13 Books for 2018, So Far. Just 3 More To Finish!!

Well, here I am, at the sunset time of 2018.  I'm down the last two months.  I’m overdue on one deadline right now, but the book is written.  I am still editing it and expect to publish it, along with the last two books in the Dominion series, before the end of the year.  When I started the year, my goal was to publish 16 books before January 1, 2019.  It appears that I will make that goal.

It feels good to accomplish a tough goal like that.  I will have to work much harder to reach next year’s goals.  I am looking forward to the challenge.  Next year will bring a new variety of stories to my bookshelf and a lot more work behind the scenes.  Even if I only reach half of next year’s goals, I will really feel good.

 

I’ve learned a lot about myself and a lot about writing during this past year.  I have a few more of the older stories to edit and publish, but I have a lot of new ones coming to my bookshelf.

I hope you like the flavors I’m offering.

Until next time, Jene   

The 7th Month Save

Hi all, it has truly been a busy few months.  In an attempt to finally publish my stories, I had set a goal for the year to publish at least one book a month, and to publish one additional book a quarter.  I had pictured that I could time it to publish my books by the first of each month.  I thought it would be challenging, but I never realized how difficult it was going to be to stick to my monthly and quarterly goals.

I knew that I would have ample time to proof read each book three or four more times during the month before publishing.  (I’m certain that I’ve missed errors, even after going through each of book at least 20 times since they were written.  Every time I read through a story, I find errors and things to change.)  I also knew that I would have time to blog about and advertise my books, while also doing additional writing on new material. 

Everything worked great in theory, however, I hadn’t planned for everything.  I didn’t plan for traveling, for extra work around the house, automobile troubles, the death of my father, the death of a cousin, and a few migraines.  Still, I’ve held my resolve, and though I have been late a couple of times, so far I have managed to stick to my goals.

This month, I am nearly three weeks later than I wanted to be with my quarterly book.  This makes 10 books for the year and I’m feeling stressed, but I feel good that I haven’t crashed and completely lost control of things.  I worry that if I miss my goal for one month, I might rationalize and soon my resolve would die and I might quit.  

So, even though I feel like I’m driving down an icy road and I’ve gotten myself into a skit and I’ve over corrected a few times, I’m just going to take a breath and work to bring myself out of the skid long enough to meet that next deadline.

I hope your lives are more controlled than mine and that you find joy in whatever you do.

Until next time,
Jene

Sore Muscles

Last month was a frustrating month. I’m a little late announcing the publication of my latest book, Dominion 5: The Innovator, even though it was done within just a day or two of my planned time. So, here we are in the fifth month of the year, meeting yet one more goal.  That's five months, five goals, and seven books for 2018 so far.

For two weeks Dominion 5: The Innovator has been available on Amazon as both an e-book and soft bound hard copy.  

Wow!  This goal was the toughest to reach so far this year.  I allowed several distractions to keep me busy.  After a vigorous fight with myself, I was able to remember how important this was to me.  I focused long enough to finish.  I’m very close to reaching that next goal, which is a good thing.  I will be certain to let you know right after I get done, and not save it for weeks to announce it.

When I was in high school, I ran on the track team.  Each year, when the season started, no matter how conditioned I believed to be, the first few days of practice was always grueling.  My body would be stiff and sore and my lungs would burn.  I remember telling myself how I would make certain to stay a lot better conditioned for the next year.  Yet, each year I would face the same kind of pain and anguish.  I’m hoping that having monthly deadlines will make it easier to keep from getting “sore muscles and torture of conditioning” with each deadline.

I hope your conditioning and your goals for the year are going better than mine. 
Until next time,

Jene 
 

From The Ashes Is Available

From The Ashes is perhaps one of the most fun books that have written.  I still smile about several scenes from the story.  It’s one of my favorites. 

When I was around eight or nine years old, my family went camping in Six Mile Canyon above Sterling, Utah at Twin Ponds.  It was an incredible camp.  I can’t remember how long the camp was.  It must have been before we got a milk cow, because it seems as though our camp might have lasted about a week. 

I had a lot of fun, because we were camping with some cousins.  I think we “accidentally” fell in the lake on a daily basis.  After a couple of days at the lower lake, we packed up our camp and went from the lower lake to the upper one.  My cousin and I hiked back and forth between the two lakes quite often after that.  There were aspects that we liked at each lake.  I have loved camping ever since that experience. 

It has been fun to write about something that I really love to do.  It is even more fun to write about the challenges of camping.  I hope you have as much fun camping in this book as I did while writing it.

