Thursday, June 23, 2016
Today In Saying Hey Here I Am and i have stuff to sale
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
TIN UNIVERSE MIDDLE GRADE SERIES #3
TIN UNIVERSE MIDDLE GRADE SERIES #3
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Help Pick The Cover For Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #4
Help Pick The Cover For Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #4
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #3
Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #3
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Under The Training Book: 300 Books In 2013, 2014 Goals, and My New Book
-It looks like I will have a job in the new year and if that is so I will also be able to address a number of health issues that have been plagueing me the last few years and some for longer than that.
-stop drinking soda.
-eat less red meat.
Writer Goals For 2014:
-Make my characters more diverse. I have a pretty diverse group of friends but I want to expand outside those influences and have more characters based off people I could never be friends with and characters expressing views that I would never mutter. It's one of my biggest writing goals for the coming year.
-Be a more productive writer with the time I have to write. If I do have a new job this issue will be solved because I have found in the past the more time I have to write, the fewer hours I spent writing.
-Work more with other talents. I love working on projects with other people but I haven't had the cash in a while to hire cover artists or writers to work with me on projects. I hope I will be able to do that at least once this years if I get the job I'm thinking I will have.
In 2013 I read 300 plus books. Everything from prose books to poetry books to graphic novels to just about every kind of books you could think of. I read them on Nooks, the net, in paper, and in audio.
The thing is I know this isn't the most books I've ever read in a year. I probably went through twice this many when I was a kid in a year. The only thing I did as a kid was read and watch TV.
If you wish to you can check out my Goodreads to see the type of books I read in 2013.
I don't rate many books five stars but I thought I would give a list here of those books I did give 5 out of 5 to in 2013. Some are books I've read before and reread and others surprised me by how much I ended up liking them.
The list of books that I game five stars to this years are, and in no order whatsoever:
Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: Guts
Gun Machine
Batman: The Black Mirror
Fortunately, the Milk
When Did You See Her Last? (All The Wrong Questions, #2)
The Complete Strangers in Paradise, Volume 1
Strangers in Paradise, Volume 2: I Dream of You
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
And speaking of books. I had a new book come out on the 22nd of Dec. It's my first middle grade junior fiction book.
Under The Training Book: 300 Books In 2013, 2014 Goals, and My New Book
Friday, December 27, 2013
Under The Training Book: Step Up! Step Up! Step Up!
Under The Training Book: Step Up! Step Up! Step Up!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
RELEASE DAY AND MY BIRTHDAY
RELEASE DAY AND MY BIRTHDAY
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Under The Training Book: Freeman, PR, and Day Before BDay
Mar: First of all, it's not cool to be making jokes about raping someone. Like seriously, why should someone have to tell you this? Second of all, I do not understand celebrities not having enough PR sense to NOT make these kind of comments when, you know, promoting things that they would like us to spend money on. Do they not have handlers or anything?
Me: Like the article said this isn't the first time he has let his mouth run too much. Your right, almost all big actors have agents and PR people who remind them before interviews to stick to topic or if they are the type to offend, try to keep things at a happy level.
Mar: I seriously just do not get it. Ok, I get that are people that do not (apparently) find rape humor to be offensive. It's fucking abhorrent, but these people do exist. But I honestly do not get how someone can be so stupid as to actually say this stuff while promoting work. That level of dipshittery just flabbergasts me.
Me: Me too. Every time it happens I'm thinking to myself, how stupid are these people. They play being fake for a living. Just do it in interviews too. And I know because I've been right beside people before interviews, people with loose lips and handlers and agents will remind them to Keep On Topic. Don't let the interviewer or yourself stray away from what you are there for. I've also been backstage when said handlers and agents end up banging their heads against the wall because of something that was said.
Mar: Quoting Effie from Hunger Games, "Stick to the cards!"
Now for some shameless self-promotion because its the day before my birthday, I'm watching Doctor Who: Sea Devil{a gift}, and writing, and also the day before my new book Mildred Betbeze, Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #1 comes out. But first, some merch.
