What has happened and what’s on the horizon?
Modlin is busy setting up the 2011 annual conference of the Alabama Writers’ Conclave, which will occur on July 15 – 17, 2011 at the Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. For more information please visit www.alabamawritersconclave.org.
Modlin has completed the writing of his latest novel, tentatively titled Newfound Freedom, and is presently shopping for an agent and/or publisher.
Newfound Freedom is the story of the two Hollister brothers who journey from England to the colonies at the beginnings of the American Revolution and become embroiled in its currents. Ian, predestined to take over the family enterprise, is sent to apprentice in the Boston office. Jack, four years younger, curious, independent, and whose destiny is yet to be determined, accompanies him on this arduous and precarious adventure. The two are separated after surviving a shipwreck. Apart, one brother is captivated by the idealism and quest of a developing nation and what its people afford. The other, taken out of his element, is disheartened at the thought of not attaining his goals. During their separation, both brothers encounter the brutality and oppression their countrymen employ to subdue the Americans' quest for autonomy. Reunited, one follows his chosen path, while his brother deviates greatly from what is expected of him.
A synopsis, chapters, and/or complete manuscript of Newfound Freedom are available to agents and publishers. Please contact Modlin at richard@richardmodlin.com
Please visit Sand Squiggles, Modlin’s Blog Site, for his stories, current musing, travels, tidbits on American and maritime history, natural history, gourmet cooking, wine tasting, relevant and oddball opinions, and other things he may find interesting to write about.
Don’t forget, Richard Modlin is on FaceBook. Become a friend.
Chasing Wings has been designated as a Finalist in the ForeWord Magazine 2008 Book of The Year Award in nature writing.
Malachite Lion and Chasing Wings will be on displayed and promoted by the ForeWord Magazine Small Press Collective at the upcoming London Book Fair, an international book festival that will take place in London, England in mid-April 2009. For information on this festival please Google, London Book Fair.
The Tennessee Humanities program has selected Modlin’s book, Chasing Wing, Birding Exploits and Encounters for presentation at the 2008 Southern Festival of Books, being held 10 – 12 October, 2008 in Nashville, TN. Richard is scheduled for a discussion of Chasing Wings and his other book, Malachite Lion, during the festival. Both books will be available at the festival. He would appreciate it if you could join him during this exciting event. For more information on the Southern Festival of Books please visit their website.
Richard has two new essays. Instructions for a First Confession has been published electronically in the May/June 2007 issue of MUSCADINE LINES: A Southern Journal and Santa Lucia Day has been published in the Birmingham Arts Journal, Vol. 4, Issue 1. A PDF format of this journal is available.
A personal experience essay, titled
Raccoon Encounter, written by Richard Modlin appeared in the
November/December 2006 issue of the e-zine (electronic magazine) MUSCADINE LINES: A Southern Journal
. An essay titled
How I Met My Cat Bugsy also appeared in 2006 in the
Birmingham Arts Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 1.
Richard Modlin’s latest book project, titled Chasing Wings, is presently In Press. Please read some excerpt by clicking in the Books page.
Both the hard and soft cover editions of Malachite Lion have been recently reprinted. Read about it by clicking on the Books page.
Richard’s new writing project is completing an account of his experiences and exploits while traveling and researching marine biological questions around the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. He is also writing a novel about a young man interested in the seafaring, but is caught in the turmoil of the American Revolutionary War. Expect these books in the near future.
Richard Modlin received the First Prize for Non-fiction Writing for his essay titled Fledging a Naturalist submitted to the 2005 Alabama Writers’ Conclave writing contest. This essay has become a chapter in his new book titled Chasing Wings.
