Going on "Holiday"

This blog is going to borrow a little tradition from the continent of Europe for the next few weeks.

Typically in that part of the world people will take a vacation from their job or workplace for a four to six week period. This allows the body, mind and soul to regenerate, regroup and become energized.

I’m going to borrow that custom for a short period of time and have chosen the end of the summer to “go on holiday.”

Even though it will seem like nothing is being done I’ll be working behind the scenes to write more of Opur’s Blade. That’s the story of a young boy that comes from an impoverished background and chases his dream. It is the fourth book in my series from Prairie Winds Golf Course high atop the Mississippi river bluffs just east of St. Louis.

While the blog experiences a little down time feel free to try my previous three books.

Lifetime Loser is about a swindle and fraud that details the difference between criminal and civil law. Follow the scheme as it twists and turns its way through the American legal system.

Finish Line details the coming-of-age of two teenage boys. After getting into some mischief they land summer jobs on Prairie Winds Golf Course and are exposed to life lessons by several of the grown men.

Tuey’s Course describes the frustrations of a black man as he operates in a business world dominated by whites. Racial profiling and discrimination from city hall dominate Tuey’s life while he flees to the supposed safe haven of Prairie Winds Golf Course.

While I wrap up Opur’s Blade I’ll look for comments and feedback from the previous stories.

Just an update

I was on "Tee-Time with the Pro-Noun" this morning on WHEN SportsRadio620 out of Syracuse, NY.

Produced by Perry Noun.

Whine Time with January Jones - Voice America

Voice America Variety

July 16th Thurs 9 am PT

listen to

James Ross, Aauthor

Hope you all can listen in.

Link

The Laws of Golf

Listen to the interview at http://golftwitt.com/wnkh

1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.LAW

2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever. The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.LAW

3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

James Ross Explains Why he Became an Author

One day you wake up and announce to the world that you would like to write a novel. Pardon the pun, but that is a novel idea. At some point in time that is what everyone dreams about. Let’s face it; we all have a story to tell, don’t we?

In reality though, how does it all really come about?

For me, the writing itself is relatively easy. The sentence structure; the punctuation; the correct spelling are all general tools that don’t cause much of a problem for me. And I assume that is true for a lot of other writers.

In my opinion the challenging part of writing is dreaming up the topic. It takes much thought to come up with a story line and develop a plot. Creating scenes is a taxing exercise of the mind. Putting the actions in a readable sequence is also tricky. The story must flow and force the reader to stay interested enough to turn the pages.

In my personal experience it may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to figure out how I’m going to make a story work. Once I identify the subject matter that I want to write about a subconscious energy sort of kicks in. Even though I continue to live daily life, the inner thought process is constantly at work trying to figure out the details of the story.

One trick that I found was that exercise helps me to reach a state of relaxation that allows for my mind to reach an open phase. While jogging I have found that the demands on the respiratory system and muscle groups have allowed for me to reach a freedom from within.

Another valuable time of discovery is in the middle of the night or shortly after awakening in the morning. For some reason the mind is not clogged and burdened with the goings-on of everyday life. Still another mind-enlightening time is while I am driving down the interstate in my car. During those moments I have found that it is always a good idea to have a pen and pad of paper easily accessible to jot down ideas.

At any rate, as I mentioned earlier, the time that it takes to sort events out in my mind varies. One of the things that I love to do is create characters. I can actually see them and hear them. Once the scenes are figured out and put into the proper sequence, then I have the freedom to place my characters into the action and have them deliver the message of the story.

It is fun to create twists and turns as the story is delivered. It is enjoyable to place hard-to-attain hurdles in the path of a main character as he or she travels on their journey. It is pleasurable to exploit their weakness and make them vulnerable to the actions of the other characters. Most of the characters have some sort of a purpose. Even if it is merely wallpaper in the action of the story, they seem to fill out the scene is some way, shape, or form.

So, in a nutshell, even if you decide to sit down and write a novel, just remember that it takes a great deal of planning to actually decide how the story is to be told. It is so very important to have an orderly procession of events and actions that follow in a logical manner. Characters have the freedom to deliver the message. The trick is putting them in situations that allow for the message to be delivered in an entertaining and meaningful way.

