Mid-May I will be travelling to Spain to make pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago--the traditional French-Way leading to Santiago de Compostella, cathedral and revered burial place of St. James. As a pilgrim, I have my shell--the traditional symbol of pilgrimage, identifying me as one making journey, and my Camino passport, a document that, stamped along The Way, will mark my completion of the journey (at least in Spain).
I expect this pilgrimage to be many things . . . and many have asked me about my purpose and the outcomes. But here are a few of my thoughts.
First, I am going on this pilgrimage with an open mind and a willing heart. Whatever I encounter, and whomever, I expect much of the journey to be serendipitous, as I depart with few possessions, my Bible as sole reading material, good socks, and a few other pieces of gear that will protect me from the sun, the rain, and the elements. I hope I will be prepared to just "be" in each moment, each day, and allow God to open to me whatever sights and relationships and insights are in store.
Secondly, I go to pray for others. I will carry with me at all times the relationships of parish, friend and family--either expressly stated or in spirit. I expect, on my shorter-walking days in particular, to pause along the countryside, in small towns and villages, to reflect and learn. I plan to eat no food along The Way (only breakfasts and dinners) but do plan to enjoy water and good Spanish wine as I discover it. I also plan to lose at least ten pounds on this pilgrimage, and my energy through the day will be taken from the sun, the conversations, the soil beneath my feet.
Finally, some have asked me if this pilgrimage will lead me to write other articles or books about the Camino. My short answer is: There are already hundreds of books about the Camino experience, dozens of memoirs, even movies. I have no such plans per se . . . but I am keeping two options open as sidebars:
A book proposal that I have been working up, tentatively entitled, Twelve Roads with Jesus, and this idea will form the basis of a 3-part sermon series I will do in June upon my return. I may also keep my palate primed to write an article, or series, on some of the Spanish wines.
Until then, I walk to prepare. A few miles to go before I sleep.
Buen Camino,
~Todd
I have been remiss of late with my blogging . . . but here at the cusp of a new year I should give an update on family, life, and my writing. Many changes, but then that is the very essence of life.
Family
On New Year's day Logan moved to Portland, Oregon. New adventures in learning (fashion and design school), new friendships, new apartment . . . the works. For me and Becky, back to the "empty nest" (again). Already our nights are filled to overflowing--mostly with work. She: writing reports, emails, presentations, reviews. He: writing like a slave to many deadlines.
Toward that end I am working late nights and early mornings trying to crush out two new novels for the Mary Christmas mystery/romance series (published under my pseudonym R.L. Perry). Next books in line will be entitled Bleak Midwinter and Cold Snap.
But I have not stopped there. Interspersed among the long pull of the novels I still manage to eek out and publish at least six or seven essays a month (of various lengths and subjects) and short stories in a variety of genres.
Some of my scheduled stories are entitled "The Last Man on Earth", "The Law of Zupiter", "The Arsonist", "The Superannuated Man", and "The Thin Man". As you can see, I'm not very good at titles . . . I just grab a central character or theme and away I go.
I have been fortunate of late to see these science fiction stories into print (or scheduled for print) as well as some others that could be loosely categorized as horror, fantasy, mystery, or mainstream. And poetry--I take spells, but have quite a few scheduled for publication in early 2016. Actually, quite proud of many of the poems written in 2015. Some of my best, I think, and I've received the thanks of some editors, which is a nice touch. And I now have enough published poetry to make a second collection (my first, Where in the World We Meet). Any editors looking for a poetry collection from a near-sighted white guy who writes about sex, Greek mythology,life and death?
As for my total count of upcoming books in 2016, so far it stands at five:
Praying Through Cancer (Upper Room books)
All About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Blue River books, children)
The Seven Deadly Virtues (InterVarsity Press)
Bleak Midwinter (as R.L. Perry)
Cold Snap (as R.L. Perry)
Earlier last year, during a trip to New York when I reunited for after-work drinks with a former literary agent, the question was asked at the bar, "Who the hell publishes eight books in two years?"
I guess I do.
I hope to continue & thanks for reading.
~Todd
~R.L.
Every December, as I am writing my year-end family reflections and history, I also take stock of my writing goals and outcomes to see if I have made any progress in my development as a writer, in my knowledge and insight and connections of, and within, the publishing industry, and in the outcomes I am attempting to achieve.
