Who is still writing books and publishing them?

7/22

                         Here's a great one I saw on Face Book..

                                                 Cheers..Joe

Good one, Joe.

At last count, I think I have 10 books and about 40 short stories out there. The last one published was in January of 2012, but I have listed a couple with Createspace and Smashwords since then. The stories I co-authored with Eugen Bacon are doing well, and we have recently found a new outlet for them in the UK. I still sell a few books and stories a month, mostly now though it's the story of the Harpes or the book I wrote on how to improve your bowling average. Who knew? Anyway, I'm also at the stage where it doesn't seem to matter a lot if I finish the new (?) one I have in progress right now, as nothing much happened with the last one.

I've never been as concerned with sales as I have been with readers. As long as I knew people were reading, and liking, what I was writing, I was motivated to continue to write. Now, with sales lagging and not as much interest as before, I just don't seem to have the want to I need in order to complete the new one, even though I'm nearly 200 pages into it. It's never been hard for me to write, and I've never had writer's block or a lack of ideas. I can write 7,000 - 10,000 words a day without much trouble, but again, there doesn't seem to be a lot of reason to do so.

I'd like to get back the feelings I had a few years ago, back when Amazon Shorts was taking just about every short story I wrote, but the older I get, the less it seems to matter.

I'll finish the one I'm on, maybe even the next one, but not with the same joy I had a few years ago. Perhaps I should go back to songwriting. At least I was getting some cuts, and hearing some of my work on the radio.

Ah, the life of a writer who is a used to be before ever becoming anything else.

Amazon Shorts kept me inspired too!  I think there's still a short story place on Amazon - but just not the same.  I guess they weren't profitable enough for Amazon.  They kept me inspired to write my novels as well and contribute the shorts to anthologies after six months. 

My great publisher, L & L Dreamspell, had the tragic death of a main partner and artistic director and closed their doors. Though the remaining partner helped the 200 or so authors find new publishers and provided all our rights, content, even cover art - it was still heartbreaking to move on. 

Also, I had a close friend who kept me inspired to write and talked to me often about my writing. As that friendship took on a different direction - less often and more distant - I lost my muse and it was downhill from there.

I recently published Bamboo Ring, which I thought would be popular with those who wanted more of the background for Ghost Orchid.  I didn't realize the publisher did zero edits until it was too late and they were pressuring me to finish - and of course, I missed a critical edit that was published.  Barnes and Noble didn't like the cover and the lack of major reviewers - so, it's hard to stay enthused.  It is an entertaining story with fascinating international and exotic travel that the kind folks from here reviewed positively.

So, that's my story.  I also put a lot of energy into the seven to fourteen non-fiction articles I write for the local newspaper that keeps me writing often but not fiction.

These days I dream up stories that I never write.  I like them, they make me happy.  Like DK and E. Don, I have been a little discouraged about putting what I write out for critical review....not many people even take the time to tell me what they think of what I write. 
The people on this message board whose stories I have read, are beautiful people and lovely storytellers.  It is such a hard world to get anyone to read what you write and even harder to get someone to say if they liked it or not.  A review is almost out of the question. 
You have all had faith in me and my Wooffer stories.  I appreciate that. I want you all to know that I have read many of your works.  Some, I am unqualified to review.  Everyone outclasses me in the brains department and when it come to places I have not been or to war stories, I am not qualified to review.  You all tell lovely stories that make me think far into the night.  I am reminded of Dick Stodghill.  He loved my stories and I loved his.  Worlds apart it seemed.  But not so far our heartfelt hopes.  Love, Betty

7/22

               Betty...

                          NO ! It's you who has brains, I'm sure you remember me reviewing " Wooffer,"
  I loved you book and that's how I fell in love with Wooffer so much I wanted a dog just like him  I have never read a story likes yours , I do know since I was a young child I loved dogs and cats, I used to take
our dog Rex ( he was maybe a little bigger than Wooffer, a domestic ) I felt as a child you could trust
them, I remember I used to sneak our dog into the bed and he'd lay there and I would whisper in his
ear my most inner thoughts, you felt safe, with the cat she would lay next to you and purr her heart
out. I believe all adults have that child in them, you have it I know you do , don't ever loose it, it's very precious . As for me I must have dozens of outlines of books, with titles, synopsis, ideas for the book covers but somehow I have lost the spark I had, I have written five books, two short stories for Shelaghs books and I'm greatful I did it and proud of me I did it and along the last eight or more years have made so many great friends and here we are still friends even though we have lost several great ones over the years and we do grieve about them and through our tears we smile when we think of their names. Me I have decided I will keep painting, doing my photography and trying my damnest to be more creative and with the hope we all will still remain friends, here's a painting I did for a dear friend for his birthday, he loves ducks..

                                                                      Love Joe

I believe storytelling is an art. It comes from a place that has to be heard. Like any art it is often personal and subject to the emotions of the writer and even shaping them.