The Order Has Been Given

You’ve given the order, and it’s time to take them out.

And that’s just what we’re going to do.

I’m talking about the print editions of the two short stories, Saturday In The Park and MacArthur Park.

Both are now available for those that are Kindle-challenged, or if you just plain prefer to hold a story in your hands...

Here’s the link to Saturday In The Park:  http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Park-Justice-Security-Short/dp/149495141X/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389377298&sr=1-12&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

And the link to MacArthur Park:  http://www.amazon.com/MacArthur-Park-Justice-Security-Short/dp/1494951657/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389377298&sr=1-8&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

And, whether or not you read these two stories on a Kindle e-reader or a print edition, or even if you read these two stories at all, I respectfully ask and encourage you to…

Keep reading!

Michael (T. M.)

I'm Certifiable

I’ve been certified!

In yesterday’s mail, I received the official certificate from the Library Of Congress, United States Copyright Office for the short story, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald.

I’m excited!

I registered that story wayyyy back in September of 2013.  I used the online registration, and I used it for two reasons:  It’s cheaper ($35.00) than using paper registration, and it’s faster than paper registration.

And the certificates look way cool!

Always register your work with the copyright office.  It protects your work, it shows that you are the author of your work, and it will show the date you registered your work.  Should someone come along and claim that it’s their work, you’ll have something to show giving the date you registered the work.  Unless they had access to your work before that date, there is no way that another person could have a copyright registration earlier than yours.

That brings me to another observation:  Never show your unfinished work.

I don’t mean that you can’t let your spouse read what you’ve written so far.  I ask Christi to read my stuff all the time.  I’m talking about sharing it online, or some other place that large groups of people can see it.  That only invites theft of your creative ideas.  You can give a brief, general synopsis of your work…heck, I do that all the time!  You can even share a sentence or two.  But don’t share details, and don’t invite someone to “take a look at what I’ve written”.  Unless, of course, it’s an editor.

Back to the United States Copyright Office:  You also have the option of pre-registering a work.  I’ve never used that, or explored how it works…I’ve just seen it on the website.  I don’t see how it could work for me.  I may write a couple of chapters in one story, get stuck, and go on to write something else while the first story cooks in the back of my mind for a while.  I may abandon the idea altogether.  So, pre-registering doesn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you.

Here’s the link to the Copyright Office:  http://www.copyright.gov/

Protect your creative work!

And…Keep reading!

Michael  (T. M.)

Tell Me What You Wrote...What You Really, Really Wrote

I have a question for you.

Did you write anything over the holidays?

If your answer is yes, I’m so happy for you!  It’s about time, and you have to remember that it’s never too late to begin.

If your answer is no…shame on you!

You have no excuse.  You could have written at least a paragraph or two!

Let me give you an example of what putting your mind to writing does for you:  I had planned to take most of December off from writing.  I thought I was tapped and tired.  Turns out, I was wrong.

I started thinking that it would be nice if I had managed to write a Justice Security Christmas story before I stopped for the year.  This was around the first week of the month…maybe as late as the tenth.  Then, I started thinking about what Christmas song I could use as a basis for the story…and, since The Little Drummer Boy had always been a favorite song of mine, I started thinking about that…and it occurred to me that Justice Security would, of course, have provided security and protection services for various rock bands appearing in the city.

Both Saturday In The Park and MacArthur Park were necessary to lay foundation for the upcoming Nicholas Turner/Justice Security team-up novel, Hell’s Bells. I still felt that one more short story needed to focus not just on Dexter and Louie, but feature Megan…foreshadowing upcoming events in Hell’s Bells.  Suddenly, a picture focused in my mind:  Dexter and Louie with a story from the early days of Justice Security, snowed in during a blizzard and inside a church, along with one of their clients.

The story then wrote itself.  I mentioned here that a Facebook friend thanked me for writing such an uplifting story.  Patrick Peterson, who is producing the audiobook, read the story through, and told me that it was something really special.

The story was slightly over five thousand words, and I wrote it in four days.  I was determined that it be available for you readers by December eighteenth.  I had given myself a week to write the story, and I had time left over.

So, if you didn’t write at least a paragraph over the holidays, shame on you!  Time for you to play catch-up, and, as always,

Keep reading!

