It’s been awhile since I actually had any time to sit down and work on the things I’ve really wanted to because of my eye surgery and getting used to being blind in my left eye. That holdup to it all was the fact that while they worked on my left eye and did some lazar on my right, I was pretty much blind in both eyes off and on for nearly two months. As I’m writing this I’m still ninety percent blind in my left eye if not more.  Three weeks ago when I had the surgery on it, they said that I would start to see things in about a month, but it would take a total of six to ten weeks before I could see without any problems other than probably needing glasses.  Well, that month part was right, I’ve started seeing a little tiny bit out of the top part of my eye which is actual the bottom part because we see everything in reverse.  Personally I’m getting really tired of not being able to see right and crashing into things because my judgment is off, but then somewhere down the road it’ll all come out in the next wash.

Okay, what am I starting to do?  I’m back on five of my novels that have been sitting still waiting for me to finish.  “I. Werewolf” which I’ve thought changing the title to “Full Moon Rising” is staring me in the face right now.  I have to retype the entire novel because my son Ryan got a virus on the computer that I had the novel saved on and well…I lost it all when that virus crashed the computer.  Thank God I let my mother and aunt read a printed copy of it.  Otherwise I would have had to write the entire novel from scratch like I did with “Down A Road I’ve Never Been” when my now ex-wife Kim took my original copy of it with her when she left and was secretly going through my things to what all she could take.  In the end that was okay because rewriting the novel from scratch made it a much better read.  I’m hoping that “I, Werewolf turns out the same way because I do have a lot of new scenes I want to add to it.  I’d already written several into it when the computer crashed that I’ll either have to try to remember or leave out as I’m putting together the final draft of the book.

Other novels I’m working on are “The Edge Of Darkness” originally titled “Reading Salem’s Lot” because Stephan Kings’ novel “Salem’s Lot” inspired me to write a story much like it taking place in Tennessee.  The first draft came out really well, but since I’ve moved from Tennessee back to Indiana I’ve come up with several new scenes that I want to add to it before I’m finished.  The new title is originally from a short story I started way back in the late 70’s with sort of a “Dark Shadows” feel to it.  Anyhow, I didn’t know where I wanted to go with it and put it away for nearly thirty years.  As I was going through some of my papers I came across it again and realized that it was the perfect opening to the novel and quite possibly part of the novels end.  There’s a lesson for all you inspiring writers out there.  DON’T THROW AWAY ANYTHING THAT YOU WRITE.  Why? Because you never know where it might fit into something you write later.  Believe me on this because I have hundreds of scenes I’ve written just waiting for a place to fit it and well…they often do.

I’m also working on a novel titled “For True” about a rock star that falls in love with a vampire who isn’t that into men, already has a relationship with her vampire mistress and on the side she hunts down bad vampires and kills them.  The novel is based upon the “Servant to Lust” vampire series by Fae the Gatekeeper (Clara Gerl) who gave me permission to write the novel either as volume four to her series or as a spin off story that may or may not lead to other novels.  I’m betting on the other novels because I’ve already written a few notes for a possible story.  If you haven’t read any of the three volume series, you should because they are very cool and erotic.  You can pick them up on amazon.com or by shopping at lulu.com online or by going to stores.lulu.com/faethegatekeeper her online bookstore.  Which is something we both have in common because I have several of my own books there (actually all of the ones that have been published and are still in print).  My storefront is stores.lulu.com.richartdrakelewis and you can find mine online as well.  Just type in my name and do a Google search and you’ll find most of’em there.

The next novel I’m working on is “October Night” a werewolf like story that is somewhat brutal in it’s take and though you may think it’s a werewolf what it really is will surprise the hell out of you.  I’m also working on the back burner along with this one a vampire story titled “The Night Predator” that involves a lot of the same characters. I think I’ve gotten about three forth of both novels complete.

Other things I’m working on are “The Return of Billy Jack” or maybe even “The Death of Billy Jack” which I haven’t decided, but I’ve gotten a lot of positive feed back from the folks who’ve read my opening to it.  “Illustional Reality” is the second long awaited novel to “Down a Road I’ve Never Been” that keeps sneaking a few scenes out of me ever so often (along with some of the other novels that follow it). 

