Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

During the Covid epidemic and quarantine, not only did I write short antidotes for Fishing Stages Forum, but I also attempted to write my first novel. I want to assure you that it was a failure, not because it could not have been corrected, I just didn’t want to spend all the extra time on it, rather than doing something else. One of my readers said, “keep your day job!”

Here is my plot. The hero or villain, is a 60+ male who is a widower. He communicates with several lady friends whom he has known since high school. His objective is to learn which, if any, are suitable mates for the remainder of their lives. He is more interested in their wealth; oil wells, brokerage accounts, and such.

While they may, or may not, have been interested in more intimacy, he on purpose acts hard to get, and when pressed he admits he has E.D. and wondered if she would be billing to pay for an operation to correct his problem. While it was difficult, he refrained from bedding any of his ladies of interest.

However, one of his ladies is brutally murdered. This is right after he has visited her and it makes him the most likely suspect. Now his mind is racing to come up with a good plan to hide and escape capture because he doesn’t think he has any way of proving his innocence. After the real murderer was captured, he devises another plot.

To complete his final selection, of which of the widows he would marry, he devises a cruel plan of having all these ladies come to a hotel room where he has arranged a hospital bed, intravenous drip attached to him, and all to carry out the sham that he is dying of cancer and just want to say goodbye.

As part of this act, he has privately arranged for one of these ladies to pretend to be enraged, pull out a pistol and fire blanks at him, and he then pretends to die. However, he has planned too well, and she uses real rounds and does in fact kill him!

The trial ends with her being exonerated. In Texas there once was a law that freed the killer if the person killed needed to be killed, and the judge, a female, decides this
judgement fits the case.

Because I had switched tenses, and many other English rules were broken, I scrapped the whole project. What do you think, could you ‘carpenter’ something with all the above facts? What would you suggest? You may have the idea and run with it if you like. Just Sayin…RJS

Maid Marion Loc: Corvallis, OR

Written as a comedy that might play on Broadway.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Well, I doubt it would compete with "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas1!" I will leave that to more talented writers. However, I had many plot twists, and characters to make it interesting. Just Sayin...RJS

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

It has potential for a solid novel. It mirrors many "Murder She Wrote" plots minus the unusual trial verdict. I think you could easily write this with the focus being the central character and what happens to him. Just my 2 cents.

Barnacles Loc: Northern California

Well Robert, I thoroughly enjoyed your synopsis!

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

R J ..... Did you plan on self publishing? If so, maybe it would consume too much time to fix this thing up and have it ready for a printer. But if that's not the case, why not submit it to a bunch of publishing houses, maybe one would have their in-house staff clean it up for publication, of course they will insist on reduced royalties for you. To try this gambit, it would only cost ya a bunch of postage.Or maybe along the lines of Marion's idea, you could turn it into a screenplay, or a script for the stage ( not this Stage ). Just Thinkin..

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

NutzForFish: No problemo! I have moved on and have another possible novel that I am working on which has occupied part of my time, and I believe would have better chance of being published.

It incorperates Indians, caverns, moonshiners, and a local (my birthplace in Texas) details, and I am up to perhaps 25 to 30 chapters, rough draft! Just Sayin...RJS

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

I have a good friend in Oregon that writes and has sold many paperbacks. Rick Steber. He writes, mostly true stories about the history of central and Easter Oregon. Right now he being sued and many places have taken his books off the shelves because he made someone mad from south of there for not being “politically correct” and telling the truth in his stories. He had permission from anyone, and EVERYONE he ever mentioned in his books but all it takes is one person to read something wrong and pitch a hissy fit about it and you’re done. Poor guy is liked by everyone who knows him and I have a copy of every book he’s eve written, fortunately, but after a life time of writing good stories and building a great living and reputation, all it took was one person with the money and desire to destroy someone and he’s history now. Sad we have so many people just looking for ways to hurt people over the smallest thing. 🤬

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

No better novels than by folks like you with lots of experience Robert. I’d buy every book you had out before I’d pay once red cent for a book by a past leader with lots of money and no life experiences.😉

Maid Marion Loc: Corvallis, OR

I have not heard of him to my loss. Looked him up, sources have much to say, all good. Apparently his books are still available on Amazon, and used on Thiftbooks. I love these kind of stories and will definetly order some. Thanks Catfish for letting us know.

Barnacles Loc: Northern California

You're right! There use to be a principle, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few", but in today's world we all have to give up our rights, reputations, and whatever else because of just a few squeaking wheels.

To compound the problem, these days there are so many people walking around just LOOKING for something to be offended by! Anything!

Is the person complaining about Rick Steber going to go after Mark Twain or his descendants next? Everything Twain wrote was perfectly fine when he wrote it, but the rules have all changed. Certainly we should respect minorities, but political correctness for its own sake is just completely wrong!

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

It makes sense to go with your gut, and what ya know best, Texas. Good luck. Another thing, my brother is moving to Texas early next year. When I visit him there, would you be willing to spend a couple of hours with me ? I'd just like to "sit by your knee" so to speak, and, one on one , absorb some of your experience and knowledge. I promise not to occupy too much of your time, but you remind me so much of my mentor, I think it would be a valuable exercise for me to absorb some of your ideas and insight. What would the benefit to you be ? Well not much, I'm afraid.
I realize this is a somewhat of a cheeky proposition, but if you don't go after what ya want, you get NOTHING. Just thinkin'. nutz

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

Sad indeed, thin skin and self absorbed interests are certainly not in short supply.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Maxx. It would be a honor. I would be glad for you to come by and visit. I would be happy to answer any of your questions either here or in person. I usually have plenty of time.

I would recommend you start by creating a journal and begin writing down your family stories. That's how I got started. Begin with the earliest of your memories, then build up, also incorporate your extended family stories.

Lulu Publishing will print a few as ONE copy submitted to them and that's where I've had both of my books printed. If you have not bought one, either from Lulu or me, then that might also be a good pattern for you.

Next, start now and always have a pen and pad with you to write down ideas. When I write down an idea, it is then easy for me to knit a story from that. Just Sayin...RJS

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Nutz; It would be an honor! However, Texas is as you might have heard a big state. Just were is your brother moving to?

Other than doctor appointments, I've got lots of time, that is why you see my stories on a regular basis.

Let me ask you to start some things, if you haven't already done so. First, always carry a pen and pad and write down ideas for stories that arise, or come into your head.

Next, beginning writing them down, or in your computer. Starting with the earliest thing you can remember growing up. That alone will give you maybe a year's topics once you get into it. If we don't record our family stories, we die, they die with us and are gone forever.

It wouldn't hurt, in fact would make me feel good if you would go back over the list of some 900 stories that I have already posted on Fishing Stages Forum and read some of them. I would like to hear what you liked, didn't like, and why?