Today marks the return of a series of posts by San-Diego-based writer Thomas Shess, who has decided to keep a journal on his journey to find a publisher for his novel.

Muse Where Art thou? --E-Pal Peter McCandless gave me an understanding ear earlier when I complained that my Muse took off with another guy. I know who he is. His name is John Brinkmann. He rides a Harley-Davidson and has a movie star beard that grows somewhere between full and five o'clock shadow. She's up in his mountain cabin in Big Bear doing who knows while I sit stood up broken hearted. She promised to be with me. I got a novel to peddle, four magazine articles and a newsletter to finish by Monday. The laugh may be on him. He's one of the editors that owe an article to. Whereupon Peter hit his reply box with "...O for that 'muse of fire that would ascend the very heavens of invention...´(W. Shakespeare in Henry V) Hope the bitch returns!" Me, too.

Speaking of the Novel -I spent my summer boycotting my novel. I figured I needed the break before I resume in earnest continuing my determined search to find a publisher for my completed first fiction. There was lots to do away from writing fiction. Distractions are like Starbucks there's one on every corner.

Spellbound --Hard as I tried to ignore reality, I did find a book that I couldn't put down. It was published in 1972 by Barnes & Noble Books. Called, "Structuring Your Novel: From basic idea to finished manuscript," it was written before all those glib how to write novels became in vogue. To make their points authors Robert C. Meredith and John D. Fitzgerald rap your knuckles like Sister Ursula in the fourth grade at St. Vinnie's. They're old school writing profs. Bless them if they're still around. They offer a basic truth then give you several examples from other novels to make their point. Here's what I mean: "...each causally (not casually) related event must in some way affect the protagonist. We will illustrate continuity with the major events in Madame Bovary. Wow, I was back in class. And, they did offer examples that ring true.

Weaving Webs -While on sabbatical from this column, I did create two websites. One for cop writer Tom Basinski and another for me. In my site you'll find a synopsis of my novel. That's a hint to a curious publisher or a literary agent, who might be starting out and want to look at a semi-hard boiled work that unfolds in San Francisco. Let me know what you think of the web pages. I like web sites to be simple. Both are cost effective. I packaged them, including writing, domain search and obtainment and art direction for less than a grand each.

My Favorite Cop --By the way, Tom Basinski's book NO GOOD DEED is doing fantastic. He's now hot on delivering a second one. Berkley True Crime holds right of first look for Tom's next true crime yarn. He also recently won a Society of Professional Journalist's award for his San Diego Magazine expose on the controversial local City Attorney from his bodyguard's viewpoint. Not bad for an ex-wanna be Priest turned badge.

Loser of the Month -Yep, that's me. I'm on a fabulous M.D. regulated diet program and so far I've lost 65 pounds and have kept that tub of lard off for ten months now. Thanks to being slimmer, I've rekindled a passion in my life called baseball (not softball). I joined an adult hardball league and we play twice a week. The joy is boundless. We have matching uniforms, umpires, grass fields, bumps, bruises, stealing, sliding, missed signs dug outs and plenty of good times. Maybe that's why my Muse dumped me-she ain't into baseball.

* Because it's a jungle out there.