But no matter how I look at it 2015 was a big year in many respects. In addition to having three books released in one year--Common Ground (Skyhorse, New York), Indiana Wineries (Blue River Press, Indianapolis) and the novel Slay Bells, as R.L.Perry (Blue River Press, Indianapolis)--I also published a large pile of other material, wide-ranging in subject, scope, and genre. Every morning, when I get up to write in the dark, I write what I want to write--and sometimes what I have to write in order to meet deadline(s).
As far as essays and articles go, I placed work in Midwest Outdoors, YouthWorker, Preaching and Together magazines. All told, something like 75 essays for these publications alone.
But in addition, I also placed a number of stories in other magazines this year--mostly university presses and literary journals--that ranged from what might loosely be deemed as romance, fantasy, or literary. Among these, "The Tall Girl's Wedding", "Equinox", "The Man Upstairs" and "The Thin Man" are some of my best. I now have a wide ranging corpus of stories, few clearly defined by genre, that I hope to collect between covers very soon. As one editor wrote about one story, "I'm not sure what this is, or how to define it, but I like it."
I also published a few more science fiction stories this year (with others sold and scheduled for publication in early 2016) that include, "The Last Man on Earth" in Nebula Rift and the forthcoming "The Superannuated Man" in Morpheus Tales (England).
Note: this last story, "The Superannuated Man", was one of the many that I lost when my computer crashed and burned two years ago. Of the stories lost, I knew that I would have to rewrite this one from memory, but the new version turned out even better than the first, for which I am grateful.
As far as poetry goes, I also placed many new poems in literary magazines in 2015. Some of these could be categorized as "love" poems, but others were experimental, emotional, regional, domestic, or light verse. I also continued writing on my poetry collection that I hope to entitle, Circus. It is safe to say that I wrote over 100 new poems this year, and many that I consider my best to date, and they continue to emerge . . . often late at night before I go to sleep or when I wake in the middle of the night with some hair-brained idea and begin writing again. Poems often jump-start my creativity.
As a rule, I write about everything that is part of the human experience and the human condition. Spirituality, love, ministry, horror, recreation, wines, joys, sorrows, relationships, sex, outdoors, fitness and the future . . . to name a few.
Finally, as I look forward to 2016, I anticipate five new books that will be forthcoming--that's almost a book every two months and thinking about it astounds me and fills me with a certain anticipation and dread. Lord willing, and if I don't die first, I will also sign on for more books that I will produce in 2017 and beyond.
Those titles you can look for in 2016 include:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (a children's biography of the Civil Rights leader)
Praying Through Cancer (a book for cancer patients and their families)
The Seven Deadly Virtues (Inter Varsity Press)
Bleak Midwinter (2nd book in the Mary Christmas mystery series)
Cold Snap (3rd book in the Mary Christmas mystery series)
I thank all of my publishers and editors and my agent, Cynthia, for working with a weirdo like me!
And what will I write in 2016? Only God knows . . . and me. As I told my mother decades ago (age 12) when she asked, "What are you going to write about?" I answered, "Anything I want to."
Land of the free. It's a great country. And I'll keep writing if you'll keep reading.
~Todd
Just published, my first novel under my Nome De Plume . . . R.L. Perry. Hot off the press and available now through Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.
Some years ago it became apparent to me that I was writing far more material than my name could carry into publication. And so, with the help of my publisher, Tom, we hit upon the idea of my writing under a Nome De Plume. But what name?
I suggested several, including Cornelius MacGillicudy, Eustace Von Coldcream IV, or Lady Godiva. But these didn't seem to fit. Eventually we settled upon a combination of my wife's initials (R.L.) and my maternal grandmother's maiden name (Perry). And hence, R.L. Perry was birthed.
And so is my first Nome De Plume novel: Slay Bells. This mystery/romance featuring female sleuth and funeral director, Mary Christmas, is the first of a projected twelve novels in a series. I'm looking forward to writing the other eleven . . . and if I write one a year, I'll be 67 years old when I complete the dozen.
Naturally, this makes me ponder some of life's deeper questions, such as:
What was I thinking?
Can I write one novel a year in addition to my other books, essays, short stories, poems and book reviews?
Will R.L. Perry be a success?
At age 67, will I be taking my nourishment through a straw?
Anyway, in the event my readers would enjoy something different (sizzling romance and mystery/mayhem) I hope I will be able to deliver . . . especially writing in a female voice. Perhaps Father Andrew Greeley would be proud.
