleased to see very bright light at the end of the tunnel.  But I know that when I speed out of that tunnel on September 2, Labor Day 2013, I would rather do so in a shiny Aston Martin Vanquish, not a beat-up old Chevy Chevette.

My Homage to Vince Flynn

Writing can be a very intimidating past time if a writer allows it to be.

After all, if you spend so much as one or two weeks writing what you feel is the almost perfect short story, and then submit it with little to no results, then you will understand what I mean.  If you have ever received even one rejection slip -- which I have received a few in my lifetime, and have never experienced an accepted manuscript -- then I know you surely understand.  

There are so many successful writers who have books on the market that a fledgling writer often fools himself into thinking, if Stephen King can do it, so can I.  The inexperience of the writer causes him to miss the true reality of the fact that Stephen King has been honing this craft for many years before ever getting his big break with the publication of Carrie by DoubleDay in 1973.  Neither did the beginning writer realize that King also probably suffered his share of rejection slips prior to making that unmistakable mark in the writing industry.  But with experience, this same beginning writer becomes clear on this unfortunate reality:  Just because Stephen King did it, not everyone can.

Vince Flynn never accepted this intimidation experienced by many unsuccessful writers.

Even with a major handicap -- dyslexia -- he managed to successfully overcome the intimidation that had defeated so many would-be writers.  To battle this unfortunate disorder, Flynn began a strict writing and reading regimen.  He read Ernest Hemingway, Robert Ludlum, J.R.R. Tolkien, and perhaps many others.  He was determined to be a successful writer.  And it was this determination which enabled his books to become the center of my own attention as far as modern day writing is concerned.

Vince self-published his first novel, Term Limits, while working as a bartender.  The good thing about self-publishing is that there is no such thing as a rejection slip.  You simply put your novel on the market, and let supply and demand do all the rest.  There are no individuals to say yay or nay (unless you lack the capital to make it happen).  Basically, you put up or shut up.  Pocket Books published Term Limits in hardback and mass-market paperback in 1998.  This novel spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, the very list that separates the truly successful writers from the unsuccessful and the moderately successful.  And from here, his legacy was cemented:  A core following of loyal fans -- myself included -- would buy every book he had ever written.

Vince Flynn is the one who gave me hope back in my own writing.

I've led an interesting -- though very unsuccessful -- life thus far.  I have made many commitments and walked out on them.  I committed myself to the Marine Corps in 1986; but after losing faith in the system after going on independent duty, I finally decided that I wanted no more part in it.  So I took my Honorable Discharge and left.  I have always come damned close to not remaining committed in my marriages, threatening to leave.  My first wife must have gotten sick of it.  She instead left me in 1996.  My current marriage sometimes sees me making similar threats, but my dearest Abby continues to help me pull my head out of my rear, so we continue to manage.  

But writing was one of the commitments I failed to stay true to, yet one of the true successes I've ever experienced in a largely unsuccessful life.  

As a senior at Woodham High School, I had just moved from Memphis, Tennessee where I had left all of my friends and family (speaking of losing commitment!), I found myself in a position to either weep about what I had left behind, or forge myself a new path encountering new friends along the way.  I did both.

For my Creative Writing class, we were tasked to write a one-act play.  The three that most impressed our teacher -- Ms. Mary Decosta -- would be performed by the Drama Class during the 7th Period for all English classes during that particular time frame.  I had written a short story titled:  Night of the Oblivious Writer.  This was a romantic and comedic fantasy about a writer who ended up living the very life as he typed it into his keyboard.  The short story had been the currently most successful one I had written for her class.  Truth be told, I procrastinated writing the play until the very night before it was due.  So I simply rewrote Night of the Oblivious Writer (as it had been on my word processor) into the one-act play format.

And Ms. Decosta loved it as well!  It ended up being one of the three plays, the last to be performed actually.  I was even allowed to skip class one day to assist in the direction of the play.  The actors chosen to perform it, one was my friend James Whisenant, all did a fabulous job.  

I had been asked to sit on the stage while the play was being performed.  Just as James stated the last two words of the play, "Cab fare!", almost everyone (if not everyone) in the audience stood up, laughing at the final punchline of the comedic ending and giving all us standing applause.  This play I wrote also got the best write-up in the newspaper, probably in large part to the great acting by James and the others.  But please don't take this as me bragging, because this has been one of my only true successes in life.  As far as my life is concerned, there is not a whole lot to brag about, other than family members who dearly love me as much as I love them.

Finally, as a Marine Corps photojournalist, I also had work published in Marines and Leatherneck Magazines, the two most popular at the time, long before everything went to the internet.  

