Here it is May 15th.
The day I told y'all the print edition of TWISTED ROADS would be released.
I lied.
Not intentionally of course but you and I both know what they say about good intentions. I wonder if that paved road to hell is straight and narrow or windy and twisted.
Anyway, my publisher believes the print will be ready by June 1st. I thank those of you awaiting the hard copy for your patience.
In good news I really love the look of the book. The back cover is nearly as cool as the front.
Also I have begin hearing back from readers who have finished reading the novel. I appreciate all of those who spend their money to buy my work and then their time reading it, but the folks who take extra time to drop me a note with their comments, or to leave a review somewhere ... those are the souls that feed a writer's soul. So if you are one of those people let me shout. YOU ARE AWESOME!
Here are some snippets from my two favorite reviews thus far ....
From Marcus ...
Twisted Roads accurately shows the cause and affect of the lies we tell
and roads we take, and how easily our perception of
reality/people/gossip can be the sole spark to the truth that results in
a pile of burnt ashes.
This world can be an ugly place and most of
the time it's because of the sins of its people. But somehow, no matter
the lies and different roads, honest love seems to come out winning.
The
problem with this book is I want more. The characters have stuck with
my thoughts and won't leave me alone, even several days after finishing.
I want to know more!
Bravely written, wonderfully told. Make sure you read 'Twisted Roads.'
And from HuddleKay ...
Twisted Roads shows a different side of Travis' writing. Where his blog
posts, and even The Feedstore Chronicles give me the sense of oral
tradition, Twisted Roads is more sophisticated, more grown up. More
mature. More written.
I kick off a blog tour tomorrow and have several events planned for Amarillo, Colorado, and New Mexico but nothing is completely finalized yet. I'm also hoping to do some talks or Skype with Book Clubs as well as podcasts and things to coincide with the blog tour. So check back here, or on Facebook for more info.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Purple Panties and Cleavage
I'm not a country club guy.
I have no problem admitting that.
A suit and tie? Not if I can help it. My idea of dressing up is a pair of starched jeans and a button up shirt. Which I can get away with for most functions here in Texas. Dress shoes. I'll stick to my favorite pair of double-stitched, Anderson Bean Boots thank you very much.
And golf? I have but frankly trying to whack that little white ball in a straight line just ticks me off. I'd rather smuggle in a fishing pole and cast for bass in the water hazards while my buddies debate distance and club selection. I will ride in your golf cart and drink your beer however.
Tennis? I'll leave that to Phats.
But tonight I will be at the Amarillo Country Club for a church event.
It's not my only visit to the place. I've been there before. In the very room I will be in tonight.
Only the last time I was there I was the keynote speaker for a luncheon. I stood there and told the Amarillo Rotary Club about my path to publication not long after THE FEEDSTORE CHRONICLES came out. I had a great time that day and met some very nice people. Yeah, I think I scared a few but when I read them a sample I stopped short of the bulldog masturbation scene.
Now tonight I will be back. Perhaps its an odd coincidence I once again have a new book out. Maybe that is the only time they will let a guy like me inside the gates.
I would be game, but I doubt the Arch Bishop wants me to read the opening of TWISTED ROADS. I got a feeling I'd be sent straight to confession when I went to describing purple panties and cleavage.
Oh well, there is always the rotary club.
I wanted to share the back cover blurb from Twisted Roads from you ... well it will be the back cover blurb when the print book is released in a few weeks. Until then you can pick the novel up on Kindle for 6.99 if you so desire.
A tarnished name and a bitter heart.
That's all Angela Ross took when she fled Texas fifteen years ago as a teenager. Now, she's back to take care of her grandmother’s estate. But in a town like Grand, where reputation means much more than the truth, some sins are never forgotten much less forgiven.
Shelly Sampson has worked hard to cultivate her image as reigning queen of Grand, but long kept secrets mean her crown is precarious at best. And nothing could knock her tiara off faster than a chill wind from the past ... Like the return of Angela Ross.
Left with nothing but an old house and painful memories, Angela soon takes a job at the local tavern owned by Lucas Cahill hoping to earn enough to leave this town behind for good. Lucas still holds the same flame for Shelly Sampson that he had in high school and though she welcomes his attention, he can’t understand why she won’t leave her rocky marriage behind to finally give them a chance at happiness.