Tin Universe, Middle Grade Series #1 menstee 1
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Freeman, PR, and Day Before BDay
Friday, December 20, 2013
Under The Training Book: Depression, Religion, and Smashwords Changes
I hate it when people say "But they were successful?" when a talented person commits suicide. Like success takes away depression like a cure all pill. And it really pisses me off when they say "They had so much" as if the feelings that drove them to suicide aren't valid if the person wasn't a down and out failure living in a gutter.
I could pull out The Book of the Law, The Book Of The Still, or The Crime Bible and then try to get society to follow it as the law of the land. But that would be silly wouldn't it. See, that's how I feel and a good deal of a lot of other people feel when others pull out Christian Bibles or other like text and try to dictate my life, excuse bigotry, and oppress others. Don't impose your fiction on me please and I'll try not to do the same.
Unto something completely different.
I'm going to get into some new updates at Smashwords; which is where you will find all of my published works. I need to start doing this on my blog. When I find out new information about what the service offers I need to pass that along to my readers and also possible readers or those who might be sitting on the fence about using Smashwords. The details in italics I'm about to talk about come from the Smashwords newsletter. My comments are after.
SMASHWORDS DISTRIBUTION TO SCRIBD
A new global distribution agreement with Scribd, an online reading community that boasts 10 million readers visiting their site each month. Smashwords will distribute books to their subscription ebook service, where readers pay $8.99 to read an unlimited number of books
I don't know much about SCRIBD but the idea of a Netflix like service for books I think is a good one and I'm glade my projects have the chance to be part of something like this.
NEW WEBSITE DESIGN AT SMASHWORDS
Smashwords unveiled first major web site redesign since founding nearly six years ago. Hundreds of updates, large and small, all designed to make books more discoverable and more desirable to customers. Best of all, we've laid the groundwork to add many new features in 2014.
* Responsive design – We adopted what’s called a “responsive design,” which among web designer circles refers to a design approach that optimizes the user’s experience across different browsers, devices and screen sizes. View the site on your desktop computer and then resize your browser to see how every page’s content resizes and reorients as you make the width narrower or wider.
* Dramatically enhanced mobile support – Our previous mobile version of the site was, to put it kindly, limited. The new mobile experience – whether you’re accessing the site from a smart phone or tablet – is darn near beautiful. Our improved mobile support is enabled by our responsive design. It preserves user access to nearly all the same features you’d expect from a large browser on a desktop computer, making it easy for mobile users to browse and discover books without pining for a larger screen.
* Redesigned book pages – The new book pages make it faster and easier for readers to discover, sample and purchase books. The download links have been moved to the top section of the page to minimize scrolling. New slider bars display book covers of other books in the same series, other books by the author, and other books by the publisher.
* Updated Dashboard – The Dashboard features that once occupied the vertical left navigation column have now been moved into grids at the top of the page, organized under categorizes of Sales Reporting, Metadata Management and Marketing & Distribution Tools.
One of the few things I didn't like about Smashwords was the sites website design. I think this is a good first step into making it more in line with other modern sites. While I think there are more they should do to improve it, I do also hope they always keep in mind making it a simple shopping and publishing experiences.
LEARN HOW TO ADD BACKMATTER AND ENHANCED NAVIGATION TO YOUR EBOOKS
Among the many great benefits of ebooks compared to print books is that ebooks can contain clickable intra-book navigation links and enhanced back matter. The intra-book navigation helps make your book's content more accessible to readers, and can help you direct the reader's attention to important sections. Your back matter, which you can evolve and update over time, helps you sell more books, engage deeper with the reader, and build your author platform.
Even if you write fiction, your book can and should take advantage of a linked Table of Contents that points to your enhanced back matter. Every book should have enhanced backmatter organized under separate section headings. At a minimum, recommended backmatter sections include "About the Author," "Other books by this Author," and "Connect with the author." If you want to go the extra mile, you can also add sections with sample chapters of other books or even develop and add a reading group guide.
I'm really looking forward to books in the future being more multi-media creative. Sure there will be over whistle and buzz crap but like with websites the creative ones will see moderation and skill is better.
