Old Houses, New Stories

Hello, and thanks for visiting. I'm afraid time has gotten away from me again, so I have a fair amount of catching up to do. 

First, I'd like to say thanks to the good people at Readers' Favorite for all the wonderful reviews of The Cautioner's Tale, the first book in my Mary Morgan's Journal series. It received five 5-star reviews and was awarded this swanky silver seal. 

Here are a few quick quotes, but for the full reviews, please visit the Reviews page on my website:

"...an excellent tale of sabotage, deceipt, and adventure." - Patricia, Readers' Favorite reviewer

"...thought-provoking, frighteningly realistic..." - Rosie, Readers' Favorite reviewer

"...grim and gorgeous, with just a hint of hope..." - Jack, Readers' Favorite reviewer

"...an exceptional graphic novel - The Cautioner's Tale's artwork is simply stunning..." - Charles, Readers' Favorite reviewer

"...amazingly designed...the plot is engaging and thrilling..." - Kristen, Readers' Favorites reviewer

The Cautioner's Tale is available at Amazon.com

Next, I'd like to address a question I've been asked about the photos in my books - mostly by other authors who'd like to do something similar. Generally, I use public domain images that I edit in Photoshop. (Pixabay is a good source as well as Unsplash.) But, occasionally, I also use my own photos.

 In my life outside writing and drawing for my current project - Mary Morgan's Journal - I spend my time renovating houses, and my penchant for the old beauties tends to dominate my waking hours. Old houses are like traps for the curious-minded, so much so that they tend to take on lives of their own sometimes. It's hard not to wonder what could've gone on inside these walls for the past one hundred years or more, or what the view had been like while looking out through the old wood-framed windows. Dirt roads? Horse-drawn wagons? Sure, there were cars when my current project house was built in 1905, but they weren't all that common. (Link: cars introduced in 1905) These ideas are fascinating to me, along with the stories told by what's left behind in the abandoned old homes I find at auctions.
I also try to imagine how I would feel if these conditions were now the norm. What if we found ourselves in that dreaded post-apocalyptic era that so many writers (including myself) have tried to warn us of? These abanoned houses I'm drawn to are often a backdrop to the stories I convey, and I try to use them accordingly. After a quick zip through Photoshop, my scene is set.


Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the stories that accompany these images. As most people know, the outside world heavily influences my writing, and beings that there's been so much happening, I've changed my course on The Hero's Tale (the third book in the Mary Morgan's Journal series) more than once. The overall story is the same, but I've found current world events too interesting (and sometimes bewildering) to ignore for the sake of making a publication date. As a result, The Hero's Tale is a tad bit behind, but gaining ground fast. Thanks in advance for your patience. I promise it will be worth the wait.

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