Once Angela, Shelly’s old arch rival, enters the picture as Lucas’ new employee Shelly’s desperation to keep her life and secrets intact starts a chain reaction whose outcome no one in Grand could have ever predicted.
I have no problem admitting that.
A suit and tie? Not if I can help it. My idea of dressing up is a pair of starched jeans and a button up shirt. Which I can get away with for most functions here in Texas. Dress shoes. I'll stick to my favorite pair of double-stitched, Anderson Bean Boots thank you very much.
And golf? I have but frankly trying to whack that little white ball in a straight line just ticks me off. I'd rather smuggle in a fishing pole and cast for bass in the water hazards while my buddies debate distance and club selection. I will ride in your golf cart and drink your beer however.
Tennis? I'll leave that to Phats.
But tonight I will be at the Amarillo Country Club for a church event.
It's not my only visit to the place. I've been there before. In the very room I will be in tonight.
Only the last time I was there I was the keynote speaker for a luncheon. I stood there and told the Amarillo Rotary Club about my path to publication not long after THE FEEDSTORE CHRONICLES came out. I had a great time that day and met some very nice people. Yeah, I think I scared a few but when I read them a sample I stopped short of the bulldog masturbation scene.
Now tonight I will be back. Perhaps its an odd coincidence I once again have a new book out. Maybe that is the only time they will let a guy like me inside the gates.
I would be game, but I doubt the Arch Bishop wants me to read the opening of TWISTED ROADS. I got a feeling I'd be sent straight to confession when I went to describing purple panties and cleavage.
Oh well, there is always the rotary club.
I wanted to share the back cover blurb from Twisted Roads from you ... well it will be the back cover blurb when the print book is released in a few weeks. Until then you can pick the novel up on Kindle for 6.99 if you so desire.
A tarnished name and a bitter heart.
That's all Angela Ross took when she fled Texas fifteen years ago as a teenager. Now, she's back to take care of her grandmother’s estate. But in a town like Grand, where reputation means much more than the truth, some sins are never forgotten much less forgiven.
Shelly Sampson has worked hard to cultivate her image as reigning queen of Grand, but long kept secrets mean her crown is precarious at best. And nothing could knock her tiara off faster than a chill wind from the past ... Like the return of Angela Ross.
Left with nothing but an old house and painful memories, Angela soon takes a job at the local tavern owned by Lucas Cahill hoping to earn enough to leave this town behind for good. Lucas still holds the same flame for Shelly Sampson that he had in high school and though she welcomes his attention, he can’t understand why she won’t leave her rocky marriage behind to finally give them a chance at happiness.
Once Angela, Shelly’s old arch rival, enters the picture as Lucas’ new employee Shelly’s desperation to keep her life and secrets intact starts a chain reaction whose outcome no one in Grand could have ever predicted.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Women's Fiction? Yes, Please.
Let's talk Women's Fiction.
What is it?
The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship."
Okay I can live with that definition.
So how exactly did I become a Women's Fiction author?
That's a little harder to pinpoint, but I can tell you it wasn't easy. I never opened my eyes one morning and said, "Hey I think I want to become the next Nicholas Sparks."
And no offense to Mr. Sparks but I don't want to be the next him. I want to be me. Sure I want to write books his audience wants to read, but I want to be me. I want somewhere someday there to be a literary agent or editor that tells an author, "You are the next Travis Erwin." Start growing your goateess now you would be male Women's Fiction writers."
I began writing seriously after taking a college class with Jodi Thomas. I'd always been a lifelong reader and thought I could write a compelling story but meeting her and talking to her I for the first time believe a country boy from Amarillo, Texas could make a go at being an author.
For those unfamiliar with her work, Jodi Thomas is a Hall of Fame member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the person that I can credit for launching my passion to be an author. Here is a picture of the two of us taken a few years back.
I learned a lot about the business and writing from Jodi. Including the fact I'm a Women's Fiction writer. She challenged us to write the first 50 pages of a novel in that class. I did. She read them, liked them and told me "I never guessed a big scrapping guy like you would write women's fiction."
Guess what Jodi. Neither did I. I simply began telling the story in my head. Funny thing is that story I began oh so long ago has a new title ... a shiny new cover ...and most importantly a release date. yes that book I began 13 long years ago has become TWISTED ROADS.