Speaking of which. Now for some shameless self-promotion.
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Depression, Religion, and Smashwords Changes
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Under The Training Book: Reality TV, Netflix Watching, and WRITER FREAK OUT!
If people stopped for a second and judged these shows as fiction, which is what they are, as fictional as pro-wrestling, if people did that they would see how crappy these shows really are. Unlike pro-wrestling most reality shows couldn't tell a decent story as judged by the ways fiction stories are judged.
Reality TV is suppose to give us a look into other peoples lives but in fact all it does it push stereotypes, hump popular culture, and put us against each other when those false walls fall and we see true reality from the people on these shows.
One of the things that always amazed me about the success of Duck Dynasty is how many people I know who wouldn't watch a show about rich people and buy their products putting further money into already rich pockets to save their lives but they bought into every aspect of this show because, hey, these rich character had on hunting clothes and Wal-Mart sold their stuff. Talk about good marketing pointed perfectly at the right shells willing to be shucked out of their money.
Oh, and one more comment. Look up what censorship is people. Someone having problems with something someone else said isn't censorship. Neither is your bosses suspending you for something you said.
How many times can a writer hit delete and then undo with the same chapter? Took me a week to delete something in a story yesterday story that just was not working, and that not working was holding things up and today I'm back in the race.
Yesterday after a dinner of BBQ baked beer chicken with cherry tomatoes and pearl onions I started watching Lilyhammer on Netflix. Lilyhammer looks like it might be interesting show though I don't think I like the led much but with the subtitles I'll have to watch more later when I'm not writing every chance I get.
From there I finished Ripper Street, also on Netflix. I hope Netflix gets season 2 of Ripper Script. I liked it a lot. Some actors I really like on it too.
Now as I'm writing this I'm watching The Inspector Lynley Mysteries while writing. Though its a pain that Netflix has them all listed separate and not as a series. One of the episodes I watched yesterday had a really young Henry Cavill in it. He was Head Boy! And Bill Nighy was the head of the school. That's Superman and Rufus Scrimgeour in one story.
Right now I'm in panic mode as the release of Mildred Betbeze, Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #1 is coming in a few days and every time I look it over to try and spot any errors I've made since the last edit I FREAK FREAK FREAK. This book means a lot to me because its the most fun I've ever had writing anything. Well, until now :)
Speaking of which. Now for some shameless self-promotion.
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Reality TV, Netflix Watching, and WRITER FREAK OUT!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Under The Training Book: Why Does The Delete Key Scream Fail To Me?
And so is the life of a writer.
Even a mediocre one such as myself.
The 15 Best Book Covers of 2013:
I might piss off some photographer and design friends, and maybe a writer friend or two, with what I'm about to say but if these are the best prose book covers of 2013 its just another example of what I've always said about how bad a lot of prose covers, especially YA prose covers really are.
I could grab you a 500 comic book covers from books released this year that put these to shame but publishers are lazy and cheap and that's why they go with photo covers or just fonted covers as I call them.
And if you want photo covers, if that is your preference, there are tons of very talented and creative photographers out there but that would mean the publishers would have to, you know, think a little.
Plus, I'd like to add, as a self-publisher I hate that this puts a bad image in the heads of self-publishers in regards to what is a good cover for their books.
Nancy Drew and the Case of the Politically Incorrect Children’s Books:
Should children still be reading these books? Yes yes and yes because not only would your child be reading but it would be a good teaching moment between parent and child. People seem to run from those situations like they are on fire.
Enjoying and reading books which contain.... well, anything from the past or present that shows the times we live or lived in is a good thing. Otherwise we would be cutting huge chunks out of the history of the great story and white washing a past in the hidden disguise of FOR THE CHILDREN.
Though to be honest,are kids reading Nancy Drew unless their parents are pushing them to?
After I posted that on Facebook the following exchange happen between me and Mar,
Mar: My favorite thing ever is when people want kids to read these great, wholesome CLASSICS. Because children will learn good, moral VALUES from them. As opposed to that filth that's out today.
