In Search of the Perfect Cover

In Search of the Perfect Cover

I have already written about the travails of finding the “perfect title” for my new book, Forever Gentleman—a process that took several years. Thankfully, obtaining the “perfect cover” for my book didn’t take near as long, but still, the process was far from...
What’s in a Title?

What’s in a Title?

A new novel has been written. But what shall the title be? In reading 19th century novels, I have sometimes wondered how much thought went into titles. Even some of Dickens’ great works, in my humble opinion, appear to denote little or no thought; quite a number of...
The Inspiration of Dreams

The Inspiration of Dreams

This may seem like a strange topic for my blog. But it shouldn’t, since we all dream. If you’re like me, most dreams are forgotten before they’re remembered. A tiny percentage of dreams may linger on for a short time, but generally fade away forever. In extremely rare...
Summers in Paradise—Loire Valley

Summers in Paradise—Loire Valley

Summers in the Loire Valley For seventeen years now, my family and I have been spending our summers in the Loire Valley, France. We typically leave near the end of June, after the children have finished school and completed their June piano recital. As May nears, we...
Learning Chopin’s Quatrieme Ballade

Learning Chopin’s Quatrieme Ballade

When the Publisher learned that I am an amateur pianist, with an emphasis on classical music, it was proposed that I combine concertizing with book tours, where possible. The Publisher believed that it would be unique and entertaining to combine reading book excerpts...
Anticipating the First Book Review

Anticipating the First Book Review

In this, my inaugural post, I thought I might share some of my thoughts and impressions in submitting my first novel, “Forever Gentleman” to book reviewers. I suppose most authors have some insecurity about how others will perceive their story and their writing style....