Happy new year to all!

I'd like to start by apologizing for so much time passing since my last post, when I explained that my next novel, Opportunia, was in the hands of "beta readers" for their feedback. Well, they certainly delivered!

The strongest and most common reaction to Opportunia was that I needed to tone down the story's main character, Gordon Yates. Gord was supposed to be a self-absorbed, egotistical, narcissist, but I made him so unlikeable, that my feedback team thought my readers would close the book and walk away before the end of Part One - long before Gord's eventual redemption.

It took several weeks to re-write major sections, making Gord more palatable, and showing glimmers of hope for his reformation. I'm happy to say that Opportunia is more readable and flows much better now. I am indebted to my beta readers for their wonderful feedback.

When I had made my edits, I sent my story to Kevin Miller. He's a professional editor who worked his magic on all three of my previous "Kelvoo" novels. He did a great job of tightening up the story and adding the polish it needed for publication.

Kevin finished his work in early December. So the next step was to send my manuscript to agents. Unlike my previous books, which were self-published, I've decided to try and get Opportunia "traditionally published". The first step is to find an agent to represent my work. Unfortunately, agents and publishers tend to shut down every December, so I decided to wait for the new year.

So, here we are in January 2026. I've sent my manuscript to two agents out of my list of 105  who represent sci-fi and/or speculative fiction. Each agent has very specific requirements, so I have to tailor my query letter (my pitch), and the accompanying files to each agent's specifications. My plan is to query two or three agents per day over the next several weeks.

Agents can take up to six months (sometimes longer) to reply to queries, and many of the busier ones never reply at all. So going forward, I'll be on tenterhooks while I wait for replies, wade through rejections letters, and maybe, just maybe, if the stars align and my book resonates with an agent, I might just end up with a professional agent who will pitch my book to the big players.
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I'm delighted to announce my next novel, "Opportunia". As someone who doesn't like to announce things before they're certain, I've waited for this announcement until my first draft was completed, self-edited, and sent to "beta readers" for feedback.

Yesterday, I sent the manuscript to the beta readers and I eagerly await their feedback, due at the end of September. After that, It'll be another round of self-editing, then it's off to a professional editor. I'll keep you informed as I progress.

In the meantime, here's a synopsis of the story:

I'm delighted to announce the audiobook version of Kelvoo's Testimonial, narrated by yours truly!

The audiobook is available on the "big" site - audible.com, and several others (list below). The audiobook has been submitted to many additional sites, and should start appearing on them in the coming days.

Please click the link for an audiobook retailer below, and have a listen to a sample from the book.

Note: The price varies between retailers, so you may want to check a few of them!

Links:

** Depending on your location, this link may take you to the main page for Audible. If so, please enter "Kelvoo's Testimonial" into the search box.

At 3:00 pm today, I finished my software development work . . . FOREVER!!!

You could say I've retired, but I'd rather say that I have transitioned into a full-time career as an author.

It feels wonderful!
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When I started to write Kelvoo's Teachings, I was curious about how much time it actually took me to write a book. So I created a spreadsheet and used it to track my daily hours, broken down by the type of work (e.g. writing, editing, design, etc.).

A few days ago, I showed my spreadsheet to a local writer's group, thinking it might be mildly interesting for them. For reasons I can't explain they loved it! They encouraged me to share it with the world, assuring me that other writers, and especially aspiring writers, would be very interested in knowing the effort required to write a novel!

Here's a link to the spreadsheet, for the full breakdown:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BH-70nDcOGG_bfvPKYUnE3ghzR6-4rVUCT9LziH0sug

If you don't require all the details, Kelvoo's Teachings required 332.75 hours over 37 weeks, resulting in a 79,633 word book.

Here's a summary of the plot of Kelvoo's Teachings, from the back cover:

Peace has returned to Kelvoo’s life and to the human homeworld. Ashamed of their violent history, the humans of Terra have isolated themselves for decades, and out of that isolation a Terran cult has emerged that worships Kelvoo as a legendary figure.