Then there’s the John Tipton historical fiction novel based upon his life that I’m writing for the heritage center here in Tipton that’s also sneaking into my data banks when I least expect it to.  I recently sculpted a clay bust of Tipton and donated to the museum where they have it on display for whoever wants to see it.  This novel project has been in the works since late in 2003 when I was first approached with the idea.  I started writing in the third person using a timeline of his life that they’d given me and eventually got bored with the idea.  Upon until just recently I hadn’t worked on it in over a year until late one night when I was watching wrestling and Ric Flair says, “To be the man you’ve got to beat the man.”  When he said that I started thinking about the novel again and realized that that’s exactly what I had to do to finish the novel.  So when I’m writing the novel now I’m writing it in the first person, which breathes true life into the John Tipton character that is really quite interesting.  I’m really surprised no one has thought of doing this type of work before.  A word of warning though – my John Tipton in a historical fiction novel that I’ve titled “Tipton” is going to be to the point and brutally honest based upon the information I’ve been given and have found in my own research.

Then there are the other things I do on the side – things like start new novels or novellas, write short stories, poetry, lyrics and plays.  Yes, folks, Ricky Dee has returned to an old favorite passion of writing stage plays.  I’ve also thought about writing a few screenplays as well.  In the past, the high school days, I’ve written both and lately something in the twitch of my neck is whispering, “Hey, Ricky…”  Well, to me that’s a sign that says I’d better kick myself in the ass a few times and knock a few of both out to see what I come up with.

I do have a pet project running in my head that I’ve not started, but it’s writing the novel to the James Dean classic “Rebel Without a Cause.”  I’ve had this idea for years and just recently started collecting the need information to do so.  I have the movie and have picked up an early draft of the screenplay.  I think I’m gonna use the movie for my version of the story.  Even if there’s a written version of it out there somewhere or one being done it doesn’t stop me from wanting to tell my version of it.  Once it’s finished I’ll have to find out who owns the rights to it and try to get permission to publish it.  I’m not gonna work on it like I would one of my other novels because I may get it written and then not allowed to publish it.  If that ends up being the case then I’ll rewrite it, change things to make it look different and go from there (secretly I’ll still keep my novel version of the story in my files and try to at least have it printed into a book at some point for my bookshelves).  So why write it at all with the chance it might not get published? Because it’s dear to my heart and I’m a true James Dean fan that makes it to Fairmount every year to visit his grave and go to the festival attractions.

Other things I’m doing are a few art projects such as covers to my up coming books and ideas for other writer’s books.  Plus a couple of other clay projects I’d like to see finished for my clay portfolio.  I’m also working on the forward and editing of CS Johnson’s short story collection that I’ve titled “By CS Johnson.”  She’s a horror writer from East Tennessee that I met through her husband’s uncle that I’ve become quite attached to.  Her novel “The Watching” is one scare ride that will make you think twice about having a dog as a pet.

Well, that’s about it for now guys.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this little journey through my thoughts and up coming plans.  That’s provided any of you have actually taken the time to even read this.  To those of you that have I give my dearest thanks and ask that you come my way again by either continuing to read my blogs or reading one of my other published books.  To those of you who don’t take the time to read this shit, don’t lie to me and say you have because I might surprise you with a pop quiz or a Red Foreman Ricky Lewis style.

Oh, oh, oh, one more thing before I go.  I have a new 172-page book out (that’s including the blank pages and credits).  It’s titled “All My Internet Blogs, Volume Two” and covers more than just blogs.  I’ve added letters I’ve sent e-mail to friends and publishers, lyrics and poetry, short stories and several of my school papers that I’ve written.  If you’ve read my first volume “All My Internet Blogs, Volume One” you’re probably aware that stuff like that (the things I put into these collections) are going to be a standard with me.  Why? I think it’s important for a man who tries to say something with his voice to be remembered.  I have a lot of material out there that’s been lost, destroyed or simply forgotten that I wish I still had to add to my voice in words.  My third wife now ex-wife Kim pissed me off to points with her jealousy of how much work I’ve done and continued to do that I burnt a lot of it like dear Emily had her sister Vinnie do back in the late 1800’s.  Thank God Vinnie didn’t burn it all. 

With those thoughts in mine and my state of mine which is always at question I’ve decided to start keeping copies of everything I’ve written and continue to write.  I don’t have much to offer, but my writing, artwork and who I am are my gift to the world and to my children.  Being point blank as I’ve become lately because of lies and misunder-standings issued against and toward me - Because of the lost of life long friends who’d rather side with the enemy and family members that are just plain and simple idiots – I figure leaving a record and my account of my life will one day grab all these so called friends and idiots by the balls with regret that they ever thought ill of me and then it’ll all be laid on the line.

Yeah, reality is a bitch and then you fuck with me.

Thanks,