How does a restaurant owner write a fictional religious novel?

For thirty years, 70 plus hours a week, I toiled through a kitchen, a lounge, a dining room or banged my head together doing the books, writing checks, listening to employee problems. Then one day, like so many in the food service business do, I burned out. Well, I guess it really came on slow… But, in all, I was cooked and needed to get away. Fortunately I have a son and daughter-in-law who years earlier both took interest in the business, permitted to seat 280 diners; a lot of meals to serve. So he got the keys and headaches and I got to move to Florida and play golf often, like 4 times a week. Of course that got boring, well, sort of. Then a week of vacation in Blowing Rock, North Carolina…. A dream sent. We loved it and bought a small second home on an acre of land in the woods, aside a steep hill. No scenic view but a beautiful, comfortable place. I was good; retire and spend the winters in Florida and the summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I thought.

However, months before spending our first summer there I started writing a novel; a romance, murder mystery. It sat dormant in my computer for months after I completed the work. Finally I sent a manuscript, only one, to SterlingHouse Publisher. Months later, I received a nice written note – thanks, but no thanks note. The stubborn Italian American that I am was just finishing another novel; later named The Lost Christ; book one of a trilogy. With the nicely written note, with a name on it, in one hand and the new manuscript in the other, I decided to mail the manuscript to her attention. My only other choice was to just give up, the hell with it.

A week later, and a shocking surprise, I heard from SterlingHouse Publisher; from Jennifer. They wanted to talk more, wanted to know about the other two novels. Dr. Cynthia Sterling was great, so much so, I researched her on-line and bought her and Megan Davidson’s book “Novel Writing Bluebook” from which I began learning to write, I believe better with each book of the trilogy.

Now it’s the waiting, the period that comes after the work is completed but the publishing date still months away. The period of thoughts running through your mind; of will the covers be eye catching, of will the reviews be good, of will it sell, of how can I help promote it, and on, and on, the thoughts keep coming.

Soon my first real appearance before my peers is about to happen: The Book Expo America (BEA) to be held in New York City, at the Jacob K. Javits Center, May 29, 30, 31…… So look for me there at the SterlingHouse Booth #4015; right next to Publishers Weekly. Did you say you’re not going? Then look at my blog in July for a complete review of the BEA.