It is not often during Halloween that one receives a trick and treat. Usually, if you are of the age of going door to door seeking candy, or to a special event that includes sweet giveaways, you expect only the treat. Tricks come only from pranksters and grumps, and it is quite obvious which houses in the neighborhood to avoid.
I thought about the idea of “trick and treat” after reading an October 30, 2023 article about well-known actress Goldie Hawn claiming to have seen aliens. According to her foggy recounting, at first the aliens seemed to be using high-pitched sound waves to keep her paralyzed while they observed her (the trick). Then, at some point one of them touched her face and she said “it felt like the finger of God. It was the most benevolent, loving feeling. This was powerful. It was filled with light” (the treat).
You can read the article for yourself. I am not going to comment much on her alleged experience. Suffice it say that the incident happened around 1966 “near the desert in California after a night of dancing while sleeping in one of her fellow dancer’s cars.” As a GenXer, I don’t trust a whole lot that came out of the 60s. I just enjoy reading about experiences with aliens because it relates to my forthcoming novel, Planet of Eden.
If you are letting your little ones bop around from house to house looking for treats, though, I suggest avoiding the ones occupied by silver-colored aliens. Some aliens can be tricky.
Project Eden Update
Now, I move on to the main purpose of this post, which is to update you, fellow Edenites, on the progress of Project Eden. If you are new to my blog, “Project Eden” is how I refer to the production of my trilogy of forthcoming novels. It includes publishing my completed manuscript for Planet of Eden in both printed and digital form, as well as creating extra content, supporting artwork, and related side-projects.
If you have been following this blog, you can see from recent posts that I have been pursuing both traditional publishing (finding a literary agent, securing a book publisher, getting a book deal, etc.) and independent publishing (or self-publishing, which means doing it all myself). I gave myself until the end of 2023 to see if the traditional route would be a success. That might not seem like a lot of time to you, but remember that—pre-pandemic—I spent over a year on this route to no avail. I decided to give it one more shot in Q4 2023 to see if I could generate any interest in Planet of Eden. Well, after sending another lot of queries to potential agents, I have not even received a nibble.
If I was a self-conscious author, by now I would wonder if my writing was simply not very good. I know better, though. Planet of Eden is excellent. Having worked on it for close to 20 years, I’ve had plenty of time to hone my skill and create a superb story. It’s a great read. I should know; I am my own worst critic. If I still like it after all this time, I know it must be good.
So, I do not blame my ability, but neither do I blame the market. As I have shared with you through this blog for several years now, people are still very much interested in the subjects of UFOs and extraterrestrial life. The article I reference above proves that people enjoy thinking about it, talking about it, writing about it, and being entertained by it. There is definitely a market for “alien stories,” and Planet of Eden makes what is often considered to be strictly in the realm of science fiction accessible and enjoyable to readers who may not be fans of that genre.
I must conclude, then, that today’s publishing industry just cannot handle something as different as Planet of Eden. Friends, I do not write to fit into modern day fads or social agendas. I write stories that I like, and stories that I think lots of other people will like. I write to attract a large, diverse readership, not a specific social group. Readers from age 13 to 103 will enjoy Planet of Eden. Readers from a variety of backgrounds will appreciate the story. That seems too broad for today’s narrow-focused publishers.
Where do I go from here? Will I give up and become a disgruntled wannabe writer, throwing stones at a wayward publishing industry? No. That is not how I operate. The traditional publishing industry is currently in a mess. That is a fact, and it is partly why Planet of Eden cannot get attention there. Instead of being a critic, I plan to be an example. I am going to launch my own publishing business in 2024.
I have a publishable manuscript, a potential publishing outlet, and over 25 years of business and marketing experience. Yeah, I think I can handle being an independent publisher. Books like Planet of Eden deserve to be published, and book readers deserve a variety of creative stories, not just books that fit a certain agenda-driven mold. Who knows, maybe I will be part of a new revolution in the book publishing industry where I can help truly “underrepresented” writers achieve their dreams.
Stay with me, friends. This is where the ride aboard Project Eden is going to really start moving. I look forward to sharing more with you very soon. Right now, I’ve got a major marketing plan to develop.
And hey…stay awesome, stay you, and stay away from “trick and treat” silver aliens, okay?
