Today on my blog, I’m hosting a piece by Brent Abell in support of his blog tour about his new novel, The Calling. Here he’ll talk about what he calls his ‘writing bucket list’. We all know what a bucket list is. But when you’re a writer, everything revolves around your work, even the things you wish to achieve before you kick the bucket.

A Kick in the Bucket List

Brent Abell

I’m sure everybody out there has a bucket list. You know, the list of all the things you want to do before you die. Some people want to skydive. Some want to travel to new exciting tropical locations. Others want to go off and spend their kid’s inheritance on a week-long shopping bender.

Yeah, all of that sounds fun, but I’d rather finish off my writing bucket list.

When I started out, I sat down and thought long and hard about I wanted to accomplish with my writing. I had certain goals and other projects I wanted to complete before I bought the farm and took a dirt nap. So, here is my list. Overall, I haven’t done too badly and I hope to wrap some more up real soon.

1. Get published. This one is a no-brainer. When you sit down and write those first words to a story, of course you want to be published. I’ve hit this marker numerous times and I hope to keep ticking this item off over and over again.
2. Finish a novel. I began focusing only on short stories. At the time, I believed you had to earn your way up by starting small and building to longer works. I also partially did this to grow into novel writing. After a bunch of shorts and a novella, I wrote the first novel. Check.
3. Be featured in a magazine. This is one I’m only halfway through. Yes, I’ve been featured in a few eZines, but I still want to have a print magazine appearance. Once I have a print magazine in hand, I’ll check this one off.
4. Scripting a comic book. I am a huge comic guy and I really want to do this. When it comes to what I’d script, I’d go for either an adaptation of one of my stories or I’d like to do something original.
5. I want to write a screenplay. This has a lead and I’m starting to adapt something for submission to a production company. I write with the movie of the story playing in my head anyway. This is a goal because I’m wanting to have an IMDb entry. It sounds shallow, but it’s really not.
6. Continue to meet fans when I go to conventions and have readings. I started out early on this one. Even before I thought about a bucket list, I’d checked this one off. The first story I wrote, I read at a small conventions’s open mike and it set me on this path. It helped having one of my idols enjoy the reading. Now, I love marking this one when I go to a con and meet someone who loves the books. I write what I like and if other people like it, it’s icing on the cake.

I’ve met a lot of people and shared a lot of laughs on this journey. Writing has been fulfilling as both an escape and as an outlet to let the demons free. I count myself lucky to have readers enjoy my work and I hope the items on the bucket list, as I check them off, will give them new ways to enjoy the dark trips into my brain.

Read below for information about Brent Abell’s new novel, The Calling and to find out a little about Brent himself.

 

The Calling – Brent Abell

Carl Volker has a problem. After waking one morning with a hangover to find his wife gone, he notices a crow stalking around his yard.  As days go by with no word from his wife, more and more crows gather.

Frank Hill is sheriff in the seemingly pleasant town of White Creek. Up until recently, his job has been fairly mundane but after a recent spree of murders, bodies are beginning to pile up and Frank has no clue as to who the killer may be.

White Creek has kept its secrets hidden well over the years but the sins of its past are coming to light; the town harbors an evil and the bindings that keep it in check are beginning to unravel.

As Frank and Carl’s friendship is tested and their destinies are revealed, the dead accumulate while the crows watch and The Calling begins!

Available on:

Amazon: US | UK | Canada | Australia | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Japan | Mexico | Brazil| India | The Netherlands

Amazon Print: US | UK | Canada | Australia | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Japan | Mexico | Brazil| India | The Netherlands

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Smashwords

CreateSpace (Print)

Brent Abell lives in Southern Indiana with his wife, sons, and a pug who sits around eating the souls of wayward people. His stories have been featured in over 30 publications from multiple presses. His work includes his novella In Memoriam, collection Wicked Tales for Wicked People, and novel Southern Devils; which are available now. He also co-authored the horror-comedy Hellmouth series. Currently, he is working on the second book in the Southern Devils series and the next book with Frank Hill in the White Creek Saga.

Facebook: Brent T. Abell

Twitter: @BrentTAbell

Blog: https://brentabell.wordpress.com/