I doubt any one paragraph is the same. Heck some of the characters are not the same. The book that comes out oh so soon is far better than the stuff I handed Ms Thomas to read but the same emotions the same quest for personal growth and emotional reflection are there. They are there in nearly everything I write. Yes even the Feedstore Chronicles. The growth in that book was my own and I'm obviously not a woman so while that book was not women's fiction I am most proud of the reviews I recieved like this one ...
5.0 out of 5 stars
Resilience and true Grit-a coming of age book deeper than the cover,
That's who I want to be as a writer. I want to delve below the surface so while I might not have intentionally became a Women's Fiction writer I embrace the term. Am proud to wear the title. No I'm not the typical women's fiction author and that has made it tougher to get to this point. But I feel my work can stand on its own. So now that I'm actually going to have a novel out there in the genre I think the fact I'm a 6'5 nearly 300 hundred pound Texan with a twang in his voice and boots on his feet is a good thing. it gives me the ability to stand out in a crowded field of talented writers.
I am the same writer I have always been. I hope to make you laugh, cry, and cheer along with the characters. I hope to make you feel as if you learned something about not only my characters but humanity as a whole. About what makes all of us tick. About what it is like to fight and struggle and get back up again. To fall in love all over again.
That is why I write. That is why we live.
What is it?
The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship."
Okay I can live with that definition.
So how exactly did I become a Women's Fiction author?
That's a little harder to pinpoint, but I can tell you it wasn't easy. I never opened my eyes one morning and said, "Hey I think I want to become the next Nicholas Sparks."
And no offense to Mr. Sparks but I don't want to be the next him. I want to be me. Sure I want to write books his audience wants to read, but I want to be me. I want somewhere someday there to be a literary agent or editor that tells an author, "You are the next Travis Erwin." Start growing your goateess now you would be male Women's Fiction writers."
I began writing seriously after taking a college class with Jodi Thomas. I'd always been a lifelong reader and thought I could write a compelling story but meeting her and talking to her I for the first time believe a country boy from Amarillo, Texas could make a go at being an author.
For those unfamiliar with her work, Jodi Thomas is a Hall of Fame member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the person that I can credit for launching my passion to be an author. Here is a picture of the two of us taken a few years back.
I learned a lot about the business and writing from Jodi. Including the fact I'm a Women's Fiction writer. She challenged us to write the first 50 pages of a novel in that class. I did. She read them, liked them and told me "I never guessed a big scrapping guy like you would write women's fiction."
Guess what Jodi. Neither did I. I simply began telling the story in my head. Funny thing is that story I began oh so long ago has a new title ... a shiny new cover ...and most importantly a release date. yes that book I began 13 long years ago has become TWISTED ROADS.
I doubt any one paragraph is the same. Heck some of the characters are not the same. The book that comes out oh so soon is far better than the stuff I handed Ms Thomas to read but the same emotions the same quest for personal growth and emotional reflection are there. They are there in nearly everything I write. Yes even the Feedstore Chronicles. The growth in that book was my own and I'm obviously not a woman so while that book was not women's fiction I am most proud of the reviews I recieved like this one ...
5.0 out of 5 stars
Resilience and true Grit-a coming of age book deeper than the cover, November 10, 2011
By
J.Smith (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Feedstore Chronicles (Paperback)
This book is hilarious. It is also deeply moving, proving one can not
judge by a comedic and clever cover. Erwin shows immense depth as a
writer, and the story would be funny and worth reading even if he didn't
manage to convey the true challenges of being raised by a single mother
in a dusty Texas town without whining. Mr. Erwin writes a captivating
story, and I was unexpectedly moved and inspired by the prose. A great
read, and one I highly recommend. That's who I want to be as a writer. I want to delve below the surface so while I might not have intentionally became a Women's Fiction writer I embrace the term. Am proud to wear the title. No I'm not the typical women's fiction author and that has made it tougher to get to this point. But I feel my work can stand on its own. So now that I'm actually going to have a novel out there in the genre I think the fact I'm a 6'5 nearly 300 hundred pound Texan with a twang in his voice and boots on his feet is a good thing. it gives me the ability to stand out in a crowded field of talented writers.
