How to Partner with a Novelist
a fun way to support the literary arts - help me get this story idea into print

Welcome, I have something kind of cool to share with you...

Here's a closely-guarded glimpse into my writer's life. Creating fiction that totally grips its readers is a fabulous experience, and it's one I'd like to share with you.  I can't do that in a few simple lines of even well-written text, so

Here's a peek at my most exciting work in-progress.

Almost everyone has enjoyed the delightful and perhaps ageless story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.

In my newest story, Two Sorcerers, ten-year old Jessica's life is too much like Dorothy's.  She's unhappy with school, her teachers, her friends, her future, and with all the other people existing around to her.  She lives far out in the country away from "everything important," and her biggest upset is that she'll end up having the same "going nowhere" life that she sees her mom living.

Sadly, Jessica has one more even bigger problem. She doesn't get to go to Oz like Dorothy Gale did. 

Instead, she accidentally discovers that an unusual couple secretly live on the next farm, and during the summer between fifth and sixth grade, she learns about magic and how to use it to get the kind of life for herself that she has wanted all her young life.

This exploration of our childhood wonder is lovingly dedicated to the millions of children currently reveling in those uniquely magical years and also to the countless millions who somehow missed their own special moments and perhaps even today silently shed pained yet hopeful tears for their eventual return.

Two Sorcerers offers hope that all magic is indeed found hidden somewhere deep inside each of us and reclaimed only within our full and complete awareness of who and what we are as human beings.  Find it and refill your heart. Share it and touch the lives of others.  Practice it and change our whole world.

Isn't it about time we all learned to live within our own magic again?

Recounting success in a thirteen year professional writing career.

In the fall of 1994, I could no longer suppress my love or perhaps inner passion for creating stories, and my high-tech consulting career came quickly to an end.  For months, an unusual yet simple story had filled my head.  I began writing its details for the first time. 

On December 3rd, just fourteen weeks later, I had a first draft manuscript of What Goes Around in my hands.  Little did I know that the toughest work was just beginning, the rewriting.  I redid the story, its descriptions, and dialogue eight more times before it was finally published in February of 1998. 

In the following eight months, I completed part two of the Doug Carlson thriller series, The Pact with Bruno, including six rewrites.  It was published in mid October of that same year.  On publication day, I began a 59-day national book tour, traveled through 27 states, conducted 55 book signings, and sold thousands of books.

In 1999, I repeated the same literary creation process, and later in October, part three of the series, Choosing to Kill, was published.  In the fall, I attended a number of west coast Book Fairs where I met a number of people in the literary and entertainment business.

In early 2000, I began working on part four of the series, Fool Me Twice.  Late in January, I received a call from my publicist with fabulous news.  He had negotiated movie options for the first three titles.  Again, in October of that year, my fourth novel was published.

During the rest of the year, I took classes in how to write screen plays and over the following year, I completed the screen play for the first novel, What Goes Around, and submitted it.  I'm told the process for getting a green light on a movie is complicated, and the best way to get one is to simply continue writing.  Each time I roll out a new piece of work, all the prior ones get new attention, and with a big enough splash, we'll get that movie made.

So, what's those novels of yours all about?

Overall, Doug's story is about an average man seeking to make his life better.  In dealing with his own life, he finds that things in the world around him often have a significant impact upon him.

In the first novel, Doug is on one of his usual escapes to Las Vegas when he accidentally bumps into the wrong man and over the next week finds himself involved in an accidental war with a faction of the Los Angeles Mafia.  The book is subtitled, a novel of power, love, and war.  The action is pretty much nonstop, and important messages about life, ourselves, and society are buried throughout this powerful piece of fiction.

In the second novel, Doug rebuilds his life while working for the Mafia Don.  The dynamics of the story have changed dramatically from the first one, and an unexpected betrayal looms early in the story.  Soon, Doug is at war again with a adversary much more powerful than the LA Mafia.  This story is subtitled, a novel of wealth, family, and revenge.  Again, the action is continuous and intense, and Doug soon views his life quite differently.

In reader email, a women called this portion of the Doug series the best love story she'd ever read.

In the third novel, Doug becomes a professional killer but not for the customary reasons.  In this story, subtitled a novel of crime, justice, and conscience, four of Doug's highly secret missions are chronicled.  Many readers report feeling stunned before they finish reading the first ten pages.  Published in late 1999, this novel in a spooky sort of way predates a number of very similar news events over the next five years.

In the fourth novel, Doug has retired as a hitman, got himself married, and started raising a family.  A year has passed and finally his life is what he's sought it to be all along.  Subtitled a novel of betrayal, denial, and renewal, Doug now is in a bone-jarring fight to save the life of someone he has both learned to love and to hate.  This story propels itself to a whole new level of action in a cross-country battle that startles most readers.