Me: Like when people want their kids to read Sherlock Holmes instead of modern books. You mean the books where the lead character is a drug addict?
Mar: "THAT'S NOT HOW WE'RE REMEMBERING IT"
Mar: "Won't someone please think of the children"
Me: "Those delicious chidens"
Me: When I was a kid no one was abused, kidnapped, bullied, or hurt. Everyone walked around whistling jingle tunes and had rainbows shooting out of their asses. You could see the cross on the hill in every eye and people only had sex really fast and then didn't ever think of it again. It's this modern world. It's so bad, So very very bad.
Mar: Did you also walk 10 miles in the snow for these joyous books?
Me: No, through tornadoes of Hell's birds and floods of Satan's teeth.
Mar: Your weird has no shame.
Speaking of no shame. Now for some shameless self-promotion.
Tin Universe, Middle Grade Series #1 postcard
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Why Does The Delete Key Scream Fail To Me?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Under The Training Book: Condoms, Small Businesses, and Beverly Hills Cop
I grow smarter on a curve every single day because the world is growing stupider.
And speaking of stupid.
I'm all for supporting local businesses and small businesses but I don't do it blindly. The same way I don't boycott any business blindly when shopping at other places and ignoring what they are doing. Support and non-support of any business shouldn't be based off some kind of cheerleader to our ears trend.
A lot of small and local businesses suck. I'm sorry but they do.
And before anyone says anything, yes I do include self-publishers; which are small businesses, in this.
Don't tell me a business is better just because its local or small. Fuck that. Big doesn't mean better or worse and neither does small or local. Oh, and local doesn't really mean small, it could be local and huge company that does nothing for the local area.
A good business is a good business no matter its size or location by operating with good costumer service which stretches to good interaction with costumers, good trouble shooting questions, a good store atmosphere, and a willingness to admit you have been a dumbfuck.
See that last one up there is the big one. If you want to stand out from a big businesses, be willing to be a fucking human being in the way you operate.
Since I mentioned bad local and small businesses, here are a couple GREAT local small businesses I love: Famous Faces & Funnies, Mustard's Last Stand, and Julie’s British Shoppe. I have no shame in promoting things I like and do so every chance I get.
Speaking of no shame. Now for some shameless self-promotion.
There are also a lot more Tin Universe materials in that store, many featuring the covers to my new book coming out on the 22nd of this month. It will be available for download on my Smashwords store for $1.00 per download. Like I've said before if you buy something from one of my stories I'll email you a PDF of Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #1 for free. All you need to do is put STORE ORDER RECEIPT in the subject box of an email with a copy of your order confirmation attached and send to hangofwednesday@gmail.com
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Condoms, Small Businesses, and Beverly Hills Cop
Monday, December 16, 2013
Under The Training Book: Smaug, Faux documentation, and Delusions Of Grandeur
I enjoyed the movie but it was really long. I would have normally needed two pee breaks and a snack break because these days every fucking movie is really long but there is a big difference between other director's films being really long and Peter Jackson's films being really long but since my bladder was empty and we just ate brownies before heading to the theater I sat through the whole thing uninterrupted, and again, it was long.
Though, BLADDER ACCOMPLISHMENT ACHIEVED!
It was also a movie that very much felt like the middle movie of three and that isn't a good thing. The things I spotted that suffered from the stretching into three movies was the town stuff and the dragon stuff.
And that's the talkingish dragon ever in the ever of ever.
Today To-Do List will be dishes, putting stuff in the slow cookers for slow cooked bbq chicken and slow cooked Rosemary beef stew, do a bunch of laundry, clean out vacuum, vacuum up all the glitter from Sundays gifts giving, and write some shit.
The Interstellar trailer was stock footage, boring voice over, and two seconds of film, and on my don't see list already. I would rant about not liking Nolan and how he's full of himself as a film maker but I've done that enough in the past so I wont even mention it.
BUSTED! Mar was caught crafting when we were suppose to be cleaning.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer was ok, but whats this about and whats going on? *Note they had this trailer before the Hobbit and it looked better on the big screen and I spotted more things I missed watching it on the Nook but it still looks like it might be a mess of trying to weave everything together. I didn't see the first movie on the screen but not because I didn't want to. If I have the cash at the time I will see this one at the theater.