But, back to Vince Flynn!  It was he who helped me see where my true occupational successes in life have been.  It was him who gave me hope to go ahead and throw my novel out there and see what happens.  It was him who brought me countless hours of entertainment as I read his very intriguing, engaging, and highly entertaining novels.  It was Vince Flynn who inspired me to write a story that I feel could be very important to everyone thinking about what it would be like if our government did away with our 2nd Amendment Rights.  

I credit all of this -- and maybe even more -- to Vince Flynn.

Vince Flynn passed away due to complications from stage-three prostate cancer only four days ago.  He was 47, that is only two years older than me.  I have remarked on Facebook, and even on Vince's official website, that I dreamed of someday becoming a bestselling author and having beers with Vince.  But I guess I will never see this dream come to fruition.  

Vince leaves behind his wife, Lysa, and their three children.  If you wish to donate money or cards to his family, please visit his official website:  http://www.vinceflynn.com .  

In closing, I can only say to Vince, wherever he is:  "Please save me a spot at the Writer's Bar in Heaven between you and Ian Fleming.  Thank you so much for your inspiration and truly profound and wonderful stories.  And God bless you and your family."

To Decide a Release Date

I was so ecstatic about releasing my novel on Independence Day 2013!  I figured that the subject matter -- our nation becoming free from tyranny for the second time in more than that many hundred years -- warranted such an awesome publication date, one that could be easily remembered.  But to release it on that day is still doable as far as putting out a finished, though not refined product.  In other words, the storyline will still be there, but the revisions will not be complete.  It would be similar to owning a diamond in the rough.  Sure, it's very valuable.  But it is so much prettier after it has been cut, shaped, and polished for fashionable wear.

I plan to be done with the complete first draft of the novel by July 4.  But my revision process is very detailed and thorough.  So far, after I have finished one part of the novel, I have proofread that whole part to make sure that I conveyed everything the way I meant to convey it and not left any essential items out of the text.  So far, I have done this with the first three parts of my novel.  After I complete this final part of the novel, I plan to revise it as well.

But this is not the only editing being done on the novel.  My aunt, Brenda Morgan, is kindly taking the time to proofread the novel for me as well.  This is so very important, because it is a fresh set of eyes...someone who has not already experienced the text at all.  So far, she has completed the first part of the novel.  I've yet to go through it and consider her revisions, most of which I am sure I will approve.  Right now, she is currently reading the second part.  I expect her to finish up within the next couple of weeks, at which time I will send her the third part.

The editing is a major issue, but there are also one other major issue I need to fix.  My novel will contain map diagrams showing our nation at various stages leading up to and during the 2nd American Civil War.  I tried my hand at photo editing a blank map I found, but it ended up looking like the east end of a westward-bound mule.  So I need to tighten up these graphics, and this will take time as well.

So for me to release the novel by the Fourth of July, I will be putting a novel on the market with the following flaws:

• Only half of the novel will be polished in the manner that Tom Clancy or Stephen King would have done before releasing their novels.
• Crappy, amateurish looking graphics that will not represent me in the serious manner of which I wish to be represented.

My novel is only going to cost $2.99 on Amazon Kindle.  I know that is not a lot of money.  And many of you reading this may think:  What the hell, go ahead and release it!  The readers are not paying that much anyway!  But I simply cannot release anything other than a perfect product for this very important reason:  This is my breakout novel!  This one will make or break me.

Please don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying that I'm only going to release what I feel is a perfect product only this first time.  Because that is not the case at all.  However, this first time, it is more important than ever that I get it all right!

So being that Independence Day is out of the question, I have chosen to release the novel instead on Labor Day.  After all, since the beginning of this year, this manuscript has been a true labor of love for me.  

One Head, but So Many Hats!

Lately, I've found myself handing probably at least an average of two business cards each day.  However, there was one day not too long ago that I forced myself to take 10 business cards to work with me and hand them all out.  And that was exactly what I did.

My business cards most prominently displays the name of my novel:  2018: An Uncivil War.  Underneath that is my name, Phil Sanderson, above my business occupation:  Writer and Novelist.  I also mention that the action thriller is coming this summer.

On top of this, I used to have a magnet that proudly read:

2018: An Uncivil War

A Near-Future Action Thriller by 

Phil D. Sanderson

Coming Summer 2013

It also had the very same design in the background as my business cards:  a close-up on the top part of the American Flag flapping in the breeze.  Unfortunately, someone either stole the magnet off my car (Lord knows that if that one large magnet was cut up into a lot of smaller ones, people would be able to have their children's complete art gallery on their refrigerator!), or it blew off while I was driving back home from the VA Hospital where I am currently working in Voluntary Services.  

