Over a period of 3 ½ years, I wrote 35 manuscripts. This was without an agent at the time, and with no book contracts in sight. Now I’m glad I did that. Each book has different characters, locations, and plots. I offer that piece of information for all aspiring writers who wonder if the day will ever come when their work will be recognized.
From the beginning, I established a project box for each manuscript. In it is kept all of my research information, the various revisions, any photographs appropriate to the story, and all information pertinent to that potential future book.
Comfort Publishing, in Concord, North Carolina, will republish my first 7 titles after the original publisher could not withstand the economic pressures that have hurt so many small businesses.
The titles to be republished by Comfort Publishing include Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf. A new title, Barney and the Runaway, will also be published. Ingram and Baker & Taylor will distribute.
In addition, Comfort Publishing has contracted a first right of refusal option on another 16 titles and has expressed an interest in developing an extensive series with me. This could become a 24 book deal in the short term. All of these manuscripts are already written, although I'll be doing a revision on each one to increase the word count and to update certain information.
I’m also developing the Sam Cooper Adventure Series with Port Yonder Press in Shellsburg, Iowa. It’s a new step for me because I’ve found that writing a traditional series, in the same locations, with the same characters, requires a different set of writing skills.
Book # 1 in the Sam Cooper Adventure Series is Lost Island Smugglers which will be published in July-August, 2010. This book will be followed with Captain Jack’s Treasure, and River Rampage. The plans call for more titles to be written for this series in the future.
This is what an endorsement looks like.
"Sam Cooper Adventures are like good, family movies . . . as an ordinary kid finds himself in exciting and extra-ordinary adventures!" Author Bill Myers
We carved out a corner in my son’s bedroom. He didn’t need all that space anyway. But the Michael Jordan posters that still hang on the walls, and the pennants from all the Chicago sports teams, don’t exactly fit in to the theme of a serious writer. Of course, he moved out years ago and is now an attorney in Chicago. I really need to do some major rehab of that room one of these days. But if you look again at the 35 boxes above, it hasn’t been a top priority.
None of this would be possible without the diligent work by my agent, Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency.
I began writing my action-adventures and mysteries, especially for boys 8 – 13, in late 2001, just after 9/11. They are equally enjoyed by girls. I did this, in part, because I grew up hating to read. Now, with the recent study released by the Center on Education Policy, which spotlights the difficulties boys have with reading today, my books could be coming out at just the right time to help fight in that battle. Even adults find these books hard to put down.
Kids report, “Reading one of your books is like being in an exciting movie.”
We are continuing to look for reviewers, and people of influence, who are willing to tell their peers, families, and circles of friends about these books. Over the next few years, there should be a substantial number of them.
I can be contacted at mander8813@aol.com
or
Max Elliot Anderson
P O Box 4126
Rockford, IL 61110
Other important links- Alphabetical
Bill Myers Author’s Page www.Billmyers.com
Center on Education Policy (Study) http://www.cep-dc.org/document/docWindow.cfm?fuseaction=document.viewDocument&documentid=304&documentFormatId=4608 Then, in the upper right, enter - Are there differences in achievement between boys and girls
Comfort Publishing http://www.comfortpublishing.com/content/HOME/tabid/36/Default.aspx
Fifty Pages of Previous Reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Hartline Literary Agency http://www.hartlineliterary.com/
Lost Island Smugglers blog http://lostislandsmugglers.blogspot.com/
Max Elliot Anderson Author’s Page http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/ I know, it needs updating
Port Yonder Press http://portyonderpress.com/
Sam Cooper Adventure Series blog http://samcooperadventures.blogspot.com/
Terry Burns http://www.terryburns.net/
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