Then I got something thrown at me. Mar-"Where's your cleaning, off interneting trailers and you talk about me."
The Jupiter Ascending trailer is pretty, very pretty. A very pretty that will be another dvd from the library viewing.
The only trailer I watched yesterday morning that was more cringe worthy than Noah was I, Frankenstein. Both seemed to be over thinking all over the place.
There pics of my not cleaning. More stuff thrown at me. Mar-"Your Tweets are the evidence dumbass"
Out of context quote: Mar-"I like the faux primary source documentation on that tweet you favorited." Me"*stares blankly*"
Random Twitter Thought:
I have like five friends in nursing school. I hope they know I might be sending them pictures of moles when they graduate... because I will.
Since my next book is coming out on my birthday I'm telling the hundreds of friends I have to buy it in lieu of a gift. #delusionsofgrandeur
Speaking of which. Now for some shameless self-promotion.
There are also a lot more Tin Universe materials in that store, many featuring the covers to my new book coming out on the 22nd of this month. It will be available for download on my Smashwords store for $1.00 per download. Like I've said before if you buy something from one of my stories I'll email you a PDF of Tin Universe Middle Grade Series #1 for free. All you need to do is put STORE ORDER RECEIPT in the subject box of an email with a copy of your order confirmation attached and send to hangofwednesday@gmail.com
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: Smaug, Faux documentation, and Delusions Of Grandeur
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Under The Training Book: The Avengers, A Triumvirate Christmas, and Random Poop
And that's one of many reasons I only have 69 people on my Facebook.
Watched a bunch of The Avengers the other day while Mar was off to pick up one of her sisters at college and someone asked me a question a lot of The Avengers fans get asked. Which is better the Cathy Gale- Don't Look Behind You or the Emma Peel- The Joker? I say The Joker. Rigg shows fear and strength together from moment to moment.
I wish they would get all of The Avengers on Netflix because every time I watch my DVDs I think what if they mess up because you can't buy them anymore. I only have a couple Cathy Gale episodes and the 68 set of Tara King and one of The New Avengers, matter of fact I've never seen The New Avengers.
The Avengers is in my Top-Ten TV Shows Of ALL TIME!!!! Love this show and it had a great influence on my humor and the way I approach some stories I write.
While Mar was in Orlando they stopped off at a British store there. We have one near us, which is much better, but why not try to see what this one has? Mar's mom bought groupons for the place for everyone but we will never go back there because they were such jerks.
Everything her family tried to get the people said the groupons wouldn't cover because the items are seasonal. They considered all cookies seasonal, all Doctor Who stuff seasonal, just about everything seasonal. They also said you had to spend over the groupon amount; which is bullshit. In the case of these types of groupons if you don't spend the groupon full amount you just loose the rest, you don't get anything back.
Ok, one business that will never get another dime from us.
Our first Sunday Night Movie night in a few weeks. It was gift exchange day for the Triumvirate as we watched Harry Potter movies, went to see the new Hobbit, and ate breakfast for lunch.
Now for some shameless self-promotion.
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
Under The Training Book: The Avengers, A Triumvirate Christmas, and Random Poop
Saturday, December 14, 2013
No My Blood Pressure Is High Enough, Last Nights Dinner, and Revisions
And that's all I have to say on that.
I've stayed away from getting angry with the news the past few months and it has not only pushed up my creative output but also lowered my blood pressure considerably and it was in very dangerous levels, levels where if I had health insurance or money I'd have been in a hospital. Now the holidays has upped it once again, and this fun time of year tends to do, but I'm not falling back into that trap. I don't have much but I do have better things to do than die in a rage.
Last night I made bacon wrapped chicken breasts and twice cooked baked potatoes for dinner. Good food. After cutting back on news type stress, my next health step is trying to eat better. That's one of my big steps for the new year.
