July 27th, 2009 - The first few stories are being explored by players over on Storm-World's Ascension game. I'm still writing and making revisions on The Widow Brigade, and plan on submitting a few chapters to a few local authors for critiquing.

My son is 11 months now. He got his first haircut yesterday....which may sound a young age to some, but he needed it!

April 16th, 2009 - Big news on an expansion of my writing opportunities. I have been asked to write some in-game quest content for an online role-playing game! Storm World has asked me to contribute my writing for their Ascension strategy adventure game. Some material has already been written for the first few games, I'll be making my introduction on a campaign starting in the next couple months. If you're interested in trying some play-by-turn, online fantasy games, go over and check out their site.

March 3rd, 2009 - Donated another book this past week for a fundraiser. This local girl Hailey has leukemia and there was a fund for her to help pay for treatment.

I've been working hard at "The Widow Brigade". Just finished one of the more pivotal and exciting scenes in the book for me. I had submitted the first chapter of it to a local meeting of writers and got some feedback for improvement.

My son Sam is doing well and growing big. He has just about outgrown his first car seat. He does have a bad case of cradle cap which a dermatologist will be looking at soon.

November 15th, 2008 - Another appearance for a book signing is planned at Back to Books in Hudson. This one will be Saturday, December 20th, from 1:30-3:30 PM.

October 8th, 2008 - There are really too many things new to properly introduce them all, but I'll try.

The BIGGEST change in my life is the birth of my son, Samuel Wise Van Dyke! He was born the morning of August 25th. His hair takes after me...he seemed ready for his first haircut the moment he came out! Since this little darling came in to our life, we've gotten very little sleep and barely any free time...please help us!

I had a few successful appearances to sell Muster of Heroes. There is talk about doing another author appearance in early December at Back to Books.

Today I got to see one of my biggest influential authors, R A Salvatore! He and his son Geno were signing books at The Source. I picked up autographed copies of The Pirate King and The Stowaway...the second book was co-written by Geno.

June 16th, 2008 -My apologies for not updating sooner. By the time I got the ball really rolling on this third book I had to switch computers and lost a few things web-related. All is good now!

The big announcement is that Muster of Heroes is now available! You can currently view it on Trafford's site. It should be up on Amazon in a couple weeks. Local bookstores can contact Trafford and order a copy as well. Also, I have two book signing appearances coming up, featuring the release of the conclusion of this debut trilogy. I am so happy to have come to the end of the road with the trilogy project. I'll be autographing all three books on these dates.

--July 13th, Sunday, 6pm-9pm: Dunn Bros Coffee, 1798 Market Dr, Ste 2, Stillwater, Minn. Phone# 715-381-1188

--July 19th, Saturday, 11am-3pm: Back to Books, 520 2nd St, Hudson, Wisc. Phone # 715-381-1188

As an added note, I am working on the next book set in Dhea Loral, tentatively titled The Widow Brigade. I hope to land a spot with a major publisher with that one, so once written it may take awhile before release as I submit it to different publishers.

January 24th, 2008 - A lot of new work to the Extras page. The biggest thing most have been looking forward to is the addition of MAPS! Feel free to click and download the zipped maps of Kashmer's Protectorate, Kingdom of Gheras and Orlaun, plus the Stonelands area which will be featured in Muster of Heroes. Also, there are pictures of the three Earthrin Stones.

December 4th, 2007 - The new laptop is up and running well. At first I went looking for a cheap used one since I really only use it for typing. Unfortunately, it seemed the first place kept giving me lemons! I finally went to a different place and got a really nice one.

The third book of the trilogy, Muster of Heroes, is in the final stages of getting ready. The one big thing I'm lacking is a decent map. Of course, once I get everything done there is usually a few weeks going back and forth between the publisher and me. I'm really excited to be approaching the end of this debut work!

November 6th, 2007 - "The Laptop Disaster" - It's been way too long since I did an update, but events today made one mandatory. I didn't have much to report the past several months. I've been working hard to finish the third book so that it is out this winter. Josh has already started working on the cover. So, much of my events of the past few months have been writing and rewriting. A few notable things were that I donated a few books to some worthy causes. Some signed books went up for auction at a benefit for a local kid who is battling disease. A couple others went out as surprise gifts to some young readers.

