Wednesday, April 8, 2015

The Great Liquor War with Partners and Homesteader

            As I’ve mentioned here and in other forms I’ve been working toward the release, or perhaps re-release of my first novel, “The Great Liquor War” and things are moving along. I have had another edit done and its surprising how many errors slipped through the three edits done the first time it was printed. However, done now.
            Once GLW is out, possibly by June or July I’ll have three available with “Partners” and “Homesteader”. I also have “Jake’s Justice” ready and a collection of short stories.
            I had thought about using the same cover as the first time. It is/was a sketch done by Marilyn Meikle and though it does not show liquor, or the two police forces involved in the disagreement it does show another important character in the story which is a railroad steam engine and a depot with a man standing between the two holding a rifle. It is also a cover I like very much. However I only have a copy of it as a document, which can not be manipulated to any degree and Marilyn is far too busy to attempt another one.
            As I mentioned in an earlier post I’ve been looking at a couple of other possibilities. One is a train and the other is two men holding a bottle from opposite sides. I have a designer/artist/editor extraordinaire (www.tracywandling.com) working on a new cover and should have something soon.
            A couple of ideas:





            Several people have said in a variety of places, “Why read fiction when it isn’t real?”
            There are several answers to that question. Sometimes, perhaps more often than not, a fictionalized version of events communicates a better understanding than the “facts” surrounding that event. One of the reasons for that is that fiction is often presented in such a way that it requires the reader to “fill out” some descriptions or actions with their own imagination. This allows that reader the opportunity to “picture” what is “happening” (or isn’t, really) in a way that person can better understand.
            As I’ve said many times, a reader of fiction can be their own director/cinematographer/actor with the development of some imagination. Make your own movie in your head.
            Studies have supported this contention and shown other benefits. It has been shown, for example that those who read fiction show far more empathy for and understanding of others.
            More about that at another time, but for now, click on the book covers over to the right to be taken to my SBPRA web page or go to www.amazon.com/books and type in one of the titles or D.M. McGowan. There you can have look inside to see what you think.
            I have a couple of reviews on the back cover of “The Great Liquor War” but a new one is from R. Hadland.
“Anyone who has ridden a horse, or enjoys the history of our pioneer era, will get a lot of enjoyment out of this story.”
From A.G.Wayne Ezeard, author of “Where Eagles Soar”:

“This book is a must read. Well researched and written with an accuracy of historical events. Highly Entertaining.”