Who is Alex Shelby?
The character who has demanded my attention for five years and counting.
Friday, February 13, 2004
Two dead after political corruption scandal unravels
A personal account of drugs, influence, and legacy
By Alex Shelby
Though bodies have been moved, the blood still covers the warehouse floor. Political corruption leads to distrust in process and transparency, but it rarely leaves multiple murders in its wake.
My role as a journalist is to report what I research, investigate, and observe. We try not to participate. But the stain of this tragedy will be forever in my hands, and the truth can never be wiped clean. It is why journalists exist. And why we are called to hold those in power accountable to the people.
So begins my most ambitious serial yet. Set twenty years in the past, we get to understand this young, brash, and impatient reporter as he begins a new job at the Sacramento Tribune.
Alex has been living in my head for the last five years. He began as a thought during the pandemic: Can you take a talented, cranky, borderline narcissist and rehabilitate him? Like many projects, the first act was easy to write, but maintaining a second act became progressively difficult. Eventually, I put him aside and began focusing on Lose Yourself.
But Alex, being the attention seeker he is, was always there, demanding that he be heard. When Lose Yourself was in final production, I went to the door and unlatched the lock. Like Kramer in an old Seinfeld episode, Alex reentered my literary life, this time with more to say.
But, you see, Alex is an enigma. He likes to portray himself as this self-assured guy with no fear, willing to stand up to everyone and everything. Yet, he’s got layers. And even after I finished the first draft last Spring, I didn’t know him. I knew the way he wanted to be portrayed to the world, but it wasn’t the way I wanted to share him.
So, this summer, I wrote a prequel set twenty years ago when he first came to Sacramento. He’s idealistic, looking to make his mark, and frustrated he’s not getting the stories he wants. Was there a part of his story that helped create the grizzled curmudgeon Alex Shelby we’ll meet in the next novel?
And how could I use my newsletter to stretch myself into a new genre and style of writing? Salted Wetzel was always intended to be a sandbox for me to experiment and explore writing in new ways. And so we have:
Capitol Rookie: An Alex Shelby story
This 11-part crime noir serial will begin next week and run through November 2025. Crime fiction is new for me, and it forced me to plot out the story more than in any other novel I’ve written. Alex also revealed more of himself to me. I’ve changed some of his novel, Landslide, to accommodate this, as I’m in my third rewrite.
I’ll be interested in your take on Alex throughout 2025. Feel free to send comments, ask questions, and suggest new plotlines. Even with Landslide slated to release in 2027-8, I think there is an opportunity for more Alex Shelby storylines.
Side of Mustard
2024 In Review
What a year for my writing in 2024. There were some low points: my Lose Yourself marketing plan blown up, the A’s leaving Oakland, moments of writing stagnation, and impostor syndrome. Yet, those were mere blips in what I believe was a success:
Paid subscribers. I ended 2023 by opening up paid subscriptions for Salted Wetzel, even though no content is behind a paywall. Still, some of you paid, supporting the writing and the content. Your financial support directly helps my mission to make my writing financially sustainable. OT Press is on track to be revenue-neutral in 2024. Thank you!
Total subscribers. I nearly doubled my subscriber count from 2023. And views of my newsletter are way up over last year. I understand there is so much to scroll through and that I’m on your list is humbling. Thank you!
Lose Yourself releases. Releasing novels is why I do this. I love the long game and work it takes to write and release a novel. Writing a “baseball novel” was on my bucket list for more than twenty-five years. And now, it’s in the world and receiving overwhelmingly favorable responses.
LY wins awards. There is nothing better than validation on a project you’ve created out of your own head. Lose Yourself was named the 2024 Best Baseball Fiction Book by Thetwinbill.com. It also won the BookFest award for Best Inspirational Fiction and was named Honorable Mention for Sports Fiction at the Readers Favorite Awards. Plus, the numerous messages, reviews, and favorable feedback you’ve all given me. I appreciate it!
Salted Wetzel is 20 months old and counting. I’ve made more than 100 posts and continue to be excited about posting something new each week. I’m still having fun.
2025 Preview
What does that mean for 2025?
Capitol Rookie begins releasing next week. As mentioned above, I’m excited about branching out in my largest serial project to date in a genre (crime fiction noir) I’ve never attempted before. I like the story. I hope you do, too.
Landslide draft out to readers. I’m currently on Rewrite#2 for my Alex Shelby novel. I’m still working to find the right tone and hope readers will stick with an unlikable character. My goal is to have some select readers provide feedback to make it even better.
Fridge Philosophy. After 7 years of weekly Fridge Philosophies posted on Twitter/X, I’m embarking on a project to create a daily Fridge Philosophy. Writing 100-word synopses of quotes is quite a challenge.
Grow Salted Wetzel. I want more collaborations and opportunities to engage on Substack and engage people in reading this newsletter. While I use this space for experimentation, I want to find more folks interested in taking the ride with me.
Lots to do. Let’s GO!