Greetings loyal readers!
As I finish out the year, I wanted to take the time to sit and write as it has been some time since my last post. A lot has transpired, good and bad, that kept me from sitting down and putting words to screen. Like many of us, life occasionally throws wrenches into even well-designed plans, forcing us to “wing it” from time to time. Not my usual cup of tea, but it is what it is.
My debut novel, Pandemic-19, was slated to become fully available on December 1 as an ebook, paperback, and hardcover. I was thrilled and excited to be so near the finish line. Preparations were being made to move ahead, and then life decided to do what it does best and throw dirt on top of a bad situation. It had already been leaving a bad taste in my mouth if you look at the date of my last article, forcing me to stay away for many reasons to tackle what life dumps in your lap.
I lost my dear father the day before Thanksgiving. Really, close to midnight the night before, but as it occurred sooner than expected, I found out the next day due to the chaos and unfortunate nature that death brings. As you might imagine, the sails propelling me along lost their wind, and putting any energy towards a book release seemed to be selfish and just not conducive to the grieving process. I simply had an empty tank and retreated into the darkness.
My dad was much like me, a storyteller. It’s where I get my love for writing besides the passion for reading that runs deep inside. I like to imagine something and create a plot around it. Even if it is just a tale I tell orally, I still relish in the experience. Growing up, my dad told some pretty far out ones, and it is one of the qualities in him that I hold dear to my heart. I follow in those footsteps, and can only hope that he is as proud of me for what he got to see and for eternity, what will come. My kids get the brunt of this silliness, a trait that runs deep in our family. I will forever miss our talks and hearing him tell the grandkids some of his stories. Especially the ones that have been around for decades that kept us on our toes and listening intently to the details. My favorite? His old high school buddy, Swamp Thing.
But, that’s a story for another time.
My book took a backseat to what I needed most, a break from it all, so the release was postponed until January 1, 2022. That in my mind was a fitting date, to start off the New Year on a positive and new note. Honor my dad and keep moving forward with my dreams that he supported. He never got to finish reading my book because of his illness, but he loved hearing about it and the progress as it traveled. As the days crept along and my sadness began to shed a bit at a time, I felt that I had the ebook version ready to go, it is digital after all, so why not release it before the holidays? The reason was twofold. Take a tiny bit of advantage for some holiday sales to tease the upcoming paper versions, but really to ease myself out of my own gloom and honor my accomplishment by taking a tiny step up the hill. People were asking to read it, so in my mind why not do this to add some levity and spirit to give joy to others?
So, the ebook version of Pandemic-19 went public on December 15. The response? Phenomenal in my mind. Sales and reads have been wonderful and the uptick as it climbs the charts for the numbers game has been a blessing and joy. As an author you want people to love your work and be entertained. The feedback and notes have really been a positive and lifting experience.
Though everyone wants a physical copy of the book!
Well, after the ebook release, I kept at it to prepare the paper versions to get them ready to go. I never realized the amount of work that goes into the publication of a book! Like a wheel, there are so many cogs and pieces to snap together and even people! So much bloody effort across multiple avenues in order to get the whole concept and product where it needs to be in order to get it out the door. As the days marched along and a much deserved and required vacation for the family away from the hustle and bustle occurred, hitting the New Year seemed like it was out of reach. The wheels were still spinning and moving, just a matter of whether it all was trimmed up nice with a bow.
Well, that leaves me where I am today. The paperback and hardcover versions of Pandemic-19 are here for your bookshelves! One day early I might add. They are available across a variety of vendors, retailers, bookstores, distribution channels, and even through the publisher coming next year. So, you can order online if you want it quick, or get it in your local bookstore as you browse the shelves. If they don’t have it on the shelf, ask them to get you a copy!
Ending 2021 on this note brings me immense joy. A culmination of a lot of hard work and grueling hours to bring my passion to my audiences and really, a chance to entertain if only for a brief moment in time. I don’t write for any accolades. Definitely not for the money. I write because I love storytelling and sharing my tales with people.
Ask any of my friends and family, especially my son, and they all will vouch for that.
2021 brought more loss than most people deal with in such a short time. My beloved Boxer dogs I’d had since tiny puppies. Twins who were the best two dogs a family could ever ask for in a lifetime. My Plecko fish who was huge and no idea how old he was before I got him. Sixteen years plus that beloved guy! My part Siamese boy I rescued as a tiny 4 week old kitten and dropper fed. My dad as mentioned, and even my last grandmother who made a ripe old age and will forever be a reminder of humbleness. The year was crap from that perspective.
I won’t lie.
Taking all that into account and trudging on, because that’s what you have to do to survive, I sit today looking back on the year and what I managed to accomplish. Even under all the sadness and sorrow, I was able to finish my book and take that step. I know it’s what all of my loved and lost ones would have wanted. I also got 3 #wips going in various stages of development that look to make an appearance in 2022. These transpired when I just needed some different mental space to create away from the pressure of Pandemic-19.
Don’t even get me started on the short synopses I have for other ideas in the wings!
While 2021 was filled with sorrow, anguish, and periods of blahs that kept me away from writing, it also brought me joy, smiles, and reinvigorated my love of writing. I got my first book published which is a feat and mountain many people can’t overcome. I didn’t do it alone. I had the support and nudges of some very critical and important individuals. They held my hand when I needed it, dried tears when I had them, and propped me back up when I felt the blackness of loss. Through everything, they encouraged, offered an ear, and answered my calls when I just needed to vent or talk. They know who they are and have been with me for my journey. Thank you and so much love.
What does 2022 bring as it sits just a day away? Well, I look forward to seeing Pandemic-19 blast into the stratosphere and find its place among the great mass fiction people love. It is not cookie cutter by any stretch of the imagination, but an original story and plot that twists and turns what you read to keep you on your toes! I have other books slated to come out that keep the momentum going and offer even more thrilling and engaging entertainment for multiple audiences. Potential works are a wonderful children’s book that takes kids on a fanciful journey through time and shows that even with a disability, they can overcome and complete the quest! A serious literary piece of fiction set during World War II that dives into questioning the inner turmoil war unleashes inside. Even another complex and seat of your pants psychological suspense thriller that take it to another level!
Too many choices!
And realistically, the new year provides me with whatever I wish to do. It is an open slate yet to be written. I am the driver, the conductor, the artist and creator of my future. Whims of fancy or developed plans, I choose the course. I look forward to what it brings and look back fondly as much as I can on 2021. Ups and downs, it provided for me a path that may have been bumpy and with all kinds of curves, a way to step out and do what I love.
Can’t complain about that.
Jason McDonald 