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Feb.23.2021 71 Views

Looking Ahead

In this blog, I will briefly touch on some of the hottest items on my plate starting with the latest with the contract offer from Pegasus …

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Feb.15.2021 163 Views

Surprise! Cataclysm Caught the Eye of Pegasus Publishers

It has been nearly a whole month since my last Cataclysm update. There is good reason for that. While I juggled a thousand tasks preparing for a …

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Feb.15.2021 41 Views

New (Updated) WebSite

Welcome to the new (well, updated) website. Over the past few weeks, I worked on updating the site, preparing for new features like the newsletter, …

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Jan.17.2021 207 Views

Cataclysm Update - January 17, 2021

It's the MLK holiday weekend. Earlier in the week, I experienced a brain fart. During my final week of vacation, I heard or read the word …

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Jan.07.2021 179 Views

Cataclysm Update - January 7, 2021

I suspect updates will occur with a little more frequency going forward. There is so much going on. I apologize if my previous blog kind of sounded …

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Blog
Jan.04.2021 268 Views

Cataclysm Will Be Published Between March and May

I worked tirelessly to contact 40 agents last year. Months later I received 11 or 12 rejections and almost 30 no-responses. This year, pandemic and …

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Sep.12.2020 394 Views

Cataclysm: The Journey

In the Beginning Writing for me truly started 15 years ago. I’ll not bore you with the infinite details from yon to now. It did, however, begin …

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Sep.11.2020 404 Views

Cataclysm is Ready for Publication

Cataclysm: An 11:34 Novel has been through the ringer in recent months. After 3 major rewrites, a professional critique, proofing, and editing, it …

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Aug.23.2020 309 Views

What Happened in 2020?

I submitted this into a micro-fiction prompt. Using fifty words or fewer, write a short story or scene as if you were telling the tale to someone …

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Aug.11.2020 414 Views

Cataclysm Q & A

Q: What inspired you to write Cataclysm , the first novel of your 11:34 series? A: A nightmare. Nightmares are a keyhole into the psyche. They …

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Jul.26.2020 393 Views

Advice for Burnout: Unplug Yourself

Sometimes the saying “everything in moderation” finds applicability, and I think it applies here. While I aspire to be an author one day, my …

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Jul.26.2020 200 Views

Writing a Novel is a Marathon - Not a Sprint

Let me tell you about writing a novel. It is long, arduous, and full of pain-staking decisions and lip-biting. And if that weren't daunting enough, …

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Jul.26.2020 209 Views

I Wrote Till My Heart Broke

I submitted this into a micro-fiction prompt. Using fifty words or fewer, write a short story or scene that includes the line: I Wrote Till My …

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Jul.18.2020 263 Views

2020 Summer Newsletter

Much is happening right now, so where to begin. Last year, I peddled my novel to 40 agents. This is about to double. I am working with a …

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Jul.10.2020 234 Views

11:34 Draws Closer to Publication

Today is a day for celebration. I completed the third major edit/rewrite of Cataclysm . 344 pages. 94,000 words. Today, I had a meeting with …

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Jun.28.2020 282 Views

I'm Back

After Michael Jordan retired in the mid-1990s, he announced his return 18 months later via fax using only 2 words. I'm back! I had sent 40 …

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May.13.2020 276 Views

Title Changed for Book 1 to "Cataclysm"

After much deliberation, I have altered the title of the first 11:34 novel from "Halfway to the Apocalypse" to "Cataclysm." I felt the title …

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Blog
Sep.27.2019 611 Views

What Happens in Vegas

Have you ever awakened to feel that maybe, just maybe, something inside you is on ready to break out of its prison and run wild? We get so caught …

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Sep.19.2019 513 Views

First Lines

A writing contest sought an imaginary first line you might write for your novel. Here was my entry: It was not an ideal time to cut through the …

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Sep.16.2019 488 Views

A Double 11:34 Update

Book 1 Update I cannot say the "P" word. Not yet. Everyone has patiently waited for the arrival of the first novel, me most of all. I have …

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Jul.12.2019 493 Views

2019 Summer Newsletter

Book 1 Update It is time for some outside-the-box thinking. Time to change course. After nary a single whiff from 40 literary agents, I decided to …

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May.29.2019 494 Views

2019 Spring Newsletter

Book 2 Update While spending a wicked number of hours trying to peddle the first novel, I spent my any remaining free time working on the next …

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Apr.15.2019 466 Views

The Whitechapel Demon

On September 25, 1888, a news agency received a mysterious letter taunting police that he will never be caught. It was a defining moment in time …

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Apr.06.2019 530 Views

The Waiting Game

As the final seconds ticked bringing an end to 2018, I was already anxiously awaiting to hear back from any of the 19 literary agencies I submitted …

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Apr.02.2019 354 Views

The Agency Search Continues

I have been busy working on the second book in the 11:34 series while I patiently waited to hear back from the 19 agencies I queried. I received 8 …

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Jan.29.2019 331 Views

Lucky Number 7

Today, I received my 7th rejection letter for 11:34. I took a moment to reflect on that. Until now, I've been pretty upbeat about this whole …

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Jan.13.2019 365 Views

2019 New Year Newsletter

HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year! This is the year. I feel it in my bones. My first novel is destined for publication. BRICK AND MORTAR UPDATE I am …

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Dec.09.2018 376 Views

Won Equals One

To aspire is to yearn to climb until a plateau is reached, We take a deep breath and gaze out into the distance. In those surreal moments that …

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Dec.09.2018 344 Views

Calling All Agents! Be on the Lookout for 11:34!

