There are a lot of areas in my life where my skills are somewhat subpar- Like Cooking, weeding the yard, hunting, and even organizing the house. Let’s face it: nobody wakes up and aspires to be bad at something. But we’ve all been there. But here is a secret. If you’re going to do something you’re not skilled at the best, you might as well aim for zero… or at least something better than bad. Because, after all, the second-best thing to zero is, you guessed it, something better than bad!
If you’ve ever burned toast so thoroughly that it resembled a charcoal sketch or danced like no one was watching (because they all left the room), then congratulations, you’re on the right track to not sucking!
You don’t have to be great; you just have to be better than bad. Celebrate those small victories! Because if we’re honest, it’s during those times when growth and improvement happen.
As the summer draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the whirlwind of events that have shaped these past few months. It’s been a chaotic and busy summer, and unfortunately, my blogging took a backseat amidst the flurry of activities. Nevertheless, I want to take this moment to share some significant highlights and experiences that have profoundly impacted my life.
Embracing Change and Healing
One of the major milestones of this summer was transitioning to a new church after my wife’s remarkable decision to resign from her 15-year stint serving on staff at our previous church. Her courage to step away from an environment that had subjected her to toxic, emotional, and spiritual abuse was both empowering and liberating. Sure our finances took a hit, but it was the right choice. As we embarked on this new chapter together we began attending a new church and despite not knowing many people, we decided to step out of our comfort zone and serve at our Vacation Bible School (VBS). I took on the role of games coordinator, she did snacks! Witnessing our mutual commitment to serving our community brought us immense joy. While I won’t delve deeply into the details of our previous church’s experience right now, it’s essential to acknowledge that we are both on a path of healing, growth, and renewed faith. Though there are still some wounds to tend to, we’re gradually finding solace in each other’s love and support.
Triumph in Publishing – Iggy & Oz Series
Another remarkable achievement this summer was the successful Kickstarter campaign for the fourth book in the Iggy & Oz series. With great pride and gratitude, we were able to not only meet our funding goal but also surpassed it by 200%. The overwhelming support from our readers and fans made this experience truly heartwarming. The Iggy & Oz series has become a passion project close to my heart, and witnessing its continued success brings immense fulfillment.
A Journey of Struggle and Success – Realm Makers Writers Conference
Amidst the busy schedule, I made it a point to attend the esteemed Realm Makers writers conference. This year held special significance for me as my book, “Iggy & Oz: The Living Snot,” was honored with the award for the best middle-grade book. This recognition was particularly meaningful as this book was written during a time when I was battling severe anxiety. The writing process served as a cathartic outlet, and the award felt like a well-deserved acknowledgment of the challenges I had overcome.
Collaborative Creativity – “Interstice Undone”
Currently, I’m engaged in an exciting cowriting project with fellow authors Steve Rzasa and Jason Joyner. Together, we are crafting an epic crossover story that features all our beloved characters. Titled “Interstice Undone,” this collaborative effort is a testament to the power of unity and creativity. Working alongside these talented authors has been an inspiring journey, and we can’t wait to share the final result with our readers.
As I look back on this chaotic and eventful summer, I’m filled with a mix of emotions – from the joy of triumphs to the somber reflections of healing. Through it all, I’m grateful for the love and support of my wife, the encouragement of my readers, and the camaraderie of fellow writers. These experiences have strengthened my faith, fueled my creativity, and reminded me that even amidst chaos, there are moments of triumph and healing worth cherishing. I look forward to the days ahead, where I can continue sharing my journey and stories with all of you. Until then, thank you for being a part of this rollercoaster summer.
I’m excited to share the title of my upcoming novel set to release this fall: “Embers of the Dead.”
My fascination with post-apocalyptic fiction ignited at a young age when I first watched the film “Red Dawn.” It has been my desire to write captivating adventures not only for young boys, but also in the realm of men’s adventure, particularly within the apocalyptic landscape.
After encountering a few false starts over the years and a number of stories that fizzled out, I’m delighted to say that “Embers of the Dead” has made it through the creative journey and is now complete.
To bring this exciting story to life, I have a special treat planned. For the first month, “Embers of the Dead” will be exclusively available as a free serial on my website. This way, you can dive into the tale without any barriers. Following that, the novel will be available as an ebook and paperback on all platforms.
In the coming months I’ll share more details and sneak peeks about “Embers of the Dead.”
Last week I had the chance to sit down with J Hall from the Okie Book Cast. We chatted about my love for reading, and writing for Middle-Grade boys! You can listen right here.
The Okie Bookcast is dedicated to helping curious readers like you find your next great read by connecting you to Oklahoma authors and stories. Each episode includes an interview with a contributor to the reading life of Oklahoma – it might be an author, publisher, librarian, reader, bookseller, or other figure. In addition to the interview, each episode includes a review from an Oklahoma author about a book they love. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Connect with Okie Bookcast on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok – @okiebookcast.
At the height of my struggle with anxiety, I remember how pompous some people were. Okay, pompous is too strong of a word. They meant well. But I remember telling a few people I was struggling, and the first thing a few did was quote scripture back to me. Now don’t get me wrong, scripture is comforting. It is life-changing. But what I needed in those moments was not for someone to offer words of wisdom or to quote scripture I already knew. What I needed at that moment was for someone just to listen.
That’s the hard part. When you struggle and we scream out for help, it often feels like no one wants to listen. And even as I type this, I know that I as well suck at this. I suck at listening. When my wife was at the tip of dealing with hurt from toxic leaders in our church we were attending- I sucked at listening.
One of my goals this year is to offer less advice and try and listen when someone is hurting. Sometimes that is what people need more, and sometimes that is the last thing we think to offer.