Thanks for reading. 

Until next time,

Jene

From The Ashes, a book by Jene Beal

Charlene and Jack are haunted by the loss of past love and look for an escape to a new life, but through a mistake, they find themselves together and soon find it hard enough just to survive the elements let alone each other.

Charlene is a widow, whom everyone calls ‘Charlie.’  She has been sent by her company to save a business. Meanwhile, Jack, divorced, is hoping to start a new career as a tour-guide and outfitter. He is hired to show a business man the ultimate outdoor experience.

Charlie is a city girl. Her definition of camping is any hotel accommodation below 4 stars.  Jack is a country boy.  His idea of dressing up is the full camouflage look.
 
The pair clash from the moment they meet.  After the first day of camping, they both want to return home as soon as possible.  Can they endure two weeks together when everything goes wrong?

The story is set in the rocky mountains near Leadville, Colorado.

From The Ashes - Action Adventure/Romance

 

The Flyer is Published

When I was a young fellow, my brothers and I would hike up on the foothills above town on property that my father owned.  We would let our imaginations run wild.  We would act out everything from western battles to space exploration.  Our minds never seemed to lack for a new scenario.  I guess I never really grew up.  My mind is still conjuring up imagined scenarios and stories of make-believe.

Each time I finish writing a story, I feel a sense of accomplishment.  After that I have a feeling of great relief.  Sometimes I marvel about the fact that the story actually came from me.  Next, I begin to think about all the ways I should improve it.  Then I take a breath and pick up the next sketchy idea.  I begin to wonder how I will be able to write that idea into a story that will entice me to read it more than once. 

I’m glad to introduce you to the next book in the Dominion series.  The book is available as an ebook or paperback.  As I wrote it, I found that the Dominion story became more enjoyable with each new addition.  If you decide to read the series, I hope you have the same experience that I had.

Well, onto the next sketchy story idea.
Until next time,
Jene

Dominion 4: The Flyer, a book by Jene Beal

Jethro Abel has become one of the best pilots in the colonial military. He is conscripted by General Asher into a high-stakes assignment. His piloting skills, and his ability to think outside the box, attracts the attention of General Harrison, who invites Jethro to fly for the prestigious Red Squadron. Jethro is made captain and assigned to lead the covert team named the Stingers. He and his people are expected to accomplish the impossible. Jethro and the Colonel finally speak to each other and the lines between them are drawn.

The Flyer is the 4th full length novel in the Dominion series. The Flyer is a fast paced futuristic Science Fiction / Action Thriller.

4 Goals, 4 Months, 6 Books!

After a difficult month, I am happy to say that my new year’s resolution is still holding.  In years past, I allowed so many things to stand in the way of my new year’s resolutions and my goals.  Publishing is always a little intimidating.  It is not the easiest thing to put a creation out for public scrutiny. 

I mentioned this to an artist friend, who feels the same about his paintings.  However, he pointed something out that I hadn’t considered.  Every piece of art, no matter what form, is criticized.  Each piece gathers critics, a few who hate it, fewer admirers who love it or the greatest number who are completely indifferent to it.  Once the creation is out there, the only thing an artist can do is to start the next project. 

Perhaps we can use the criticisms to change how we do that next creation in order to grow the numbers of admirers.  I suppose the lesson is, try to target your market, satisfy the creator inside, present it and then move on.  It’s the Printing business all over again.  I’m always learning from the truths of past lessons and experiences.

Well, I need to get to work so I can reach the next goal.

I hope your goals are working out even better than mine for the year.

Until next time,

Jene

3 Months, 3 Successes, 4 Books

It feels great.  I've kept one more deadline and one more goal (to publish a book a month).  I am looking forward to making the next goal too.  I am feeling hard pressed to finish my next book, but I know I will be able to make it.  Of course, next month's goal is to publish two books.

The characters in The Cadet are just getting prepared for all the books that come after it. For those who read it, I hope that you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

So, until next time,

Jene Beal


 

  Dominion 3: The Cadet, a book by Jene Beal
As the forces of Dominion gather against him, Jethro Abel sees the need for more training. He is sent to the academy to receive it. Because of the advice of a friend, Jethro learns to fly masterfully. He learns a great deal more than to just fly. Though they continually search, the Colonel and his people are slow to find Jethro. Once they do, Jethro’s life becomes very complicated.

The Cadet is the 3rd full length novel in the Dominion series. It is a fast paced futuristic Science Fiction / Action Thriller.