First post

I am days away from completing the first draft of my debut science fiction novel, Tendrils to the Moon. Over the next few weeks, as I put the finishing touches on the first draft and edit the book, I'll post here regularly about the book, how I wrote it, as well as about literary topics that relate to books and entertainment. But first, some more about myself.

I've known since I was 10 years old that I wanted to be a writer. I first became a big fan of Michael Crichton and I gobbled up his techno-thrillers voraciously. Then I moved on to Tom Clancy's Ryanverse. I wrote my first book in the summer between 5th and 6th grades that one of my teachers put in the school library. Years later, my family still teases me about that silly, silly book.

Crichton's Sphere and Andromeda Strain, plus Dune by Frank Herbert, solidified my love for science fiction. Four of the six books I wrote between ages 16 and 25 are in the sci-fi genre. In 2012, I took a long break from fiction writing. I moved to San Antonio, was baptized, and started a family.

Tendrils to the Moon is the first book I've written with the intent of self-publishing. Since I'm more interested in getting this book into the hands of as many people as possible and building a readership base, I'm going to start a mailing list. If you join the mailing list, you will receive a free digital copy of Tendrils to the Moon when it becomes available. I'll post in the blog when I get the mailing list up and running. If you don't like mailing lists, you can buy the Kindle book for 99 cents on Amazon. My goal is to publish by July 1.

Here's a back-cover summary of Tendrils to the Moon:

All Colonel Montgomery Ames (WAAF retired) wants is a better life for his family. His distinguished military career, much of it spent in the harsh environment of space, earns him a coveted spot on the crew of the spacecraft Betelgeuse, commissioned by eccentric billionaire Wayne Sheridan.

Sheridan has grown weary of life on war-torn Earth, and he'll brook no interference in fulfilling his dream of establishing a permanent Moon colony. When he makes questionable decisions that put lives in danger, Ames must find a way to protect his family and his crew while leading them into the great unknown.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think! I'll respond to it as soon as I can.