Michael  (T. M.)

Hey, You Got Anything To Read?

The New Year has passed, and we’re now beginning 2014.

And, I have great news to start the year with!

Both of the Justice Security short stories that I wrote last year and submitted to Glimmer Train Press are now available on Amazon.com as Kindle ebooks!  Glimmer Train decided that these two stories weren’t what they were looking for to add to their publication, so, finally, YOU get your opportunity to read them!

Saturday In The Park was the first Justice Security short story that I wrote last year, and I’m very proud of it!  Here’s the synopsis:

“On a gorgeous spring day, the partners of Justice Security choose to have their annual partner meeting as a picnic in the city park.

Joey Justice, Percival “King Louie” Washington, and Dexter and Megan Beck arrive at the park early to find a nice picnic spot, as Misty Wilhite and Jessica Queen are shopping for picnic supplies.

The four in the park find unexpected trouble when they are ambushed by a group of killers.

Questions are going through the minds of Joey and his partners.  Who are these people?  Why are they trying to kill the partners?  And how did they know to catch them in the park?

Saturday In The Park gives you the answers, with action as explosive action as you expect from the folks of Justice Security!”

And, here’s the link to Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Park-Justice-Security-Short-ebook/dp/B00HOZO4IS/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389039271&sr=1-6&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

The other story, MacArthur Park, was the second short story featuring Justice Security.  It was written at a fan’s request, delivered to me through Narrator Patrick Peterson.  Patrick will be handling the audiobook production for this one, as well.  Here’s the synopsis:

“Megan Beck has been asked to perform a highly top-secret job for Justice Security, assigned by their FBI liaison, Marcus Moore.

Megan is given sparse instructions on what she is to do, but no information about why she’s doing this particular job, or who the target might be.

The job, unfortunately, has to be done on the night of her husband’s birthday.  Dexter is understanding, but disappointed.  He planned to celebrate with her, and his brother that night.

Facing disappointment at missing Dexter’s first birthday since they were married, Megan stoically performs the top secret job.

The outcome of this mysterious mission surprises everyone, but the biggest surprise in MacArthur Park is reserved for Megan Beck!”

Here’s the link to Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/MacArthur-Park-Justice-Security-Short-ebook/dp/B00HOZVFMG/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389039271&sr=1-7&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

Also, please don’t forget the short story The Little Drummer Boy, featuring Justice Security.  The story may take place on Christmas Eve, but the message is timeless.  Here’s the synopsis:

“It’s Christmas Eve in the city.

Dexter Beck, his wife Megan, and Percival “King Louie” Washington are driving to a special Christmas Eve function.

Louie and Dexter share with Megan a story of another Christmas Eve in the early days of Justice Security, when the fledgling company is providing security for the band, Omega.  Omega is in town to perform at a special Christmas Eve charity concert.

Louie and Dexter are driving the drummer, Gil Mullins, to the concert, when the worst blizzard ever to hit the city forces them to abandon their car and take refuge inside St. Francis Catholic Church.

What follows is a story of salvation, comfort, and belief, as a Christmas Eve event repeats itself…and makes a believer of Megan Fisk Beck.

Inspired by the popular Christmas song, The Little Drummer Boy will warm your heart…and make you believe.”

Here’s the link to Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Drummer-Boy-Justice-Security-ebook/dp/B00HDEPB28/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389039271&sr=1-1&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

And, as I mentioned in the last blog entry of 2013, Jackie Blue – A Justice Security Novel is now available as an audiobook, with our buddy Scott O’Neill handling the narration.  Here’s the link to Jackie Blue:

http://www.amazon.com/Jackie-Blue-Justice-Security-Novel/dp/B00HNXCEPQ/ref=sr_1_5_title_2_audd?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389039271&sr=1-5&keywords=t.+m.+bilderback

Still under consideration by Glimmer Train Press is Gold and Hot Child In The City.  Both stories are stand-alone stories.  Also under consideration by Harlequin Horror is the novella Don’t Come Around Here No More – A Tale Of Sardis County.

Lots of happenings, and it’s all for your enjoyment, readers!  So,

Keep reading!

Michael (T. M.)