Each of these well-planned stories are connected in ways that most comparable series are not.  Look for the all too common theme of "what goes around, comes around" to occur repeatedly.

Something might happen in one story that seems kind of disconnected from it, yet show up later in another story with a really big meaning, and few readers rarely see what's coming in the next chapter.  If you're one of those readers who read the last page first, I promise that doing that won't help you at all here.

Okay, it's time to tell me about this "partner with a novelist" thingie?

In the Literary Arts, such an approach is considered patronage, and there's a long history of lovers of the arts supporting those who created the art they loved.  Notable historical figures like da Vinci, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Mozart, and Beethoven all received support from patrons at some time during their creative lifetime.  My new "partner with a novelist" program is modeled after the ideas found within that time honored tradition. 

For the moment, it's looking like I need some partonage to stay focused on my newest project, so I've put together this unique and perhaps one-of-a-kind program to get other people like you excited about doing exactly that with me.  Basically, I tell you what kind and how much assistance I need, and then I explain how your providing that patronage to me will also benefit you in some really great ways.

Updated November 2007: When this website went online back in September of 2007, my cash situation was looking pretty dismal.  The worldwide response from lovers of the literary arts has been encouraging.  I haven't met my intended goal yet, still I did receive some much needed support, and I am very grateful for all those who gave so unselfishly. 

I'm no longer facing the dire financial situation of two months ago.  However, I'm leaving the web site up, and I'm still inviting lovers of the literary arts to join me in the "partner with a novelist" program.  I believe it's a program whose time is long overdue (much like venture capitalist are useful in supporting new product ideas) for all the reasons I express elsewhere on this web site.  End of Update.

Unlike so many others who've asked for support on the Internet, I don't have any credit card debt because I don't use credit.  I don't have a sad story about how bad life has treated me, and I don't have dreams of some really expensive thing I'm hoping to buy for myself. 

Actually, quite the opposite is what's really true.  I still have some pretty nice stuff, including a piece of buildable real estate, and all of it that could be sold or easily converted into cash has been. 

Here's that piece of property (http://www.buildyourhomehere.com/) and you'll see it's currently for sale.  Has anybody noticed how the housing market has been creating so many new challenges for people over the past year or so?  Because of that, it's looking doubtful it'll sell at all this year. 

If you want to buy it, that's way cool!!  Now, you know how to contact me to do that.

Therein, comes the big rub.  I still have other assets.  I'm just spending way too much time on other things besides what I love most, writing.  My new program, "partner with a novelist," is an idea based on patronage to overcome my all too often distraction from writing in a way that actually benefits us both -- I get to write and you get free access to my work.

Of course, this didn't just happen overnight.

Three years ago, my now ex-wife and I were winding down our marriage in a way that we hoped would be positive for both of us afterwards.  Our plan was to generate extra income by building profitable websites that we'd each own independently.  Together, we attended more than one high-priced seminar for making money online and in hindsight spent way more of our savings that we should have. 

Back then, I never imagined those efforts would eventually come down to an idea like this one.

To make a long story much shorter, the divorce was final in mid 2006, and she moved away.  I continued to build websites and eventually they produced small amounts of incoming cash on a monthly basis, yet there was never enough to avoid dipping into my savings each month. 

With all of this web site building effort, time was taken away from my real love of writing, and of course, that too suffered.  Over the summer, it finally dawned on me.  My skill at working on the Internet and making money there was producing way less than stellar results. 

I needed to have a more reliable and of course a much more profitable plan.  Asking a very large audience for that help was the solution.  Some say it worked well for them.  Others say it's a monumental waste of time. 

So, if I actually did make such a request, I'd need to do it in a very different way than has ever been done in the past.  That was my challenge back in the early summer, and this is what seems to work best for me. 

How does this "partner with a novelist" program actually work?

My part of the process.  The purpose of the "partner with a novelist" program is to acquire the cash to get me back into doing what I do best, writing and creating dynamite stories.  I have a track record of doing that quite well, and I've diverted my daily attention away from it now for way too long.

So, here's my request for help, and what I'd do when it's received. 

I want to bring $70,000 of patronage cash into my savings.  That's enough money for me to give up putting any time on all on those minimally producing web sites and to refocus my full-time efforts on doing writer tasks, plus finishing my Two Sorcerers story.  That's enough funding to support my existing writer lifestyle for 15-18 months. 

Here's what I'll do and the supporting schedule I'd estimate for each upcoming task. 

