Ama's Watch: Now Available in Paperback ($9.99) & eBook ($3.99)

Just as the title says, my new book Ama's Watch is now available on Amazon! Click here to buy it!

Wanna know more about what the book's about? Check out this commercial!

Not much for videos? Here's the description!

Ama's Watch is a satirical medieval spiritual comedy about two bumbling assassins seeking justice for their people and the true meaning of happiness. 

When the benevolent king of Intus inherits seven corrupt advisers from his late father, the assassins Livens and Rubeus seek to kill every adviser in a single night. As they move from one target to the next, the assassins discover they misjudged the obstacles keeping them from success. It is not the members of the night watch, not the advisers' guards, nor even the personality-burdened advisers themselves. Rather, it is the assassins' own rambling conversations. 

The assassins' run through the city prompts discussions concerning everything from pie to the Goddess Ama, while the debate over which assassin is the other's hallucination proves the most pressing question. Even Livens' own self-doubts are tested when he ponders the meaning of happiness as posed to him by Caritas, the baker's daughter, who may know more about the advisers and even the assassins themselves than she's letting on. 

Ama's Watch features layers of comic, psychological, and spiritual depth, subtleties fans will research and debate for years to come, and a delightfully unreliable narrator who will sow a desire in readers to return to the novel after the explosive conclusion.

Not convinced it's an awesome book yet? Click here to read an excerpt!

And if you want to see where everything started, here's the link to the original Kickstarter!

Again, click here to buy Ama's Watch on Amazon!

Your Opinion About the New Year is Wrong - Throwback Commentary #64

Hey there! This is a commentary about the post I wrote on December 31, 2014! Click here to read the original!

For those of you relatively new to the Change and Cherish Blog scene, I really like ranting about New Year's. This past New Year's post is evidence of that.

What's funny to me is that the design for the 2016 New Year's post was inspired by the design for the 2015 New Year's post. However, as I reviewed the 2015 post, I couldn't remember the last time I read it. It seems the visual stuck in my mind a lot longer than did the content.

And the content for the 2015 New Year's post was pretty good. I enjoyed getting to know Bob Robert George and his addiction to breaking windows. It was great stuff!

In a way, I'm using this post to remind you to keep up my 2016 New Year's challenge. How are your goals? Are you well on your way to completing them? Do you need to refocus or realign your life to meet your goals? Are some of your goals less important than others?

As for me, I wanted to be accountable to you for my own goals, which I discussed in the 2016 New Year's post.

1.) I have examined and identified many of my own negative emotions. Overcoming them is a daily struggle.

2.) My physical fitness is probably on par with about 40% of my peers, but I have a long way to go to be on par with over 50% of my peers.

3.) I haven't missed a blog post yet, and I definitely feel as though they've become more relevant.

4.) Ama's Watch is going well, and I'm making sales on top of those I made directly through the Kickstarter itself.

5.) Still on track to graduating in August, though I'll still have 15 credits left to tackle come summer.

6.) I will be starting my career at Future House Publishing. The trick is figuring out a supplementary income.

7.) I have not finished any of my half-finished books. However, I'm really close to one (maybe 90% finished?).

How about your goals? Don't be afraid to be accountable in the comments below!

Hey there! This is a commentary about the post I wrote on December 31, 2014! Click here to read the original!

FINAL UNBOXING VIDEO - ALL THE BOOKS

Even though I thought I was going to have to wait until Saturday, I finally got the final shipment of the copies of my book in.

Check it out.

Buy Ama's Watch on Amazon! Only $3.99 for the eBook and $9.99 for the printed copy!

(Seriously, this will be the last unboxing video for a good long while.)

Final Proof & Bookmarks & Bumper Sticker Unboxing Video(s)

I got three Ama's Watch/Kickstarter shipments over this past weekend. 

Don't forget to buy Ama's Watch on Amazon! $3.99 for eBook, $9.99 for print!

Here are all the unboxing videos, in their unparalleled glory.*

*'Unparalleled glory' is a phrase used gratuitously. The glory of these unboxing videos may, in fact, be paralleled.

CustomInk T-Shirt Unboxing Video

That's right! Backers at the highest tier of my Kickstarter got T-Shirts!

If you want to know what all those words mean, click here to buy Ama's Watch for $3.99!

In the meantime, come writhe with jealousy as I unbox all the things in the below video.

Second CreateSpace Proof Unboxing Video

Blurry screenshot of the video! YEAH!

That's right, folks.

I have another draft of my book printed.

COME CHECK IT OUT.

Ama's Watch, on Amazon, only $3.99!

First CreateSpace Proof Unboxing Video

That's right, folks.

I got the first draft printed copy of my book.

Come take a look at it with me!

Buy the eBook now on Amazon! Only $3.99!

My eBook is Now on Amazon! Kindle Edition only $3.99!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW!

