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About Bright Works Press & Rod Collins
Rod Collins, Author
BOOKS
What Do I Do When I Get There? A New Manager's Guidebook
Spider Silk, a contemporary Western murder mystery
EXPERIENCE
Administrative Officer, Ochoco National Forest
Administrative Director of a USDA Forest Service pilot test to streamline Forest Service processes and practices.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Member of Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review for Reinventing Government
Recipient of the Chief’s Medal for Excellence (the only one ever given by the USDA Forest Service)
Public Speaker, writer and consultant
Bright Works Press, A Brief History
Bright Works Press is the creature of necessity and frustration. Although I was thrilled to have Spider Silk, my first novel published, in print, with a nice cover, the experience left something to be desired. I no longer had any control over the book. It wasn’t “mine” any longer.
Out of a desire to keep control of What Do I Do When I Get There?, and after reading Dan Poynter’s The Self-Publishing Manual, in 2006 my wife and I established Bright Works Press.
On-going projects include conversion of the first four books into ebook format, completion of “Mariah’s Song,” and research for “Bitter’s Run,” (with the able help of my long-time friend Jerry Barrowcliff), and “Beer Drinker,” a sad story festooned with black humor.
The focus of Bright Works Press at this time is the completion of these projects. We will, however, accept well written query letters from authors of Northwest fiction. Query letters can be sent to rod@brightworkspress.com
A brief endorsement
For some of us the word author may invoke the image of an attic garret, and of a lonely, neurotic scribbler. Maybe the air in the attic is chilly because the writer can t pay the heating bill. Empty wine bottles lie on the floor in mute testimony to the desperation of the writer to express the momentous works ringing in the mind.
Fortunately, reality is much less romantic. The scratch of pen on paper has been replaced by the pounding keyboard. And thanks to computers and the internet, the lonely writer has almost instantaneous access to editors, cover designers, and willing helpers who are anxious to critique the great works of a given writer. Thank goodness for helpers. (And thank goodness for Barnes and Noble and for Amazon.)
My list of personal helpers includes:
My wife, Vi, who provides numerous insights into human behavior and terrific suggestions about plot lines.
Eva Long, my editor. No serious writer should be without one. She is my manuscript designer and layout expert as well as an Ebook expert. She knows how to encourage without nagging. I m convinced that without her help my few books would not have seen the light of day. Check out his website by clicking here.
Jeff Duckworth, illustrator and cover designer. Jeff amazes me with his almost uncanny knack for creating an interesting cover design that actually reflects the mood of the story. I have read stories in the past and thought later the cover didn t have anything to do with the story. For those looking for a good illustrator for children s books or for good cover art, check out his website by clicking here.
Rod Collins
March 31, 2012
