I suppose this post my speak more to the heart of the writer but I hope that anyone who is feeling a calling on their life, particularly where a passion is concerned can find some motivation for the beginning of their journey. To say that the publication of my first novel was a long, winding path would only be scratching the surface.

With the unveiling of The Clock Upon the Wall teaser trailer, I wanted to provide a little backstory and details of my community that helped make this part of my dream possible. I have been writing since I was first able to pick up a pen–quite literally. My first awakening to this life-long passion was at the age of 7 when I first entered a creative writing contest in my first grade class. I won an honorable mention, for what reason I can’t even fathom besides cuteness. The theme was, aptly, I Have a Dream, and I remember to this day what I wrote:

Cuteness aside, I don’t recall ever wanting to be a carpenter, then or now, even when I feed my cravings for fixer upper television greatness. But one thing is certain, the dream that was awakened was writing. I never stopped writing after that, whether a little story, that my mother bound in plastic as our own makeshift publication (I thought it was legit, bless my heart) illustrated by yours truly, or full out novels. From the time I was 9 to my late 20’s I was never not in the process of writing a novel. Some of them were finished but never completed, some of them were completely abandoned for some reason or another. But what I thought was a failing dream was actually a honing stone.

To be perfectly vulnerable, it wasn’t without its challenges or days that I wanted to quit. The financial cliff was steep staring down self-publication in the face as opposed to spending all my time sending manuscripts out to publishing companies who would end up owning my work should the slim chance of acceptance reach a first novel. I took the leap, and I’m very glad I did. The whole process has been an education, not only for my skills but…waiting. The book has not been edited, as 462 pages would suggest. It has not been properly marketed, as 100 copies sold in almost 2 years would suggest. I published the book the weekend before the country turned upside down following the death of George Floyd, so I can be transparent enough to admit that it took almost a year before I felt comfortable enough to market myself while the whole country grieved over many issues. So, I’ve waited…

…and waited.

…and waited.

Good things come to those who wait. That is what I’m told, and that is what I believe.

When we began to emerge back into society on many fronts by mid 2021, the dream began to arise again. Megan surprised me for my birthday with a book-signing party. I feel like it was the single most motivating moment of my life as my community of friends came together in support of me and my book. And then Megan suggested something else…we live and do life with a community of artists and actors, so why not film a trailer? What a novel idea, no pun intended!

I immediately set out to putting faces to my characters among my close friends in the community. There was a perfectly matched face for every one, and to make it even sweeter, all of these friends I had seen act in some capacity. It was going to be perfect! So another idea was born, and out came another script-writing opportunity.

So, I unveil the teaser trailer for The Clock Upon the Wall and what I hope will be a strong marketing season and segue to my next writing ventures.

If this blog finds you in that hesitant place before something big that you know you’re supposed to do, remember: the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

Here are some highlights of the making of the trailer, and I am ever grateful for my friends who jumped whole-heartedly in this simple little project!

Filming/Editing…………………………………Matt Ervien
Narrator…………………………………………….David Willis
Carolyn Ridings……………………………….Jesse Taylor
Jacob Ridings……………………………Jameson Taylor
Anne………………………………..Natalie Reid-Knutson
Logan…………………………………………Josue Summers
Jessalyn……………………………Lindsay Manongsong
Sherrif Braxton……………………………….Johnny Click
Thomas Eddows…………………………….Steve Wilson
Young Jacob…………………………………….Levi Adams
Young Logan…………………………………….Asher Allen
Kids…………………………………Zoë Adams, Kartik Sai