AMA'S WATCH is a satirical medieval spiritual comedy about two bumbling assassins seeking justice for their people and the true meaning of happiness. 

When the benevolent king of Intus inherits seven corrupt advisers from his late father, the assassins Livens and Rubeus seek to kill every adviser in a single night. As they move from one target to the next, the assassins discover they misjudged the obstacles keeping them from success. It is not the members of the night watch, not the advisers' guards, nor even the personality-burdened advisers themselves. Rather, it is the assassins' own rambling conversations. 

The assassins' run through the city prompts discussions concerning everything from pie to the Goddess Ama, while the debate over which assassin is the other's hallucination proves the most pressing question. Even Livens' own self-doubts are tested when he ponders the meaning of happiness as posed to him by Caritas, the baker's daughter, who may know more about the advisers and even the assassins themselves than she's letting on. 

AMA'S WATCH features layers of comic, psychological, and spiritual depth, subtleties fans will research and debate for years to come, and a delightfully unreliable narrator who will sow a desire in readers to return to the novel after the explosive conclusion.

LAST DAY FOR SIGNED COPIES - My Novel's Kickstarter

Today is your last chance to get limited edition Ama's Watch swag!

Want a signed copy of the book? Well, by selecting the Bonus reward for the House of Snake Tier, you can get one for $30! Who knows when I'll be willing to sign any more?

Click below to offer your pledge!

AMA'S WATCH: A SATIRICAL MEDIEVAL SPIRITUAL FANTASY

But wait! There's more!

Want your NAME IN THE BOOK? Only $1!

Want that and limited edition BOOKMARKS? Only $5!

Want that and a DIGITAL COPY of the book? Only $10!

Want that and a PHYSICAL COPY of the book? Only $20!

Want that and TWO physical copies of the book? Only $30!

Want that and ONE of the copies to be SIGNED? Only $40!

Want that and BOTH of the copies to be SIGNED? Only $50!

Want that and a limited edition EXCLUSIVE SHORT STORY? Only $65!

But that's not all! After the kickstarter is over, lose your chance to receive these rewards indefinitely! You could miss out on ...

... having your name in the book's acknowledgements and on the official Zachary James website!

... an exclusive rough digital preview of the work-in-progress Courting Disaster, edited with critical advice by Carol Lynch Williams!

... Ama's Watch bookmarks!

... Ama's Watch bumper stickers!

... Ama's Watch t-shirts!

... a signed copy of Ama's Watch!

... an Exclusive short story set in the world of Intus!

Don't miss out! You won't regret it, I promise!

YOU ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME - Ama's Watch Kickstarter

Yes, I've changed the cover design again. I'll fiddle with this until the day it's published, I swear.

Anyway! For those of you who don't know, I am self-publishing a book. In order to procure the funds it takes to print such a project, I'm running a kickstarter. You can click on the link directly below to view it.

Ama's Watch: A Satirical Medieval Spiritual Fantasy

Here are some FAQs about the project.

You already have more money than your goal. Why do I need to help out?

My $700 goal was the bare minimum amount of money that I needed to print an author's run of the book. Every little bit over $700 helps me continue to expand my business, including through web hosting and advertising. In addition, for every bit you contribute, the more loot everyone receives altogether. Once we reach our quinary goal of $1250, every backer receiving a physical copy of the book will also receive limited edition Ama's Watch bumper stickers.

I want a signed copy of your book, but it's too expensive.

Once upon a time, you needed to pledge $40 dollars to get a signed book. Now, you can pledge $30 to get a signed book. Look for the BONUS House of Snake Tier at the above link.

What if I just buy the book after it comes out?

That's fine, but you'll miss out on a lot of different rewards. Your name won't appear in the book's acknowledgements. You won't receive any of the limited edition Ama's Watch bookmarks. You won't have a chance to receive a signed copy. And you'll miss out on the other rewards, too, like samples of a few of my upcoming writing projects.

What if I buy an unsigned copy of the book, and then get you to sign it?

Absolutely not. That wouldn't be fair to the people who've supported the project.

I hope that encourages some of you to help out. The crowdfund ends on February 1! Let me know if you have any more questions.

NaNoWriMo 2014 - Throwback Thursday #53

Hey there! This is a commentary discussing the post I wrote on December 1, 2014. Click here to read the original post!

 Amazing how time flies, isn't it?

In November of 2014, I wrote an entire novel. That's right. An entire novel in one month. Rarely have I felt that cool.

Since then, that rough draft has gone through a lot of edits and changes. I even changed the name of the book from Percussor, the Latin word for assassin, to Ama's Watch.

And yes, Latin is semi-important to my book.

Anyway, here we are, over a year later, looking forward to self-publishing my labor of love. It's been a long, tough ride. But it's also been worth it.

