Guest Post: The Writer’s Life by Jeffrey Perren

Teaser Clonmac's Bridge

This Writer’s Life by Jeffrey Perren

Up before dawn — make tea for me, coffee for the wife. Check emails — marketing tasks, correspondence with beta readers, and miscellaneous.
So far, that doesn’t sound very exciting. But that’s the business side of things. I leave as much of that as I can to my publicist — remembering how blessed I am to have one who loves my work.
Later, write or edit the latest story. Currently, that’s Clonmac’s Bridge, the tale of a maritime archaeologist who discovers a Dark Ages bridge near Ireland’s Clonmacnoise Monastery — and finds it perfectly intact. Soon, it will be a re-telling of the William Tell legend and later a trilogy set in the Age of Discovery.
But whatever the subject matter, the process is similar: research everything you can about the history, technology, and general society and daily lives of the period and people. Then, weave a plot within and around all that — filled with drama, romance, and ideas to enrapture the reader for every single page until the end.
Tall orders, all of them. But that’s what makes the writer’s life a glorious adventure all on its own. Visit places I’ve never been but want to see. Be people I’ve never been but strive to become.
Like life, the effort is three-parts tedium to one-part heart-pounding excitement. And you’re continuously trying to shift the ratio, despite the never-ending resistance of the universe to move it in the undesired direction. Still, you have to try — and try and try again. To give up is to decay, to die a little, on your way to complete dissolution. No profit in that.
It isn’t for everyone, for sure. It’s cerebral and emotionally taxing. It’s isolated and isolating, and it takes far more self-discipline than most people — me included — can manage on a regular basis.
No one orders you to write all day, every day. But if you don’t the page doesn’t get filled. You feel guilty when you slack off, and rightly so. You realize that no one, yourself included, is paying you to not write — neither in coin nor in praise. So, you pick yourself up by the bootstraps and plunge in.
Then, you find you’re enjoying the process so much you wonder why you procrastinated so long.
That’s one writer’s life, anyway. Your mileage will no doubt vary.
 

Bio

Jeff_PerrenCLJeffrey Perren is an American novelist, educated in philosophy at UCLA and in physics at UC Irvine. He wrote his first short story at age 12 and went on to win the Bank of America Fine Arts award at age 17. Since then he has published at award-winning sites and magazines from the U.S. to New Zealand. He has had short stories published at the award-winning sites Apollo’s Lyre and Mystericale.
His debut novel was “Cossacks In Paris,” an historical adventure set in Napoleonic Europe, inspired by a real soldier of the Battle of Paris in 1814. His second, “Death is Overrated, a romantic mystery”, had its genesis in an old film called DOA. The protagonist is poisoned and has 48 hours before dying to discover who gave him the fatal dose. His third is “Clonmac’s Bridge,” an archaeological thriller and historical mystery set in contemporary and 9th century Ireland.
He was born in Independence, MO right around the corner from Harry Truman’s house. But then, at the time, everything there was right around the corner from Harry Truman’s house. He now lives in Sandpoint, Idaho with his wife, an economist.
http://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-Perren/e/B00B7PTTKO/
 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6851798.Jeffrey_Perren
 
https://www.facebook.com/cliostory?ref=hl
 
http://jeffreyperren.blogspot.com/
 
 
 

Clonmac’s Bridge by Jeffrey Perren

 
Synopsis
Front Cover Clonmac's Bridge 600x900A maritime archaeologist raises a medieval monastery span from the mud of the River Shannon, sunken for 1,200 years… and finds it perfectly preserved.
What could account for this astounding longevity? Why are his colleagues and the Church so desperate to prevent him learning the secret? And why is his consummate lover his greatest enemy?
Griffin Clonmac will go through hell to find out.
He won’t go alone. Inspired by a real discovery, Clonmac’s Bridge shifts between contemporary times and 9th century Ireland. It tells the story of two men who struggle against envy and mediocrity — a millennium apart — aided only by a loyal helpmate and an unconquerable will.
An archaeological thriller, a love story, and a pensée on society then and now,  with a mystery at its core.
 
What some thrilled readers are saying:
 Perren’s masterfully crafted adventure story covers more than just one marine archaeologist’s discovery of a twelve hundred year old bridge.” Gregory Lamb, Amazon
“An excellent and engrossing historical tale. Seamlessly told through the eyes of those in the 9th century and modern day, it was a real pleasure to read. The style of writing really grabbed me from the first few pages to the end. This is a long novel but my personal view is that not a word is wasted. Really, really good.” Bodicia, A Woman’s Wisdom Blog
 “A wonderful archaeological fiction that grabs your attention and keeps it. Shows a lot about archaeological digs as well as being a great piece of fiction.” Jamie, Goodreads
 “Jeffrey Perren has created some fine, odious villains for his protagonists to contend with. The result is a tale of suspense and romance that will appeal to a range of readers as a good page turner.” James Ellsworth – Vine Voice – Amazon
 
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20687166-clonmac-s-bridge
 
Amazon links
US
http://www.amazon.com/Clonmacs-Bridge-archeological-Jeffrey-Perren-ebook/dp/B00J4NE8DE/
 
UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clonmacs-Bridge-archeological-Jeffrey-Perren-ebook/dp/B00J4NE8DE
 
Paperback:
https://www.createspace.com/4705744

Comments

  1. A writer for all ages.

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