However, today was supposed to be a special day. It is both my wife's and my brother's birthday! While they may indeed be having a nice day...mine turned out not so good. I do all my work on a laptop due to worries of viruses on my desktop. The laptop allows me to get my writing done many times when I am away from the house for a bit.  I do back-up my work, but not necessarily on a daily basis.

Today I settled in to work only to find the monitor had gotten cracked. The laptop is a few years old, I'm wondering if some jostling in my car impacted it. Without the monitor working, I had no choice but to take it to a shop. It will cost more to repair the monitor than it would to simply buy a new laptop. My old hard drive has now been turned into an external storage device, until I can get a new laptop. In the meantime, that will slow down my work since my portable office is kaput.

July 29th, 2007 - I had a good time in Hudson watching the parade. It went on much longer than anticipated! I got to meet a few old friends on the sidewalks.

I managed to meet a few new fans at Back to Books. Some of them got the chance to meet our new dog, Jack. (Another basenji we rescued!) Miah had a few shirts out front they were selling...and there was one I couldn't resist buying. It had the following quote on it:

"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing." -Benjamin Franklin

I'm also busy today writing a piece for Chipscomp.com. (I have them linked on my links page now.) They have awarded me an honor, making me a featured artist!

June 11th, 2007 - I have another book signing to announce! I will once again be at Back to Books in Hudson, Wisconsin, on June 30th, from noon to 2pm. This is during the weekend of Hudson's Booster Days celebration, so there will be lots in the area to see and do. The parade will be going down Main St. at 11am, so I expect a good crowd.

Be there to buy a copy of either of my first two books. As a SPECIAL bonus, I will have an advanced sneak peek at Book 3: Muster of Heroes available for anyone who shows.

May 15th, 2007 - It's been rather quiet lately due to a change in jobs. (I'm not wealthy enough off my books yet to live the life of luxury!) The new job will offer me a lot more free time to do things such as...write books...and so far things have gone well there.

I'm eager to hear from any book clubs that may have an interest in my work. They can feel free to contact me here.

The third book is still being written, and I'm trying to do the best I can to get it finished yet maintain the quality I want to achieve. I'm thankful for the encouragement and praises I have gotten recently from Trials of Faith.

January 1st, 2007 - Sorry I didn't update sooner! My thanks to Dunn Bros Coffee in Stillwater for hosting my second book release! A lot of people commented on the nice atmosphere. I may have to have more book release parties like that one!

People have started to read my second book, and I have gotten a few good comments about it. Remember, I appreciate any good reviews to be posted in my guestbook or even on Amazon.com. An author who releases a book is like a person who wrote a play and must wait anxiously to find out how well the audience applauds his work.

I have been working hard on the final book of the trilogy since late spring.

November 26th, 2006 - The day has finally come! Trials of Faith is now available at Trafford.com and Amazon.com. The first books have already been ordered by some fans.

Book Release/Author Signing party! 

There will be a book release party in Stillwater, Minn, on Saturday, Dec 16th, from 4:30 PM and last 2-3 hours. It will be at Dunn Bros Coffee. 1798 Market Drive Ste 2, Stillwater, Mn. Take Hwy 36 to Stillwater, then turn north on Hwy 5/Stillwater Blvd N. Follow this north to the first intersection. The next light is Curve Crest Blvd, take a right there. The next light is Market Drive, take a left. At first opportunity, take a left into the parking lot of the stores on that side, then circle back through the parking area towards the Stillwater Blvd/Curve Crest intersection. Dunn Bros overlooks that intersection. Thank you Dunn Bros Coffee!

I will have both of my books there and available to sign.

November 12th, 2006 - Sorry it has been so long since my last update. I had been expecting the second book to be ready "any day now", and yet the time has stretched. The final version has now been approved for Trials of Faith, the second book in The Earthrin Stones trilogy. I expect that those who keep a close eye on Trafford.com will see it available to order this week or next. It will take longer before it appears on Amazon.com.

For those who live in the area, I am planning to have an author signing/release party locally in Stillwater. Details to come soon.

And, now for a bit of bad news. My wife and I are still getting over the loss of our pet dog, Shadow. She lived with us for almost our entire marriage, and was like our child. This basenji mix was left abandoned by a roadside when we found her, yet with us she found a warm happy home in which she could be spoiled. In October she had a sudden bout with some nervous condition, which left her unable to function or take care of herself well. I put up a page for her in the "Extras" section.

