Jim was such a wonderful speaker.  I've seen him in the past talking on a panel of other authors (although personally wouldn't have put anyone there in the same league as Jim).  I glad I didn't pass on the opportunity to see him again.  I was so entertained, he could have spoke all night and I would have enjoyed every minute.  He is definitely an inspiration.  My thanks to him.

It's great to hear that there is no single right way to do it.  I've (for the moment) have settled on using a mental outline for the overall story.  Then writing down chapter after chapter working towards the events I know I want to happen.  Usually I end up putting a detail in to flesh out the scene that sparks a new idea and adds to the mental outline (or subtracts depending on the detail).  So far the basic premise of the outline has stayed the same, but the mechanisms I thought would get me there has changed.

Now after saying all that I'm gauranteed to change my mind on outlines in the morning.  Go figure.  At least I'm writing, right?

It's nice to know that I'm not the only aspiring novelists in this genre.

I've been writing since about the third grade.  You know the stories.  The ones with all of your friends as the lead characters.  Whoever pissed you off that week appeared as the new antagonist that ended with a justified flogging of some sort.

For years I told people I wanted to be a writer.  I had high school teachers pushing me in that direction.  My biggest problem then was meeting deadlines.  I also didn't believe that I could make a decent living at it.  So as with most thing at that point in my life, my inner writer got shelved.

Within the last few years that inner writer resurfaced a monster.  I was fortunate enough to marry a woman that understood the creative side of life and kindled the tiny spark back to a flame.  I'm currently transforming that flame into a furnace.

Since then I have written several short stories.  None of them have piqued the interest of any editors, but I still have some out there.  When my fingers aren't crossed, they're typing away on the next twisted story.  Sometimes I think it's more like playing scribe to voices in my head.

One of my favorite short stories is about a company that sells ogres.  It's kind of a day in life of the owner.  It follows him as he interviews a possible new employee and as he deals with opposition to his business.

I'm currently working on a larger piece about a thief.  It follows his exploits as he raises in the ranks in a crime organization.  It takes place in in an alternate world where science takes on more magic-like qualities.  I've got a basic outline that will stretch over three novels.  The first book is just now being fleshed out and changes to those original ideas are being changed almost daily.

I find writing is like riding a bike.  Even after putting it down for almost a decade, I can still do it.  Although, if I plan on doing those jumps and wheelies that keep people watching, I need to keep riding(writing) everyday.

Personally, I have yet to buy a book based on any promotional material.  The closest I've ever come was to buy a book that was an "Employee Pick".  My sister-in-law lent me Storm Front and was forever hooked.
Word of mouth sells better to me than a free book mark.  Subsequently, if I like the book, I'll in turn suggest it to at least eight to ten other people.

Conversely, have you ever been hooked by the first line or page only to be disappointed in the rest of the book?  That is, if you took time to finish it.