Good luck! Writing is a fun exercise of the mind. You’ll find that it becomes a little easier if you do some sort of pre-planning before you start. After all, when you take a drive in your car it is always better to have a destination in mind. Otherwise you merely wander aimlessly.

Check out his Recent List of Books:Especially if you love the game of Golf with extra adventure added.

Tuey’s Course

Lifetime Loser

Finish Line

I hope you enjoy them and please send me feedback or feel free to ask me any questions you might have about me or any of my books.

A Serial Killer in Novels That Revolve Around Golf?

I have met many literary enthusiasts, both online and at in-person events, since publishing my three completed novels—Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course. It’s wonderful to find so many people who simply love to read and who are always looking for new authors and styles of writing to add to their collections. I have been asked the following question on many occasions, “Will I still enjoy your books if I know nothing about the game of golf?” Let me assure you that my three books, as well as the next one which is scheduled to be released later this year, offer much more than repetitive descriptions of golf swings and putting conditions. While Prairie Winds Golf Course is the primary backdrop for all of my novels and I certainly include my passion for golf into my work, the characters and their stories have many levels of complexity.

One subplot that runs throughout all of my books is the elusive serial killer who remains on the loose, much the frustration of law enforcement. This at-large predator creates a renewed sense of fear among area residents every time another crime update is broadcast over local radio. I feature quick segments about the killer in each of my novels, usually included to interrupt an otherwise mundane moment at the golf course. I want these updates to jolt the readers out of their sense of comfort and keep them wondering about when and if the lives of the serial killer and the regulars at Prairie Winds Golf Course might just intersect.

The introduction of a violent criminal is just one way in which I work to create a multifaceted plotline in my books. If you love the game of golf, you undoubtedly will find plenty to enjoy in all three novels. If you have never set foot on a golf course and could not tell the difference between a five iron and a putter, there are still plenty of moments in Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course that will draw you in as well.

Golf Promo for Author James Ross

Lifetime Losers review and giveaway -

Lifetime Losers review and giveaway
12:13 AM Posted by fivemonkiesreview
Contest be held by Fivemonkies review

J.W. Schroeder, J Dub for short, seems to be an unlucky guy. He grew up learning how to play the gentlemen’s game of golf from his father, and tried to use his skill to get on a pro tour. A last minute bad choice caused him to lose out on his shot of greatness. With his wife more than a little pregnant, J Dub realizes he needs to get a job, and fast. He gets a job at a golf range and they move into a small trailer. Realizing how unhappy they are, J Dub hopes for a miracle. Little does he know he’s in for a big surprise.

Lewferd E. Zerrmann is a con man. He is a big shot who is not satisfied unless he is screwing other people over and making lots of money for as cheaply as possible. He gets wind of a very talented young man, J Dub, needing work and formulates a plan. He and his partners have already stolen land from a rich old lady by forging her signature and now want to turn that land into a golf course. He wants to keep it running a few years, use J Dub and his skills to turn it into something great, and then take the money and run. J Dub is none the wiser.

After the introductions are in place, and J Dub convinces his skeptical wife, they move out of state and pour their sweat and blood into turning this into a popular golf course. As the years go by, J Dub realizes that his partner, Lew, is not a people person. He is rude to the customers and is coming up with crazy ways to justify writing himself checks with the company’s earnings. J Dub hopes to someday buy the business from Lew. Fifteen years into their partnership, he gets his chance. This is when the story gets really good. J Dub slowly starts to find out that Lew has been skimming cash from the business all along, and according to the books, they have not been making any money because of this. Now it’s just a matter of proving this in a court of law.

The story whirlwinds into court battles, fighting, threatening, lying, and cheating. This is a great story with lots of excitement. There is a whole lot of accounting/business/legal jargon in this book but James Ross does a great job at explaining it to the reader as you go along without causing us to get confused or bored. The ending is fantastic and the characters are amazing and full of life. I would recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a great read. J Dub just wants what is best for his family and finds a lot of hardships along the way. I think most people can identify with him, which makes this all the better to read.

Enter this link to be brought to the contest

Giveaway runs from July 8th thru 15th! Open to US only