Love, Love, Love, Hate



I'm forced to follow my own stupid rules for novel writing so I can't go back to the manuscript today and write another 500 words or so. I already did my word count for today.

So... I'll post a little more here.

Amazon.com has three new reviews for My Great-grandfather Turns 12 Today:

--I think everyone will love this book. I almost didn't get this book when it popped up as a freebie, thinking it was for young children and that it might be smarmy. After reading part of the first chapter I ordered it and am so glad I did. It was a great adventure story, also appealing due to the insight into what life was like long ago. I rarely give five stars. This book deserves them all. Fun, fast read for everyone.

--I loved this book. What a fabulous book for all children to read. A way to breach the generation gap. I wish my grandparents had been willing to share their stories.

--I read this just to see what types of books are being written for children. I loved it. I hope there are more authors doing this type of story. Makes me think about grandfather's, that I never met and their fathers before them. Makes me wish I knew more about them.

And here's one from a few months back that says Pope Bob was horrible:

--A book that requires a real Catholic knowledge base for many of its details, and apparently an AA familiarity and research, that is extremely repetititve as the main character deals with his alcoholism--over and over-- and test of faith. The ending is very abrupt, rather strained in its reality, and the whole concept of the world being without a pope for months/years without more of a miracle description of the curia and the ongoings in Rome is just a gigantic plot hole. I see where Bill Dodds won an international 3 day Novel contest...maybe if this was written in three days it would qualify. As for a Kindle book on line and for sale at $2.99, it was not worth it. Makes an Amazon reader wonder why they should select a Prime book for borrowing.
If you want to go back to a good Catholic read, go back to Black Patent Leather Shoes from the 60s. Hardly anything here about what makes a pope--especially the supposed first American Catholic pope. If it were a movie, it would last about 5 minutes! I am not that familiar with alcoholism, but this may reflect the process that "alkies" face; but the writing does little to make that struggle come alive.

One star!

Just keep writing.

Two (Blush) Reviews

Two recent reviews of Pope Bob:

--Pope Bob is one of the most touching stories I have ever read. The author, Bill Dodds, is a fine story teller, a more than capable writer, and obviously, a man of faith. As I read the book, I clearly identified with the parts of self-destruction, of putting my faith on the back burner in order to "enjoy" life. As Bob hit his bottom, I was right there beside him. And when Father Pete showed up, I wanted to cheer. What a winner!
Thank you, Bill Dodds, for an incredible journey with your characters. I can't remember the last time I sobbed at the end of a book. A wonderful and worthy read.

--Kudos to Bill Dodds for writing this book. Pope Bob takes a nearly impossible to believe scenario--the secretly alcoholic first American Pope getting lost and waking up on skid row--and makes it plausible. But really this book is about redemption, hope, addiction, friendship, love, and surrender, with quite a bit of humor sprinkled throughout. This is a beautiful book, with a universal message of the human condition and the struggles we each face as we navigate our lives and face our fears and our weaknesses. The dialogue was crisp and believable, the characters likable and very human. I smiled a lot while reading this book, and as I read the last page I was left with a feeling of warmth, very glad Pope Bob had come my way.

Thank you "Kufans4ever" and Jim Brumm.

As Goofy would say to Mickey: "Garsh."

Just keep writing.

We're #2

This has been a free long weekend (Friday through Tuesday) for Pope Bob and My Great-grandfather Turns 12 Today.
I'm happy to report I've given away almost 5,000 copies of Pope Bob and it's in the #2 spot on the top 100 humor Kindle books.

Nausea and the Novel

Many thanks to Bob ("Robert P.") Lockwood for a great review of The World's Funniest Atheist in Our Sunday Visitor newspaper. It means a lot when an old -- that is, longtime -- colleague and friend says your work is good and that person is a good enough and knowledgeable enough colleague and friend not to lie about that. In print.

Bob confesses he often likes novels that begin with someone throwing up.

Fortunately for me, that was the opening scene.

It's high-class literature.

Obviously not.

It's a good story.

I hope.

And I hope that's your goal, nine-week novelist. Tell a good story!

Just keep writing.

(Hmm. I realize now Pope Bob begins with someone throwing up and O Father: A Murder Mystery has someone going winky-tink in the bushes. Fortunately, my two novels for kids open at a baseball game and in a bedroom with a young fellow just kind of hiding from his family. G-rated material.)

Free Books through May 8

Pope Bob and O Father: A Murder Mystery are free through Tuesday, May 8.

Quotes from Authors on Writing

This has been around a while but it offers a good variety of perspectives. Needless to say, I most like the authors who agree with my point of view. (Or is it the ones with whom I agree?) The advice to write, write, write!

Quotes From Authors on Writing

View more PowerPoint from Pam Krambeck

Thank you, Pam. (Who lives in Omaha, where I used to live. I was on North 42nd St., just down the hill from St. Cecilia's Cathedral, which I used in my novel Pope Bob.)

Just keep writing!