It's been a long road, but we finally have whittled down the close to 50 nominees to our short list of five. In the coming weeks, watch this website for an announcement of the final winner from this list. It could be anyone shown below.
For more information on the Farthest Reach Award, please learn more here.
So without further ado...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Behind The Words // David Lender
I met Author David Lender through his acquaintance with a good friend of mine, Eden Baylee. She said, "Hey, check this guy out!" I did. And it began a connection that has, thus far, culminated in David coming to the Reaches to hang out.
More about David, and, boyohboy, it gets interesting: He's the bestselling author of Vaccine Nation, Trojan Horse, The Gravy Train and Bull Street. He spent more than 25 years on Wall Street before becoming a full-time novelist. David now lives in northern New Jersey with his fiancé, future stepson and their beloved pitbull, Styles. More on David can be found at www.davidlender.net or at his Amazon Author Central page.
When people ask me where I write I usually laugh, because there’s no pattern. When I started writing seriously, about 15 years ago, my investment banking career was in full swing. I got up at 5 a.m., exercised, and then wrote for an hour or so before going to the office for my day job. I’d edit or outline new scenes on planes, in cabs, in conference rooms during breaks in negotiations on deals, anyplace.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Behind The Words // J. Thorn
J. Thorn is a writer, artist, musician, educator, student, husband, father, cynic, and human. In addition to writing novels and blogging, J. fronts Cleveland doom metal band, Threefold Law. He recently began converting novels to Kindle books for other authors (at ConvertForKindle.com) and enjoys frightening his kids with original bedtime stories. He’s been known to speak in HTML code.
I hate the fact that I can’t walk away from my creative impulses. Friends of mine have “grown up.” They have shelved their dream of writing a novel or sold their guitar to a pawnshop to afford new kitchen cabinets. It would be easier that way, but it’s out of my control. At times in my life I’ve been able to hold the Muse down or wrap Her in a choke hold, but She always gets free and starts whispering in my ear again. Those whispers turn into stories and songs, the same and yet different. Writing music is like raising children with three spouses. You may come up with an idea, but you have to be willing to let the other members of the band contribute, adapt, and change it. Everyone has a part in making the song better than any one person could have. Writing a novel requires a singular dedication and an unwavering commitment to it. I won’t let anyone peek at the work until I’ve put it through two or even three revisions. In the end it’s all about storytelling, a gift that is immensely rewarding, universal, timeless. Only the scale changes.
I hate the fact that I can’t walk away from my creative impulses. Friends of mine have “grown up.” They have shelved their dream of writing a novel or sold their guitar to a pawnshop to afford new kitchen cabinets. It would be easier that way, but it’s out of my control. At times in my life I’ve been able to hold the Muse down or wrap Her in a choke hold, but She always gets free and starts whispering in my ear again. Those whispers turn into stories and songs, the same and yet different. Writing music is like raising children with three spouses. You may come up with an idea, but you have to be willing to let the other members of the band contribute, adapt, and change it. Everyone has a part in making the song better than any one person could have. Writing a novel requires a singular dedication and an unwavering commitment to it. I won’t let anyone peek at the work until I’ve put it through two or even three revisions. In the end it’s all about storytelling, a gift that is immensely rewarding, universal, timeless. Only the scale changes.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Behind The Words // Susan Helene Gottfried
Susan Helen Gottfried is a multi-talented wonder. She writes, she edits, she designs, she markets. I first fell into her lap (oh she'll love that euphemism) when we were hanging around Bestsellerbound.com late last year and we've had a tug-of-war of wit ever since (She's the wit, I'm the war). She writes about rock and roll and, hell, if anyone's been keeping up with me, we all know I love me some pretty rock songs. Without wasting more of your time on my words, lets learn about Susan...
Where Susan Writes...
Jason asked if there's a sheep grazing outside my window while I work and while I wish there was, I remember reading something once that said sheep will eat grass down to the roots. So maybe I'd rather use goats to replace the omni-present whine of the suburban nightmare, the lawnmower. Or bison. Yeah, bison. After all, the Native American Indian folks were able to use every last bit of a bison. That sounds like conservation at work to me -- AND they don't make mechanical rumbles that rattle my walls. I know this. I've had bison graze outside my window before. It was 1998, late summer, and I was in Yellowstone National Park. Paradise.
Where Susan Writes...
Jason asked if there's a sheep grazing outside my window while I work and while I wish there was, I remember reading something once that said sheep will eat grass down to the roots. So maybe I'd rather use goats to replace the omni-present whine of the suburban nightmare, the lawnmower. Or bison. Yeah, bison. After all, the Native American Indian folks were able to use every last bit of a bison. That sounds like conservation at work to me -- AND they don't make mechanical rumbles that rattle my walls. I know this. I've had bison graze outside my window before. It was 1998, late summer, and I was in Yellowstone National Park. Paradise.
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