The Price of Friendship, A Novel

Almost two years ago the weekly prompt at Great Hites Podcast was "A pound of flesh." I wrote a quick 1500 word story about an eighth grade boy who has an 'onerous debt' to repay. I thought it would run it's course and I would finish the story off in four or five more short episodes. Today I hit 50,034 words, thus making it an official novel. I'm winding it up and should be able to put a lid on the first draft in about 5000 more words.

I had previously record eighteen ten minute episodes and released them either on Great Hites, which has since discontinued podcasting, or on Compassion 365 which ran during 2010.

I have edited those first 18 episodes again, and will record them over again as well, but combine them into 9 twenty minute episodes. The balance of the book, which has not been recorded before, will likely fall into 6 to 8 more episodes. Since time to focus on projects has become extremely limited, rather than creating a new blog, or dedicated website, I will use this blog site to talk about "The Price of Friendship"

The audio episodes will be released through www.podiobooks.com

So keep an eye on this site, and in the next two to three weeks, you might start seeing updated information about my podcast novel.

In other news. our forth issue of The Flagship of Flying Island Press is coming out, if not already, in the next day or so. I get to work with a group of talented people as we put together the bi-montly issue of science fiction and fantasy short stories, available in audio, and most electronic formats, such as; Kindle, Nook, and ePub.

Check out the website at http://flyingislandpress.com

A Journey through Space

I finished the last book of Nathan Lowell's Trader's Tale series. It's available through www.podiobooks.com. I've listened to all of them downloaded from that site through iTunes. The stories are Quarter Share, Half Share, Full Share, Double Share, Captain's Share and Owner's Share. They take place in a era call the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper.

Nathan created a plausible world of worm holes, jump drives and solar sails where the brave, or desperate, travel through space to move cargo from one system to another. The story is not really about science or space travel, it is really about Ishmael Whong, his grown and experiences.

Did I mention it's free? All books through podiobooks.com are free to download. The recommended donation of $9.99 is just that, a recommendation, you don't have to pay it. As a side note, for books I have started and lost interest in, I have skipped the donation. But for Nathan's books, I felt it was well worth the ten bucks. He gets $7.50 of that and in comparison to the royalties from the sale of a single print book, that's pretty good.

I'm still working on my own book that I will submit through podiobooks.com, The Price of Friendship. I am on my 23rd episode and at about 43,000 words. I have recorded the 1st 18 episodes before and released them on various podcasts, but have re edited them and will record them new after I have completed the 1st draft of the complete novel. (10,000 words to go.)

Otherwise, check out what were doing at http://flyingislandpress.com and see what we have for you to put into your Kindle, Nook, or other eReader.

This Week

Im going to Arizona this week to attend a conference of The Association of Childrens Prosthetic and Orthotic Clinics. (ACPOC) It has been years since I last attended a conference, and I am really looking forward to renewing my focus by hearing what others are doing, and what my be new and innovative in my field.

I figure that I will have ample opportunities to write; downtime between presentaions and in the evenings. (I'm not a partyer or really very social.)

Guy David's podcast 'Night Guy' #100 came out this week and he gave me a chance to share my oppinions about what the future holds. There were quit a few contributers, so it is a very diverse and interesting podcast.

I just caught up with all the episodes of the "Some other Scotland" podcast which is an interesting and unique approach to sharing an altenate history story in a podcast. I am loving it, and reccomend it to anyone. So far it is very family safe. It is by Mick Bordet who has a wonderful Scotish accent; he is easy to listen to and draws you into his beautifully discribed world. He has also started contributing on 'Great Hites' short story podcast and has shown what an extenive talent he has.

I have a number of stories that I need to post, but am a bit lazy, and busy with preparing for the trip to Arizona. Besides, you can find them on all the other sites where they are posted. (See my blog list.)

Reactivating my blog.

It has been a long time since I actually posted something. Since that post, I have actually started getting creative again.

So moving forward my intention is to write about the following activities:

Ward Choir, of course. I have all the recording equipment, microphones, usb mixer, etc, to record the choir when we have our Christmas songs ready. Then I will upload them to youtube with some navitity scene slide shows.

My own podio book. I have gotten re-motivated to write that book that I have had in my head for hte last 18 years.

My podcast. In preparing to put my story on podiobooks.com, I am practicing recording my self reading to improve my diction, delivery and comfort infront of the microphone. I have started recording the book, 'Mayor of Casterbridge' by Thomas Hardy. I have had to look up so much about the author, the country of England and the various archaic words that I thought, well, why not share this info with others who subject themselves to Thomas Hardy. I plan to produce my own podcast, reading the book and sharing background on the story and the artist. Even if no one listens to the padcast, I will have improved my skills for when I release my book. So look for the TomasHardyforAmericans podcast coming in the new year.

Finally, in hte area of improving skills I have started participating in the 100 word story podcasts weekly challenge. I will post those entries and other writing and thoughts associated with that.

Of course, I am writing this for myself, since no one has ever come across my site. So, Go me!!

Philip