When I anxiously await arrival of something so important, I can come to wonder what went wrong. Did the printer run out of my selected paper color? Did a larger order get pushed ahead of me? Yet, all such concerns quickly dissolve in the sweat generated by carrying the book boxes to my storage room and running to my local stores and libraries to make sure they have my latest title. Not to mention the sweat and muscle aches of stocking four cords of wood. DELIVERY When will my

Every time the truck is filled it is a test for its carrying capacity. Every time a new novel is submitted to my publisher Maine Authors Publishing, my doubts and worries about acceptance are also tested. Have I done enough to make it possible for the editor and designer to turn my rough work into a book which readers will enjoy? AND, how long will it take to finish creation of my masterpiece? LOADING THE TRUCK (Editing and design) The truck is finally back. Its capacity has

Back at it after a break, I have put all the pieces in order and read the text for the third or fourth time. If what I read pleases me, a DIY edit begins. There are obvious typos and lousy sentence structure to be rectified. Names may be misspelled. Incorrect times of day. These seem like small details, but making small changes will save me money when the real editor goes to work. This is also a good time to visit with my artist neighbor to come up with a cover design.

As with the chef who may have practiced making your bbq chicken pizza twenty times before it became your favorite, I may rewrite sections of my narrative several times until it comes out to my satisfaction. The beginning may be moved to the end. Or vice versa. My favorite scenes could be deleted from this next novel and perhaps saved for the after that. Every creator learns from trial and error. And so, the tale of my writing process continues.

This post is the Preface from Conflicting Roots. It explains why and how the novel came to be. The second is a full transcript of a Peace Ceremony which took place at Boston University in April, 1974. It was my attendance at this event that inspired me to learn more about King Philip's War and to, eventually, write a novel with it at the center.

This photo of eighteen Buddhist monks on Day 96 of their 2300 mile Walk for Peace was shot in southern Virginia yesterday during a winter storm. The image illustrates quite clearly to me the effort and perseverance shown by the group all along the route from Fort Worth, Texas to the final destination, Washington, D.C. At a time when violence and unrest is plaguing our nation, an example of devout people walking… sometimes barefoot… along highways and paved country roads, st

Gere and me at Giant's Causeway Ireland tales and stories do show up regularly in pieces I write here and sometimes in posts on my Facebook page . I hope you get something out of them. This week, I'd like to tell you why I have become such a Hibernophile. In 1993, when I graduated from Radcliffe Seminars (now Boston Architectural College ) with a Certificate in Landscape Design, it seemed like a good idea to visit Italy and see all of the classic villa gardens that I had st

Dear readers, followers, friends and family members, you have helped to turn a tough personal trip around the sun into a successful professional year. You have purchased more titles from me than during any year since I entered this retirement career in 2016. Many of you have personally given me feedback: encouragement to continue.

Roly's Bistro in Dublin, present day. It had been open just 2 years when we visited. Celebrating out 10th wedding anniversary and New Year's in Dublin was over the top. But, why not? After all, we were international citizens. So, we decided to make it a full week of fun and frivolity in the most European of cities. Luxury hotel room overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, dinner every night at a top restaurant, visits to museums and breweries and pubs. We put it all together before

Photo for illustration only. This is not my sister and me. Each November Dad set up a worktable next to the oil-fired furnace in our basement. There,after supper on nights that he didn’t have to work somewhere else, he made Christmas wreaths to be sold to raise money for our Church. Setting up a wooden clamp to hold metal wreath rings, he would secure small bundles of greens with florist wire wound round and round until you couldn’t see the ring at all. He used pretty hollies

She told me “every novel is different.” I had to agree to a point, but I have always tried to discipline myself as an author to complete each stage of creation before starting the next. Always finish the rough draft before moving on to the First Draft. And then to editing. And then rewriting.

Last week as so many reflected on the events of September 11, 2001, I was reminded of a time I was at the site. Not on that horrific day, but shortly after. My own rememberance follows.

Author Robert W Spencer reflects on memories of New Year's Day spent in Ireland

Each spring, after the ground thawed, Dad and I would take his FarmAll2 tractor out of our barn and slosh our way across the muddy paths...