Hello from OKC

JwkOKC · 09-24-2015, 11:09 PM

Well, after more than six decades and almost two dozen published books, I'm ready (in my declining years) to enter the self-publishing world, and Dennis McCunney tells me I need to join here and take part.

I set out when in high school to become a top magazine photographer. It took only a couple of years of rejection slips to convince me that editors preferred my copy to my photos, so by the time I was a freshman in college I had achieved my first national publication sale -- in the March 1949 issue of Minicam Photography.

That led to my becoming a professional writer, though my degree said I was to become a newspaper reporter. After a couple of years military service, including 13 months of a shooting war in Korea, I came back to the news business and stayed in it until the economics of keeping a family fed forced me to move into industry as an electronics technical writer.

During that time I moonlighted enough doing tech articles for electronics magazines to become established, and to make contact with some recognized publishing houses -- none of which survive to the present day. After 24 years in the computer industry during which I helped develop what has become desktop publishing, I found myself about to retire -- and the proud partner of a literary agent who placed all my (extremely technical) books since 1990. However by 1997 those markets had soured.

So I've knocked around the publishing business all this time, and now am just having fun recalling the "good old days" like any other old geezer -- but I'm still learning, and that's why I'm here. I want to learn what's happening now. I'll probably lurk much more than contribute, but if I find a thread where I can contribute any insights or suggestions I won't hesitate to dive in.

My currently-favorite writing team, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, make a major point that writing is good only when doing so is fun. That's what I'm after. Let's have fun, folks!

Dr. Drib · 09-25-2015, 07:21 AM

An excellent introduction.

Thank you for joining Mobileread.

A link to our Posting Guidelines is located at the bottom of every screen.

Have fun!

Don
(Moderator)

MickeyC · 09-25-2015, 10:20 AM

Hi and welcome to MobileRead.

kennyc · 09-25-2015, 12:07 PM

Welcome! And welcome from an Okie living in Colorado.

I grew up in southern OK (Madill - in the arms of Lake Texoma). I've written a memoir of sorts about growing up there. I've done a bit of technical article writing myself (the only place I've made any real money) but it's been a few years. I've worked in the computer industry for a career many decades and am now as you say on your profile: "More or less retired" and a full-time writer. I've published a few stories and poems along the way. Am pretty much focused on poetry and fiction now including prose poetry and flash fiction and am mostly self-published but get a few things published in small/web mags here and there.

Check out the Writer's subforum and the self-promotion areas for discussing, promoting your work.

and again welcome!

JwkOKC · 09-25-2015, 04:34 PM

I liked Colorado when I visited there -- but the winters are a bit cool for my southern blood. My family is also from little Dixie; my dad grew up at Mead and my mother in Davis. Small world!

I'll be in both areas quite a bit, I suspect, as well as in the Calibre forum to learn all I can about my favorite conversion program. Thanks to all for the welcomes!

I forgot to mention that for 15 years I was Chief Sysop for a technical forum on CompuServe, known first as CLMFOR and later as SDFORUM, or that I have a website at [Promotional link deleted - MODERATOR] recovery business but also serves me as a blog...

kennyc · 09-25-2015, 04:46 PM

I think I actually only 'lived' in OKC for a month or two one summer, my mother lived there for a number of years. I did my first stint at college at OU in Norman ... and came away five years later with nothing but a First Class FCC license that I got after dropping out and studying for it while doing janitor work for the University.

I moved to Denver and worked in two-way radio repair for a while and then went back to school part time to get a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science....that was in 83 and I've done computer work since then up until a couple of years ago.

I got involved with ebooks, before they were ebooks, with online text/ascii files etc, then CD-Roms and eventually the 'actual' ebooks we see today.

Sounds like we may have published technical articles in some of the same markets.

Enjoy!

eschwartz · 09-25-2015, 07:05 PM

Welcome to MobileRead!

And

on the excellent introduction.

PatriciaTaylor · 10-05-2015, 08:02 AM

Hi and welcome to MobileRead.

