SPRING 2016 NEWSLETTER
::::: 11:34, COPYRIGHT 2015, MJ DELCONTE
It took a little over 2 years to write. After I put the pen down, I submitted my work to the US Copyright Office, which is under the jurisdiction of the Library of Congress. After waiting patiently for 7 months, I finally received the long awaited reply. GOOD NEWS! 11:34 is now recognized by the Library of Congress as an original work and is protected under copyright law. Champagne corks are pinging off my ceiling and the sweet sting of success is flowing into my eyes!
::::: CINEMATIC TRAILER
Try, fail. Try, fail. Try, fail. Try, success.
After hours and hours and hours of editing video, I managed to put something together that, quite figuratively, set my skin crawling. I still get goose bumps watching the mini Test of Mettle in the second book trailer. My wife repeated that it was awesome - her words - at least a half dozen times. After about the third chorus, I began to think she might have enjoyed it somewhat. Then she watched it 2 or 3 more times and warned me not to alter it any further. She did say it was awesome.
The trailer is not a finished product just yet. There is still work to be done with the video, but I believe the hard part is behind me. I shared a pair of images as a preview for the video. Exciting stuff!
::::: 11:34 UPDATE
Everyone is asking when they can expect to read my debut novel. I'd love to point them to Amazon, but there is a process that needs to be followed. Trust me, I know. But we can't rush these things.
Oh, that pesky query letter. Anyone around me has heard me mutter that it is easier to write a 300-page novel than it is to write a 300-word, single page query letter. This document has to be diamond-perfect. Mine, however, is not. I'm on version 21. Maybe my eyes finally glossed over because I did not sense I was making headway. I decided to put this down for a short spell, reboot my thinking cap, and revisit it again in a couple weeks.
::::: SEQUEL TO 11:34 UPDATE
What am I doing if I am not working on the trailer or the query letter? That's easy! I'm working on the 2nd installment to 11:34. The 2nd novel is a quarter complete and I am adding to it. I am presently working on a Test of Mettle story titled, "Leprechauns and Demons." As with any short story, there is tons of research to be done. It gives me a sense of the people, place, and time. After research, I immediately go to work writing the story while the information is fresh.
"Leprechauns and Demons" takes place in County Cork, Ireland, in the mid-eighties. Two brothers visit a pub to imbibe and spin tale, particularly the lore of mythical creatures. On the way home, the clock strikes 11:34, and they are next in line for the Test of Mettle, and are visited by a demon hell-bent on sending them to their doom. The brothers, however, are convinced they have a leprechaun in their midst and are determined to catch him.
::::: DELAY OF GAME
It is 2016 and I've had a few things on my plate. I'm in the process of selling my home, purchasing a new home 1,500 miles away, and finding employment all at the same time. It's stressful, exhausting, and time consuming. To maintain some semblance of sanity, I find working on any of my 11:34 projects a welcome respite - when time permits. It is not easy to juggle so much with hardly enough time to catch one's breath. Rest assured that I am fully committed to my work and will be even more so after settling into my new digs this summer.
