On Saturday, July 3, 2004, I published my first post on this blog. Here's how I started it:
Following the example of my friends Bill Crider and Ed Gorman, I've decided to start a blog. I may not post every day, and what gets posted here may be pretty haphazard sometimes, but I intend to talk mostly about what I'm reading and sometimes writing, as well as the events in my life I don't deem too boring. (Whether the readers find it too boring is, of course, up to them.) Don't expect anything about politics or religion.
We've lost Bill and Ed since then, of course, Ed in 2016 and Bill in 2018, and I still catch myself thinking now and then that I'm going to tell them about something I read or ask them about some book or author. I've never known two finer men than those two, and their inspiring me to start this blog is only one of the very, very many things for which I'm thankful to them.
Over the years, Rough Edges has become primarily a book review blog, although my own writing sneaks in now and then, as well as some real-life stuff. But still no politics or religion.
Here's how I ended that first post:
For those of you who don't know, I'm a professional writer and have been since 1976. Yesterday I finished my 165th novel, so I'm sort of between projects at the moment. I have to do some research and come up with a proposal for a historical novel, and then the next thing on the schedule is a house-name Western novel. I have work lined up through the spring of '05, which in the world of freelance fiction writing is considered pretty good job security. Of course, it could all come to a crashing halt after that.
That's enough to start this off. Feel free to comment if the mood strikes you.
The writing didn't come to a crashing halt. I'm currently working on my 425th novel. That means I've written 260 novels (or 61% of my novel output) since starting this blog. I don't think there's any connection, but I like playing with numbers. I have house-name work lined up through the end of 2025 and plan to continue writing some under my own name, too, assuming I stay sane enough to do it. And this blog will continue, too. As I said about the WesternPulps group a few months ago, it's a labor of love and I intend to keep on with it as long as I'm capable of doing so, even if it gets to the point where I'm just posting to myself.
My sincere thanks to all of you who have visited, whether you're new here or have been reading since 2004, and everything in between. Your comments and emails and just knowing that you're out there have meant a great deal to me.
15 comments:
I wish you would write a book about Western Pulps.
Thank you James. Always enjoy reading your blog every morning. I jump over and check the books out on Amazon and if I think it might be interesting, as most are, I buy it on Kindle. The world of old school pulps is a refreshing counter to the modern world of fiction which is soaked in woke culture and to be honest, boring. As far as your next book, why not an autobiography?
Will Murray's WORDSLINGERS is the definitive book on the Western pulps, and I'm not sure I could add anything to it. Although there might be a few odd angles I could cover, so I'll have to think about it. A few years ago I did a series on here called Monday Memories that covered a number of things from my childhood, and I've done quite a few posts about the early days of my writing career, too. Those could form the skeleton for an autobiography, I suppose, but there would be a lot of "And then I wrote . . ." I'm not one of those writers who has lived a life of adventure.
Congrats, James. Here's to (at least) twenty more.
Thanks James Reasoner! Reading Rough Edges is almost as much fun as reading one of your western novels. I hope that someday you are able to publish the titles of all the in-house novels you have written.
Jim Meals
Thank you James for your books and this blog. I will keep reading them as long as you keep writing them.
Every day when I sit down at my desk, I do three things before I start my writing: Check my e-mails; check my book sales/reviews; then scan my favorite blogs, Rough Edges being the first. Always informative and entertaining. Not the level of reading entertainment provided by your books and stories, of course, but still ... Thanks for sharing. Glad you started, glad to hear you're continuing.
You keep writing, James, I'll keep reading.
"even if it gets to the point where I'm just posting to myself." -- No worries on that score -- Congratulations and many thanks for your work.
Very informative and interesting blog, James! I read it every day.
Congrats, James! You're my first read every morning. Thank you for what you do.
It's impressive you've written so many novels. It must be a true labor of love. Cheers, and have a great day. Cheers, John G. Bluck
Wow. 20 years is amazing. Great to see you still going.
But I can't believe it is five and a half years since Bill left us...
Congrats, Jim!
I've only been around for about 15 years, but I've enjoyed every minute of it.
Your blog is always a pleasure always the first thing I read when hunting information about western authors and their work. Thanks for all you give.
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