It's not about getting a medal. It's about competing in the race.

Click here to read an excerpt of Ama's Watch! And click here to support my kickstarter!

My New Year's Goals

With the New Year comes resolutions. 

I don't like resolutions very much, because they often seem without focus or motivation. Just as an example, it's great that you want to decrease the amount of video games you play, but by how much? What consequences will come if you play too many video games? What rewards will you give yourself if you do well with your resolution?

So, instead, I'm going to outline my goals for 2016.

1.) Examine, identify, and work to overcome my negative emotions that affect the way I view the world, including ...

a. pride

b. entitlement

c. greed

... among others.

2.) Become physically fit enough to be above or on par with the majority of my peers.

3.) Write a blog post every day (363 more to go!) while making the posts more relevant.

4.) Find success with the beginning of my self-publications, starting with Ama's Watch and the KickStarter funding going on right now.

5.) Graduate with my BA in English by August. This will require ...

a. passing my remaining 10 in-class credit hours.

b. passing my remaining 15 independent study credit hours.

6.) Determine where to begin my career.

7.) Finish and submit to publishers/agents my three half-finished books, including ...

a. working title: You're Doing It Right

b. working title: Courting Disaster

c. working title: Jackalope

Into the new year, off I go!

I am Self-Publishing My Novel Using KickStarter!

Hey there! I'm self-publishing my book, Ama's Watch. Click here to visit my crowdfunder to see what I'm trying to accomplish in the next month!

The working book cover.

If you'd like to read an excerpt of the novel, go click the tab underneath the Change and Cherish logo at the top. The tab is just to the right of Breaking News! Or, alternatively, click here.

You can and will get free stuff if you support me, so come on in! I'll be needing you!

Most of the details are on the KickStarter page itself, so I'll just go let you browse now.

Throwback Thursday #50 - Make Something Happen

Today's throwback comes to us from November 19 of last year. 

Alas, even though I was really excited about eating everything with chopsticks, I never really got into the habit. I had this whole mini-arc going about using nothing but chopsticks, and now, I'm back to using regular old boring utensils. Lame!

Either way, I chose this post because I'm preparing to self-publish my novel very, very soon. In the next couple of weeks, I want to have everything read for a crowd-funding push this January.

I'm going to make something happen. 

Click here to read Make Something Happen!

Perseverance: Alex Boye Concert

Mathew 10:22 - "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

This past weekend, my family and I went out to go see a concert put on by the one and only Alex Boye, if you didn't already read the title. Here's a quick photo summary of what that was like!

YAY SO MUCH CONCERT

I don't know if you followed Alex when he went on America's Got Talent (I don't watch the show myself), but, about midway through the concert, he told the audience how, right before he got disqualified in the second round, he told the judges his dream to run a live show.

After Alex got disqualified, he posted a single hashtag on his social medias: #notdoneyet

Then, he made an announcement. I was under the impression that this was the first time any member of the public had heard about this, but there it was, out in the open.

Shortly following his departure from America's Got Talent, some big time hotshot fellow called him and offered him his own live show, every Friday night, in Vegas. The point of the story was, what some called this performer's greatest failure led to his greatest success.

Interestingly enough, I heard this message only four or five days before I received that rejection letter turning down my full manuscript.

I doubt this failure of mine will lead to my greatest success, at least right now. However, I, too, can say I'm not done yet. I have a whole life and a whole career in front of me. I'm not going to give up yet.

Setting Goals: NaNoMo Day 9

D&C 1:12 - "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh."

NaNoMo or NaNoWriMo or whatever you call it is still underway. I'm taking the challenge to write a novel in a month seriously, and as you can see by the graph the official website kindly made for me, I'm doing an all right job staying on par.

Yesterday, though, was a bit of a setback, at least in my mind. I ended up getting pretty caught up in a lot of other things, including an unexpected nap, a dinner out, a very long D&D session, and even work. As it was, it was the first day I failed to reach my daily goal of 2000 words a day.

Oh, sure, I've consistently outpaced myself each and every day, giving myself a nice little buffer to work with (since I don't write on Sundays, that means I've only actually worked on the novel seven days this month, meaning my personal par should be about 14,000 right now), but if I slip every day, if I fail to make each step ... well, let's consider the below analogy.

In achieving a goal, you must consider it like a flight of stairs. Yes, you may want to reach the top, but if you try to leap up there in a single bound, you will probably crack your shins on a stair and fall all the way back down. Of course, no one except for Superman tries to ascend the stairs that way. Rather, we pick up one foot, put it down, pick up the next, put it slightly higher up, slowly ascending, watching each step, until you finally make it to the top. It is the careful consideration and execution of each step that enables us to reach our goal.