But in addition to all of this, I am also currently hard at work on a very basic website for myself.  I will proudly announce it as soon as it is complete.  

Basically, I am quickly learning that not only do I have to wear the hat of a storyteller, marketer, and web designer, but I also have to wear the hat of a publisher.  Does it end here?  No, sir and ma'am!  When my book finally comes to print, I will have to wear the hat of a public speaker when I hold various book signings.  My public affairs experience from the United States Marine Corps should serve me well there, however.  And then, if I start earning a good and wealthy living as a novelist, I reckon I will also end up wearing the hat of a traveling reporter and maybe even adventurer, since I have that thrill-seeking and fun-loving craziness within my spirit. And who knows what other hats I will have to wear?  

So this is my first run as a hat-wearing fool.  If I offend anyone with my fashion statements, please forgive me in advance.  

From Ian, With Love

Ian Lancaster Fleming is the author I credit to being my very first inspiration for being a writer.  If it had not been for him, I probably never would have realized my dream until much later in life.  And it is far better that I learned it earlier, because it allowed me to hone very important communication skills, which would serve me well sooner rather than later.

As a teenager, I was a huge James Bond fan.  I had always seen the James Bond films with my late Dad, though I did not truly start appreciating them until much later in life.  Then I purchased the James Bond Role Playing Game and had created a huge circle of James Bond fans in the circle that played the game with me.  So I finally decided to experience the "other" world of James Bond by reading the novels that started it all.  And I have to admit that it was a learning experience for me as well as an entertaining one.

Not only did I learn the basics of how to write an intriguing and captivating story, but I also learned about history during the 40s, 50s, and 60s -- the setting in which the James Bond novels took place and influenced the events.

I have decided to go back and reread the Fleming novels from the first to his very last in an effort to allow myself to be influenced once more, but this time as a mature adult.  I'm finding that I can appreciate more things as an adult than I could as a fledgling youth.

One of the things I can appreciate about Fleming's style is his wit, not only displayed in his character dialogue, but also in his writing flair.  In Casino Royale, he actually described a fellow gambler's wife thusly:  "...with the predatory mouth of a barracuda."  Then he later described one of Le Chiffre's body guards of being exceedingly hairy:  "Bond guessed that hair covered most of his squat body.  Naked, Bond supposed, he would be an obscene object."  Maybe you have seen a similar flair in my writing.  Don't give me credit; give it to Mr. Fleming.

I sometimes feel that Ian Fleming does not get his due share of credit.  The James Bond that he described in his novels was certainly more real than the one we see in the movies.  The realistic spy, about which he wrote, actually had moments when he was paranoid and even scared at times.  You do not see this in the over-the-top cinematic James Bond characters as portrayed by various actors.  This is not to say that I do not enjoy the films; but I enjoy the novels more.  The characters as portrayed in the films -- in my humble opinion -- are simply what I call, the icing on the cake.  But when I eat cake, I often prefer to scrape the icing off and enjoy the cake for what it is and was truly meant to be.

The Importance of Music

Music helps me when I write certain scenes.  But as I write and play, I have to control the volume more so than if I were just "enjoying" the tune.  Usually, if I am writing a scene that takes place in a nightclub or bar, I will go ahead and play the same type of music that is being played within the fictionized location.  This way, I can "feel" the music, and more effectively describe it as it is flowing into my ears, being transmitted into my story via my fingertips as they pitter patter about on the keyboard.

I have a deep reverence for music.  Songwriters and music composers serve a very similar purpose as to what I serve.  They leave a permanent and lasting footprint in this world that will still be around long after they are gone.  And anyone who has taken great pains to create anything of lasting value knows the feeling of accomplishment and the thrill it gives upon completion of whatever it is he or she has created.

To write PERIOD, words, lyrics, or notes, is a way of an artist baring their soul with the world in whatever form they have chosen.  And this is why I enjoy music even as much as I enjoy the writings of my favorite writers:  Earnest Hemingway, Ian Fleming, Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and Vince Flynn.

My favorite composers are:  Ludwig von Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John Barry, and John Williams.  My favorite jazz artists are Najee, Kenny G, and Diana Krall.  My favorite rock bands are:  Foreigner, INXS, Styx, and Nirvana.  And there are many, many more that I could go on and describe.  But I have to get ready to go into the VA hospital and help any disabled or lost veterans in need of my services.