August 7th, 2006 - The biggest news for anyone who has yet to buy my book is that I have added a sample on the "Extras" page. Under Downloads, you can save a zipped file which includes the prologue through 2nd chapter of Inheritance of a Sword and a Path. Enjoy this free peek at my book and consider buying a copy today. If you have any friends interested in new fantasy writers, point it out to them.

In other news the second book, Trials of Faith, was submitted to Trafford last week and I am eagerly awaiting the proof. Expect it to take a few more weeks before it is available. If you so choose, you can search the bookstore at Trafford.com for it by title, and you will see the option for them to contact you when it is available.

July 10th, 2006 - I'd like to thank Back to Books in Hudson for hosting my first author appearance! They have been very supportive.

I have a name for the second book in the Earthrin Stones trilogy: Trials of Faith. It is currently in the finishing stages of getting developed. Joshua Scott has provided me with a nice cover. I'm making sure everything I send to the publisher is in order.

And, as a special surprise, I decided to send a sneak preview copy of the prologue and first chapter to the email addresses of those who gave me such good reviews in my guestbook and on Amazon.com! Thanks for your support.

June 13th, 2006 - My first author signing/appearance is coming up this weekend! I will be at Back to Books in Hudson, Wisconsin, on Saturday, June 17th, from 10am-3pm. I am understandably nervous about this first event. I'll be set up on the sidewalk outside during River Rock music festival. There will be lots of foot traffic nearby, as several stores have events planned.

May 5th, 2006 - I was very nervous, but I got my interview for a local TV program, "30 Minutes with the Author". The host, Lori Crever, made me feel at ease and had a lot of nice things to say about my book that left me blushing! I'm not sure when it will run in the Twin Cities area, so you'll have to keep your eyes peeled to the listings if you live locally. It will be on the local access channels.

Also, Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore, (Minneapolis, Minn), now carries a few of my signed books as well.

I'm still waiting for some definite news, but I'm expecting an author appearance and book signing in Hudson, Wisc, during mid-June.

I'll leave you with a review statement---

"Inheritance of a Sword and a Path is a treasure trove of fantasy, eye-popping adventures, lead characters imbued with morality, humility, strength and humor. Besides the sword play and wizardry, what struck me as remarkable was the page space given to accomplished, highly effective women on equal footing in terms of contribution to the story and to their society as men. This saga opener had me turning pages, reading way (way) past my bedtime, and definitely curious for the next installment. Pure fun!"  --Lori Crever, host. "30 Minutes with the Author"

March 10th, 2006 - Great news from two different directions. First, my book is now listed on Amazon.com, and so far has gotten two 5-star reviews from readers. The second good piece of news is that a local TV program liked the copy I sent them to review. They will be interviewing me in early April!

February 7th, 2006 - For those who have been checking the availability of my book outside Trafford's site, a few more options have opened up. Although I'm not sure why it hasn't appeared on Amazon.com yet, (I keep checking there a lot awaiting it), It has appeared on other sites and at some bookstores. Since my first work is self-published, and not a mass-market paperback, it is harder to get word out to a lot of people.

Online - My book is listed at Barnes&Noble.com, along with an area in which a person can post their reviews. It doesn't look like you can directly order from their website, but you should be able to call their stores and order a copy. Also, Borders online site contains my book as well. Again, you can order it from a local store. Froogle.com will link you back to Trafford's site.

Twin Cities' Area - Two local bookstores have copies in stock at the time I post this, including a few autographed copies. Back to Books in Hudson, Wisconsin, helped support me as a new writer. Not only do they have copies of my book handy, but they are helping introduce me to some of the local book clubs. Source Comics and Games in Falcon Heights also have copies of my book available. I thank these businesses for helping me get my name out. A couple local libraries have obtained copies as well: Bayport, Mn, and Hudson, Wi.

January 9th, 2006 - It's still been a busy time with the holidays, the book release, and helping my wife make a major change in her lifestyle. Hope everyone enjoys the New Year.

I posted the first fan comment on the Published Books page. Erica was the first person I know to finish reading a copy, and her comments are under the picture of the book cover on that page. Others have told me that they are enjoying it, and it sounds like more than one couple who got the book are having to settle who's going to read it first.