1)  Complete the second editions of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Doug Carlson novels into ebook format and then make them available for sale on their existing web sites.  Estimated time is 4-6 weeks to completion. 

2)  Complete the Two Sorcerers manuscript, conduct at least four rewrites, and have it edited for publication by my advanced readers' team.  Estimated time is 6-8 months to completion.

3)  Publish 5,000 copies of the Two Sorcerers novel with a hardback cover and a dust jacket.  Estimated time is 10-12 weeks to completion. 

4)  Setup and conduct a publicity campaign for the Two Sorcerers publication.  Estimated time is 7-9 months to completion at a rate of 1/4 to 1/2 time spent on these tasks.  4-6 months will occur pre-publication and the balance will occur after publication.

This schedule accounts for roughly 15 months of the estimated time this "partner with a novelist" program projects.

Your part of the process.  This is the part I'm most excited about.  It's the place where you learn how to get yourself involved with me, and what that ultimately means for you.  Using one of the following partnering ideas, you will provide me with the funding needed to carry out my part of this process.

You can do any of the following tasks and that brings you into my "partner with a novelist" program.  First, decide what level of involvement you are able to handle and then look through the following paragraphs for that funding amount.

1)  Go to the following web site (http://www.whatgoesaround-thenovel.com/) and buy my first novel What Goes Around in it's new dazzeling 3-D, page-turning ebook format for only $12.97.

2)  Go to the following web site (http://www.thepactwithbruno.com/First_Editions.html) and buy one or more of my Limited First Edition Novels.  All four novels are described here, and the full set of Limited First Editions sells for only $94.50.  That's 20% off of the regular First Edition pricing.  If this option interests you, keep in mind there's only about 600 full sets left, and after that the first novel, What Goes Around, will be sold out.

3)  Make a funding payment of any amount from $1 to whatever your generosity and kindness allows you to make to my PayPal account.  Every $30 payment will move you to the next level of my partnering program. 

The sad part here for me is that PayPal does not have an appropriately entitles button for my purpose.  I assure you this is not a donation.  You will not give me anything for free.  Every one who joins my "partner with a novelist" program will receive one or more of my works in return for their generosity.

Oh, and you don't have to be a PayPal member to make a program payment.  Just have your credit card handy!

Remember, no amount is too small or too large when supporting the literary arts.

Here's a button linking to my PayPal account: (At PayPal, you will enter the exact amount of your involvement.)

For example, if you sent me $25, you'll be at level 1.  At that level, I'll give you a free copy of my first novel What Goes Around in ebook format.  If you send me $35, that'll put you at level 2 and I'll give you the first two novels in ebook format.  Note that only the first novel is currently available as an ebook.

So, it's now time to decide how much you can share... click on this link and "partner with a novelist."

That's interesting, but why should I do any of this?

Clearly, this "partner with a novelist" idea does not appeal to every reader visiting this web site.  If it's not for you, I understand that and you still have my best wishes.  Thank you for visiting with me here.

Still, it's a request for help from an active literary artist.  Your providing that help benefits us all because by doing so additional art is created for all of us to enjoy.

Here's the different kinds of people who I expect might respond and provide the much needed help I'm seeking. 

1)  Those people who love the literary arts, who usually support it, and those who have the extra cash in their budget to make a generous funding payment to help a novelist stay focused on his dream. 

2)  Those people who love to read good fiction and are willing to help a novelist with a financial gift to assist him in getting more of his own fiction into the marketplace. 

3)  Those people who can generously help another person who is simply asking them for their help.

It's no secret that reading is a huge pastime for millions of people around the world.  Much of that reading shows up later as movies on the big screen and on TV.  All of you who read anything know how much you are pleased by what you read.  As a novelist, I'm one of the creative persons behind the pastime that pleases you so much. 

I know that most of you have never heard of me before coming here, yet my work is out there, and you get to make whatever choice works for you about reading and supporting it or not. 

An Update:

In early September of 2007, the "Partner with a Novelist" went public with a Press Release at PRWEB.  That press release can be seen here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/9/prweb552901.htm  Since then, the results have been nice, yet hardly what's necessary to get me back to writing on a full-time basis. 

A Few Questions and Answers.

I don't mean this to be rude, but are you a flake at managing money?  I guess in this situation that's a reasonable thing to ask of me.  Actually, I'm the only person I know who still does a regular budget each year where I plan how my available cash will be spent during that year. 

I've been doing it that for over 20 years now.  The budget I use is programmed by me in Microsoft Excel, and I'm happy to share a blank copy of those budget worksheets with anyone who becomes a partner and then asks me for a copy.  It's really simple to use.  It's given me a lot of financial peace of mind over the years.  Without it, I can imagine being in a much more difficult situation.

