FOLKS, FRIENDS AND FANS, I am glad to finally be able to sit here at my 27″ iMac and ponder the last four years with you all. As many of my fans are aware, the last 48 months since my bicycle accident has been filled with surgery after surgery. I have suffered through 8 surgeries with another shoulder surgery coming up. Five of the nine surgeries have been horribly intrusive and serious surgeries which all required months and months of physical rehabilitation sessions. I am in awe of the surgeons who put my body back together and I am thankful to Orthopedic Surgeons, Dr. Scott Webb, Dr. Scott Wisotsky and laser surgeon Dr. StephenWatson, who all worked tirelessly putting me back together. So, the repairs continue.
Recently, I traveled to Tampa to be deposed by the opposing council in my civil lawsuit. I don’t know what I expected as I have never been involved with something like a civil deposition in my past. Although I knew I had the facts and truth on my side, precognitions toyed with my brain and I was sure the three defense attorneys were going to be mean spirited people who didn’t care about what happened to me. AND, I guess that may be true. BUT, the opposite was true, at least while in  the depo. The three lawyers representing The City of Belleair Bluffs, The Town of Belleair and the Ajax Corporation were professional and dignified people who made the hearing bearable. I had to ask for numerous breaks because of back and shoulder pain, but they were very accommodating. I had expected them to lie and try to downplay and put words in my mouth as to what had happened to me. But at least in the hearing… the opposing counsel made me comfortable. The next steps in this terrible experience are things called “Case Management” and “Mitigation” before a trial happens sometime next year. I am not sure what is case management or mitigation, but I can’t wait for this all to be over.
NOW, onto the reason why you’re all here. MONSTERS IN THE WOODS has been a four year struggle to write because of all the injuries. BUT finally, I can announce that the manuscript is complete, has just returned from the editor, Glenda Findley, and is pending copyright. Finally, I am only days from overnighting the 350 page YA horror work to my New York City Literary Agent, Joyce Keating, and U.K. Agent, Robert Snow. Unfortunately, because of the financial strain these injuries have caused, I can no longer publish through my company, Storyteller Entertainment, LLC, and I cannot enjoy watching my novel plashed across the pages of the New York Times, LA Times, USA Today or the Times of London. Because the accident and injuries prevented me from attending book signings and appearances I have not had the opportunity to go out on my last two world tours. No tours, no sales and no income.
SO, that leaves Monsters and me in the hands of Joyce and Robert. They will have to do the heavy lifting of geting the work before senior editors at the traditional publishing houses in order to try and sell the work as apposed to putting it out there myself.  Now, when someone picks up the novel, I will get 19 to 28 percent royalties as opposed to 70 percent when self published. But, my publishing company has no choice in the matter, as STORYTELLER is now near bankruptcy and will not even be able to publish other authors, which was the company’s charter.
Then what does that mean to the consumers and fans awaiting publication of the novel? It’s going to be a while LONGER before the cogs of the publishing industry work a deal, hopefully, in 2018. So, be patient kiddies and know that this novel is a Harry Potter like comet streaking through the night skies. The reviewers have all givin the manuscript high marks, and for those of you who know the business, that’s a damn miracle. Although, I must remind you all, The Santa Claus Killer is a 4 1/2 star rated novel and Emmy Award fiction selection and  Cataclysm  a 4 star piece of literary genius. (hahahhahahaha)
That’s all I have as to the progression of Monsters in the Woods. The work will, of course, be entered into the Edgar Awards, The Book Awards, The Beverly Hills Book Awards, Book Pipeline and the World Horror Convention. In the end, the book’s success lies in the hands of readers and pundits. I have complete confidence in their comments. AS to what is next…. BEACH BODIES – Book#2 in the FBI Serial Killer Task Force. This novel follows in the shadow of The Santa Claus Killer and many of the main characters are back. Rico, Mike, Mei and also some new sub-caracters. BUT remember, I am still undergoing surgeries and rehab, so although I hope this novel does not take four years like MONSTERS, ultimately it is up to the progression of my heath and ability to sit at my Macbook Pro or iMac to write the story. That’s all folks, so as we enter into spring and then the dreaded Florida summer, I wish you all Godspeed.
Updated by the author on 5/3/2017