What Makes My Books Unique?

This is one question that every writer, particularly those seeking literary agents in pursuit of publishing traditionally, gets asked.

...the one question many writers also fawn over answering.

How do you describe your Dracula different from all those others that have been written? How is your toothache, heartache, abuse, bullying… you name it, different than the other toothaches, heartaches, abuses, bullying, and the list goes on? Do you try to come up with something that you believe hasn’t happened before? Do you try to amp up what’s already happened... to make it more eye-revealing?

No. My answer is none of the above.

What makes my books unique is… 1) Me. I, alone, am unique.

But now, and of course, I can’t write something like this and expect others to believe it. Anyone can say that. The proof, therefore, is in how you live your life, the choices you make, what you think, dream, believe, do, and accomplish.

Because I believe in culture, and not race, I, as a result do not write for any one particular race. My stories focus on people and culture, and my heroes and heroines might be from any subset, creation or gender within a culture. (For instance, American culture is one culture blended from State…City…County, Borough, neighborhood, block, church, school, family and so forth and so on).

I, as well, am a loner. And don’t everyone rush out and try to become one of these. It has its moments, such as the stigma that insinuates loners are self-absorbed or do not care about others, ...or are lonely.

Here’s the real deal behind being a loner. Although I treasure staying to myself, as I once heard expressed, I am not lonely, nor am I alone. I care more about people than many, many people. Even when I’m running my mouth, talking a mile a minute, I’m watching people…picking up on thoughts and feelings that most would never utter aloud… silent substance that adds lilt to the characters I create that many who sing in tune with MJ’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ love, and the devil don't care much for since looking in mirrors is not an imp's thing.

The other thing about my writing that may come as no surprise to those who’ve been reading my blog, is that I have no special schooling or professor, or even literature community to credit my writing.

Every writer I’ve read about, particularly those in modern times, cite a university and often scholars who have tutored them. I can’t, which I don’t lay bare here to boast on... but bring up—FREQUENTLY—because it is the one message I impress on those who can not afford school... or who have difficulty learning in school.

While education is fundamental, learning is FREE. It is all around us, everyday, everywhere.

Now, with that expressed... Does anyone remember my reluctant reader? He is now coming up on reading his third---that’s THREE---as in the Number 3---book this year! I can’t explain how over-the-moon I am about this, particularly given that he, like many, has NEVER read a whole book ever, to include all through primary school (K-12), plus four years of college.

I know I’m running it ragged, my diatribe on how many people are not reading, but a part of the reason I harp on the topic is because it truly tugs at my heartstrings knowing how many are missing the point of reading for entertainment. I can’t count how many have said to me, “I’m busy trying to survive. I don’t have time for reading...” or “...I only read books that tell me how to make money.”

Wealth Crusaders! Outside of the fact that money has no ‘natural’ value, (read The Wrong Answer Faster and Smartest Guys in the Room), did you know reasoning (thinking) is by far the most precious natural resource a tenant owns.

That said, I just finished reading a row of books. After all, I couldn’t let my new reader show me up like that; especially given how far behind in my reading goal this year I am.

Visit my review blog to read what I thought of Until Tuesday, 7:17, and Thou Shalt Not Steal.