Running and Writing

A couple of weeks ago I ran the Sam Mumley 5K in St. Clairsville, Ohio. The young fellow ahead of me held off my pitiful finishing kick--more like an old man's trot. I did manage to run 19:40 and win my age group (grand masters--50 and over).

I've been running competitively since I was 14 years old. Now distance running is so ingrained in my lifestyle that I go into withdrawal if I miss a day or two. The great thing about running is that it stimulates creativity. Perhaps the long, lonely miles tend to spur on the imagination's juices just to keep the mind occupied.

Many times when writer's block has clogged the stream of vision, a good run brings new ideas and possibilities like an overwhelming flow that clears the obstruction. There have been times out on a country road when I feel like jumping, whooping, and hollering because a creative solution to a writing problem suddenly takes shape. I can't wait to finish the run and get back to the computer to get it all down.

Maybe that's why I always include characters in my novels who enjoy distance running--it's my way of tipping my hat to the activity that gets my mental pistons firing.

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

P.S. : I heard from a bookstore chain on the Outer Banks yesterday who informed me that Murder at Whalehead was selling so well the distributor had a hard time keeping them in stock. I love good news!

CLICK HERE to view video trailer
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

Book Signing at Island Bookstore

Today while I was cruising the internet I stopped by Corolla's Island Bookstore site and discovered my picture on display. Very cool.

Here's the link: http://www.islandbooksobx.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp

That's my daughter, Sarah, on the left and her buddy, Mindi, on the right. Our vacation on the Outer Banks this summer was a blast. Hopefully we'll get to go for two weeks next summer.

I got an email from my distributor on the OBX the other day. She informed me the novel is selling well. I'm almost done with the rewrite of the prequel to Murder at Whalehead. It's called The Healing Place and involves the same characters--the Mulligans and the Butlers. I'm hoping the Outer Banks bookstores will be willing to sell The Healing Place also. Next summer I'd like to publish the third book in the series--The First Shall Be Last, the sequel to Murder at Whalehead.

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

CLICK HERE to view video trailer
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

The Inspiration of David Blaine

About six or seven years ago I became fascinated with David Blaine's Street Magic specials that were regularly aired on The Learning Channel. As I began plotting the story for Murder at Whalehead, it occurred to me that a David-Blainesque character would be a great addition to the cast for a murder mystery set on the Outer Banks.

I watched Blaine's specials again and again. Three of his tricks amazed me--the one where he bites the quarter in half, the one where he stabs a card through a menu, and of course his feat of levitation. I decided to create a character based on David Blaine and his magic--a character who could possibly be a murderer. I named him Jack Blaze. In the novel, Blaze isn't quite as accomplished as David Blaine. He's working on his craft in hopes of becoming a street magician. When he performs his magic in front of the beach crowds, like Blaine, he tries to convince them he has supernatural powers.

Another character in the novel, Elijah Mulligan, a conservative Christian, believes Blaze draws his powers from the occult--perhaps even from Satan himself. When Christine, Reverend Byron Butler's daughter, falls for Blaze, both Mulligan and the reverend believe Christine could be Blaze's next victim.

Creating a character based on Blaine and his magic fired my imagination. I actually had a blast writing many of the scenes where Blaze is featured. Now the question is: Will he harm Christine Butler?

Hope you check out the book!

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

CLICK HERE to view video trailer
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

Emails and Requests

Emails are coming in from people who have read Murder at Whalehead. I have also received another request to speak to several book clubs. I appreciate hearing from readers. If someone enjoyed the book enough to email me and let me know he or she liked it, I'm sure that person will spread the good word. Perhaps "word-of-mouth" is the best kind of advertising--it's free and effective.

Rachel wrote: We received it yesterday and I started to read it last night... I read half the book already and I am not really one to sit down for long enough to watch a movie or read. I did not want to put it down but had to go to bed.

Candis wrote: I finished your book last week and wanted you to know that I soooo much loved it. I am a Mary Higgins Clark fan and I think your book competes with hers on the mystery level. It was also great to have a hometown connection. Please let me know when your first novel's second edition becomes available, I would love to read it.

Suzanne said: Just wanted to tell you that I finished your new book "Murder @ Whalehead" and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. You did a marvelous job with the plot and having the local color was an added treat. Keep up the good work and when you finish the revision of your first book, let me know.

Mandy said: I LOVED this book. From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. I was transported down to the Outer Banks and went along on the adventure as the two families in the novel explored new places, opened themselves up to new ideas, and helped solve a murder.

