QuantumMechanic1957

Retiring soon (I hope) from a 40+ year engineering career. Happily married to my best friend, with children and grandchildren. Have been writing various novels and short stories for years, including some personalized ones for friends and family (Its a nice gift, your own story where you are the STAR!). I hope to self-publish some. Have been reading LE for awhile and am amazed by the variety of ideas that people come up with on some topics. The caliber of writing is also quite high and a bit of a challenge. I like the stories in the Romance and LW category, but while I have a fondness for good BTB (extra crispy) stories, I admit I have a soft spot for a well-crafted, believable RAAC.

I really appreciate constructive, big-picture feedback (e.g., character is very 2D; or there is no stated/obvious reason for the character to take action 'X', not enough emotion in what should be a traumatic scene, etc. - My most appreciated for my first (light romantic satire) novel was when someone emphatically noted that I lost them when I stated that the primary male character (widower) of a story left his kids in the care of the oldest (18) son for an extended period, even if he was an Eagle Scout, junior Black Belt and high school graduate. They felt that it was irresponsible and I lost them at that point. I overhauled the story and added the character's continual quest to find suitable 'sitters' as a major, and at times amusing, sub-plot. I also like to provide observations like that to any authors I review .... we are all striving to be better writers.). I don't mind spelling/grammar observations, but I think I echo several writers on the site when I say that I will take a really good story with spelling and grammar errors over a perfectly spelled, grammatically exquisite lousy story. I am also aware that as different people we all have different tastes (acid rock versus easy-listening - neither is 'better', they are just different) and while someone may think the action level in a story is too high, another will find it not high enough. When I wrote a novel that I circulated with my wife's friends and my colleagues, I finally got it honed to the point where the romantic action was at the low end of acceptability of one of my wife's friends who goes through steamy romance paperbacks by the ton, while being at the same time at the high end of acceptability for a minister's wife. Talk about shooting for a narrow target! They both eventually liked it and I was content.

Thank you, SaddleTramp1956, for your friendship and encouragement.

My first (self)published novel, DUST TO DUST, will be out by the end of April 2023! Another box checked off on the Bucket List! I want to thank SaddleTramp1956 for his gracious permission to build off his fascinating novella ASHES TO ASHES and tell a different story, with the same characters. A dream come true! Thank you!