Now, a lot of people tell me they're impressed with the dedication I'm demonstrating in sticking to it. One person told me, "I meet so many people who want to be novelists, and they never do anything about it." I firmly believe most people fail to reach their goals because they see the top of the stairs for the top of the stairs alone. They don't plan each step; they just try to tackle everything at once.

In the case of my novel, I sat down and did the math. I calculated the bare minimum of how much I would need to write each day to succeed. I keep myself to that schedule, and I am finding success. Time will tell if I possess the determination and drive to actually succeed (I just finalized my schedule for the upcoming week, and HOLY COW am I busy with a lot of distractions). 

I can promise all of you that, if there is something you want to achieve, something you have on a bucket list, something you know you can do but haven't started yet, today is the day! Make the plans! Promise yourself you'll follow the steps you set for yourself, and push out. There is nothing more fulfilling in life than achieving those goals you set, and as you practice in simple things like novel-writing, you will only become better prepared for the steps you will take toward the Celestial Kingdom.

Good, Better, and Best: NaNoMo Day 1

Mosiah 4:20 - "And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy."

National Novel Writing Month kicked off yesterday, and I did a really good job on sheer content, though I'm always faced with a little frustration when I try to write humor. I just have a hard time laughing at my own jokes, I guess. Either way, though my goal was 2000 words for the day, I struck over 3000 by the end. It was great!

Seeing as how I want to make creative writing a large part of my career, I try to avoid writing on the Sabbath, both as a way to sanctify the work before I get it published and to prepare myself for when I'm actually bringing in moolah. Of course, come 11:59 last night, I was frantically slamming my keyboard into oblivion, trying to keep ahead of the time so I could reach the part of my novel that I'd outlined in my mind as I wrote the opening scene.

Well, I didn't quite reach where I wanted to, so I may lose my best vision for the scene as today goes on and the memory gets buried under others. It's not a total loss, but nonetheless a little disappointing. However, in looking at my activities for the day, I recognized I probably had the time; I'd just managed poorly.

I was productive even beyond the novel yesterday, too, of course. I played D&D with the crew, I finished the weekend's worth of homework in just about all five of my classes, I went to work, I even connected with some good friends. However, I also sat around for a couple of hours watching YouTube videos and TV. Honestly, I feel like I deserved that little indulgence, but had I focused on where I wanted to reach in my novel first, then I would have accomplished the greater thing, and wouldn't feel as frustrated with myself.

And so it goes. It's the principle so lovingly declared in the title of this post, and since I don't believe in unironic title drops, I won't drop this one. However, yesterday was a good reminder for me that if I want to accomplish the best of things, then I need to sometimes forego the lesser things, even if it is only shortly. And when the very best of the best is reaching the Celestial Kingdom, well, even the mundane is thrown into a new perspective. CK or bust!

What is your very best? Be sure to comment below!

Sacrifice: NaNoMo Looms

Alma 34:10 - "For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice."

Tomorrow marks the advent of November and the beginning and hiatus of several other things.

Ever since I've heard about it, I've wanted to participate in National Novel Writing Month, a challenge designed to encourage would-be writers to get out there and write 50,000 words in a single month. The challenge spans the month of November, and this year, I'm determined to rise up.

As it is, I'm planning on putting two of my three current personal writing projects on hold. If you're worried, don't be! This blog was not chosen to be temporarily axed. So, strap in and enjoy the continuing updates throughout the next month as I probably describe in all-too-vivid detail about the frustrations involved in undertaking such a massive endeavor and likely compare my various experiences to tithing or something. I DON'T KNOW.

Anyway, I closed the first half of Jackalope a few days ago and sent it off to my test readers. I plan on wrapping up the last six pages of my goal in my journal today. I think giving both a break will prove beneficial in the long run, as I will be able to come back with a fresh perspective and more readily be able to see the mistakes I've been making.

From left to right: The working title page for the fourth volume of my journal, the last three paragraphs of what I've written in my novel, and my current set of notes for my NaNoMo entry.

As it was, though, leaving those projects kind of hurt. I've put so much time and effort into them, giving of my mind and soul to take these concepts and ideas and slap 'em on paper for the world to, hopefully, eventually see. It was similar to (yet still fell somewhat short of) saying good-bye to your family before heading off for a semester at college,

In the same way, though, there comes a time in everyone's life wherein we have to make a sacrifice for a greater cause. I think of my mission and the two years I gave serving the Lord and His people. I've seen parents give up dreams for more realistic goals, I've seen good people sacrifice fame or wealth for moral high grounds, I know Christ gave up so much to take upon himself everything no one else wanted.

So, no. I'm not comparing my 'putting my one novel on hold so I can work on my other novel' to the Savior's sacrifice. However, even an act that simple got me thinking about it. No matter what we lose in this life, no matter what we gain, the Lord has already made it up for us. So, in the end, if it brings us closer to Him, I know it's worth the sacrifice.