I am the same writer I have always been. I hope to make you laugh, cry, and cheer along with the characters. I hope to make you feel as if you learned something about not only my characters but humanity as a whole. About what makes all of us tick. About what it is like to fight and struggle and get back up again. To fall in love all over again.
That is why I write. That is why we live.
Monday, April 22, 2013
How I Write
How do you write?
I get this question fairly often.
I'm always tempted to reply with crappy grammar and woeful comma use, but generally I resist.
I am at my best when I write the original draft longhand with pen in a notebook. Then I edit as I type sometimes later the same day and sometimes a week or so later. Sometimes I type beyond what I hand wrote and I keep going but in truth that blinking cursor always taunts me and seems to constrict free thought.
As far as how I build a story and characters I begin with a what if. Usually a what if for a single character. For TWISTED ROADS it was ... What if you realized you'd spent your whole life loving the wrong person?
I knew a guy that had done that very thing and frankly it destroyed him though I don't know that he sees it that way to this day. I wanted my character to find some redemption beyond his misguided love but of course it's never easy to admit you've spent a lifetime lying to yourself.
So I start with that what if, but to make a story and the character come alive I have to know all the characters inside and out. To do that I write back story for every character. One or two pages for minor characters. maybe as much as a dozen for point of view or major characters.
These are not complete stories but vignettes of emotionally charged events from their early childhood on up to when the story starts. Once I know how they will react to being mad, sad, happy, horny ... they are pretty easy to write in most situations.
Building secondary plots and having all them them relate in some small way is a challenge for me. I tend to be a character driven writer and my plots can get lost because of that. Editors often want me to be less subtle and more flamboyant and direct. I have to work to add the necessary layers and emphasis.
Sometimes they mean not how do I write, but how do I find the time to write with a family and job? I steal it here and ther and in bits. This adds to why I hand write. I can't always sneak off to the computer though I try to get some time in at the computer every night when the kids have gone to bed.
There it is. How I write.
I get this question fairly often.
I'm always tempted to reply with crappy grammar and woeful comma use, but generally I resist.
I am at my best when I write the original draft longhand with pen in a notebook. Then I edit as I type sometimes later the same day and sometimes a week or so later. Sometimes I type beyond what I hand wrote and I keep going but in truth that blinking cursor always taunts me and seems to constrict free thought.
As far as how I build a story and characters I begin with a what if. Usually a what if for a single character. For TWISTED ROADS it was ... What if you realized you'd spent your whole life loving the wrong person?
I knew a guy that had done that very thing and frankly it destroyed him though I don't know that he sees it that way to this day. I wanted my character to find some redemption beyond his misguided love but of course it's never easy to admit you've spent a lifetime lying to yourself.
So I start with that what if, but to make a story and the character come alive I have to know all the characters inside and out. To do that I write back story for every character. One or two pages for minor characters. maybe as much as a dozen for point of view or major characters.
These are not complete stories but vignettes of emotionally charged events from their early childhood on up to when the story starts. Once I know how they will react to being mad, sad, happy, horny ... they are pretty easy to write in most situations.
Building secondary plots and having all them them relate in some small way is a challenge for me. I tend to be a character driven writer and my plots can get lost because of that. Editors often want me to be less subtle and more flamboyant and direct. I have to work to add the necessary layers and emphasis.
Sometimes they mean not how do I write, but how do I find the time to write with a family and job? I steal it here and ther and in bits. This adds to why I hand write. I can't always sneak off to the computer though I try to get some time in at the computer every night when the kids have gone to bed.
There it is. How I write.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Music as it Should Be
I am a big supporter of live music from local bands to touring acts that stop in at small venues. I'm done with with huge arena shows and hundred dollar tickets for pyrotechnics and auto tune performances.
My favorite venue here in Amarillo is a place called The Golden Light Cantina.
The Cantina is to the right of the Cafe, which by the way is the longest continually open cafe along old Route 66. They make a might fine greasy cheeseburger and great fries. They also serve cold Shiner.
The Cantina has room for something in the neighborhood of a 100-120 people and just recently became smoke free.
Thursday night I had the pleasure of catching Hayes Carll perform. Hayes is one of my favorite songwriters. He has a wit and truism to his writing that speaks to me on several levels
Warren Hood and his band opened and backed up Hayes and their set was great in its own right. They have almost a cajun, bluegrass feel. Folky but contemporary. I didn't record this clip but found it on YouTube.