The Shadyside library hosts several book clubs with about 53 members. Judith Nelms, Shadyside's librarian, emailed me to request that I give a presentation/book signing to them sometime in September. I love talking to book lovers. I'm looking forward to meeting with the Shadyside crew. Also, the presentation will provide another opportunity to raise funds for reading programs. I plan on donating the proceeds from the event to the library.

Now I need to put my nose to the grindstone and get back to my rewrite of The Healing Place.

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

CLICK HERE to view video trailer

Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)

Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)

Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE

Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

Book Clubs

The Dillonvale Library

Last week and this week I had the privilege of speaking at two book club meetings. The first was at the Dillonvale Library (above photo) in Dillonvale, Ohio, and the second was at the Calvary Presbyterian Church in St. Clairsville, Ohio. The book clubs had chosen my novel, The Healing Place, as their book of the month. I'd written The Healing Place in 1999 and published it in 2001. The first edition sold out a couple of years ago, but there are 22 copies available at various libraries in Ohio.

This summer I'm working on a rewrite of The Healing Place. After writing four novels, I can more easily see the weaknesses, POV problems, grammar mistakes, and stilted dialogue of that first novel. Yet the readers have really enjoyed the characters and plot of The Healing Place despite all the problems usually associated with a self-published, rookie novel. Its popularity testifies to the importance of storytelling--readers are willing to forgive an imperfect manuscript if they find the story compelling.

Hopefully this second edition will be available through Upper Ohio Valley Books this September. Many people have already expressed a desire to get a copy of the new edition.

Another neat thing about speaking at book clubs is the opportunity it gives an author to promote his or her latest novel. Most of the club members wanted signed copies of Murder at Whalehead. Word-of-mouth publicity can make a huge difference as readers spread the good word. Besides that, I enjoy speaking at book clubs because it's fun to talk about my own book. It's like talking about one of my kids.

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

CLICK HERE to view video trailer
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

The Interview

The books are selling well here in the Ohio Valley. I haven't heard from booksellers or my distributor on the Outer Banks. I assume everything is moving along smoothly down there. I'm still waiting for quotes for offset printing for 2000 copies of the novel from my distributor. I'll probably email her tomorrow.

One reason the books are doing well in the Ohio Valley was because of a good interview in a local newspaper. The article was placed in the "Lifestyles" section with six or seven photographs from the Outer Banks (including the one above of a wild horse along the shore) and a picture of me in front of our local library. Many people who read my first book, The Healing Place, wanted a copy of Murder at Whalehead after seeing the article.

Ya can't beat free publicity!

Here's a link to the article: http://www.timesleaderonline.com/living/articles.asp?articleID=8293

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

Here are some links to my novel, Murder at Whalehead:

CLICK HERE to view video trailer

Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)

Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)

Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE

Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/

A Book Signing at the Hometown Library

Last evening's book signing at my hometown (Martins Ferry, OH) library was a pleasant surprise. I showed a PowerPoint presentation about my novel, Murder at Whalehead, and talked about the creative process a writer goes through when developing characters, setting, conflict and plot. About thirty-five people attended, and we sold 43 books. We used the event as a fundraiser for reading programs at the library and raised $217. I love the idea of supporting literacy and promoting reading. In an age of video games and instant gratification, we've got to keep young people turned on to the written word.

I received an invitation on Monday to enter my novel into the Buckeye Book Fair, an event in Wooster dedicated to raising funds for literacy in Ohio. The fair is limited to about 100 authors, illustrators, and photographers. A steering committee will make a decision by the end of August as to what books and authors are included. I hope Murder at Whalehead gets approved. It would be a great opportunity to use my abilities to support literacy and give me a chance to connect with Ohio's writing community.

Payments from the bookstores on the Outer Banks have been arriving this week along with requests for more books. I'll have to make a decision in the near future about the size of the next print run. Lightning Source quoted me a price of $1.79 per book for 2000 books. Seems hard to beat, but I'm waiting for more quotes from my distributor, Outer Banks Press. Linda from OBP works closely with several NC printers. The shipping costs may be the determining factor. Just have to wait and see.

Talk to you later,

Joe C. Ellis

Here are some links to my novel, Murder at Whalehead:
CLICK HERE to view video trailer
Link to front cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to back cover: CLICK HERE (Click on cover to enlarge)
Link to first eleven chapters:CLICK HERE
Visit my website at http://www.joecellis.com/