Updates

As I continue to promote and advertise my first book, A COMMON MAN, I am also working on my next novel. I thought this would be a good time to give you an update on where I'm at in the process. The new book is titled, THE SINS OF MEN. It's a gripping tale of a young boy who is taken from his home to serve in the British navy during the Seven Years War.

This book has been a joy for me to write and research. I come from a navy family; both grandfathers, my father, me and a nephew have all served. Of course it was quite different to serve on a wooden ship back in the 18th century. So I learned a lot on my journey to create this book. I also used a different point of view in telling the story. This was a challenge for me, but I believe that it makes the book more enjoyable to read.

It took me about five months to write the book. For the most part it was seamless and the words flowed off my fingertips onto the page. Of course there were some days that I struggled to make it through a scene or chapter, but that's part of the process. This book is a little edgier than my first one. This was a product of me feeling more comfortable to explore and craft this project. I wanted to make the reader uncomfortable at times while trying to get them passionate about the characters and their trials.

I usually read through the first draft a few times and make corrections and changes. However, I would not be able to see every error as I become tunnel blocked after a while. It is at that point where I have someone else review and edit the book before I try to get it published. That is where I am now. It's a good time for me to take a small break while I think about my next project. I'm leaning heavily on writing the next stage in the saga for this book. I can see that it would have merit to do so. We shall see....

Here is a sample of the new book. Enjoy.

I felt the chill of the early spring day as I walked through the narrow, filthy streets surrounding High Street. We lived in an area filled with squalid, poorly built homes among the thriving brothels and ale houses. I tried to breathe in through my mouth, but couldn’t avoid the stench from open sewers and accumulated trash. The noxious odor crept into every crevice. My eyes started burning from the smoke that billowed out of the various dwellings’ fires. It hung like low-lying clouds and made it hard to breathe.

I was stopped in my tracks by the all too common sight of a dead body. I dared not go too close, but my curiosity got the better of me and I needed to get a better look. I swiveled my head around to make sure no one could see what I was doing and crept up to the body. It was a man lying on his side facing the wall. I had an overpowering urge to look at his face. Without taking my eyes off the body, I reached down and picked up a wooden spoon. I trembled as I jabbed the spoon into the man’s back. I jumped back when the corpse belched and a horrid smelling gas attacked me. Then I noticed movement under his jacket. I was frozen. Suddenly, a number of rats began scurrying in all directions. I screamed, threw down the spoon and ran.