The Importance of Music

Those of you who know me, know that I love music.

- Rock

- Classical

- Orchestrated Soundtracks

- Musicals

- Video Game OSTs

- Funk

- Folk / Folk Pop

Those are just some of the genres in my collection. I could go on and on, I love music. I have been singing from a young age and have been seen in numerous stage musical productions ranging from "The Music Man" to "The Fanstasticks" (yes, that's how it's spelled). So it should come to no surprise that I listen to music while writing, a lot of music.

Music speaks to us on a level that no other genre can. It speaks directly to the heart and can hold a conversation with us regardless of our native language. Music is the language of the soul.

But, you're not here to talk or read about my thoughts on the soul. You want to read about my writing. So let me attempt to tie my thoughts together. I find that, for me, when trying to create a piece that I'm struggling to get the tone down on, finding the right song can help me get the right words down on the paper. I'm not alone in this either. Brandon Sanderson, while finishing up Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" listened to this song from Final Fantasy X while trying to nail the feeling for the final chapters.

While working on "The Devil from the River", I have drawn a lot of inspiration from some of my favorite Spaghetti and Space Westerns. I have listened to their music on YouTube while taking notes on my characters and world building. I have amassed a good number of songs that I have put into a playlist and have that playlist on repeat while writing my drafts. However, one of those songs has become more than just a mood setter for me. It has become the theme song of the Unforgiven Sins series.

As I listened to the song in a playlist, I realized that the song was far more than just a mood setter for a scene or a chapter. It was, in a short 4 minutes, capturing the feeling I was targeting for the entire series.

I was flabbergasted. I have found songs that had come close to the theme of my book before, but nothing that ever really matched it perfectly, like a child's wooden block fitting into the proper hole.

And now I want to share that song with you.

"Soul of a Man", covered by Steven Stern, is a haunting melody of a man struggling to find meaning in a dark, unforgiving world. Give it a listen and share your thoughts. I hope you enjoy.

What's in a Name?

Hi again everyone.

Last week I told you about my need to rework the title. One of the most difficult things for me is coming up with names. For the first year of working on this project, I didn't even have a title for it. I just called it my Steampunk Western Project. No matter what name I tried to call it, they never sat right with me. Then, out of the blue, I came up with the name "The Rise of the Ash Bringer".

At first, I didn't much care for it. It sounded a bit too cliche in my mind. But after about a week or two, I became used to it, so I decided to use it for the title of the first book in the "Unforgiven Sins" series. I was excited to have a name for it, but over time, projects change.

Things in the story had to be removed and planned to be added into other books down the line. After numerous changes, the title that I had worked so hard to discover, didn't work any more. I knew I had to change it. I was disappointed, but a part of me always knew that I had settled what was more of a place holder rather than the actual title of the first book.

This was a crushing set back in my mind. I was already struggling to find time to write now that I had a full time job along with other commitments, now I had to come up with a new title? Part of me just wanted to keep the name the same, but the larger part of me knew I couldn't settle. I had to find the title. The book had changed too much and the focus had become something else entirely, the title just didn't make sense anymore. So, I went to my writing group for help.

My writing group, the Cyber Dragons as we call ourselves, is filled with great minds. We bounce off each other in ways that make us laugh and inspire us to improve our current draft or give us all new ideas entirely. I've have come up with at least 3 ideas for stand alone novels thanks to some of the conversations we've had. If anyone could help me find a title, it was these guys and gals.

After throwing around ideas and themes from Spaghetti Westerns, which "Unforgiven Sins" draws a heavy influence from, I was finally able to settle on the new and final name of the first book. The name sits well with me, and more importantly, it feels like I've found the title that was there all along.

So, without further ado, I am pleased to present to you the reworked cover of "The Devil from the River".

Rise of the Ash Bringer Update

Hey all,

Just a quick update for you on the progress of Rise of the Ash Bringer. I am going to be changing the name of the novel. This has come after a lot of personal debate over how much the draft and content of the novel have changed since originally coming up with the title. I will reveal the new title later on after I've gotten with my brother and reworked the cover.

Also, I wanted to let you all know that I will no longer be posting the deadline for my novel. It has just caused too much stress in the past. However, I will be updating you each Wednesday on the progress of my novel.

Thank you for all of your support. Your excitement for this novel is the primary reason I want to do the best job that I can on it.