Today while Mar goes off with her family to pick up another of their member for Christmas I'm going to watch episodes from two of my The Avengers sets, The Avengers: 68 and The Best Of The Original Avengers and I suppose I'm going eat something big and fancy like Roman Noodles....yes, I did say Roman Noodles on purpose. Screw you they will always be Roman Noodles to me just the same as it will always be smashed tators or potatoes to me.
After posting this while watching The Avengers I'm going to work on some revisions.
This entry is really short because I need to work on revisions and also being online will just make me angry today.
But short or not...
Now for some shameless self-promotion.
If you are interested in being part of the street team to get the word out go here and learn more.
No My Blood Pressure Is High Enough, Last Nights Dinner, and Revisions
Friday, December 13, 2013
Doctor Who, Boobies, and Beer
When talking with my friend Touch about the whole spill of what number regeneration and number body is the Doctor currently on I hit rant point and paragraphs came out of me.
And more now.
The fucking body and regeneration thing being different numbers is just stupid. If that's the case what number is The Watcher that helped the 4th Doctor regenerate or The Valeyard? It's taking a concept that's complicated to a lot of people to begin with and making it even more completed by trying to explain away things perfectly. There's a difference between creator and fan games, that's a fan game.
Every time anyone connected with the show tries to explain it they just make it more convoluted. They should of just said when time was changed in regards to the Time War John Hurt's Doctor became a paradox and that's why he regenerated right away into the 9th Doctor, it was time correcting itself. Because that's basically what the story said but NOOOO Moffat and everybody has to feed into fans bullshit and try to please everyone while actually pleasing no one.
Over and over again people seem to forget fan stands for fanatic. Fans are like a spoiled child by nature. You don't give them candy because they are crying or being good for once, you do sparingly but without a pattern they can take advantage of.
My problem isn't with people talking about this whole, that's a lot of the fun in any fandom, my problem is with the people working with the show talking about something instead of showing it in a story. Either show it like you want to be in a story{which I had thought they had done} or just say that's for everyone to have a view on.
Because in the end the internet has this irrational hate on for Moffat and he isn't doing himself any favors by feeding the beast.
This is the third thing I read him say about this since the special and other people with the show have made comments. Just show with the stories, that's all.
Later while helping a relative troubleshoot a website problem{You know you don't know shit about something technology based when I'm helping you with tech stuff.}I watched a few episodes of my favorite web series, I'm so behind but I only made a comment on one of them. Sorry to disagree with one of my Gods in John Green but American beer isn't the best. It's only function isn't one of taste but to allow idiots to drink as much beer as possible with other idiots cheering them on because its mainly piss water or around here Brevard County water. Maybe they brew all American beer secretly in this area?
Another of my Gods is David Lubar. Speaking of him, David Lubar on Twitter is one of the best things about Twitter. Such as = "Fox's Megyn Kelly tells viewers that Jesus was white. I guess it's just a matter of semantics. Or Semitics. Jesus wasn't white. Everyone knows Jesus is an Hispanic name."
We went out after Mar got home to find some last minute gifts and craft stuff. While Mar was looking for something at the Dollar Store I was talking to someone in an exchange on Facebook about the issue of students being allowed to wear Support The Boobies type stuff at schools.
My opinion is a lot of people only wear that stuff as an excuse to wear something that says boobies on it and act like its for charity or activism. In this case I stand with these students because boys have had Big Johnson shirts for years and no one goes after them but mention a womens breasts in any way and its STOP THE SMUT!
When we were out looking for a gift, just before coming home, I ran into someone handing out pamphlets. As someone who has been on that side of things I know its not easy but there is a proper way to do it. You ask, you be polite, and you don't bug people. The following is what I tweeted after this encounter: No PETA person I don't want your pamphlet and you being an asshole when I politely said "No thank you" is one example why your group is shit.
To say I don't like PETA is an understatement. They only care about publicity and do as much to help save animals, if not less, as your average slaughter house. Egocentric assholes who hide behind supposed activism to play club house party.
Now for some shameless self-promotion.
Doctor Who, Boobies, and Beer