December 17th, 2005 - It's been an exciting and busy time for me! The first people who ordered my book have already started reading and commenting on it. I've been busy with many of the business aspects of being a writer. Despite all that, I have been working on the second book of the trilogy as well.

One important thing to note is that I fixed the link from my cover on the "Published Books" section to the proper page you can order my book on Trafford. You can get there by clicking here as well. I'm moving ahead with plans for a book signing and release party in January now, but as yet I don't have specifics.

December 5th, 2005 - Inheritance of a Sword and a Path is now available to order online from my publisher, Trafford! I'm having difficulties linking directly to the book page, so for now the cover on the published books page will link to their bookstore. Search for it by title or my name, and remember that if you plan on getting this in time for Christmas that you may want to order by a faster delivery. I have noticed that Trafford's 2-day shipping is cheaper than their 3-4 day shipping, so you may want to experiment. I hope everyone enjoys the book! I have waited a long time for this day.

November 30th, 2005 - My apologies to those fans who have to bear with me. There have been more delays that are out of my hands at the moment. The latest timeline I was given leads me to believe I will have my proof at the start of next week. Expect that the book may not be commercially available until maybe another week after that. I know that starts to get uncomfortably close to Christmas.

Considering that there is usually an added delay before Amazon and Borders gets my book on their sites, your best bet to get my book by Christmas is to order directly from Trafford.com. You can go to their site and look me up by my name or the book's name, (Inheritance of a Sword and a Path), or go to my page Published Books and follow the book cover to the direct link. From that page you can ask to be notified by email when it is available.

Thanks for your patience as I discover how hard it can be to get published! I can't wait to get feedback from you all.

November 6th, 2005 - I had hoped that my book will be available this week, but sadly it won't be so. One correction is being done with the second proof. Expect a couple more weeks before I have another proof...but beyond that I still expect the book to be available from Trafford.com before the month ends. I'm also working on a book release party in December in the Twin Cities' area, but an exact place and date aren't available yet.

October 14th, 2005 - Sorry it has taken so long to get an update out. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that my book proof finally arrived in the mail. I was so happy to see my work in all its beauty. The bad news is that I did find mistakes within the book as well as one thing wrong on the back cover. I'm working hard to hunt down any errors and make sure they get fixed. This means that the book is going to be delayed at least a few weeks depending on the turn-around and status of the next proof.

August 20th, 2005 - Added a new web page called "Extras". This will contain a collection of materials that add to the Realm of Dhea Loral. Currently you will find artwork by Joshua Scott included on this page, though later on there will be additional items such as readable files. Likely you also noticed that I posted the image of Sword of the Spirit on the home page.

As a side note, many people still ask me about the progress in getting my book available. Currently I am waiting for the publisher to send me a proof, which must be thoroughly checked for errors or last minute alterations. From their timeline I expect to receive it within the next few weeks. After that, the wait is dependant on any changes that need to be made. If I need to make any alterations it could delay availability by at least a month. I am pushing very hard to make sure I get this novel out as soon as possible. I started the year determined that it will get done before the end of the year does, and I'm making sure that happens!

August 2nd, 2005 - First entry into the updates. I am still putting finishing touches on the website. My first novel planned for publishing, Inheritance of a Sword and a Path, is being packaged and sent to Trafford. Notice I said, "first novel planned for publishing"...that is because it is not the first novel I have written. The first one was dubbed The Blood-Wolves Company and was never intended for public release. That first novel was more an exercise in writing destined only for sharing with a very small circle of people.

Inheritance of a Path and a Sword is book 1 of 3 in The Earthrin Stones series. Even as it is getting published I am working to finish the second book in the trilogy. I have a laptop that has become my mobile office so that I might type on the go.

This past couple weeks have been slow in writing because it is the time that an author must focus on the business aspect of his career. Joshua Scott was rewarded for his time and effort on the cover design. I am working with October Skies to host this site. There is a lot to be researched in marketing a book, so I have been perusing useful resources in order to make this a success.

I hope the end result of this endeavor matches the emotional drive that is behind it. I end this first update with a portion of my opening entry in my notes journal, an item given to me by my sister-in-law Carrie: "Let my work be entertaining and a pleasant distraction for those mired in hard realities. Yet, at the same time, let my words inspire thought and courage in the hearts and minds of others that also dare to dream" - Douglas Van Dyke Jr.

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