Opening post

My first novel, "The Quest for the Black Dragon", began in my imagination during my last semester of college at Georgian College of Fine Arts in 1995.  It caused considerable distress for me as I had just spent three and a half years studying visual art media.  Ideas unfolded regularly for at least a year.  I wrote them down all over the place.  I had loose sheets of lined paper and some small note books, but most of my writing found itself in my sketch books.  (I was an art major, after-all.)  In the years that followed college a battle took place in my mind between Fine Art and Writing.  Initially Fine Art won.  I had decided the story was too much or not enough and pursued Painting and Drawing.  At some point I was cleaning my studio and discarded much of what I had written. Only what was in a sketchbook survived.
One day many years ago my friend Jay-Cee asked me how the story was coming along.  (He was in my class in college and was very excited about the story.)  I confessed I had given up on it and he proceeded to change my mind.  I don't recall what he said, but at the end of the conversation I was convinced to finish.  I started over with what I had and the story was simplified and found it's shape.  Over the years Jay-Cee has been a great sounding board and has been instrumental in the development.   
I finished the manuscript in 2011 and proceeded to assail agents in the literary
field.  After several months and refusal letters later I was discouraged.  Another man I know suggested self publishing an e-book with Apple.  I did some research and discovered Smashwords.com.  
I did the required formatting changes and published through Smashwords.com in August 2012.