A long-anticipated planetary alignment affecting Kelvoo’s world is viewed by Terrans as a sign of Kelvoo’s return to save humanity from itself. To fulfill their “prophecy,” the cult leaders abduct Kelvoo, only to learn that their “savior” wants nothing to do with the madness of their religious fervor.

The Planetary Alliance demands Kelvoo’s release but is bogged down by its own regulations and bureaucracy. As unrest on Terra reaches a boiling point, Kelvoo’s life is in increasing danger. This prompts Kelvoo’s now elderly foster daughters, Brenna and May, to take matters into their own hands. Their perilous rescue mission leaves Kelvoo with a dire choice that may require the ultimate sacrifice.
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As the final book in the Kelvoo’s Chronicles trilogy, Kelvoo’s Teachings explores the uniquely human madness of fanaticism.
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Yesterday, I completed the first draft of book 3 in the "Kelvoo's Chronicles" series, with the working title, "Kelvoo's Teachings"!

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Kelvoo's Teachings is set 50 years after the conclusion of book 2, Kelvoo's Terra. In that interval, Terra has cut itself off from contact with other planets as the Terran humans deal with the aftermath of their bloody civil war and strive to build a better society. Unfortunately, humans have paid a price for their isolation, developing a mythology around Kelvoo - The extraterrestrial that suffered from human cruelty.

When the story starts in Kelvoo's Teachings, Kelvoo is revered on Terra to the point where Kelvoo is worshipped at the level of a god. The Terrans are convinced that Kelvoo will return to lead Terra into a new age of harmony and enlightenment. Believing that they are helping Kelvoo to fulfill the prophecy, the "Kelvonist Society" of Terra abducts Kelvoo and takes Kelvoo to Terra.

Unfortunately for the Kelvonists, Kelvoo wants nothing to do with the absurdity of being worshipped and wants no role in leading humanity. Kelvoo's refusal to assume the role of spiritual leader and fulfill the prophecy doesn't sit well with the Kelvonist leaders, who face increasing pressure from the citizens of Terra who are demanding to see Kelvoo ascend to power.

As Terra becomes more chaotic and Kelvoo's existence is put in ever-increasing danger, the Planetary Alliance and Kelvoo's foster daughters, Brenna and May, concoct rescue plans to return Kelvoo to the sanity of Kelvoo's home planet. Unfortunately, the Alliance's slow pace and bureaucracy prove to be too frustrating to Brenna and May who dream up their own audacious plan to take matters into their own hands, at great risk to themselves and Kelvoo.
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There is much work remaining before I can release Kelvoo's Teachings. The first step will be a few rounds of editing on my part. Next, I'll send a copy out to "beta readers" for their feedback. After that, my manuscript will go to my editor for a professional review. In the meantime there's cover design and layout work, and then the uploading and preparation of the book for online sales.

It's too early to say how long the process will take, but I'm certainly aiming to have Kelvoo's Teachings available sometime this year.

Exciting times!

I am delighted to announce that Kelvoo's Terra is now available from bookstores!

Your local bookstore can order both Kelvoo's Testimonal and Kelvoo's Terra in paperback or hardcover versions. Stores can order the books through Ingram Content Group.

To assist in ordering, please provide the book seller with the appropriate ISBN number:

Update: July 1, 2024
I have added Kelvoo's Teachings to the list, as it will be available effective July 26, 2024
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I am beyond thrilled to announce that Kelvoo’s Terra had its official launch yesterday (October 8, 2023). The sequel to Kelvoo's Testimonial is now available in ebook and paperback format on Amazon in multiple countries!

Now you can find out how Kelvoo and the Kloormari species dealt with the aftermath of human first contact, along with Kelvoo’s new adventures on Terra. Here is the link to "Kelvoo's Chronicles" (both books) on Amazon:

Kelvoo's Chronicles (both books): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CFK14D13

My next step will be to make Kelvoo’s Terra available for bookstores to order. Stay tuned for a future post.