THE GUIDING DWIGHT

Hi, one of my favorite novel contests is rolling around again:  The Strongest Start.  You simply have to write the most irresistible opening three chapters to a novel.  Nothing else.  Hook the reader and never let them go. I entered this contest two years ago and made it to the finals in the literary category for THE HOPE STORE.  I'm returning this year with a very much new and improved version.  I'm excited to see how it does in the contest.  The initial version had two first person narrators that alternated.  The new version is in third person omniscient.  And since readers responded to the character of Jada Upshaw who is suicidal and goes to The Hope Store as a last resort for salvation -- she is now the main character. If you're interested in entering and have any questions, send them to me below.  And if you have more than one entry for the contest, that seems to be okay too.  It's a great way to send up a trial balloon to see reader response to your

REVIEWS OF "FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT" MOVIE + GOTYE'S "MAKING MIRRORS" CD I recently saw "The Five Year Engagement" which was produced by the folks that brought us the terrific movie "Bridesmaids."  It would be easy to see this as a kind of sequel, but that isn't really fair.  Jason Segal and Emily Blunt play the lead couple that has become engaged.  He wants to be a top chef in San Francisco; she wants to get tenure at a college in Michigan.  And in an unusual turn, the guy forgoes his dream for the gal!  Very forward-thinking of him.  Ultimately the film is about how dreams get deferred -- whether career-wise or relationship-wise.  I found the characters sympathetic and flawed, like most humans. The two actors who play their best friends as a married couple provide strong support as well.  Clocking in at about two hours, it seems that some good editing could have shortened its running time without losing much. Ever since I saw Jason

It is 1971.  A movie ticket costs $1.50.  Apollo 14 lands on the Moon.  Jim Morrison of The Doors is found dead in a bathtub in Paris.  But none of that matters much to the Shimizu brothers. Marty Shimizu is six and his brother Tom Shimizu is nine.  They are at an age where they look very much alike.  They both are Japanese American boys with short hair, though Tom's is curly and Marty's is straight.  Both of them have glasses with gray plastic frames.  They are almost the same height too.  Their Asian eyes are smaller than their classmates, but that doesn't keep them from seeing more than most. They are in the basement where it's cool.  The windows are shut because Mr. Rosenstein is mowing the lawn next door.  Marty and Tom are watching a cowboy movie on the black and white Zenith.  There has been a stagecoach robbery but the robbers have been put behind bars.  The cowboys tie up their horses to a wooden post as their thirsty horses drink from a wooden trough

Hi folks, this is my first blog hop. The participating bloggers are listed below. It's a way to create a blogger village out of likeminded folks. Feel free to explore the blogs below and comment on them. Or add your blog. Feel free to subscribe by email to my blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" which mainly traces my journey as an indie author. But also aspects of my personal life in the millennium. Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  (Though I'm not sure all the fine points of how to connect this blog hop.  Apologies in advance.) So here's today's question: Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her. * * * My own answer to this question?  I think the characters that I most embrace and fall for -- I remain drawn to.  Even if they change as cha

Hi Dwight followers, has anyone noticed that Amazon has this new reviewing tool?  See above from the book page for my novel Prospect of My Arrival.  The program seems to search for customer review comments that repeat -- and highlights them.  It also notes how many customers have made a similar comment.  Pretty cool. I'd like to know if anyone else has noticed this and what you think of it?  Do you know how long this has been in use? The reviewer comments highlighted for my book: "Prepare for a very poignant journey..." "The characters are vivid, the inter-party dialogue is crisp..." "I actually think there are a few heroes in the book." To me what I find useful about this tool is it allows browsers to see at a glance points that different reviewers have consensus on .  Kind of a Cliff Notes of your reviews.  So whether you are an author or a reader -- have you noticed this tool and what do you think about it?

The above text/image is an experiment I want to do using Pinterest to share tiny excerpts from an upcoming novel.  Can't hurt, right?

Note:  I will periodically post updates from my website:   dwightland.homestead.com   It's a high-traffic website.  Last week, I got 122 visitors. what's up in dwightland?    * Recently, I ran my first paid national advertising for my novel Prospect of My Arrival.  It ran Feb 3-5 on the popular site  Kindle Nation Daily .  Click to see the ad, a link to the evocative book trailer, news of Hollywood's interest in my self-published novels and more.  Sold about 45 kindle books + 5 people borrowed from kindle library. * Hollywood has been knocking at my door to ask about movie rights to PROSPECT and THE HOPE STORE. Both Disney and Johnny Depp's production company are considering... * I just entered Hope Store into ABNA, the Amazon novel contest. On Feb. 23, they announce the 2,000 books out of 10,000 that are advancing based on our 300-word pitches. * Will soon start work on my third novel. Also hope to be writing a non-fiction book for novelist

This is NOT a photo of live goldfish swimming in a wooden tub. It is an artistic illusion.  Riusuki Fukahori created this by painting a many layered image of goldfish, and then pouring resin between the layers.  Breathtaking. In actuality the "water" is solid resin!

League of Extraordinary Authors: Sissel channels duMaurier in LAST INNOCENT HOUR : Now PromoPriced at just $2.99 on Kindle (FREE with Kindle Select): Barbara Taylor Sissel's haunting first novel, The Last Innocent Hour . ...

Nothing like a beautiful picture to get your attention. Hi Friends, Happy Friday. I wanted to share that today (Feb 3) thru Sunday, I launch my first national advertising for my novel PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL on a popular website called Kindle Nation Daily.  173,000 people visit this site each month to find interesting new books to read on their Kindles. Many authors report a healthy bump in their sales and Amazon ranking afterward. Please click on the link below to check out this beautiful ad which includes a link to the book trailer, news of Disney's Studio's interest in my novels, fresh reviews. And a link to order my kindle book for $1.99 or the paperback for $8.99. Low prices are available during these three days. The paperback is gorgeous, by the way. Most importantly, you can help support an emerging self-published writer like me by sharing this link with your circles, and via facebook and twitter. This is how things go viral. :)  One person tells five people.  Eac