I picked up the bands new CD which isn't officially out and it's just as good as their show.
I knew Hayes Carll would be good. he was after all nominated as the 2011 Americana Music Artist fo the year. But frankly I didn't expect him to be as good as he was. good isn't the world. Hayes put on a damn fantastic show. Pardon the audio of my phone as I recorded these clips myself.
Visit Hayes Carll's Amazon store to pick up his music. Or visit his website.
Or catch him live and in person if you can.
My favorite venue here in Amarillo is a place called The Golden Light Cantina.
The Cantina is to the right of the Cafe, which by the way is the longest continually open cafe along old Route 66. They make a might fine greasy cheeseburger and great fries. They also serve cold Shiner.
The Cantina has room for something in the neighborhood of a 100-120 people and just recently became smoke free.
Thursday night I had the pleasure of catching Hayes Carll perform. Hayes is one of my favorite songwriters. He has a wit and truism to his writing that speaks to me on several levels
Warren Hood and his band opened and backed up Hayes and their set was great in its own right. They have almost a cajun, bluegrass feel. Folky but contemporary. I didn't record this clip but found it on YouTube.
I picked up the bands new CD which isn't officially out and it's just as good as their show.
I knew Hayes Carll would be good. he was after all nominated as the 2011 Americana Music Artist fo the year. But frankly I didn't expect him to be as good as he was. good isn't the world. Hayes put on a damn fantastic show. Pardon the audio of my phone as I recorded these clips myself.
Visit Hayes Carll's Amazon store to pick up his music. Or visit his website.
Or catch him live and in person if you can.
| 04/21/13 | Albuquerque, NM | The Dirty Bourbon | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $17. Age restrictions: No Minors. Box office: 505-296-2726. Address: 9800 Montgomery Blvd. Venue phone: 505-296-2726. | |||||
| 04/24/13 | Tucson, AZ | Hotel Congress | United States | Hayes and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 311 East Congress Street. Venue phone: 520-622-8848. | |||||
| 04/25/13 | Phoenix, AZ | Musical Instrument Museum | United States | Hayes and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard. Venue phone: 480.478.6000. | |||||
| 04/26/13 | Indio, CA | Stagecoach | United States | Hayes and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 5:00am. Admission: $239. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (888) 512-SHOW. Address: Empire Polo Field. Venue phone: (888) 512-SHOW. | |||||
| 05/02/13 | Alexandria, VA | Birchmere | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $27.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 3701 Mt Vernon Ave. Venue phone: 703-549-7500. | |||||
| 05/04/13 | Livingston, TN | Livingston Americana Festival | United States | Other artists TBA | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 12:00pm. Admission: $25. Age restrictions: All Ages. | |||||
| 05/07/13 | Sellersville, PA | Sellersville Theater | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $21.50, $29.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 215-257-5808. Address: 24 W Temple Ave. Venue phone: 215-257-5808. | |||||
| 05/08/13 | York, PA | Strand -Capitol Performing Arts | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $18. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 717-846-1111. Address: 50 N George St. Venue phone: 717-846-1111. | |||||
| 05/09/13 | Annapolis, MD | Rams Head On Stage | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $22.50. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 410-244-1131. Address: 33 West Street. Venue phone: 410-244-1131. | |||||
| 05/10/13 | New York, NY | City Winery | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $28/$25/$22/$20. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (212) 608-0555. Address: 155 Varick ST. Venue phone: (212) 608-0555. | |||||
| 05/11/13 | Somerville, MA | Johnny D’s | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods. SOLD OUT! | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 7:00am. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 17 Holland St. Venue phone: 617.628.1028. | |||||
| 05/11/13 | Somerville, MA | Johnny D’s | United States | Second Show just added. Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $17. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 17 Holland St. Venue phone: 617.628.1028. | |||||
| 05/14/13 | Ashville, NC | The Grey Eagle | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | ||
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Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $15. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (828)232-5800. Address: 185 Clingman Avenue. Venue phone: (828)232-5800. | |||||
| 05/15/13 | Atlanta, GA | Terminal West | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | Buy tickets | |
| Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $20 / $17. Box office: 404.876.5566. Address: 887 West Marietta St NW. Venue phone: 404.876.5566. | ||||||
