Blog #103; Five Day Give Away; Physician, Heal Thyself; starts tomorrow; this is my most recent, and strongest collection of short fiction I have ever released

 Take advantage of this unique opportunity to see my best writing to date.  This collection, though short, packs a wallop.  If you have a chance, check it out.  NO RISK.  COST YOU NOTHING.

Happy Autumn!

Click

Blog #102; Free Giveaway, multiple books

 For the next two days, help yourself to multiple free books by the award-winning Chris McClelland.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-McClelland/author/B01LY7XVWQ?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true#formatSelectorHeader

Blog #101; Giveaway for IN LOVE AND WAR novel, for next three days

Free digital versions available for my debut novel IN LOVE AND WAR, through Monday

Click

Click

Blog #100; update on Flash Fiction; historical fiction; some misapprehensions regarding my religion

 Hi, all!  Just wanted to check in on my 100th blog entry on this website!!  The time has passed swiftly, and it is hard to believe I have done 100 of these things.  I have recently produced some short-short fiction pieces with themes of combat/violence and mental illness.  The trauma that informs these pieces is taken from real life experiences and I have really been enjoying the writing process lately.  Like the late Neal Peart of the rock band Rush says, "How the words would flow with passion and precision."  Well, that's what I have been feeling like lately when I write.  The stories of course are grounded on actual experience, if also fiction in nature and character.

I am returning to A Contrite Spirit, after a hiatus.  I do not know where the plot is going beyond a bare inkling of what actually happened in the 20th century and how that will affect some of the characters.  The novel centers around a Mormon family and with all the news going on out of my home state of Utah, I just wanted to set the record straight.  Mormons are Christians first, believe in the New Testament (and the Old) and also accept Mormon scripture as doctrine.  They are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Unlike some figures in the news recently, Mormons as a rule do not advocate physically or otherwise abusing children or anyone else.  In fact, just the opposite, which was what drew me to join the Mormon Church in the first place.  Mormons are typically very gentle and kind-hearted people, and believe in a just but merciful God.  There have been misrepresentations of our religion, and Under the Banner of Heaven is just one.  All organized religions have their outliers and their dark souled members. 

Blog #99; In Memorium, Michael Curtis, fiction editor of the Atlantic

 The other day I did something I rarely do anymore. I googled an editor-friend from back in my active

days in the academic/literary publishing world. I had tried to get in touch with him a couple of times,

but he seemed incommunicado. Well, I found out that Michael Curtis passed away this January. He,

especially in the early days of a correspondence that lasted almost thirty years, taught me much about

writing stories, and about writing as a craft to incrementally master. For that I will always be grateful.

He first started writing me back in 1992, and I saved every one of the dozens of rejection letters he sent

back. At first, it was just a sentence or two, just suggestions. As time went on the sentences grew to

paragraphs, and Mike exhibited a warmth, and a solid encouragement, and for that I will always be

grateful, too. I got to meet him twice during this time of correspondence; once at Rollins College in

Winter Park, Florida, where he was giving a talk to the writing students set up by our mutual friend, Phil

Deaver. The other time was in Columbus, Ohio, at a workshop. He was understanding about my

emotional awkwardness in those early stories, and taught me to fashion the discomfort into

vulnerability and compassion.

When I moved out West to be with my wife Erin in Utah, we started up a literary magazine. Of course,

the first person I thought of when considering who to interview was Mike. The back and forth turned

out to be very fruitful, and as a result, a new vision of how to approach fiction writing opened up to me

as a writer. Mike was gracious, as always, giving gems of advice freely as the interview went on. A few

years ago, he stepped down from The Atlantic, and, of course, that ended an amazing apprenticeship

with him, as the incoming fiction staff had different plans for the magazine. I miss his notes, towards

the end hand-written and warm and personal. It was an honor to have worked with him, and to have

learned by his hand.

Blog #98; A Vigorous Argument for Interesting, Compelling Fiction

 A story, more than anything, must be alive.   It must have a pulse and driving emotion that hooks the reader into the narrative.  As more time goes by and I find myself further distanced from the academic, "literary" world, it becomes more clear to me what makes great fiction in my own mind.  Unlike what I have heard in some academic circles, it is not a prerequisite that to be admired a work must put the reader to sleep.   It is actually very freeing to read someone like Harlan Coben or Stephen King and enjoy it for the pure storytelling aspect, the propulsive drive from page to page, the addictive compulsion to keep turning pages.

 

Reading such a book is indeed satisfying an addiction and in a way that I would say is much healthier than most addictions.  With my wife, I currently belong to The Book of the Month Club, and good reads abound there.  The most recent novel I have read came from there, SHE STARTED IT, a deliciously twisted plot line of a British book, where a wronged high school outsider and talented artist gets her revenge on four bullies ten years later at her hen party. 

 

I am also exploring William Styron's nonfiction, and quite frankly, I have been given a revised point of view on that work too.  His "Darkness Visible" will always be my favorite work of his, followed closely by SOPHIE'S CHOICE, but most of the collection of his nonfiction that I read dealt mostly with current affairs of his day and the literary social life of Manhattan. I find it best to stay warily awake regarding the  "woke" movement of contemporary fiction.  I mostly stick to historical fiction.

 

Enough said on that topic.  I have looked at my late friend and mentor Phil Deaver's work, particularly how his work is faring posthumously.  I told Phil while he was still alive that I would do all I could to preserve his literary legacy.  I don’t know what his family and other loved ones feel about preserving his work.  I imagine the warm-hearted, generous-spirited man that his memory bequeaths to us is what ultimately lives on, both in his published work and his private moments with family and friends.

Blog #97; A Number of Random Thoughts About Life and Literature; Book Giveaways this Month

 I have been down lately, not only because so many people I know and love have died in the past few years.  I no longer dream of achievement or success on a material, or reputational, level with mainstream or literary publishers, but that leaves me feeling that my pursuit of writing is somehow disillusioned.  I decided a long time ago, years ago now, to focus on self-publishing, so that I have taken myself out of the running of being respected as a fiction writer.  It all just saddens and confuses me.  I have my own little corner of the Mormon literary world, and that is fruitful in what I read and write.  Dean Hughes' Children of the Promise series is magnificent, and I hope to meet him in person some day.  I think some of my historical fiction work may have a chance with LDS, or other Christian/inspirational type publishers, but I don't have a full book manuscript to show them.

So, self-publishing, with Mormon undercurrents, with historical themes.  That seems to be where I will focus my time.  That, and trying very hard to write an honest spiritual memoir.

Later on in the month I will announce my giveaways.  As always, if you are so moved, please send a line...