Writer Mick: Blog

Hi All

I got up early this Independence Day. Here in Oklahoma, we finally have a short break from the heavy thunderstorms and rain. Now we can get back to blistering heat and high humidity and very little breeze.

I was writing a chapter of the next O'Dell book when a thought occurred to me. It was about the story I wrote, "Affair of Choice" and some changes I wanted to make. So I opened it, made those changes, read through the entire story again, made a few more changes, caught one spelling error and sent it in to be posted again.

I'm not really expecting anyone to rush over to read it, but it's there for your reading pleasure.

I was also doing my usual Independence Day ritual of reading Rush Limbaugh's father's piece called "Our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor" and the wonderful story by Edward Everett Hale, "The Man Without A Country".

That story should be a must read today. Yesterday after my swim practice, I asked the kids if they knew who we declared independence from in 1776. Of the many 10-14 year olds in attendance only one knew the answer, including several home schooled kids. If we lose our identity as a country it will be because the children aren't being taught about it.

God Bless America.

Mick

Hi All

I'm at a competition this weekend and for the first time in 20 weeks I don't have a chapter to post.

It feels really strange. We are going into the heavy portion of the summer season. My time for writing has dwindled to almost nothing.

This morning my muse hit me in the head and yelled at me to write. Of course it was while I was getting ready to go to the competition. So I wrote this.

Have a wonderful day and, next weekend in the US, a wonderful and safe Independence Day. Don't blow up any important digits!

Mick

Hi All

The last chapter in The Passion of the O'Dells will be posted this morning. I feel pretty good about how this portion of the story has wound up.

I am working full time right now and am trying to fit my writing in where I can. I usually try to write a bit every day, But with summer here my schedule has changed. There are three days out oft he week where I work from 7AM to 7:45PM with only an hour for lunch.

I work Saturday AM so I end up with only a day and a half off each week, unless my team has a competition on the weekend and right now we have competitions every weekend from June 18 to Aug 8. Then I have three weeks off.

My goal is to write for several hours each day at that point and finish The Strawberry patch and the vast majority of The Strength of the O'Dells.

But back to the present, Chapter 20 is here for your enjoyment. Thank you again for your readership.

Mick

Hi All

I wanted to lay out the timeline for a few things before the final chapter of "The Passion of the O'Dells" posted on Sunday.

The first stories featuring this branch of the O'Dell Universe was "I'll See You When I See You", followed by "Expect Me When You See Me". I got so may requests for stories of Grams O'Dell that I decided to write something about her.

But then I had to write the story of where she came from and then I had to go back and write where that part of the family came from. That too me to "The Fortune of the O'Dells". Before that story, I figured that O'Dells were just a normal family of farmers in Nebraska.

I decided that the family would change with their involvement in the Civil War. That story took the reader from the Civil War through the establishment of the family fortune and featured the wonderful character, "Opal Anne O'Dell".

The next story was the current one, "The Passion of the O'Dells" and takes us to the end of World War 2 and the first huge change in the O'Dell family structure. I'm trying really hard to not give up any spoilers here!

About half-way through writing that book, I decided that at some point in the future I was going to combine and rewrite the first two stories that started all this and make it the last book in the saga.

Now to the problem. I'm trying to draw to an inside straight! I have a beginning and an ending and half of a middle. So I'm getting a bit stuck with the third book. It is supposed to take us through the Korean and Vietnam wars and through a portion of the Afghanistan conflict.

My problem? I'm trying to keep some very overt political feelings out of the story. I have rewritten the three chapters dealing with Korea three times! So I need a little guidance before I go and do w hat I want to do anyway.

I know what I want to do, but I'm just trying to prepare myself for the host of low scores it's going to generate. I'm not a score hog, but it has been wonderful to see the score climb and to hear from the readers.

My feeling is that Opal Anne O'Dell was a strong person who believed in going along and leaving everyone alone. The only times she and Paul took up arms was when they were attacked. Bullys set them off. Threats to their friends are treated like threats to themselves.

As of right now, I am working on the third, and last, book of "The Strawberry Patch" series. I've locked up on The O'Dells for a bit. It might not be until the late Fall that the first chapters of the new O'Dell book see the light of day.

Give me your thoughts, if you would. I have appreciated your feelings and thoughts, yes even the ones that said "You Suck!"

Thanks

Mick

Hi All

There was something about the finish of Chapter 18 that just didn't feel right. I couldn't put a finger on it, but reader Catf1sh did!

This is why I enjoy getting notes from the folks who read my efforts. I have fixed the error on my master and I've posted the corrected chapter. It was nothing horrible, just one of those things that make me crazier than I usually am.

Two chapters to go in Book 2: The Passion of the O'Dells.

Again, thank you so much for reading and caring enough to let me know your thoughts. I DO appreciate it.

Mick