| 05/17/13 | New Orleans, LA | One Eyed Jacks | United States | Hayes with Warren Hood and The Goods | ||
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Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $15. Box office: 504.569.8361. Address: 615 Toulouse St. Venue phone: 504.569.8361. | |||||
| 05/18/13 | Houston, TX | San Houston Park | United States | Festival with Dwight Yoakam, Robert Earll Keen and more… | Buy tickets | |
| Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $40/$25/$150. Address: 1100 Bagby St. | ||||||
| 05/25/13 | Helotes, TX | Floores Country Store | United States | with Turnpike Troubadours. | ||
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Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $20, $15. Box office: 210/695-8827. Address: 14492 Old Bandera Rd. Venue phone: 210/695-8827. | |||||
| 05/26/13 | Kerrville, TX | Kerrville Folk Festival | United States | With Warren Hood and The Goods and Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $25, $180. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: 830.257.3600. Address: 3876 Medina Hwy. Venue phone: 830.257.3600. | |||||
| 06/01/13 | Dallas, TX | GEXA Energy Pavillion | United States | Also on the bill – The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Matt & Kim, Dawes, Milo Greene | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 4:45pm. Admission: $55. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 1818 1st Ave. | |||||
| 07/19/13 | Telluride, CO | Sheridan Opera House | United States | Lincoln Durham supports | Buy tickets | |
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Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $135. Age restrictions: All Ages. Box office: (970)728-6363. Address: PO Box 2680. Venue phone: (970)728-6363. | |||||
| 08/02/13 | Hailey, ID | Northern Rockies Music Festival | United States | |||
Thursday, April 18, 2013
That Certain Shine
Hey, give me a Shiner!
In other parts of the world that statement could get you a jab in the eye.
Here in Texas, it will get you a beer.
And not just any beer, but in my well versed, or in this case well drank, opinion the best overall beer around.
But I've waxed poetically about my love of Shiner Bock before so let's move on to how a few Shiners on a fine Friday night led to the book cover of Twisted Roads.
After I handed in the manuscript for Twisted Roads to Dee over at TAG Publishing asked me if I had any cover ideas. I told them I did. You see a friend of mine that plays bass guitar had posted a picture of herself in red heels standing by her guitar. I liked the imagery put the guitar was wrong and she had on black pants and I thought a short skirt with bare legs would work better.
Dee liked the premise and said she'd check out some stock images. A week or so later she reported they were having trouble finding a good stock image, so I said, "Heck, I bet we could get the picture taken just as easy as we could buy a stock photo."
Dee seemed a bit hesitant but I really liked the concept so I assured her I could get the whole thing put together without blowing the budget.
But then a reality hit me. I wasn't exactly in the leg game anymore. I know lots of women but for the cover of a book not just any old legs would do. They would have to be long, and fit, and willing to pose.
I knew the right photographer. Brad McBride had made me look good with my headshot for the last book and if he could do that with a mug like mine I knew he could do amazing things with a nice set of legs. I knew I could acquire an acoustic guitar. So that left legs and a backdrop to find.
But try as I might I couldn't find the right legs.
Turns out, "Hey baby, I like those legs. Wanna pose for the cover of my next book?" isn't quite the pickup line you'd think. I'm kidding. It didn't really get to that point but close.
Then one Friday night I went along with my to a birthday dinner for one of her coworkers. I know most of her friends at work but still they are her friends more than mine so Is at at the end of the table and take great joy in the fact they had Shiner on draft. Shiner in big 32 ounce frozen mugs to be exact. Here was my view that night.
I was on my third maybe fourth frosty mug when in walked the legs. The legs I'd been searching for. I leaned over to my wife and whispered, "There are legs I need for the cover."
Now this girl or should I say young woman as she is in her early twenties was not a stranger. I'd met her before and she used to work as an aid at the school where my wife teaches. She was wearing heels but not red heels and not a skirt.
She initially sat at the far end of the table but wife waved her down to our end.
I explained the deal and she said she was game.
We hashed out a few details and the day of the shoot she showed up with several pairs of heels and those cool black hose you see in the cover shot.
Brad found this cool weathered fence which we used as a back drop. I think the cover in itself tells a story, or at the very least suggests one. Lloyd the design guru over at TAG did a great job with the script and arranging the title and my name.