I am especially hopeful that other women will find my romance compelling, especially since my wife will never read these and as she always says, "You know nothing about romance anyway." Well, we'll see. I have a feeling these sexy little holiday mystery novels will catch on . . . and with a name like Mary Christmas . . . heck, my wife might even make me dinner.
Yours in pseudonym, love and mystery . . .
~R. L. Perry
Photo: July wine trip, California, Navarro Winery before 31st wedding anniversary and a bunch of other junk
My most recent book, Indiana Wineries, was written with my wife, Becky. Since she snapped many of the photos in the book, and often accompanied me on the winery visits around the state, I thought it was important to have her name on the cover . . . that, and we could then divide our time at book signings, appearances, and other winery visits once the book was published.
A great plan.
But working with a wife, any wife, is not what it's cracked up to be. Now, instead of being this independent writer who is footloose and fancy free (isn't this the definition of freelancer?) I am bombarded with questions like:
"So, when is our next book signing?"
"Why did you schedule it then?"
"What were you thinking?"
"You did what?"
"You Idiot!"
This experience has taught me one thing: I admire those married couples who can work together for long expanses of time . . . such as a full day or a swing shift. Being able to work with your spouse demonstrates a certain resolve. But believing that you can work with your spouse for days-on-end demonstrates a proclivity toward insanity.
Don't get me wrong. I love my wife. She's my best friend, my confidant, my sometimes-cook and cleaning lady. She's also the principal breadwinner and my lover (at least twice a year and always on my birthday if she doesn't have a headache). You do the math. We were meant for each other. She doesn't even care if I forget an anniversary or two. What a woman!
But going on a book-signing tour together was not God's design for marriage. Rather, God intended for literary couples to write from their respective cubicles and holler at each other late at night: "How do you spell olfactory?"
The fact is, we are just getting started on our book tour around the state. I have miles to go before I sleep . . . and I was getting very little of it before I began working with my wife.
But folks who are looking for entertainment should seek us out at these book signings. Chances are, we'll be there together, and patrons can catch us mid-argument, or perhaps wrestling with deeper frustrations that involve split infinitives or choice adjectives. We might even toss in a noun.
Just don't forget to ask us about Indiana wines. That will help. My wife knows more about these things than I do. I'm just along for the ride. And I try to keep my mouth shut unless I'm tasting.
~Todd Outcalt
Writers often discover success like bananas--in bunches. And this past week was an interesting, and eclectic bunch, for sure.
In addition to completing a few new essays for submission in 2016, some of my older essays found their way to readerships at YouthWorker and elsewhere. I was also overjoyed when two editors said "yes" to some of my poems--all of which were fast-tracked to publications before year end.
And then there's science fiction. A couple of week's ago I had a nod from an editor in London (thanks, Adam) who has been very kind to me over the years, accepting my short story "The Superannuated Man". Last week I placed a second story, "The Last Man on Earth", in a newer publication.
Often, it takes weeks like this to keep a writer writing . . . but that's part of the struggle and the fun. Nothing comes easy.
It is also fun to ask: "What's next?" Much yet to write.
And eating a banana now and then doesn't hurt, either.
~Todd Outcalt
Photo: (Wine tour, Northern California, July 2015)
Last week Becky and I heard Joyce Carol Oates speak at Clowes Hall, Butler. A remarkable experience as she read for an hour from her new memoir and afterwards entertained questions. Although nominated several times for awards such as the Pulitzer and National Book Awards, and having authored more than 150 titles, I doubt that 1% of the American population have heard of this remarkable wordsmith.
Ah, but such is the life of a writer.
In the course of her talk, Oates noted that she is always working on various books, stories or essays . . . all in various states of dress or undress. Writers who write every day know the drill.
Last week I completed a manuscript for InterVarsity Press--a book to be entitled The Seven Deadly Virtues. It will be published some time in 2016. That's an end for me (or perhaps a fresh start, depending upon how one looks at it, as now I can begin another book).
I'm also in the middle of finalizing a final draft version of a novel written over a year ago . . . but it should be out in a week or two. Middle? End?
And I have two or three new stories that I'm working on, each in the beginning stages of production . . . work that is seeking clarity and direction in the wee hours of the night (or is it morning?) when I am hammering away at the keys in the dark.
Right now, Becky and I are enjoying our publishing foray into the world of wines (Indiana Wineries, Blue River Press) and some of the appearances and signings that will afford us a chance to meet the public and scratch our names onto the title page. It is always important to have fun while it lasts . . . as all good things eventually come to an end.
So until the next beginning. . .
~Todd