09-24-2015, 11:09 PM	#1
JwkOKC Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 1652686 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Oklahoma City, USA Device: Nook HD	Hello from OKC Well, after more than six decades and almost two dozen published books, I'm ready (in my declining years) to enter the self-publishing world, and Dennis McCunney tells me I need to join here and take part. I set out when in high school to become a top magazine photographer. It took only a couple of years of rejection slips to convince me that editors preferred my copy to my photos, so by the time I was a freshman in college I had achieved my first national publication sale -- in the March 1949 issue of Minicam Photography. That led to my becoming a professional writer, though my degree said I was to become a newspaper reporter. After a couple of years military service, including 13 months of a shooting war in Korea, I came back to the news business and stayed in it until the economics of keeping a family fed forced me to move into industry as an electronics technical writer. During that time I moonlighted enough doing tech articles for electronics magazines to become established, and to make contact with some recognized publishing houses -- none of which survive to the present day. After 24 years in the computer industry during which I helped develop what has become desktop publishing, I found myself about to retire -- and the proud partner of a literary agent who placed all my (extremely technical) books since 1990. However by 1997 those markets had soured. So I've knocked around the publishing business all this time, and now am just having fun recalling the "good old days" like any other old geezer -- but I'm still learning, and that's why I'm here. I want to learn what's happening now. I'll probably lurk much more than contribute, but if I find a thread where I can contribute any insights or suggestions I won't hesitate to dive in. My currently-favorite writing team, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, make a major point that writing is good only when doing so is fun. That's what I'm after. Let's have fun, folks!

09-25-2015, 12:07 PM	#4
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,931 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Welcome! And welcome from an Okie living in Colorado. I grew up in southern OK (Madill - in the arms of Lake Texoma). I've written a memoir of sorts about growing up there. I've done a bit of technical article writing myself (the only place I've made any real money) but it's been a few years. I've worked in the computer industry for a career many decades and am now as you say on your profile: "More or less retired" and a full-time writer. I've published a few stories and poems along the way. Am pretty much focused on poetry and fiction now including prose poetry and flash fiction and am mostly self-published but get a few things published in small/web mags here and there. Check out the Writer's subforum and the self-promotion areas for discussing, promoting your work. and again welcome! Last edited by kennyc; 09-25-2015 at 12:12 PM.

09-25-2015, 04:34 PM	#5
JwkOKC Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 1652686 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Oklahoma City, USA Device: Nook HD	I liked Colorado when I visited there -- but the winters are a bit cool for my southern blood. My family is also from little Dixie; my dad grew up at Mead and my mother in Davis. Small world! I'll be in both areas quite a bit, I suspect, as well as in the Calibre forum to learn all I can about my favorite conversion program. Thanks to all for the welcomes! I forgot to mention that for 15 years I was Chief Sysop for a technical forum on CompuServe, known first as CLMFOR and later as SDFORUM, or that I have a website at [Promotional link deleted - MODERATOR] recovery business but also serves me as a blog... Last edited by Dr. Drib; 09-25-2015 at 05:57 PM.

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09-25-2015, 07:21 AM	#2
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,683 Karma: 60840903 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	An excellent introduction. Thank you for joining Mobileread. A link to our Posting Guidelines is located at the bottom of every screen. Have fun! Don (Moderator)

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09-25-2015, 04:46 PM	#6
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,931 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	I think I actually only 'lived' in OKC for a month or two one summer, my mother lived there for a number of years. I did my first stint at college at OU in Norman ... and came away five years later with nothing but a First Class FCC license that I got after dropping out and studying for it while doing janitor work for the University. I moved to Denver and worked in two-way radio repair for a while and then went back to school part time to get a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science....that was in 83 and I've done computer work since then up until a couple of years ago. I got involved with ebooks, before they were ebooks, with online text/ascii files etc, then CD-Roms and eventually the 'actual' ebooks we see today. Sounds like we may have published technical articles in some of the same markets. Enjoy!

09-25-2015, 07:05 PM	#7
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Welcome to MobileRead! And on the excellent introduction.

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