Why should I give money to someone who seems to be better off than I am?  We are all in a situation that we're each created over some period of time.  I don't apologize for what I have accumulated because I've spend years creating the literary resources that brought all these things to me, often a little bit at a time. 

Of course, I'm more than a little hesitant and somewhat anxious to be presenting myself like this on the Internet.  I'm facing an immediate need to get refocused on following my writing passion, and I'm asking all my web visitors to help me do that.  I'd like to think I live in a world where asking for patronage help will actually bring it to me. 

As for your question, if offering me any help makes you feel uncomfortable, then you should not be doing it.

What will you do if you receive millions of dollars?  WOW!  That'd sure be wonderful.  First of all, it'd confirm to me that we live in a world where asking for help produces such great results. 

Even in my somewhat tenuous financial situation, I am still a generous giver.  I have six jars in my bedroom where I place new amounts of cash each morning.  They are mostly for my day to day expenditures where cash is necessary.  One jars is labeled "Give" and I've been actively using it for maybe five years now.

When I see a person asking for help on the street, I usually give them way more than what they expect to get.  The look of relief on someone's face, who expected to get only loose change or maybe a buck, is so wonderful when you give them ten or twenty dollars and in some cases even more. 

So, to be more specific and direct about your question, I'll just increase my own level of giving.

What if I buy your ebook and don't like it?  Then ask me for a refund.  I believe in totally satisfying my readers and now partners.  Even if you make a donation, and then later change your mind, if it's possible, I'll even refund that money to you as well.

I want everyone who chooses to be a partner with me to be totally and completely excited about being associated with me.  And, if you're not, I'll do whatever I can to make you happy again.  Although I'm asking for money, it's not really about the money, it's only about the quality of the relationships we might create.  That's what matters most!

Learn a little more about me.

By now, each of you have already decided what you'll do next.  Some will offer their generosity.  Some will feel the pressure is already too great on them to do so.  Whatever your choice, I'm happy you dropped by and spent a little time getting acquainted with me here.  

My greatest joy is to write words that make people want to read just a little more.  I hope you felt that here.

I have a profile at MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/daveo0099).  In less than a year, I've acquired over 6,000 new friends.  Stop by, if for nothing more than to say hi.  I'd like you to do that.  If you also have a MySpace page, then add me as a friend. 

I have a blog here http://blog.davidoneal.org/.  It's new from about the time I setup my profile at MySpace.  At first, I posted a lot, then the distractions kept me busy with too many other things.  If you like the posts I've written there, then leave a note telling me so.

Here's a list of the web sites for each of my four novels:

http://www.whatgoesaround-thenovel.com/  Only this one has an ebook available for now.
http://www.thepactwithbruno.com/
http://www.choosingtokill.com/
http://www.foolmetwice-thenovel.com/

All of my First Editions are found here:

http://www.thepactwithbruno.com/First_Editions.html

Here's a free email course about reading dynamite fiction that I wrote:

http://www.dynamite-fiction.com/

Here's the web site for that buildable property I have for sale:

http://www.buildyourhomehere.com/

Here's a web site that'll satisfy all your Internet and web site wants: 

http://www.10-minute-domain-names.com/   Yes, I created this one too.  Buy there, and we'll both benefit from it.

In case you missed this link when you were reading earlier, I authored an interesting article about patronage.  It's entitled, Notable Historical Figures and Patronage and originally posted on this web site. 

Okay, here's a summary of the "partner with a novelist" program.

To join the partner with a novelist program you make a patronage payment to PayPal to assist me with focusing all my work effort on practicing my literary art.  When you do that, I'll share my prior work with you in return for your involvement.

If you're not a PayPal member, don't worry.  Just click "continue" where it says, "Don't have a PayPal account?"  Any of your credit cards will work just fine without you taking the time to join them.

If you haven't decided yet to help me, please consider doing so right now...with whatever program payment is the right amount for you. (No amount is too small or too large for funding an artist.)

If you've joined with me in the "partner with a novelist" program, I offer my thanks to you for being so thoughtful and generous.  That is exactly the kind of compasionate and giving world I'm pleased to be a part of. 

If you're still not sure about doing that and maybe you have questions, then send me an email.  I'll get back to you ASAP with a response.  david@partnerwithanovelist.com 

My best wishes are sent to each of my visitors wishing that whatever you seek in life is also seeking you, and that such a meeting occurs as soon as possible.

As always, enjoy whatever you read,

David O'Neal
ebook author, novelist, storyteller
Author of What Goes Around: a novel of power, love, and war 
the dynamite first novel of the Doug Carlson thriller series
david@partnerwithanovelist.com