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A truck driver has written an exciting new novel and actually got it published. As anyone who has ever tried to get their work published knows, this is quite difficult. America House publishing of Baltimore Maryland discovered this colorful new author and published "The Concrete Cowboy". Stephan R. Hutchinson's story is about a young man who gets out of the military and buys a big rig tractor-trailer unit and goes out over the nation's highways to make a living without first properly investigating the trucking industry.
When asked what inspired him to write a novel he told me that he had been giving his ideas to persons whom he knew to be writers for the past twenty years or so. He would then see them on the silver screen two to three years later. Another driver then convinced him that he should not be giving his ideas away so easily. Following this advise, he began to take notes. These turned into several pages and then several notebooks. It was not much longer before he started formulating a full novel from his story notes. Finding it impossible to get published without any credentials to his credit, he published his first novel "The Icon Cowboy", volumes one and two, on his own. It seems that the only distributors that would deal with him wanted the books placed on consignment. They however, did not want to be responsible for the condition of said books if returned to him. Stephan felt that they were safer in his brother's garage and began to sell them to other truckers individually.
Disgruntled by the fact that he could not get them into distribution, he continued to search for a publisher. Three years later he came across a list of publishers who did not require a literary agent or prior publication. He began the arduous task of sending out query letters. Only three answered requesting a synopsis. All three later requested the first two and final chapters. America House was the first to ask to see the entire novel. He then submitted his manuscript. Several months later he received an email message saying that they were going to publish it. He was somewhat skeptical because of the numerous unscrupulous individuals that he had encountered in his quest for publication. His first encounter was with a service that indicated that they could get him published if he used their editing services. This amounted to several thousand dollars. The next was with a literary agent who charged to read his manuscript. When asked which publishers they had to submit it to, their tone gave them away for they did not have anyone to show it to.
Stephan had used the Internet to great success. He had obtained invaluable information from the websites of other writers. The main warning sign was that a legitimate literary agent does not charge anything to read your material, his rewards come on the other end, which is a percentage of the author's income.
As far as any problems like these with this publisher, it was not long before these fears were put to rest. He received, read and signed a legitimate contract from the publisher and sent it in. One year later his dream became a reality when he received his complimentary copy of his novel.
Stephan is still out there on the old boulevard trucking and writing away. He has written two more novels and three screenplays. Stinky Dough’s Truck Stop and That’s My Truck! – I think? Are available for publishing.
Stephan has a rather amusing website "truckerforpresident.com" were you can link into the publisher's website to order his book, order an autographed copy of “The Concete Cowboy” or read the articles that he wrote for ITJ Independent Trucker's Journal. He had a five-month run for his comical articles about trucking. On his site he also list his political agenda. I am sure that you will find this very amusing. I am not concerned about his creating an international incident with these writings for he is an international incident.
I obtained my copy by calling the publisher direct order line at 1-877-333-7422. I am sure that you will enjoy this new author as much as I did. Sincerely, Earl Wayne. Contact: earlwayneenterprises@hotmail.com
I am traveling at the moment and do not have a telephone number to call. Please feel free to edit in any manner that you see fit or have one of your writers use said information for an article. Stephan maybe contacted at iconcowboy@yahoo.com
About the Author
Drove truck for thirty years over the road. Started writting in nineteen-niney-five. Self published two one hundred thousand word series and then became published on "The Concrete Cowboy" isbn# 1-58851-365-3.