Over the past week and a half I have submitted my novel to literary agents. It's a particularly confounding experience because the submission …

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Nov.06.2018 445 Views

Author Seeks Agent to Publish Novel

Peddling 11:34 This is it. This is the moment we have been waiting for. This week, I will submit 11:34 for publication to a dozen or more literary …

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Sep.15.2018 451 Views

FALL 2018 NEWSLETTER

It's been a while since my last 11:34 update, so I'm going to make this one count. What's going on with Book 1 of 11:34? I hear this question a …

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Apr.14.2018 392 Views

April

Lips blue, flakes sideways Burrowed animals hungry Sun's songs forgotten.

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Jan.02.2018 467 Views

2018 New Year Newsletter

HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year one and all. This will be a year of change, dedication, and discipline. I committed these past few months to these …

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YouTube Video
Dec.08.2017 521 Views

Research

Research. Read. Write. Rewrite. The 4 "R's." I'm writing this short blog about research, my favorite "R." I love delving into history, learning …

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Nov.09.2017 628 Views

11:34 Receives 2nd Rejection

I just received my 2nd rejection letter. I'm flattered over the fact that someone has taken the time from their busy schedule for me. I'm sure …

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Oct.30.2017 438 Views

2017 Fall Newsletter

::::: CURRENTLY 11:34 The 2nd book in the 11:34 series has unofficially reached 201 pages, about 60,000 words. I have been writing this book for …

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Aug.21.2017 529 Views

Canadian Hunters

11:34 - All Hell Breaks Loose (Book 2) A bloody scene greeted the lead officer of the RCMP as he arrived on the scene. He watched one of his boys …

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Aug.17.2017 471 Views

Celebrating the First Rejection

Plenty of writers receive rejection letters. Rejection is a ubiquitous part of the craft. It is a reminder that someone, somewhere, is not …

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Aug.08.2017 405 Views

New Look for MJDelConte.com

Out with the old. In with the new. It has been 2 years (July 4, 2015) since I last redeveloped my web site. I like to freshen things up every …

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Jul.09.2017 377 Views

11:34 - All Hell Breaks Loose (Book 2)

All Hell Breaks Loose is the second book planned for the 11:34 series. I finished writing the 2nd of the 2 cornerstone Test of Mettle stories …

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Blog
Jun.18.2017 499 Views

June 2017 Newsletter

Book Title Announcements With 11:34 outlined to be a series, each book will require its own individual title. The titles are tentative and may …

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Mar.04.2017 479 Views

The Strawberry

CLIFFHANGER One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. …

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Jan.14.2017 567 Views

2017 New Year Newsletter

HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year one and all. 2017 promises to be an exciting year. To kick things off on the right foot, this is a feel-good …

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Oct.31.2016 597 Views

2016 Halloween Edition

11:34 UPDATE 25. That was how many versions my query letter had undergone. That said, I am now compiling an updated list of literary agents for …

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YouTube Video
Oct.21.2016 782 Views

11:34 - Halfway to the Apocalypse (Trailer 2)

View on YouTube The Apocalypse will commence in 600 years, but you did not know that, did you? Not many do. 400 years ago, an ancient …

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Blog
Oct.04.2016 597 Views

2016 FALL NEWSLETTER

::::: CINEMATIC TRAILER As promised, there will be a cinematic book trailer for 11:34. Production of the cinematic trailer completed on Sunday, …

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Blog
May.16.2016 1846 Views

SPRING 2016 NEWSLETTER

::::: 11:34, COPYRIGHT 2015, MJ DELCONTE It took a little over 2 years to write. After I put the pen down, I submitted my work to the US …

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Dec.09.2015 1926 Views

Cinematic Book Trailer Planned for First Book of 11:34 Series

Over the past few weeks, a lot of my free time was spent self-training in cinematic techniques and amateur/professional film making. I watched more …

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Nov.29.2015 2382 Views

Copyright Submitted for First Book of 11:34 Series

I completed the final edits at 3:25 a.m. this morning - to be exact. After that, I researched copyrighting literary works. I've had a plethora of …

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Nov.07.2015 1883 Views

November 2015 Newsletter

First, I am writing this while sipping my second great cup of coffee, listening to Paul Oakenfold cranked as loud as my 5.1 surround sound speakers …

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Jul.04.2015 2510 Views

What's Next After Writing First Book of 11:34 Series?

I printed 2 copies of the manuscript to perform a reading. The book is read aloud with others. I or they read a chapter at a time. While reading, I …

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YouTube Video
Jul.04.2015 2457 Views

11:34 - Halfway to the Apocalypse (Trailer 1)

Halfway to the Apocalypse is the first book in the 11:34 series. The Apocalypse will commence in 600 years, but you did not know that, did you? …

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Jul.04.2015 2721 Views

Writer's Serenity

There is something magical about a great cup of hot coffee, biscotti, and writing. It relaxes the mind's gatekeeper allowing entry to deeper more …

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They said it

  • What you cannot enforce, do not command.
  •    -- Sophocles
 
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