Twisted Roads is a Women's Fiction novel set in the fictional town of Grand, Texas. The e-book is set for a May 1st release with the print edition coming out May 15th.
I will be giving 5 Kindle copies away on release day. To be eligible for one of those copies all you need to do is correctly guess the songwriter for any lyrics I have posted this month including those at the end of this post.
Lyric #10
I want to go home with the armadillo, country music from Amarillo and Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen
Lyric #11 (just for Mark "Walkingman" Durfree
She's quite the mediator A smoother operator you will never see She'll see you later And no one dares disuade her openly
She knows music And no music till you see She's got the power
Lyric #12
I'll bring you precious contraband
And ancient tales from distant lands
Of conquerors and concubines and
Conjurers from darker times
Betrayal and conspiracy
Sacrilege and heresy
In other parts of the world that statement could get you a jab in the eye.
Here in Texas, it will get you a beer.
And not just any beer, but in my well versed, or in this case well drank, opinion the best overall beer around.
But I've waxed poetically about my love of Shiner Bock before so let's move on to how a few Shiners on a fine Friday night led to the book cover of Twisted Roads.
After I handed in the manuscript for Twisted Roads to Dee over at TAG Publishing asked me if I had any cover ideas. I told them I did. You see a friend of mine that plays bass guitar had posted a picture of herself in red heels standing by her guitar. I liked the imagery put the guitar was wrong and she had on black pants and I thought a short skirt with bare legs would work better.
Dee liked the premise and said she'd check out some stock images. A week or so later she reported they were having trouble finding a good stock image, so I said, "Heck, I bet we could get the picture taken just as easy as we could buy a stock photo."
Dee seemed a bit hesitant but I really liked the concept so I assured her I could get the whole thing put together without blowing the budget.
But then a reality hit me. I wasn't exactly in the leg game anymore. I know lots of women but for the cover of a book not just any old legs would do. They would have to be long, and fit, and willing to pose.
I knew the right photographer. Brad McBride had made me look good with my headshot for the last book and if he could do that with a mug like mine I knew he could do amazing things with a nice set of legs. I knew I could acquire an acoustic guitar. So that left legs and a backdrop to find.
But try as I might I couldn't find the right legs.
Turns out, "Hey baby, I like those legs. Wanna pose for the cover of my next book?" isn't quite the pickup line you'd think. I'm kidding. It didn't really get to that point but close.
Then one Friday night I went along with my to a birthday dinner for one of her coworkers. I know most of her friends at work but still they are her friends more than mine so Is at at the end of the table and take great joy in the fact they had Shiner on draft. Shiner in big 32 ounce frozen mugs to be exact. Here was my view that night.
I was on my third maybe fourth frosty mug when in walked the legs. The legs I'd been searching for. I leaned over to my wife and whispered, "There are legs I need for the cover."
Now this girl or should I say young woman as she is in her early twenties was not a stranger. I'd met her before and she used to work as an aid at the school where my wife teaches. She was wearing heels but not red heels and not a skirt.
She initially sat at the far end of the table but wife waved her down to our end.
I explained the deal and she said she was game.
We hashed out a few details and the day of the shoot she showed up with several pairs of heels and those cool black hose you see in the cover shot.
Brad found this cool weathered fence which we used as a back drop. I think the cover in itself tells a story, or at the very least suggests one. Lloyd the design guru over at TAG did a great job with the script and arranging the title and my name.
Twisted Roads is a Women's Fiction novel set in the fictional town of Grand, Texas. The e-book is set for a May 1st release with the print edition coming out May 15th.
I will be giving 5 Kindle copies away on release day. To be eligible for one of those copies all you need to do is correctly guess the songwriter for any lyrics I have posted this month including those at the end of this post.
Lyric #10
I want to go home with the armadillo, country music from Amarillo and Abilene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen
Lyric #11 (just for Mark "Walkingman" Durfree
She's quite the mediator A smoother operator you will never see She'll see you later And no one dares disuade her openly
She knows music And no music till you see She's got the power
Lyric #12
I'll bring you precious contraband
And ancient tales from distant lands
Of conquerors and concubines and
Conjurers from darker times
Betrayal and conspiracy
Sacrilege and heresy
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